FCP XML and Filemaker Pro

[Kevin Duggan]

Hi I think you might like to check out our product CatDV Pro. It will do just what you require. It has very tight intergration with FCP and is based on the MYSQL database engine and XML. You can download a demo from http://www.squarebox.co.uk.

We have just released a new version CatDV 6.02 yesterday. Don`t let the DV part of the name fool you this app will catalogue log and edit any quicktime based file. The BBC Natural History Unit are using it for their 3 year in the making upcoming natural history blockbuster amongst others. The app is written in Java so that it is cross platform but it is really fast. Drop your Firewire drives or your Xsan Volume onto it and watch it go.

Cheers

Kevin Duggan
CatDv Development Manager

[Andy Mees]

I haven’t used Filemaker Pro as database for this, but have done it by coding a web-based front end with PHP and a MySQL backend. All worked fine. I guess what you choose depends mainly on your budget, and your familarity with coding. There are plenty of open source solutions that will allow you to deploy without licensing restrictions but will likely need you to do a lot of the grunt work.

[Peter Wiggins]

We just wrote a script that exports XML out of a Filemaker Pro database and creates a new bin in FCP. Works very well.

I’ve found CatDV to be a bit clunky and it doesn’t do what you really want out of the app, drag & drop.

Peter

[Kevin Duggan]

Hi Peter
can`t let the last comment go without a reply. Check out version 6. Totally drag and drop to specific FCP projects from within the CatDV tree. This is the only way that any added metadata can go across to FCP without exporting an XML file. I suspect your comments were based on your experience with version 5 at Volvo Ocean Race in Southampton. Check out the new version at squarebox.co.uk. An new feature is also the ability to do simple editing and assemblies and also `drag and drop them into specific FCP projects. ie if the FCP project is not running Catdv fires it up and sends the XML across.

Cheers
Kevin

[Peter Wiggins]

Yeup, it was on the Volvo.

So now I can highlight clips after a search and drag them into any FCP bin?

Peter

[Kevin Duggan]

Hi Peter,
in short yes, you can drag and drop clips into a bin or even the timeline if the clips represent a complete file. If the clips are sub-clips ie a portion of a complete media file the situation is complicated by the fact that Qtime does not understand or support sub-clips,( unless you use ref movies). So the mechanism we have put in place means that you drag and drop to the FCP project as it is displayed with the CatDV tree and this takes care of the issue by automatically exporting the XML into FCP where it appears in the Browser. True sub-clips are honored and display in FCP as such. In addition using this mechanism all of the added metadata from the CatDV catalogs is transferred into the correct FCP fields something that would not happen if you just dragged and dropped the media from CatDV to FCP. This is a very important point. Additionally it is possible within CatDv to place markers inside a clip which you can name on the fly and these named markers go with the clip via XML to FCP. You can then choose if you wish within FCP to turn the markers into subclips or they just appear inside your viewer as if you had set them within FCP. This allows producers etc to use CatDV to mark up interviews etc off-line and communicate this information very quickly to an editor. Alternatively one can make up a catalog of subclips,name them and then send the new catalog over to FCP as a Bin. It is also possible within CatDv to construct sequences of clips that transfer across to FCP as timelines. We will be posting tutorials on the website when I return from IBC but if your going call in the booth and I will happily demonstrate you these and many other features of CatDV.

Cheers

Kevin

[Peter Wiggins]

Ok, I’ll come and visit at IBC – what stand/hall?

Peter

[Kevin Duggan]

Hi Peter
Stand 8.131.b Hall 8

in catalog under Squarebox and Quad Logic Systems

look forward to seeing you

Cheers

Kevin

[Walter Biscardi]

[Peter Wiggins] “We just wrote a script that exports XML out of a Filemaker Pro database and creates a new bin in FCP. Works very well.”

Did you write this script yourself? We have Filemaker Pro and have been exporting the bins directly into that app. Never thought of the XML route though.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com
HD Editorial & Animation for Broadcast and independent productions.

All Things Apple Podcast! https://cowcast.creativecow.net/all_things_apple/index.html

Read my blog! https://blogs.creativecow.net/WalterBiscardi

[Peter Wiggins]

Walter,

Yes its a home grown script.

Peter