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I can’t up-res or re-capture
Hi folks,
I posted a bit of a rant earlier, and part of it said I’d post a proper thread about a current problem (well, one I’ve had ever since I first got my FCP system) about up-ressing or just plain onlining.
Simply – I offline, having captured in massive clips for the edit – and then either want to up-res if I’m working from start to end on FCP, or transfer an EDL/XML/OMF from Avid into FCP for grading an onlining.
The problem is that in all cases, FCP doesn’t ‘decompose’ in Avid terms – it just wants to recapture ALL the footage again. So I’ve cut down 10 hours of footage to 20 mins edit – and that’s all I want, but FCP wants to recapture the entire 10 hours again.
I’ve tried ‘make sequence clips independant’, I’ve tried the media manager approach with a new project from the sequence – both of which still want the entire tapes. The only thing that ‘works’ is if I export an EDL of the sequence, re-import it again, and capture from that. The only problem is that the effect information isn’t retained when I do that – and with all the pre-grade effects I put on to the clips, that means hours more work.
Though that is a work-around, this still causes problems at times when FCP dcides to un-connect a few clips and not let me re-connect them. It’s only happened twice since I’ve had the system, but it’ll happily drop a couple of tapes worth of clips, and if I go to ‘reconnect’ I have no option to actually re-connect them (the missing clips aren’t listed in the window to reconnect). The original clip is still on my Raid, but I have no way of relinking. Sure, the simple way round this would be to recapture just the clips I’ve used inthe sequence, rather than the entire sequence – but, I refer you to the first half of this post – FCP won’t let me do just those clips, and I don’t want to have to make the entire sequence (even a duplicate) offline to recapture the clips, as a) That’s a pain trying to find the right ones again and b) I shouldn’t HAVE to do that in the first place.
I really like my FCP system, I love the control over the picture but I don’t like these little gremlins. Reminds of the early Avid days when they were as stable as a Glaswegian on a Friday night… (which will be me later…)
Anyone got any advice? Sure, there’s work arounds to this – but I’d rather have an edit system that didn’t need a work-around. It should go:
1) Offline
2) Do what needs to be done to make individual clips
3) Recapture edit at online res
4) Add any new effects
5) Render Sequence
6) Output to tape.I don’t really think there should be that many steps inside those (I’m not counting audio or legalising for simplicity of process above).
Cheers folks.
John
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5 Replies
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Which version of FCP are you currently working with? There was a relatively recent problem (with the introduction of FCP 5 i think) where the ability to properly media manage sequences occurred when the original media had alredy been deleted… that was supposedly fixed with the 5.1 update.
Sadly, FCP’s Media Manager tool has always been less than reliable … but reliably so. What I mean is that what it can’t cope with was something that could be predicted, anticipated, and worked around.
In my own experience, albeit not recent, the 6 steps you outline above is exactly how the process went. Capture at offline res. Offline Edit. Use Media Manager’s “Make Offline” function. Recapture only whats needed, at online res. Online Edit. Output. -
The problem you mention wasn’t so much a bug as it was the way things worked before version 4 or 4.5. It was fixed years ago in any case unless it somehow reaappeared for an incremental update. But yeah, in the past you couldn’t “media manage” any media that was offline. So if you edited, deleted your media in prep for an online, then tried to “decompose” then you were in trouble.
But you should be able to simply select the sequence in the bin and media manage that. Tell it to make a new project of offline clips deleting the unused media, etc. The media manager dialog box is ingeniously designed imho. The description at the top changes as you choose options and the options are laid out in a way that makes perfect sense to me at least. Now if it was just reliable. But I question some of the problems people have. With FCPs ability to open multiple projects at once and intermix the media, it becomes a complex task for the media manager than perhaps Avid. Media Manager is actually more akin to “Consolidate” in many ways. One nifty trick in FCP (although kinda dangerous if your project isn’t complete and on tape) is to consolidate the ACTUAL media. Unlike Avid, FCP has the ablity to trim the actual media on the drives instead of consolidating to another. So if yoiu edited 2 hours of full rez footage into 10 minutes, you have the ability to trim the media in place on the drive. Very cool if your project is finished and you’d like to make room for the next project. Just make a duplicate of the sequence first.
And if you’re from an Avid bgrnd like I was, you’ll thik media manager is nuts for creating a new project when you media manage. First thing I do with that new project is move all the bins and sequences into a bin in the current project. I move the media too on the drive. Then delete all occurences of the idiotic project that mm creates. I don’t need to keep up with 2 projects!
Anyway, you’re either just missing something in the mm interface or there’s a legit bug again.
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Thanks guys,
I’m running 5.04. the same thing happened on 5.02 – but I’m assuming this just isn’t something that was addressed. I spoke to my reseller about upgraading to 5.1 – who said there wasn’t much point as all it did was at functionality for those with Intel based G5’s – no other significant changes were made.
Good advice?
I’ll go through MM again just to be sure I’m not missing something, but I’ve had a friend from Apple tech support walk through the steps (admittedly over the phone) to try to sort this, and the same thing happens time and time again. Much to his dismay and surprise.
I’ll investigate 5.1 and see what that will do for me.
Thanks again.
John
John
Success is merely a failiure to imagine more…G5 2.7Ghz, 4.5Gb ram, Blackmagic Decklink/multibridge, 5.6Tb Infortrend storage, FCP Studio 5.02, Makie MCU control, Yahama 5.1 surround, JVC DTV multi-format monitor, 2x23inch Apple monitors – and a partirdge on a pear tree.
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[John Steventon] “I spoke to my reseller about upgraading to 5.1 – who said there wasn’t much point as all it did was at functionality for those with Intel based G5’s – no other significant changes were made.”
Well THAT is a misstatement. Sure, the MAJOR difference is that it now works with the Intels Macs, but significant improvements have been made. Especially if you take into account the current upgrade to 5.1.2. First off, there is a vastly improved Media Manager. Still has issues with Speed changes, but others areas have been fixed. Then there is support for nearly every format of HDV, including 24p from the JVC and Canon cameras…support for PAL DVCPRO HD…support for XDCAM 35mbs…vastly improved waveform/vectorscopes…and on and on.
Get they upgrade. Well worth it. And not for intel only. That reseller needs to do his research.
Shane
Littlefrog Post
http://www.lfhd.net -
But he’s correct. 5.1 was 5.0.4 with Intel support. Apple said so themselves when it came out. But yeah, 5.1.1 and .2 have had improvements that the PPC folks that didn’t upgrade have lost out on. I know because I’m waiting for my discs right now. It says there on back order, yet the site says now shipping before you actually order. Here’s hoping they’re here in about 3 weeks for a P2 project I need them for!
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