-
Fast workflow for editing and compressing 500 videos ??
Hi there,
I am new to this forum and trying to get a jump on a project of ours from the airport in Chicago.
Here is the situation:
We have recorded 500+ clips ranging from 2 to 7 minutes in length. We need to edit each of them to trim, add a bumper and lower third and a bug. From there we need to export them for the web.Here is the editing rig:
2x MacPro 4 cores each, 4+ GB RAM each. They are connected via ethernet. One system has an eSata external drive where the clips reside. They are file sharing and are both in a cluster in QMaster.Given the above, what is a recommended workflow that would allow my team (2 of us, but saying “team” sounds cooler) to bring up a clip, wrap it with the needed bumper, outro, and misc edits, and send to the queue for compressor?
The thing we are running into at the moment is that we seem only to be able to work with one clip/file at a time in FC. We are using a QuickTime Reference file with the Current setting and with the “make self contained” set to disabled. That was recommended to us in the past. So far this is the most time consuming…. Any help is appreciated.
-
8 Replies
-
Anytime you are dealing with multiple files, let alone 500+ files, it will be time consuming. Your edit process can not be automated while your export process can be automated.
Steve Eisen
Eisen Video Productions
Board of Directors
Chicago Final Cut Pro Users Group -
The bug you could add in Compressor.
Peter
-
Now that we did not know…. I will look into that.
It would just be nice to be able to open each clip, set in and out points and then have some automation to process the rest… wishful thinking I guess.
-
Correct me if I am wrong but I have to do some sort of “export” from FC even before sending it to compressor. If I have to do that anyway, I don’t see any real benefit to compressor and qmaster.
-
Yes you can do batch exports out of FCP.
Compressor was meant to do batch processing to multiple formats using multiple files.
Your workflow should be edit in FCP export QuickTime Movie
drag file/s into Compressor use preset setting or create a custom setting batch export.Steve Eisen
Eisen Video Productions
Board of Directors
Chicago Final Cut Pro Users Group -
There’s no easy way to do what you’re doing. I’m not sure of the total benefit in your workflow to not doing self contained files, but if it works for you, groovy.
Personally, here’s what I would do.
1- Mirror the media. Don’t share over ethernet. But like I said, if it works, it works.
Then go assembly line-
2- Make a master sequence that has the elements you need for each clip. Put graphics on V2/V3/etc, audio on A3/A4, A5/A6. Put a marker in the timeline where the video should start.
3- Duplicate that, name it, and load the footage you need to edit. Do a 3 point edit, sink into your timeline. Presumably the video will be on V1, audio on A1/A2.
Rinse, repeat.
4- Move the required elements to where they need to be. THe marker you made in 2 will help when you enable snapping if it’s not already.
Rinse, repeat again.
5- Use the Export Queue to drag over all your sequences, tweak the settings, and export your movies. Go to lunch.
6- When you’re getting ready to leave for the night, take all those clips, toss them into Compressor with your settings of choice, let simmer.When I have to do a ton of stuff like this when it’s fairly simple, I have found that doing steps for a bunch of sequences CAN be faster, ie- do #3 for 10 sequences in a row. Then go back and do #4 for those 10 sequences. You get into the rhythm of the edit more easily. Also, worship your keyboard shortcuts. They’ll save you tons of time. SAVE AND SAVE OFTEN. If you start cruising along, Murphy’s Law will come along. Make sure you’re saving project backups to somewhere other than the drive you’re working off of.
Maybe this will help or not, but nothing can really automate the process. This gets you there a little quicker perhaps.
-
Take a look at Traffic from xmedit.com. It might be able to add the lower third & the bumper. Compressor can do the encoding.
Arnie
Post production is not an afterthought!
https://www.arniepix.com/ -
Mike,
You need to hire XML master Andreas Keil of Sperico.com. He will show you the light.
Sean
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up