Where is everything saving?

[Jerry Hofmann]

It’s probably best to keep media files only on that external drive (including renders, as they are media files), and the autosaves, waveforms, and thumbnails on your internal startup disk’s Documents folder along with your actual project file.

That way small files that are rewritten all the time don’t end up on the dedicated media drive, and it will end up playing your media better because that’s all it’s asked to do.

Jerry

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[Glenn Fisher]

I’m not sure whether you’re asking about techniques for managing files for a current project or archiving files for a project that you’ve already completed, so I’ll mention both.

When you’re managing files for your current projects, you should find a system that works for you. All of your media should be stored on a drive other than the one that your operating system is running from. If you have two internal hard drives, then you can store media on your second internal. If you only have one internal hard drive (say, you’re working with a laptop) then you’ll want to use a firewire external hard drive to capture your video to, save render files to, etc. The location where you want to store all of that is considered the “Scratch Disk.” It sounds like you’ve already had some experience in dealing with that.

When you’ve completed a project and you want to archive it for future reference, then you’re best off using the “Media Manager.” With the Media Manager, you specify a location to save all of the files associated with your project, and it will automatically copy whatever you specify (project file, captured video, render files, waveforms, and anything else that might be associated with your project).

The Final Cut Pro 6 User Manual has two chapters devoted to the Media Manager. The first one, chapter 7, covers in-depth how to use the Media Manager and explains all of the possible options. The second one, chapter 8, gives examples of ways to use the Media Manager (since it serves more purposes than just archiving). You can find the manual online at: https://manuals.info.apple.com/en/Final_Cut_Pro_6_User_Manual.pdf. Chapter 7 begins on page 1570 of the PDF file, and chapter 8 begins on page 1588.

Since I think it might help you in figuring out a good workflow that works for you, I’ll describe how I handle media with all of my projects. I have a 1TB external hard drive which I use as a dedicated scratch disk for Final Cut. All of my media is capture to that drive inside of a folder that I called “FCP Scratch Disk.” My media lives there until I finish a project and want to archive it. At that point, I use the Media Manager to copy all of my media along with the project file onto another external hard drive. Once my media is archived, then I delete the original files from the scratch disk to free up room for more video.

I hope that helps! Best of luck to you.

– Glenn Fisher

[Walter Biscardi]

Just set your Capture Scratch to the External drive. Then put all your additional material including graphics and music in that same folder.

Never, EVER put any media on your main Mac HD. The only thing that should be on your main Mac HD is the Project file itself. Nothing else.

A great resource is Shane Ross’ “Getting Organized in Final Cut Pro” available through the store here on the Cow.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.

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[Jared Smith]

i am sure i will get to this when i do the media manager chapters in the fcp book but when you use media manager doesn’t it do away with anything not being used in the timeline? if that is true, i am jsut nervous to use it and then have to come back to it later and not have everything still captured…