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restoring LiveType and Motion projects from FCP file
I have a FCP 5 project that I need to revise but all the source footage is missing. Contained within the project file are several LiveType and a couple of Motion files used for titles. I’ve opened the FCP project OK but when I tried to open the LT and Motion files, I only get an “unknown file” error. I was hoping to open up the LT and Motion files and reconnect their missing footage so I wouldn’t have to rebuild them from scratch. Anyone know if you can successfully open those files after the footage is missing? Both the LT and Motion files had some Photoshop TIFFs and a Jump Back as part of the file.
Doug Olin
Desert Vistas Multimedia -
4 Replies
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As long as you have the media and the original LT or Motion project still available you should be able to recconect the media just like any other clip in the timeline. Control click on the clip, choose recconect and then either manually choose your file or have FCP search your drives for it.
If you do not have the original media nor the original Motion and LT projects you are out of luck and will have to recreate the projects.
Good Luck
Bob -
LT 1 file types are different than LT2 file types. That may be an issue.
Kevin Monahan
Take My FCP Master’s Workshop!
fcpworld.com -
These are LT 2 files and Motion 2 files. I’m not sure why I can’t reopen the files listed in the FCP browser. They have the correct extension .ipr or .mot depending on the application which created them. I don’t have the original files anywhere else since the drive they were stored on was erased. Shouldn’t I be able to reopen a LT or Motion file from the browser in FCP?
Doug Olin
Desert Vistas Multimedia -
“I don’t have the original files anywhere else since the drive they were stored on was erased. Shouldn’t I be able to reopen a LT or Motion file from the browser in FCP?”
This is your issue. LT and Motion both work in a way that is a little different than you might think. When you save a project in either program you can essentially drag the “project” into FCP and that “project” then acts like a clip. You have to think of the original project as media like you would a Photoshop file or a a video clip. If the original file doesn’t exist anymore FCP doesn’t “remember” what was contained in the file hence the media offline message you are getting. FCP will not open either file becasue to FCP that file no longer exists.
To avoid this in the future you can do several things.
1. Always save the original LT or Motion Project File as well as a copy of the elements you may have used in those projects. You don’t need to save the elements that come with the apps (as you can always re-installl thes) but you do need to save any alternate elements like Photoshop docs or created background video that you are using in the projects. I always save a folder for each project that contains the LT or Motion project as well as any elements so that I can always bring these projects back to life.
2. Export your project to QT or whatever video flavor you want to use. I would suggest, of course, the highest quality possible so that you always have at the very least a clip that should be usable for you.
Unfortunatly I think you are out of luck in getting this media back as the original files have been erased. Unless you can find these files you are back to the creation stage. Sorry for the bad news but change your workflow a little and you won’t run into the issue again.
Hope it helps.
Bob
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