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Single or multiple Avid MediaFiles folder(former FCP user)
Hi everybody,
I’m new to AVID, working on my first project right now. I went through the whole getting started tutorial for MC5 (though I’m running 6)available from Lynda.com on Avid’s website.For a series of projects I’m working on, I’ll be shooting footage on my Canon 60D. There will be a small amount of footage in a variety of formats from external sources. I run everything off of my FW800 drive, which is backed up nightly.
I’m trying to get my workflow down so I won’t have to deal with any mistakes in the future. MY process
1) copy SD card to external HD and backup HD in “camOriginals” folder.
2) Create Avid project in specific project folder on external HD.
3) Use “link to AMA” volume to link all media from SD card copy.
4) Transcode all media to DNxHD115.I set the location of the transcode to the route of my external driving, thinking that the “Avid MediaFiles” was like the scratch disk in FCP. But when I go in, all files are stored under MXF>1, which lacks any indicator of which project I’m working on.
My question is: should I be telling MC to transcode all files to the project folder? Otherwise, how will I know which files I can remove when finished if I’m working on multiple projects at once?
Thanks,
JustinVideo editor, animator, composer, producer
SarasotaTheBand.com -
7 Replies
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Avid doesn’t do things the way FCP does. It stores all the media, regardless of what project you import them into…into one location. The Avid MediaFiles>MXF folder. The numbered folders might go above 1…as each folder as a 5000 item limit. But the media from multiple projects are all put into one location. This is because all of the organization is done internally inside Avid. When you are done with a project, you delete the media inside the project itself.
You can separate by project by targetting a different drive for each project. Or, when you switch projects, rename the MXF folder to something. But remember to rename it back when you open your project again. that gets dangerous…so you can just resort to different disks per project, or just managing everything in the Avid.
This will take a little getting used to.
Shane
Little Frog Post
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Ah! That’s kind of what I figured. I’m entirely happy doing all of my organization inside AVID. As long as I know my camOriginals and project folders are backed up, I think I’ll feel organized working that way.
Do you have any recommendations for more advanced AVID tutorials? I feel like I understand the software well enough–I’d just like a companion of sorts to get my workflow sped up.
Thanks–I really appreciate the help!
JVideo editor, animator, composer, producer
SarasotaTheBand.com -
Not sure of advanced tutorials. I only know of the ones to get you going. All the stuff I know I learned on the job from other editors. Well, I did take a 3 day Avid bootcamp…do I did learn a LOT of the organizing principals there. You might need to actually take a class for this.
Here’s Avid’s resource page:
https://www.avid.com/US/support/training/resources
Shane
Little Frog Post
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Take a look at the book Avid Agility by Steven Cohen. I’ve been an Avid user since 1996 and I learned stuff from it.
It hasn’t been updated for v6 yet, but most of it still applies.
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Yeah, I actually started and went all the way through AVID’s own resources. I’d love to take a class, but I don’t have enough flexibility at my job or any real money to spare. I will definitely check out that book though, thanks!
Video editor, animator, composer, producer
SarasotaTheBand.com -
Also, the fine folks at Automatic Duck have released their excellent Media Copy for free. This great utility allows you to drop an Avid bin or even an entire Avid project into the window, and it will back up all the media that project and/or bin references. Really great utility.
https://www.automaticduck.com/products/mc/
Chris
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This is such a great thread for another final cut user in the process of figuring out how to adjust to AVID.
So you find using automatic duck is an effective way to get a single project backed up for storage? (like on LTO tape or something like that)
I want to be able to store archived projects individually or in small groups on a topic if a series of shorts.
VIDEO ARTIST AND TECHNICIAN
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