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How do I create a ProRes(HQ) version of my finished feature?
I have a 77 min feature film that has been edited on FCP and we are about to go into the grade. It was shot on a Canon 7D and as such we imported everything into FCP at ProRes(LT) for space reasons. It looks fine in this resolution but our grader has suggested we try to bring the picture back in at ProRes(HQ) so we have a little more latitude to play with in the grade (some of needs heavy work).
So I need to discover the best way to batch import the final cut and replace all the ProRes(LT) with ProRes(HQ) Can anyone give me a clear path to follow on this as I have been unsuccessful so far.
I will explain my current work-flow and where I am at:
1. I copied all the 7D footage onto mirrored external drives into dated folders.
2. I imported footage into FCP as ProRes(LT) using the Canon Plug-in for Log and Transfer onto a fast external Esata drive.
3. I completed the final edit.I tried taking some of the media off-line that wasn’t used in the final cut and then tried to batch capture/import it. But I am presented with a dialogue box that is attempting to look for a volume, and no matter where I tell it to look it won’t find the original 7D clip in the folder (even though I can see it)
If anyone can help, it would be very much appreciated.
Thanks
Keith -
11 Replies
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In theory you should just be able to take all the clips offline and then re-import them from the original source cards / hard drives. They will come back in with the exact same names, unless you changed them, in which case you’ll need to rename everything EXACTLY the same.
This is one reason why we have taken the course of never re-naming the original clip names of anything brought in via any card / hard drive based camera. We put our “descriptive name” in the Description column of the Bin. So if for whatever reason we needed to reimport all the footage, the original camera names are intact.
I’m not sure why in your test it’s trying to find a volume that isn’t there. Basically when you take something offline, FCP will tell you that the media is offline and then ask you to locate the media. You would say “Cancel” and then go ahead and run the Log and Transfer procedure to bring all your media back in at ProRes HQ. After that’s done, you’ll do the Reconnect Media procedure again and the probably have to manually point FCP to the first clip. After that, it should reconnect all the media on its own.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Editor, Colorist, Director, Writer, Consultant, Author, Chef.
HD Post and Production
Biscardi Creative Media -
Hi Walter,
Thanks for your reply.
I didn’t rename any of the camera media or alter the file structures of the original 7D folders. I only renamed clips once they were imported into FCP, which doesn’t, as far as I know, change the original file name, only the clip name in FCP (if I reveal the file it’s still the original file name from the 7D)
I have tried creating an off-line version of the project using the media manager and I still can’t re-connect or re-import anything. It’s still looking for a volume.
I could of course re-import everything at ProRes(HQ) and then try a reconnect, but I just don’t have the disk space or time to do that, we have a lot of rushes and this seems like a very convoluted way round the problem.
Any other suggestions appreciated.
Keith
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Keith, from my experience you need to mount the memory card “volumes” in the log and transfer window BEFORE you go to re-transfer your footage.
I’m assuming here that you preserved the original folder structure of your memory cards when you moved the footage to you system, right? These are the volumes FCP is trying to “mount.”
In FCP 6, you need to mount the volumes you intend to capture from in the “LOG and TRANSFER” window, then try to batch “capture” your offline timeline.
In FCP 7, you should be prompted by the software to mount the volumes AFTER you launch into re-capture mode. (Although there is no reason you can’t mount the volumes first).
I’ve found the software crashes if I try to capture from too many cards at once. Often, I’ve ended up doing my re-captures a few cards at a time.
Hope this makes sense, I’m still working on my first cup of coffee!
Matt Lyon
Editor
Toronto -
Hi Matt,
Thanks for replying.
I’ve maintained the original file structures. Not touched a thing, just copied the folder onto my computer.
It seems I’m entering a world of pain here… despite the suggestions I have tried them all now and still it won’t see my original camera files for re-import.
I feel I have to vent here about the way FCP has performed. This is my first feature film on FCP and it has done nothing but get in the way of me telling the story (to be fair I was warned by other feature film editors) FCP really falls apart on large projects like a feature.
It literally takes six minutes to open my project and is constantly crashing for no real or fathomable reasons. Autosave constantly gets in my way and takers ages, but I need to do that in case I loose work through crashing. Moving anything around seems to create the need to re-render and ohhhh…. I could go on. I think it’s a real shame and I only hope the next version of FCP steps up it’s game considerably.
I guess I’ll do a full batch import of all the media and try to re-link that way. Unless that is I’m prompted by that horrible warning about my media in and out points being different despite the facts it’s identical. I’m sure some of you know what I’m talking about here.
Anyway I must stop grumbling and thanks for taking the time to try and help me.
