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Canon 7D/FCP7 basic workflow question
I’ve spent the last few hours scouring the interwebs for good advice on a Canon 7d to Final Cut Pro 7 workflow.
While I’ve found a lot of good advice (blogs, Phillip Bloom’s vimeo stuff, Canon E1 plug-in Web site, etc) I’ve also stumbled upon some basic questions. I haven’t edited on FCP in years and have forgotten most of what I’ve learned.
For the past few years, I’ve been editing with Vegas Pro 9. My workflow in SVP is rather stone-age. I cut and paste my CF card to a new folder, then I imported the .mov files right to SVP. No converting. Just did it all in the rendering phase. Took a little longer this way, but it was simple. I like simple.
I’m excited about re-learning FCP and expanding my editing. In the process of all the research, I’ve ran into a couple roadblocks. So, here they are. Dumb questions, I know. But…. I have to figure it all out.
– CF CARD TO MAC –
Am I supposed to make a disc image here? I’ve read that FCP can erase video files if they have the same filename, so it’s best to create a disk image? Or can I just grab the video files I need, put them in a folder and rename them (ie: parkshot01, parkshot02) so nothing gets overrode.– CONVERTING H264 –
Is it best to use the Canon E1 plug-in?
or is it better to use MPEG Streamclip to first convert files before importing them?-STORAGE-
I read it’s better to work off a separate disk as to not slow FCP down. Is it better to partition a hard drive disk or use an external? I don’t have a pressing need to work off more than one computer. So, I guess my options are to:
Partition the 1TB drive on my iMac
or
I have a 1 TB, NTSF FreeAgent DriveAnd I take it whatever option I end up using, that I need to save all of my media and project files on this drive?
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3 Replies
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[Jordan Wilson] “- CF CARD TO MAC -“
Make a disk image…or do what I do, just make a new folder, give it a unique name (this will appear in FCP as the REEL name, so this is important). Then drag and drop the files…ALL of the files, complete file structure, into this folder. This should be done on a drive that you archive…this is now your tape backup in essence.
[Jordan Wilson] “- CONVERTING H264 –
Is it best to use the Canon E1 plug-in? “Yes. Because it takes the TIME OF DAY stamp and converts that to the TIMECODE of the clip. UBER IMPORTANT. Otherwise all of your clips will start with the same timecode…00:00:00:00. Pain. Compressor is faster, but the metadata you gain with L&T is better, IMHO. OH, and you can automate the naming of the files, make it MYMOVIE-001, MYMOVIE-002…etc.
[Jordan Wilson] “-STORAGE-
I read it’s better to work off a separate disk as to not slow FCP down. Is it better to partition a hard drive disk or use an external?”It is best to have a completely separate hard drive for media storage. So you need your main OS drive for applications (do not partition). Then one for storing all of your canon footage (the FreeAgent will be good for that), and then ONE MORE to use as your CAPTURE SCRATCH. A good speedy one…FW800 at least. ProRes is a good codec, but still needs a decently fast drive.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Thanks Shane.
As far as dumping the CF card, you’re saying grab ALL files (even ones I know I’m not going to use?) So just take the DCIM folder and all?
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You have to grab everything, you have to keep the entire card structure intact if you want Log and Transfer to work. If you pick and choose, it won’t. ANd you’ll have to use Compressor.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def
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