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bringing Avid workflow to FCP
Hello,
I am trying to find the FCP equivalents to a workflow I’ve been using in Avid Mediacomposer.
The project involves two cameras simultaniosly filming a cooking crew for a tv documentary (and creating lots of rather short clips – usually not longer than a minute or so). One doing mainly close ups and the other mainly wide shots. Additionaly four audio tracks from microfones are recorded as BWF. All three components are using the same timecode in order to sync the two videos, the four camera-audios and the four mic-audios.
Video format is XDCAM HD 50mps 25p.My workflow in Avid was to create an Autosequnece for camera A, camera B and the BWF. Then editing all components into one big sequence. You can see the result in the image:
From here I load the big sequence into my source window and edit to a new target sequence. So i basically transfer portions from my source to my target including all tracks seperatly so they stay editable.
And using the “toggle source/target timeline” button (the green button in the red circle seen in the image above) allows me to switch between the two timelines so I can see where the individual clips are located on the source timeline.So now I found out most of how this would work in FCP as follows:
Using Sequnceliner (https://www.spherico.com/filmtools/sequenceLiner/index.html)i get a sequence including all my assets lined up according to their timecode – this process is easier than it had been on the Avid.
Now I load this big sequnece into the viewer and can edit it’s content into a new sequence using the technique “Editing the Content of One Sequence into Another Without Nesting It” as described in the manual.The thing I am really missing here is the possibility to see the content of my source sequence in the timeline.
Because scrubbing through the big sequence in the viewer is really inacurate because I have no visual indication on where the individual clips are located and even worse I cant see if there are two camera angles at a specific location. Nor can I zoom in on my source sequence to do fine adjustments.Please if anybody has an idea on how I can achieve this in FCP I would be more than happy 🙂
Another question I have is if it possible to use a multiclip aproach on this workflow. As far as I understand the multiclip process one has to match each clip together in order to be able to view them in the multiclip splitscreen view.
Is it possible to get this splitscreen view when I load my big sequence in the Viewer?Thanks
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5 Replies
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Ilja,
If you want this to work, you need to use MULTICLIPS. That way you’ll alway have access to the original footage from all angles. There’s an interesting new plug in that was announced at last NAB from “Pluraleyes”. It takes multiple clips and creates a multiclip sequence based on AUDIO, not Timecode.
Very cool. Check it out.
https://www.singularsoftware.com/autosync/index.html
Good Luck.
Mark
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But that ability to switch to see the Sequence that you have loaded in the PREVIEW monitor is a solid Avid only feature. But you can have two sequences loaded at the same time, and cut and paste from one to the other.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Hi Ilja,
You should have been on IBC and the IBC FCPUG Supermeet, we showed a lot of options with this kinda workflow issues 😉
As Mark mentioned, creating multiclips out of the result of my sequenceLiner would be the easiest way especially as your clips do have the same TC. But with that amount of clips it is a tedious work.
One thing you can do: depending on the amount of angles create a a scale and offset for the first clip of each angle (for example upper left corner of angle 1 in upper left corner of the screen) with a scale which would allow to fit 2-x video streams to fit into your final temporary output. Then copy and paste attributes of the first clip of a track/angle to all following of the track. This will look like a split screen in the end.
Now you can start to make edit decisions. When your done, remove attributes for all the clips.If you’re interested you can send me an PM for an early beta which automatically creates multiclips in the browser from camera clips and external audio.
Hope that helps a bit.
Andreas
Spherico
https://www.spherico.com/filmtools -
thanks for your thoughts and tips.
Mark, pluraleyes sounds very interesting but in my case I can sync the clips via timecode. The reason why using multiclips isn’t realy an option for me is the amount of clips I have to process and the fact that sometimes there are clips which have only been recorded by one camera. Furthermore we are on a super close deadline. Four days after the shoot we have to deliver a 25 minute programm. So I need a fast way to sort my footage.
And I want to be able to scroll through my timeline with all the clips inside so I don’t have to load multiclip after multiclip into the viewer. Also we are using the actual time of day as the timeecode source – this way the director can say “I think we shot that around noon” and I can easily find what he’s looking for.Shane, I must admit I’m really sorry to hear that this feature isn’t available in FCP. Sometimes “little” things like this realy makes your day or totally ruins it 🙁
Andres, I like your idea and will try it for the next edit. Sad to hear I missed out on the IBC. Sounds like I could have learned alot.
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[ilja bayerl] “Shane, I must admit I’m really sorry to hear that this feature isn’t available in FCP. Sometimes “little” things like this realy makes your day or totally ruins it 🙁 “
That is something that ONLY Avid has. So when not on an Avid you have to figure out different workflows to accomplish your goals. Avid doesn’t allow multiple sequences to be open at one time, and THAT seriously hampers the way I do things.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def
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