Keith
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[Matt Lyon] ”
I’ve found the software crashes if I try to capture from too many cards at once. Often, I’ve ended up doing my re-captures a few cards at a time.”That’s because you have the Automatic Remove Pull-Downs checked, which is default. Turn that OFF and you’ll be able to import dozens of cards at the same time. We ran into that same issue recently.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Editor, Colorist, Director, Writer, Consultant, Author, Chef.
HD Post and Production
Biscardi Creative Media -
[keith wright] “I didn’t rename any of the camera media or alter the file structures of the original 7D folders. I only renamed clips once they were imported into FCP, which doesn’t, as far as I know, change the original file name, only the clip name in FCP (if I reveal the file it’s still the original file name from the 7D)”
Ok, Final Cut Pro is referring to the clips in the CAPTURE SCRATCH folder, not your original clips in the 7D folders. So when you performed Log and Transfer, you are saying you changed the names of the clips in Final Cut Pro. So you should find a series of clips in your Capture Scratch with the same file names as what you see in FCP. THIS is what FCP is looking for.
So if you changed the names of all the clips when you performed Log and Transfer, you must now do the exact same thing with the exact same names but change the file format to ProRes HQ.
THIS is precisely why we never change the name of the clips when we use Log and Transfer, all the Clip Names in FCP are the same 000285XYZ naming structure from the cameras. Then we go into the Description column of the Browser and give it a descriptive name there. So if we ever need to bring back all the raw camera data, FCP automatically reconnects to the right files instantly. We’ve never had a problem using this method.
We DID have huge headaches trying to accomplish something very similar to what you’re doing now because we renamed everything as it came into FCP.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Editor, Colorist, Director, Writer, Consultant, Author, Chef.
HD Post and Production
Biscardi Creative Media -
Hi Walter,
No, I only changed the name after the Log and Transfer had done importing files into FCP not during the log and transfer process. The name of the file in my capture scratch is the same as the original Canon 7D file.
Renaming clips in the FCP browser/bin (after import) does not change the name of the clip on your capture scratch.
ie. I have a clip called – Dr. Ash T3 in the browser, but if I select reveal file it is called MVI_0406 (same as 7D file)
When you create an offline project using media manager you can select whether to use the clip name or the file name for your new offline clips. I selected file name which relates to the original 7D files.
Keith
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Keith, it sounds like you must be missing a step or two because I’ve done this exact workflow, with footage from the same camera, a couple times in the past few weeks and it has worked fine.
For starters, make sure you have the newest version of the Canon DSLR plug-in installed.
Did you load all the folders into the “log and transfer” window before try to re-capture? You can drag and drop the folders into the window or use the “add custom path” option in the drop down gear menu in the middle of the L&T window.
Once all the cards successfully appear in the L&T window, you need to open up your offline timeline, select all clips, then right click on any clip and select “capture.”
If this doesn’t work, there may be a problem with your reel names (which seems unlikely if you used the “log and transfer” option correctly when you first imported everything).
As for the other issues you mention, all those problems can be avoided if you maintain the right work habits. It sounds like you are letting your FCP project files get too big. You should make it a habit to prune old sequences and version your projects regularly. They shouldn’t get much bigger then 100 megs or so, imho.
If simply moving files around creates the need to re-render, then you may not have set up your timeline settings properly. Search the board and you’ll probably find answers to your problems.
There are plenty of people working on feature films in FCP, myself included, without the issues you describe. You may find you just need to take a more active role in project maintenance and setup.
Matt Lyon
Editor
Toronto -
Hi Matt,
Yes I know it’s very odd. Everything is up to date and I’m doing exactly what people and yourself are suggesting (I may try to do a screen record and load this to YouTube so people can see exactly what’s happening). Although there maybe some issue with the clip being merged (sound was recorded separately and synced in FCP later) maybe something to do with that, but I’m clutching at straws really. I’ll keep experimenting.
You’re right, there are plenty of people using FCP, I’ve used it for nearly ten years myself, and on smaller, well managed projects it’s normally fine. But on longer projects it just becomes painfully slow and unreliable.
I guess if you like tweaking settings and having to do a fair amount of technical and media management it’s fine, but personally I like software to be transparent to my creative process. It’s personal choice at the end of the day.
Someone pointed me to this very interesting article by Eddie Hamilton (editor of Kick Ass, X-men etc.) and I can’t help but agree with most of it. https://www.eddiehamilton.co.uk/avidvsfcp.htm
Keith
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If audio could be causing an issue, you could try duplicating your timeline, then deleting all the audio tracks. After you re-capture your video, you can marry picture back to audio. At this stage, breaking the A/V link isn’t really an issue, since you’ve locked picture.
Is your show organized in reels? It might be helpful to work on smaller chunks at a time. It’s possible your issue relates to a couple clips only. I’ve had problems where FCP erroneously thinks a clip needs to be recaptured from tape, when it actually came from a memory card.
Matt Lyon
Editor
Toronto
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