Sony Clip Browser documentation and workflow question

[Don Greening]

Hi Adrian,

Question 1: I’m pretty sure there’s a PDF manual for Clip Browser that is part of the package when you download the program. Or it could be on the software CD that ships with the camera. I can’t remember exactly where I got it but I do have it for Clip Browser v.1.0. You’ll have to decide whether you can use this particular version but if you want it I can email it to you if you respond within the next 2 hours. Otherwise I’m away for the rest of the day. My email is: greeningATshawDOTca. Meanwhile, you may have better luck getting the PDF for Clip Browser v.2 here:

https://www.sony.ca/xdcamex/support.htm

Question 2: [Adrian Vallis] ” For the SONY XDCAM TRANSFER TOOL software, is there any advantage to using it as a plugin within FCP as opposed to using it stand alone, creating the quicktimes and then dragging the folders containing the quicktimes from the browser into FCP.”

No advantage with doing it one way or the other. Sometimes if you use the Transfer Tool within FCP some of the clips may come in with duplicate filenames. Personally, I prefer to use the transfer Tool as a stand-alone app and then import the files into FCP by using the general File>Import command from the Final Cut Pro menu. It just depends on how you like to work.

[Adrian Vallis] “It seems to me that as the TRANSFER TOOL ignores the logging bin in FCP and just puts the files into the root directory of the browser”

Create a new bin in FCP’s Browser then double click to open it. Make sure it stays the active window, go to “File>Import”. Navigate to your clips and shift click all the ones you want, then import them. They’ll show up within the active (and open) bin window. Previously, before even starting FCP, when I use the Transfer Tool I’ll highlight certain clips depending on shooting category and choose a destination for those imported clips in the Transfer Tool Preferences. When when it comes time to import them into FCP the clips are already segregated into the proper folders. It’s better this way than being being presented with a ton of clips in one folder, all with numbered filenames when it’s time to transfer them to FCP.

– Don

[Adrian Vallis]

Hi Don,

I found the manual at the link you sent.

Thanks for the other info – I think we will use the Transfer Tool as a stand-alone – seems to streamline the process a little.

http://www.adrianvallis.com

[ color grading / online / offline editorial ]

[Andy Mees]

2. For the SONY XDCAM TRANSFER TOOL software, is there any advantage to using it as a plugin within FCP as opposed to using it stand alone

To posit an alternative theory …

Yes, absolutely there is, although it certainly revolves around ones personal workflow preferences.
The advantage of calling up the transfer tool from within FCP is that it allows direct background import of the media to any open project and it’s this background transfer that really powers the tapeless workflow. With linear based capture methods the NLE is tied up for the duration of the capture process, but with the tapeless ingest enabled through Sony’s XDCAM Transfer, you start editing with the media you have whilst the remaining media transfers in the background as you edit. And as the transferring media becomes available you can incorporate it into your edit without additional manual intervention.

To be fair much of this is still possible when you use XDCAM Transfer as a standalone app, true, but you do have to interact with the Finder to manually update your project with any newly acquired media … and if you wait until all the media is ingested first so that you can drop the folder of clips into your project (in a nice organized bin) then in some respects you have lost much of the advantage of that dynamic background tapeless import process.

I gotta say I do agree that having to sort the ingested media into bins after/during the fact can be an annoyance, but for the organizational fiends amongst us (myself included) an alternative workflow is available. One can make use of FCP’s ability to keep multiple projects open simultaneously, and create a separate project for each source reel. That way transfers can be targeted to their own specific source reel/disc project. Not for everybody, but perhaps a salve for those that can’t abide clips being imported in the first instance to the root level of the project.

As I said its all down to ones personal workflow preferences, but food for thought hopefully.

Cheers
Andy

[Adrian Vallis]

Hi Andy,

Good points and I like the idea of using an import project to bring in the clips, and then dragging them to a separate folder in the main footage project once the transfer is complete – nice organisational workflow. However as there will not be editing taking place during the shoot, I think we will just do the transfers in XDCAM Transfer as a stand alone – basically I feel that the simpler things are, with the less apps open, the less room for user error.

http://www.adrianvallis.com

[ color grading / online / offline editorial ]