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  • Still get confused with Compound Clips

    Posted by James Ewart on June 22, 2015 at 11:48 am

    I used to have similar mental block style problems with Nesting.

    My workflow these days is, to before creating compound clips, I have to make Project Duplicates and make CCs from the Duplicates, because if i don’t, and one day want to delete the compound clips, I can’t unless I delete the original Project even if i am not using that Compound Clip in another Project.

    I find that behaviour really odd.

    Why can’t I get my head round it?

    I might not want to delete the original master clip but for a number of reasons may decide I don’t want the CC if I have decided I don’t want to use it.

    Bret Williams replied 10 years, 10 months ago 4 Members · 13 Replies
  • 13 Replies
  • Noah Kadner

    June 22, 2015 at 2:58 pm

    I rarely use CC’s unless it’s to group a set of complex sound effects or an effects composition. And why delete anything?

    Noah

    FCPWORKS – FCPX Workflow
    Call Box Training

  • James Ewart

    June 22, 2015 at 3:17 pm

    Thanks I use them all the time if I am creating opening titles and end credits that i’m going to use over and over on a bunch of projects.

    In this instance I have seven projects that I want to use a small section or two from each to create a new “compilation/highlights” clip of all of them. In Legacy I would probably just have all the sequences open to access them and take what I needed but the only way to archive this that I can figure is to create Compound Clips so I have access to all the completed Projects in the Browser.

    As for deleting. I guess its a touch OCD but I like to keep things today. If I’m not going to use it or it was something that didn’t wok out I would rather not have it there in the Browser. I always use Smart Collections for my CCs and if I’m never going to use it I would rather it was not there.

    Just wondering if I have been missing something obvious in the bubble I work in.

  • Noah Kadner

    June 23, 2015 at 4:20 am

    You could always create a Favorites Library that holds everything you reuse. But yeah- unless you’re really really tight on HD space- you get nowhere by actually deleting things like Compound Clips. Just start up a new Library or Event.

    Noah

    FCPWORKS – FCPX Workflow
    Call Box Training

  • David Gregorio

    June 23, 2015 at 5:51 am

    When I’m grabbing stuff from other timelines (compound clips or projects) I usually just open each timeline up one after the other. That stacks the timelines up in timeline history, then I use the timeline history arrows to hop between the timelines and copy/paste what I need. It’s usually no problem to copy entire sections (transitions and all) but sometimes it’s easier to grab more than I need and just delete the over-grab in the new timeline.

    I used to use compounds for transporting sections between timelines, but i’ve found this to be quicker and cleaner.
    Hope this helps
    dg

  • Bret Williams

    June 23, 2015 at 6:26 am

    I’m with you. @James – why do you feel you have to use compound clips to copy sections of timelines I tomother sections? Sounds like you used copy paste in legacy, why not in X?

  • James Ewart

    June 23, 2015 at 9:26 am

    [Bret Williams] “I’m with you. @James – why do you feel you have to use compound clips to copy sections of timelines I tomother sections? Sounds like you used copy paste in legacy, why not in X?”

    Not sure which clip I necessarily want to use from a sequence. In Legacy you had instant access to the timeline you wanted. In X you have to keep clicking (amazingly even I use the shortcut for this) till you get there. Five or six times back then five or six times forwards again to get back to the Timeline you are working in.

    If I want to cherry pick highlights from different projects I find the workflow of clicking back in the timeline history rather convoluted.

    To have multiple sequences open and do a bit of ‘pancaking’ would be the ideal. I think next best is access from the browser with one single click.

    I stil think it’s a little odd that creating a Compound Clip is irreversible without deleting its master clip though. Don’t you?

  • Bret Williams

    June 23, 2015 at 2:35 pm

    I would never click through the timeline history multiple times. I would click and hold and choose from the timeline from the pop-up window. This is a standard feature of navigation buttons in safari and throughout the OS. Give it a whirl.

    Don’t get me wrong, it was certainly easier to have a bunch of tabbed timelines available to copy and paste from and I certainly hope that returns asap. However I’m much happier with X’s media management in these cases. I like how it automatically copies assets from one library to another when editing between libraries.

    And I’m not sure what you meant by the irreversible CC comment. You can always break apart a compound clip, it’s a little unpredictable what happens to the contents at that point. Often X will change the layer order or even the timing of clips. But if it’s basic cuts and dissolves it works fine. But I’d never compound cuts and dissolves. If I create a compound clip I generally plan on keeping it that way. But they certainly aren’t “irreversible without deleting the master”. Maybe you can explain what you mean?

  • James Ewart

    June 23, 2015 at 2:50 pm

    Hi Bret.

    I find (maybe i have a problem) that even when i have not used a compound clip in another timeline I am unable to delete it from the browser without deleting its parent clip first.

    as for

    [Bret Williams] “I would click and hold and choose from the timeline from the pop-up window. This is a standard feature of navigation buttons in safari and throughout the OS. Give it a whirl.”

    I am still reeling from years back when you pointed out to me that I did not have to hit “t’ four times in Legacy to select all forwards. I have just seen that “click and hold” pop up window for the first time ever! Ouch! However only the last two timelines I have been working in appear. Is this a preference setting?

  • James Ewart

    June 23, 2015 at 2:58 pm

    How have I missed that? I’m so angry now!

  • David Gregorio

    June 23, 2015 at 3:04 pm

    WOW!
    I never new about the popup, awesome!.
    I think the timeline history is a session history, which is why I’ll first open up all timelines that I need to access.

    If you are actually using a compound in a project (or multiple projects) then forcing you to delete the master project is a safety feature. It would be odd (and dangerous) if it wasn’t that way.

    One thing you could do when you make a compound from a project is “break apart clip items” right away. The compound is created, but it’s not attached to the original project (in fact the project looks like nothin happened).

    Once I got my head around keywords I found that I wasn’t using timelines to manage clips as much.

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