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workflow questions
Hey guys,
Sorry for this being a long post, just trying to wrap my head around how we need to efficiently organize media, graphics, and projects to take advantage of all the metadata capabilities of X.For graphics:
We work with lots of different pre rendered graphics packages. Most are logos and transitions w alpha channels, etc. What’s the best way to make these reusable in any project? Should I create an event just for pre rendered graphics per network? In a perfect world we could recreate things like lower 3rds that are based in AE and build motion projects that are then easily generated in FCPX. That would be awesome, right? For some graphics we have to make in AE, is there a way to make a watch folder that automatically adds the QT to a project or event? I’m thinking that if we pointed our renders from AE to a specific event folder, that might be even better and reduce finder based copying.For events and projects:
We have multiple shows from multiple networks used to create multiple spots. I think we want to make a single event per series, not per network, because most projects (aka sequences) are show specific. All the other events are easily accessible, so over time we’ll build up more and more metadata information from series shows that are reused often. This sounds fantastic. I think that we want these episodes to be aliased vs copied to event, right? We very easily can have whole seasons of shows that could seriously bog down an event. We’d rather have them viewable and self organized on the finder level, right?Now, here’s where it gets hairy. When working with multiple edit suites, a lot of this metadata information seems like it would be seriously useful. If it’s on edit 1, we want it on edit 2 as well. Jeremy G mentioned that he and his guys have a ‘check out’ process. Jeremy, would you be able to elaborate a little more on how you guys manage that? We’re not operating on a SAN or NAS, but one of our systems is the ‘master’ with the most storage, so my theory is we’d copy over an event to a new system from the master mac, then copy it’s aliased media folder. Edit the project, replace the old event folder on the master mac when done, and then relink the aliased media? The problem arises when editors don’t get this system or just forget to do it at the end. Then we have multiple similar events on multiple computers that we don’t always know which is correct or not. That’s hairy! What’s the best way to manage these events, keep them all in sync and up to date, and make the most of our metadata?
I’d love to hear peoples theories on these ideas. We’re kind of excited to pull the trigger on X, but we just need to figure out our workflow.
Thanks!
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5 Replies
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[John Davidson] “Should I create an event just for pre rendered graphics per network?”
That’s what I do for anything that I need to reuse across different projects.[John Davidson] “motion projects that are then easily generated in FCPX”
I absolutely love making templates in Motion and publish only the parameters I like to be editable, e.g. the name in a lower third. When you need to do them in AE, of course this doesn’t work. There is no ‘watch folder’ function in FCPx. So you have to manually import them. Maybe you can create the graphics in AE, but than add the typo in FCPx. This would allow to copy paste the combined (or even compounded) e.g.. lower third.[John Davidson] “I think that we want these episodes to be aliased vs copied to event, right?”
I actually changed my approach to import all media into the event folder, not using aliases at all. Simple reason is that If I need to backup or move an event I do not have to worry about where the media is located. I also think this way I avoid any problems of aliases breaking and needing to relink. Because the finder structure of FCPx is transparent I can still easily find clips in the finder if need be.[John Davidson] “Edit the project, replace the old event folder on the master mac when done, and then relink the aliased media? The problem arises when editors don’t get this system or just forget to do it at the end.”
Again that’s why I like to keep everything in the event 🙂 I do not have any experience with shared environments, so I can’t say anything about how to set this up.Hope this helps.
Best
Carsten -
The option “import folders as keyword collections” for me is a big deal because I like to organize my footage into folders. I put my brand stuff in a brand folder. I can put it into any event and it will show up with the keywords of the folders. The benefit is the keywords are regularized, as the brand adds media I drop it in the folder and it has the same keywords as before.
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[John Davidson] ” For some graphics we have to make in AE, is there a way to make a watch folder that automatically adds the QT to a project or event? I’m thinking that if we pointed our renders from AE to a specific event folder, that might be even better and reduce finder based copying.”
I don’t know of a way to “auto import” but if you render a file to the “Original Media” folder inside of an Event, the next time FCPX is quit/relaunched, those files show up in the Event.
Depending on how everything is setup, you can then sort by “no ratings/keywords” or press control-x, and see what’s new. This would assume that everything else in the Event is tagged in one way or another.
[John Davidson] “For events and projects:
We have multiple shows from multiple networks used to create multiple spots. I think we want to make a single event per series, not per network, because most projects (aka sequences) are show specific. All the other events are easily accessible, so over time we’ll build up more and more metadata information from series shows that are reused often. This sounds fantastic. I think that we want these episodes to be aliased vs copied to event, right? We very easily can have whole seasons of shows that could seriously bog down an event. We’d rather have them viewable and self organized on the finder level, right?”Sure, that’s one way to do it as long as that media doesn’t move around or change much. How many shows do you have a season? Is it in the 1000s or something?
You can also organize the media in the Event folder too. It really depends on what you need done with media on the Finder level.
[John Davidson] “Now, here’s where it gets hairy. When working with multiple edit suites, a lot of this metadata information seems like it would be seriously useful. If it’s on edit 1, we want it on edit 2 as well. Jeremy G mentioned that he and his guys have a ‘check out’ process. Jeremy, would you be able to elaborate a little more on how you guys manage that? We’re not operating on a SAN or NAS, but one of our systems is the ‘master’ with the most storage, so my theory is we’d copy over an event to a new system from the master mac, then copy it’s aliased media folder. “
Our check in/check out works on a SAN only. Every computer sees the same storage, so we just have to manage that. If you have separate storage for even computer the workflow changes considerably.
You will have to sneaker net over all copies of any footage. At that point, you will be swapping Event/Project files (just like swapping FCP7 project files). You can also use the handy “Merge Event” commands if that makes more sense for your workflow.
[John Davidson] “The problem arises when editors don’t get this system or just forget to do it at the end. Then we have multiple similar events on multiple computers that we don’t always know which is correct or not. That’s hairy! What’s the best way to manage these events, keep them all in sync and up to date, and make the most of our metadata? “
How do you do it now?
Jeremy
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I think I really like that concept best. We can break down shows by seasons in subfolders, which can make this much easier to navigate around. Thanks!
John Davidson | President / Creative Director | Magic Feather Inc.
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Right now we have 3 systems with local raid5’s that are all connected via ethernet with one main system holding most episodes. The second system copies over whatever is needed, and sometimes we media manage finished elements around from one system to another. Our current process is very sloppy.
We’re very interested in putting together an affordable shared storage system and it looks like the thunderbolt PCI expansion box from small tree with a mac mini server (don’t quote me on that one) is going to really be great for us. We work in ProRes, so all signs point to that being a good workflow for us. I’m honestly not even sure how that server will work for media. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.
Thanks for the feedback. The transition from a primarily single system edit to group storage is a very good (but challenging) growing pain.
John Davidson | President / Creative Director | Magic Feather Inc.
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