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FCP 7 Media consolidation: I need to understand the finer point
I’m editing a low-budget horror film. I have 12 days worth of footage spread across 4 2TB external drives. I also have the color corrected footage on another 2TB external drive.
Luckily, we finally have an agreed-upon picture lock! So now I would like to consolidate this final timeline onto another, single external drive, to cut down on bloat, network drain, access drag, etc.
I understand the mechanics of FCP’s media consolidation. I’ve used it in small ways previously, but now I’m sweating bullets because I feel like I’m in the “big leagues”.
My goal is to only bring over the media used in the locked timeline, trimmed down to JUST the video/audio used in the timeline. (For example, if I used 10 frames out of a 10 minute clip, I only want those 10 frames.) I’d be perfectly happy with handles on things, especially audio, but I’d rather not copy over giant, multi-GB clips if I can avoid it.
Can any tell me if this is possible in FCP 7’s media management system? And if so, what do I need to do/click/set? Thanks in advance!
Don
My setup: FCP 7.0.3, OS X Yosemite 10.10.3, Macbook Pro 2.66 GHz Intel Core i7, 4GB 1067 MHz DDr3
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3 Replies
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First, hard drives are so cheap these days that consolidating is simply not the big deal it was when storage was really expensive.
Second, FCP Media Manager handles different codecs in different ways, and is especially lousy at dealing with Long GOP codecs and other MPEG variants, such as those recorded by DSLRs. Since you have not divulged the codec you’re editing it’s tough to offer informed help.
Third, so long as you use Copy rather than Move all Media Manager functions are non-destructive. So, though I don’t recommend consolidating, if you’re intent on trying it, just make sure to use Copy to a designated hard drive rather than Move, and you’ll be fine.
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor/Colorist
David Weiss ProductionsDavid is a Creative COW contributing editor and a forum host of the Apple Final Cut Pro forum.
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Thanks for your quick reply!
I’m not concerned about storage, I’m concerned with the piecemeal collection of daisy chained drives I have, and the lag time I experience due to the age and creeping instability of my 5 year old Macbook. Now that I don’t need to access 80% of the footage and audio, it would be easier on my Mac to only have to pull from 1 drive. So that’s my main reason for wanting to simplify the project.
As for the footage, it’s all Apple ProRes 422 MOVs, shot at 23.98 on BlackMagic cameras.
Copy vs. Move… that part I had figured out!
Don
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“I’m not concerned about storage, I’m concerned with the piecemeal collection of daisy chained drives I have, and the lag time I experience due to the age and creeping instability of my 5 year old Macbook’
but you’ve finished cutting, so what’s it matter?
your CC’d footage is all on one drive.as for audio, you want to get ALL the audio dailies together in ONE PLACE.
they should remain in their daily folders, but all daily folders need to be gathered,
the sound team want ALL takes, not just what you used.audio is small, take it all.
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if you want to trim your media, then you have to ask for a new project file.
you old project files WONT connect to the new media.Media Manager wont trim audio.
it also wont rim any clip that hasn’t got a reel#,
so if you have large exports, you may want to look at giving them reel#s.Media Managed by FCP will ALL go into one new folder,
or one new folder per new project.
you would probably want to do some re-organising in there.
separate audio, graphics, etc
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