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keep files in place import option
I had an odd use case – Have a huge archival library that spans 30 years, so it begins in video tape and goes through the present, so includes various file based camera footage, Go Pro DJI drone, C300, P2, etc.
I need to pull clips from files across the archive and thought that I could use final cut X to set up a library, browse, import as needed, keeping files in place, so I do not create this large library file stuffed with media. This works well with the digitized tape ( all tapes were captured and existing digital form) . I can import a tape file, keeping file in place, select out my clips, export and move on .
When it comes to the file based material, I am not allowed to keep files in place when Importing and I can understand the default rationale behind this limitation. My question is whether there is a way to over-ride this limitation when importing file based material ?
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3 Replies
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I’d probably need a little more detail about the types of files and how they’re organised to understand what’s going on but in general, FCPX copies files between libraries. If your files are organised in folders in the Finder then multiple libraries will access the same files without making duplicates but if they’re inside a managed library and you copy them to another library then I’d expect it to duplicate them.
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Jeff Kirkland | Video Producer & Cinematographer
Hobart, Tasmania | Twitter: @jeffkirkland -
More info:
The file based cameras used were: C300, Various panasonic P2 cameras, C300 Mk 2, go pros.
I used Shot Put Pro to offload camera cards to hard drives and so the card structures are duplicated but renamed on on the hard drives.
So if I want to pull clips from some shoot done in 2010, I have a drive with all the camera cards shot in 2010. The idea is to create a library & project with “leave media in place” ticked off, so then my project which will contain clip ranges I need to export and hand off will reference the camera cards on the archival disk, but not actually copy those clips into the library. I then make my selects, throw those clips in a project, share as whatever media type is desired. DONE.
I don’t care if the media is all missing from the library because it was never actually copied to the library, once the archival drive is disconnected. If I need further clips from 2010 I can always reconect that archival drive and do more work.
This workflow was very fast and efficient with the previously digitized tape material I also have on archival drives and X would allow me to ‘leave media in place’, which essentially means my library is tiny because no media is ever copied to the library. My goal is to do the same thing with the file based media but so far no luck. I have a couple of ideas I haven’t tried, but I’m hoping there is an easy way around the problem.
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I think I just answered my own question:
THis seems to work- If I have my library set to leave files in place, and then browse camera files on the archival disk in the finder, then drag needed clips to the browser, it appears that the media does not get copied into the library. One other little detail I forgot to mention- I’m making proxies, which are kept in the library so I have some low grade reference if I ever need to go back and check something without requiring the archival drive to be mounted.
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