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Trying to retransfer file-based media pops up Log and Capture window
I am editing a heavy multicam show shot in a myriad of formats: REDCODE, XDCAM EX, DVCPRO HD and H.264 (from 5Ds and 7Ds) just to name a few. Originally I logged and transferred all the footage into ProRes422 (HQ) only to discover that I am unable to play back more than 4 angles in realtime (and some scenes have as many as 12) so I used the Media Manager to downrez the footage to SQ ProRes, allowing me to now play 8 angles in real time. It’s worth to note that the media is residing on a 6TB RAID 0 consisting of 3 7200rpm 2TB Hitachi drives. While 8 angles at once is nice, I want to push the envelope and be able to view all 12+ at once, after all, FCP does have a 16-up setting 🙂 So, I’m considering downrezing the footage even further, to ProRes (LT) or even ProRes (Proxy), and if that doesn’t work, going down to 720p or even 480p. Doing this, however, puts me into the offline/online workflow that I originally thought I’d avoid by using ProRes (HQ) across the board. I want to make sure than I can efficiently uprez the finished offline and wanted to test out the procedure beforehand. Page 366 of the FCP 7 user manual describes exactly what I’m trying to achieve, however following the steps outlined there does not pop up the Log and Transfer window like it says it would and dragging a clip onto its dialog pops up Log and Capture, even though not a single piece of footage originated on tape. I assume this all has something to do with the Media Manager losing the original clips’ media tracking identifier (this concept of unique clip IDs is outlined on page 366 as well) and am wondering if anyone has been in a similar boat as I and if there are any workflows or workarounds to achieve my goal. Thank you in advance!
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3 Replies
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I suspect Compressor is not passing on metadata, only timecode and reel numbers so it assumes a tape source.
You might need to test Media Managers ability to create new sequences with the footage downrezed to see if that maintains a recapture or relink path.
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I highly suggest reading “Mastering MultiCamera Techniques: From Preproduction to Editing and Deliverables” by Mitch Jacobson.
Steve Eisen
Eisen Video Productions
Vice President
Chicago Final Cut Pro Users Group -
[Mike McPherson] “shot in a myriad of formats: REDCODE, XDCAM EX, DVCPRO HD and H.264 (from 5Ds and 7Ds) just to name a few.”
All I can say is “Good Luck”!
There is hope however. If you keep all the full rez material available and on-line, then your “up rez” is simply a “Reconnect” rather than a redigitize. This is INFINITELY easier and faster than redigitizing all of your material.
If I understand correctly, your issue is not storage size, but throughput. Therefore, down rez (using compressor) all of your original material to the lowest acceptable codec for editorial that you can stand. We use Off-line RT HD. It looks like crap, but we can view almost unlimited multicams (regularly use up to 14 angles), the rendering is quick, and the storage used is small. The downside is that the frame size (pixel count) is smaller than the original frame so grfx, stills, text must be repositioned upon uprez.
In your case, PROres proxy is probably the best choice.
Once you’ve downrezzed, HIDE the original full rez media from FCP. Either dismount the volume, or disable access… however you choose to do it, make sure that for editorial, you’re NOT referencing that material. Edit with the low rez stuff, and then when you’re done, simply do a reconnect to the high rez.
Note: for this process to work smoothly, do NOT rename any of your clips.Mark
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