FINAL CUT PRO X will not open the project or events

[Marcus Moore]

There is no “Open”. FCPX is a database, so it relies on project and event files to be located in the correct place. If they are, then they just show up when Final Cut Pro X is opened.

Events need to be located in a folder called “Final Cut Events” located in the root of any hard drive (but preferably an external one).

Same for Projects in a folder called “Final Cut Projects”.

So first make sure these files are located in the right place.

Look for some basic FCPX training on YouTube. If you’ve never used it before, then you’re going to be in for a lot of frustration if you don’t familiarize yourself with some basics.

[Esther Casas]

thks for this!

But does this mean i can’t open any final cut X docs from and external hard drive? i was working from an external connected to a computer, which was connected into our network. So basically I am trying to grab those docs from an external connected to another computer…this will never work then?

thank you again!

[Marcus Moore]

You’re generally best to move or duplicate an event or project from within FCPX.

Again, you won’t need to “Open” projects or events in X. Any drive that has valid events and projects will show up in FCPX when you open it. If they’re not showing up, then they’re not in the right place.

Tutorials are your only hope. If you’re getting stuck on this then there’s no chance you’re going to get anything productive done once you do get them open.

[James Cude]

Projects need to be in a folder called Final Cut Projects at the root of any drive you have connected or in the Movies folder of your System Hard Drive. Events need to be in Final Cut Events. So you’d just need to move them into those folded. Then they will be automatically loaded.

[Bill Davis]

[Esther Casas] “So, how do I open my client’s project/event then?
Thank you!
Esther.”

In the future, have anyone who wants to share a project with you get a portable drive. Have them usee the capability INSIDE FCP-X Duplicate their existing project directly to that drive. Do NOT use the finder to move files and folders. Let the program move them. That way they’ll stay in the correct locations so that X can find them. Then, when you plug that drive into your computer and launch FCP-X it will “see” the drive, the correct structure, and launch the project and media automatically.

If you get to the point where you want to work on projects collaboratively, then you need to lean more about how to share projects between computers – but for simple passing of files – the process I outlined above will make it easier.

X is NOT like other NLE programs. A lot of it’s power is in it’s relational database, and it needs all the inter-relations and connections be scrupulously maintained, and that means it’s best to let the program move things rather than dragging them around manually on the desktop.

Hope that helps.

Know someone who teaches video editing in elementary school, high school or college? Tell them to check out http://www.StartEditingNow.com – video editing curriculum complete with licensed practice content.

[Esther Casas]

Hello B! i just realized i never replied saying thank you, your comments really helped! thank yous o much!

[Esther Casas]

just realized i never replied saying thank you, your comments really helped! thank you James!

[Lillian Young]

I have watched the tutorials (hours worth), have tried FCP X for the last 2 months on one project, went to open it this morning and FCPX doesn’t recognize the drive suddenly.

All projects are in the same place they’ve always been in.