Auto Import

[Jeremy Garchow]

[Matt Gerard] “Is there anything that I can use to “watch” a particular folder and automatically import new files that appear there into my fcp project? “

No, but I wish. I am sure there might some sort of XML wizard solution, but it would still take some manual labor as it’s the way FCP is.

Jeremy

[Shane Ross]

[Matt Gerard] “Is there anything that I can use to “watch” a particular folder and automatically import new files that appear there into my fcp project?”

Nope. Is there any NLE that does that? I have not heard of this. This is all something you need to do on your own. Loader is GREAT for this, as you tell it were you want the files to go…so the new files you have should be in a separate folder, say on the desktop, then use LOADER to move them to the new final location and import them into FCP. I find that is the best way. LOVE that app.

[Matt Gerard] ”
Right now I just drag and drop from the finder into my GFX bin in fcp.”

That is fine…as long as you put them in the folder you want them to reside in first. This is what I used to do before I got loader. And it is what we do here at work because they are too cheap to get loader for everyone. We are still running into issues with this, as editors tend to be sloppy on the organizational end.

[Matt Gerard] “Loader does the same, but duplicated the files into another folder (?) then imports them into another named bin it creates. Then I have to move them into my GFX folder.”

Yes, it COPIES them to the folder you directed it to on the Scratch Drive. You can then get rid of the original on the desktop, or put it somewhere else. I tend to put them somewhere else, so I have two copies, in case the media drive dies. Always good to have a backup.

And yes, it will make a new bin…and then you move them. Not to be snarky here, but is this REALLY that hard? This is a HUGE part of editing, importing and organizing your footage. If you don’t want to do this, hire an assistant editor. But really, this is just what you do.

[Matt Gerard] “Would be also nice to have the “auto Perfect Edit” button too right? Am I asking too much?”

If that existed, then producers would have no need for you. SO yeah, that is asking TOO much. JOB SECURITY! Hee.

Shane

GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def

[Jeremy Garchow]

[Shane Ross] “Not to be snarky here, but is this REALLY that hard? “

No, it really isn’t. But imagine if you will eventually have 1,000 PSDs to use. And you then have to import those files every time you send them to a particluar folder, then make sure they come in correctly in FCP. But let’s say you had a bin in FCP that corresponded to a folder in the finder. Everytime you drag or save a file to that folder, the FCP bin would automagically update. I have wanted this forever. I tend to be pretty organized and keep things in nice folders in the Finder. If have o do another msuic search or render out another option for graphics, it’d be cool if I could just send it to the folder in the Finder (which I would do anyway) and then have FCP update with those new files or even new folders within folders. That way i organize once in the Finder and it’s then duplicated in FCP.

[Matt Gerard]

[Shane Ross] “so the new files you have should be in a separate folder, say on the desktop, then use LOADER to move them to the new final location and import them into FCP”

I guess I avoid this by being organized and saving my files in the proper file structure in my projects folder before I even import them. Why save the files to your desktop then move them either yourself or with loader? I guess if you are getting the files from a main server or a graphics artist, but I do all my own graphics so I just save them where I want in the first place.

[Shane Ross] “as long as you put them in the folder you want them to reside in first.”

Why did you stop doing it this way and put the files where you want them yourself? Unless, again, you are getting files form many other sources.

[Shane Ross] “as editors tend to be sloppy on the organizational end. “

Not this editor. I’m borderline psychotic when it comes to organization. Which might be part of my problem in the first place 😉

[Shane Ross] “You can then get rid of the original on the desktop, or put it somewhere else.”

Yet another step I dont’ have to do since I put the files where I want on my raid first.

[Shane Ross] “have two copies, in case the media drive dies. Always good to have a backup. “

Amen to that, but I really hope my $20k terrablock doesn’t fail so badly that I can’t recover the files…

[Shane Ross] “And yes, it will make a new bin…and then you move them.”

Why do that when I can drag them directly from the finder into the bin I want them in in the first place? (Was that too snarkey? snarkey – 1 definition – cranky, bitchy, quarrelsome, tired and short tempered) No, wasn’t snarky at all…

[Shane Ross] “but is this REALLY that hard? “

Noooo, just another step I’d like to eliminate. I think I was an efficiency expert in a former life…

[Shane Ross] “This is a HUGE part of editing, importing and organizing your footage. If you don’t want to do this, hire an assistant editor. But really, this is just what you do. “

Yes, yes, and yes. Its not that I dont’ want to do it, just looking for faster/better ways of doing it. Especially when there are a lot of files to import. Might be that I’m just lazy.

[Shane Ross] “If that existed, then producers would have no need for you. SO yeah, that is asking TOO much. JOB SECURITY! Hee. “

I’m all about job security. Just because you make your work easier, doesn’t’ mean you have to charge less for it!

Cheers!

Matt

Its more fun to ride a slow motorcycle fast than a fast motorcycle slow…

[Matt Gerard]

[Jeremy Garchow] “I tend to be pretty organized and keep things in nice folders in the Finder”

[Jeremy Garchow] “it’d be cool if I could just send it to the folder in the Finder (which I would do anyway) and then have FCP update with those new files or even new folders within folders. That way i organize once in the Finder and it’s then duplicated in FCP.”

Are you my long lost brother? This is exactly what I’m looking at!!! I want to organize once. If I was king for a day, I would have all my files that I needed before I started the edit *snicker*, organize the files int he finder, then drag the whole mess into FCP and have it show up the same.

I’ve put in this request to apple through the proper channels, but don’t hold ou much hope from their end. Looks like the Digital Haven people are ALMOST there with Loader, or Gridiron with FLOW, but its not quite there yet.

Meanwhile… *drag…drop….drag…drop…*

Matt

Its more fun to ride a slow motorcycle fast than a fast motorcycle slow…

[Shane Ross]

Yeah, it would be nice. But FCP is so bad with NORMAL media management I don’t see how they could possibly implement this feature. Avid has something close, called Avid Media Access. Add a card with a tapeless format (P2, AVCD) and the AMA immediately sees them and opens a bin with the footage. But Avid’s media management is WORLD CLASS.

They need to fix media management first.

Shane

GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def

[Matt Gerard]

[Shane Ross] “But Avid’s media management is WORLD CLASS. “

Yep, that’s one thing I miss about avids. They had stellar media mngmt tools. Still do. Apple has this whole “Lets throw it on the HD, and hope the software remembers where it is” mentality. That’s why I don’t use iPhoto, or Aperture either. Granted, there are workarounds, but its not the way the theory of how the software is supposed to work. Apple says “manage it from within the app” but then doesn’t give you very good tools to do so.

Its all right, looks like I’m doing it the best way for me right now, i appreciate everyone’s insight and thoughts.

Matt

Its more fun to ride a slow motorcycle fast than a fast motorcycle slow…