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Archive-Heavy Documentary Workflow in FCP7 — What do you all think?
Hello all!
We’re launching into a very archive heavy feature documentary, and just wanted to run the workflow we devised past you folks to see what insights you might be able to provide with your collective wisdom.
We’re cutting in ProRes LT 1080 23.98 in FCP 7. We made this workflow under the assumption that we want to avoid cutting subclips into our edit sequences, due to the horror stories that abound of onlining issues when cutting with subclips. We decided to log clips by marking them but then realized that text in markers are not searchable in the browser unless the masterclip is open (which is not feasible for a project of this size). Therefore, we came up with this workflow to still take advantage of the searchable features of subclips, both within the browser and within sequences:
Logging:
1. Add log note to each masterclip with general keyword for topic (same as the name of the bin, since bin names are not searchable)
2. Log masterclip with markers
3. Create a folder labeled “[bin name] For Searching ONLY” and drag markers from masterclip into this folder (this allows us to search markers in Browser)
4. Create stringouts by subject using subclips and label them “[subject] For Searching ONLY”Cutting:
1. Only cut from masterclips, using markers and in and out points
2. Do not cut with subclips
3. Use keyword search function in timeline to find Subclip X
4. Match frame Subclip X to Subclip Parent Clip:
a. Position playhead over the subclip in the sequence.
b. Hit “View > Match Frame > Subclip Parent Clip” or assign shortcut.
5. Insert Clip X from viewer into edit sequence.What do you all think of this? Any potential issues you can foresee? Is there a more streamlined way you all have done for a project like this that might be more streamlined? What works for you?
Thank you all so much for your help!
-Dan
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4 Replies
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[Dan Moore] “we want to avoid cutting subclips into our edit sequences, due to the horror stories that abound of onlining issues when cutting with subclips.”
Subclips? Those are just data files, not media. Smaller clips that point to the larger media file. So you’ll have one master clip, say a full tape, and it’s 1 hour long. But in order to break up the footage on that tape, and make it easier to search for footage, even using keywords, one would subclip that larger file, so that you could name the individual sections. I actually rely on that heavily.
And what horror stories? I’ve onlined multiple docs, including feature length, that were comprised of only archival footage…no issues.
For Logging, we would mark up the master clip with Markers, and writing text in them. Then, in the Browser, turn down the triangle to show all the markers. Highlight them, and go to the MODIFY menu and MAKE SUBCLIP. Now I have tons of subclips, all named the text we put in the markers, and all that start at one maker, with the outpoint at the next one.
I then organize by topic. I might even keep master clips and subclips in the same bin. Depends.
[Dan Moore] “1. Only cut from masterclips, using markers and in and out points
2. Do not cut with subclips”Why? What issues are there cutting with subclips? I wasn’t aware of any.
[Dan Moore] “What do you all think of this?”
It’s a very tedious way of cutting. Using the subclips only for reference, but then cutting from the master clip? Time consuming.
[Dan Moore] “Any potential issues you can foresee?”
It’ll take longer to do this.
[Dan Moore] “Is there a more streamlined way you all have done for a project like this that might be more streamlined?”
I listed it above. And we cut directly from subclips. Are you offline, then online editing? Is that were you think issues will arise? I’ve done that too…ingested full DVDs with burned in code…modified the timecode, subclipped…edited with the subclips. Then onlined at higher res. No issues.
Shane
Little Frog Post
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Hi Shane, thanks for your response. We’ll be cutting offline and then onlining when we’re locked. We will be sending an xml to our finisher who will be finishing in Resolve. Have you had any issue with subclips in this scenario?
Here’s one example of a potential issue: https://www.reduser.net/forum/archive/index.php/t-104604.html
Thanks for your help!
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Ah…it’s a RESOLVE issue. No, I used COLOR. The FCP/COLOR workflow is pretty slick. But if there are issues with resolve and subclips…well then. Guess your way might be the way to go.
Shane
Little Frog Post
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
On a related note, in a comment column in FCP include who owns the archive footage/where you’ll be buying it from and download the Producer’s Best Friend app. Come the end of the process you’ll have to account for every frame of audio and video in your finished edit and doing it by hand is horrible.
https://assistedediting.intelligentassistance.com/ProducersBestFriend/
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