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Metadata within the project storyline
So I’m trying to find a way to replace my current workflow from FCP7 in FCPX. I totally dig the metadata elements within FCPX and think that they can be used very effectively. But I am getting stuck up and I’m wondering if it is possible in FCPX or not.
Original workflow in FCP7…
From my source footage I create a sequence called selects and drop all of my select footage down into the sequence. From that sequence I make both a shortform and a longform project. After I create the shortform project in its own sequence I select those clips in the sequence and label them. That way when I go back over to my selects sequence I can see which selects are unused for the longform sequence that I will eventually create.I was trying to utilize keywords and smart collections to transform this process to a metadata approach. So I basically use the favorites to compile my selects into a smart collection. But then when I create my shortform project from the clips that I favorited I don’t seem to be able to find a way to attach a keyword that will signify that these clips are all used in the shortform project.
Unless I’m missing something it appears that you cannot add keywords to a clip in the project timeline. You do seem to be able to manipulate information from within the project but then that information doesn’t seem to translate itself into the event library in any capacity. Meaning when I go into my selects bin and find a piece of media that is used in the shortform project the information that I added from within the project timeline/info window is not “updated” in the event library. So basically it appears that despite the sophistication of the metadata I cannot create a smart collection that will include all favorites but reject all favorites that have wound up in the shortform project timeline.
Anybody have a better understanding of the app and can point my in the right direction? Cause it seems to me that once the clip makes it to a project it no longer has the ability to modify its metadata in a useful way.
Ian
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2 Replies
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If I am understanding you correctly, you are asking about adding Keywords to clips that are directly in a Project. This is not possible for a couple of reasons.
– When you insert a clip into a Project from an Event, the clip in the timeline is now a virtual copy of the original clip. This allows you to make changes to it (effects, new notes, etc.) without changing the original clip.
– Keywords were made for Events only as that makes the most sense because they are made to organize your footage at the root level and not in the Project. Having too many areas with different Keywords would make a mess of things in my opinion. Maybe they’ll be an update to have separate keywords for each individual Project in an update but with the notes field editable for each clip in a Project, it doesn’t seem necessary.
Also, you can use the “Timeline Index” to show the “Tags” instead of the “Clips”. This will show you all your Keywords for each clip in chronological order.
And lastly, if you want to add a Keyword to a master clip in the Event, just select the clip in the Project and put the playhead over it and hit “Shift + F” to match frame to the original master clip in the Event browser. Then just add the Keywords you want, such as “In Shortform”. The one issue you will have with this is it won’t update the Keywords for the virtual clip in the Project but it will at least let you know it’s in the Shortform edit now. Maybe someone knows a way to have it update.
Guess it would be nice to be able to have a clip/compound clip that when you made a change it would ripple to every place that clip was used in different Projects. I wouldn’t want to this for master clips just copies. And maybe someone else has figured out a way to do this, too.
tony
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BTW- here is a great article that deals with media management in FCP X:
https://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/fcp_x_media_management_stone.html
While it doesn’t deal directly with Keywords it does help layout the basic foundation of how Events and Projects talk to each other.
tony
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