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FCP Shared Project File Help
Hi,
We’re editing a feature length documentary and need some pointers on sharing the project file. How can we have two or more editors working on the same project file at the same time?
We have 6 1.5 gig hard drives daisy chained via Firewire to our PowerMac G5, our FCP machine. All the footage was logged and transfered into one FCP project file. We want to have a second editor work on that same project file from a MacBook Pro at the same time.
I read Bob Zelin’s article about building an affordable SAN – https://library.creativecow.net/articles/zelin_bob/build_your_own_san.php . Do we need to set up a full on SAN network to share the project file between two computers? Can we use an ethernet crossover cable connected between the two machines?
Once we have the network setup, how do we actually do the shared project file thing? We’re new to this and desperately need to increase our workflow, but don’t have the budget for the SAN network equipment.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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3 Replies
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I do this kind of thing frequently, but it’s messy.
Depending on what format you want to edit the footage in, a crossover cable, or switch between the two systems will work. If you are trying to edit uncompressed… forget about it. But DV, DVCpro(HD), ProRes422, HDV *should* work okay.
If you have a third computer that you can set up as a server, it will probably work much better. I am using a single core G5 1.6 connected to a RocketRaid array as my file server, and it can serve ProRes files to two editors simultaneously with only the very rare dropped frame.
As for two editors sharing the same file… here is a strategy I suggest: Break the Doc into segments. This can be scenes, acts, reels—or whatever way your organizational mind works— as long as each segment can be it’s own sequence. Now duplicate the project file. Call one project file “BigStinkinDocMaster” and the other “BigStinkinDocSteve” (assuming your assistant editor is named Steve).
Assign Steve to work on a specific segment. When Steve is done with that segment, or ready to pass it on to you, simply open Steve’s project while you have your master project open, and drag Steve’s sequences into the master project. When you are ready, you can either drag Steve’s sequences into your main sequence… or select all… copy… and paste from Steve’s sequences.
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First off, doing a search in these forums will turn up a few topics that match what you are trying to do…like this:
https://forums.creativecow.net/thread/8/1033759
Second…DO NOT WORK ON THE SAME PROJECT FILE AT THE SAME TIME!! Sorry to shout but this is a HUGE HUGE no no. This is not Avid Unity…FCP cannot share the same project file like Avid does, because they are structured VERY differently. Avid projects have separate files for every bin, so it is easy. FCP is one project file. If you work on the project, and someone else does too, whoever saves last will overwrite what the other person has done.
NO no…work locally, backup globally. Each of you needs to copy the project to your local drive, label the project with your initials and date, and work on that copy. Then back up to the footage drive when you are done. If one editor needs to see the others work, they copy the other editors project to their drive and then open it. NEVER open a project from the shared drive. Never ever ever.
[Andrew Shelley] “Do we need to set up a full on SAN network to share the project file between two computers?”
No. YOu can have a drive connected to one machine, then share that drive to any machine connected to that. THis really only works with two machines, any more and you should start looking at the Zelin option. Or others like EditShare.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Ah….here’s a great article on the topic…
https://www.avid2fcp.com/articles/sharing-projects
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def
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