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Storage issues–ways to condense or clear space?
Hi folks ?
I have a 3TB iMac and I work in FCPX on two big libraries.
One of the libraries–we’ll call it Library A–is on the hard drive, backed up by an external 4TB Lacie drive via Time Machine. It recently exceeded 2TB so it is starting to create a drag on the whole system (because I have about 650 GB of other stuff on that computer’s hard drive).
The other library–let’s call it Library B– is on an external 4TB GDrive, copied via Carbon Copy onto another 4TB GDrive. This library recently exceeded 3TB.
Both Libraries A and B constitute separate projects that are somewhat related. I don’t see much more footage going into Library A, and I don’t see Library B needing to use much more from Library A. But I still am working in Library A (we are getting close to final cut).
When I imported all my footage into both libraries I am pretty sure it also made the two different kinds of proxy media, as well as copying the original media files. So I know I have a lot of redundancy in those libraries and I suspect they are bigger than they strictly need to be.
I’m on a trip shooting footage right now and I’m going to come back with footage for Library B that, if I import it like I’ve been doing, will totally push it way over 3.7TB or so and then my two 4TB drives won’t accommodate them.
So. It’s time for me to learn more about smart storage and media management. I’d like to know:
* What I can get rid of in the FCPX libraries to make them smaller?
* How I can work smarter with the 2 external GDrives that house Library B? Is there a way to expand them? Should I acquire another 4TB drive? I don’t know anything about RAID and the Wikipedia page about it is too technical for me, but I’m willing to learn what I need to do if there’s a way to use a third drive to accommodate a library that might exceed 4TB.Maybe I’m not even asking the right questions. I really don’t know where to start but I know that I am getting close to full and that perhaps there is something I can do to help myself.
I’m all ears!!!! Thank you.
Jennhttp://www.JennLindsay.com
iMac 27-inch, 3.5 GHz Intel Core i7. 4GB GPU.
FCPX -
4 Replies
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You might want to check out the Final Cut Library manager app. It’s my go-to way of getting rid of all the bloat (render files, proxies, optimised media, etc) that a FCPX library can accumulate. I prefer it to just deleting that stuff manually because it won’t let me delete optimised media if it can’t locate the original. That’s saved me on a couple of projects where for some reason the optimised media file was the only copy left.
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Jeff Kirkland | Video Producer & Cinematographer
Hobart, Tasmania | Twitter: @jeffkirkland -
The only other thing is down the road use external media (don’t import into the library). That way if library A shares with library B, there won’t be any duplication of files. And don’t optimize media unless you have to. That is what is eating up your hard drive space. Use proxy if you need it for performance.
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https://BretFX.com Up to 60% off all plugins through 11/6! -
Jeff, hi! Thank you for your help. I’m back in front of my poor bloated desktop after a trip out of town.
I’m looking into the fcp library manager app and I’m not quite sure how to access it or if it something I need to download. Can you please help me figure out where to access it? Perhaps you are using the Artic Whiteness software?
I’d also like to know more about handling opotimized media more efficiently. I was learning more about FCPX through a Ripple training course and they recommended importing everything as copy/optimize/proxy, so I consequently have a huge glut of files and so much optimized media. I see now this wasn’t completely necessary.
* is there a way to convery optimized media into proxy or somethign smaller?
* if I import only with proxy (not copying originals or optimizing) from here on out, will that change how the files or projects look against the original stuff?Thank you!
Jennhttp://www.JennLindsay.com
iMac 27-inch, 3.5 GHz Intel Core i7. 4GB GPU.
FCPX -
Final Cut Library Manager is an app from Arctic Whiteness – https://www.arcticwhiteness.com/finalcutlibrarymanager/
The application lets you easily delete optimised media, render files, etc from your library prior to archiving. I like using it because it will warn you before it deletes optimised media that doesn’t have any corresponding original media available. I’ve had this happen to me a couple of times where FCPX was happily using the optimised copy but the original had somehow been accidentally deleted so when I deleted the optimised media, I lost the only copy of the clip.
Optimising to proxy media will work fine and save space, just switch back to using original media before you render your project.
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Jeff Kirkland | Video Producer & Cinematographer
Hobart, Tasmania | Twitter: @jeffkirkland
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