[Craig Alan]

[Bret Williams] “But even easier that all that, you could just duplicate the event to the new drive, and then choose file>organize event files. That will eliminate all the references and copy the linked media to the event folder. It’s what I do when I’m done with a project and need to consolidate it to a backup drive.
“

What about the project itself? Just duplicate it over within FC? Then I assume delete the event and project within FC?

I store all my project components (FCP Events FCP Project folders) on a sparse image. If I copy over the sparse image to a new drive for back up then everything goes with it. Any gotchas there?

I will be setting up a lab with 20 FC stations. I need a way to load media/projects for many different students/teams so that their work is protected from all other users. I thought I’d use password protected sparse images but the encryption of all media to a sparse image is really really slow and I don’t have that kind of time. Any ideas?

One thing I discovered but have not tested well yet: sparse images are grayed out in simple finder. So as admin I could mount and unmount each user’s sparse image using remote desktop. Any thoughts?

Your posts btw have been really informative – thanks.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

I’m new to organizing as well and this might help you avoid some early mistakes. If you know all this then go back to the guru’s who have been great for me.

Whatever you choose, and there is no clear right and wrong, be sure to do all the organization within FCP X. If you start organizing in the finder you will have a mess of relinking to do. I went through this and the only upside is now I know how to relink.

Remember each drive can hold one (and only one) FCP Projects and one Final Cut Events folder and this includes sparse image bundles which is a great way to do root organization because FC with load all events and all projects on all mounted drives. This slows things down if you have a lot of media. So by using sparse images you can have as many virtual drives as you want each with their own set of FC folders. This also makes it very easy to copy entire projects with all related events and projects to another drive, location, back up, etc.

Creating the sparse images is the only part of the organization that would be done in the finder. Create the bundle in disc utility. Then in FC create (or import media) a project and event which FC will put in a “Final Cut Events” folder. From there any event you add will be added to that same event or a new one in that same folder.

The only thing you need to come up with is a naming scheme and a keyword scheme so you remain comfortable organizing everything your client has given you. I’d go through their projects and events and see what meta data is there and then start deciding on what meta data you want to add

You might want to keep all their footage in its own drive or sparse image and copy rather than refer to their media. That way, when you are done creating the events you will actually be using, you can decide not to mount the originals. This will be more complex during the organization (logging) stage but perhaps cleaner during the editing (cutting) stage.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

Understood Patrick. On the other hand, Imovie is more powerful than any editing that took place before 1990. Like I said unless you plan to be editing all that footage at once there is no need to store it digitally. Keep the tapes within reasonable temp range. Forward and rewind them every so often.

Check out

the ki pro mini or

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/759460-REG/ATOMOS_ATOMNJA003_Ninja_Video_Hard_Disk.html

My experience is with the KIPro so do research on these two if you are considering them as possibilities.

If you can’t afford this stuff now stay the course. With good lighting and good sound and a decent camera you can get great original footage. Content is King. You can always color correct later. Also there is nothing wrong with your Mac Pro. It was the tool of choice up to say last year for FCP 7 professional editors. Max out the ram, update the graphic cards if you want, and use those hard drive bays. I would concentrate on good lighting, good sound, and organizing your footage in a way that you can tell a powerful story.

I haven’t used the capture break out box you asked about but with a mac pro you can also buy a card. So ask someone who has. Also call the companies. I have gotten great help from tech support. I would future proof my choices to work into the next bunch of Macs. Lots of pros are using Imacs with thunderbolt and usb 3. USB 3 ain’t going anywhere for a while and is very fast. A USB card is pretty cheap.

I’m happy for now with the P2 250 cam we’ve been using, but its no Canon c300 or Alexa with prime lenses. But you know it takes a very nice image and is a great run and gun cam.

I’m not that happy with my $1000 tripod but its better than my $600 tripod and I’ve gotten good shots with both.

Point is yeah pros are using equipment at all price points.

The basics though is preparation, good light, good sound, know your gear and make it work for you.

Don’t hesitate to ask people what they think. Happy to share.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

Apple does not make hard drives. WD has been spotty in the past though they own HGST (originally IBM) and apparently also Toshiba. Word was back then go with deskstar IBM. I stayed with that legacy recommendation so I buy HGST. That said any brand has had failures. If you are very concerned you can get enterprise class drives that have longer warranties. Just look for 5-year warranties for which you will pay extra. All that said tapes will last longer properly stored than hard drives will.

The best way to capture all your tapes digitally is to record them using something like a AJA KI PRO. There will be no dropped frames other than what is on the tape itself. And it will record them in an editing codec (Apple Pro Res) rather than HDV or whatever the cam used. The result will eat up more hard drive space as well but will be edit ready. Basically it records whatever you see on the monitor. You can go HDMI or SDI out to recorder. You can also use the Ki Pro with any camera that has SDI or HDMI out. The advantage is you will then be recording in Apple Pro Res rather than the codec of the camera. It also has audio inputs, which will record much better audio than most cams.

On the HV40 you will be recording in a much higher codec. It bypasses the tape altogether. The Hv40 has a really good image for its price point. Remember small lens mean it needs lots of light.

You do not get a monitor that can be used for color grading for a few hundred dollars. The Flanders is the low price leader for color grading and can be used in the field as a field monitor for production, which will improve your production skills, a lot.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

We added some countryman mikes to our G2/3 kits (B3 and E6). They sound good but not as good as our Audio-Technica AT4053b Hypercardioid Condenser Microphone. I would describe the AT as more intimate. Not sure that’s the right term, but it sounds more like your with the talent rather than just clear dialog. They do pick up more back ground noise however than the lavs. I’ve used the AT with a G2/3 Plug-On Transmitter for Handheld Mic and it works fine. The point being you are going to spend $600 for just for the wireless tech which is not the same as spending $600 for a mike.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

Richard is correct. I edited my post. I have used two receivers with one transmitter but not the other way. But they do sell individual units of both.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

If you want great sound not good then get really good HyperCardioid mikes on a boom or shotgun (outdoors) and a good recorder for the same price point as two g3 kits. G3 can give you good quality not great. And if you want great sound you need a mixer or mixer/recorder from sound devices.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

call sound devices tech support!

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

The enclosure requires either an eSATA Port Multiplier Interface (like you said) or uses USB 2. The older Mac Pros (although PCI cards can be added) have firewire 800 for external connections. USB 3 which is fast enough for editing will be future proof and backward compatible.

So I don’t see a USB 2 enclosure as a good investment though it is cheap enough.

Internally the 2009 Mac Pro has 3 free hard drive bays not including the system drive. You could get a ssd for the system drive which will speed things up a lot and then raid the other three drives. Right now the sweet spot I think for regular 7200 HDs is 2 TB at a bit over $100 each. That gives you 6 TB for any given project and when you are done with the project you can back up what you need to archive and wipe them clean. Or just swap them out for new drives.

If you need more storage than that you can go with 3TB drives for about $150 each.

Here’s an interesting card: CalDigit FASTA-6GU3. (caldigit as a brand is high end)

Remember that when you do update to a new Mac Pro it has usb 3 and thunderbolt and no room for cards though you can get external ones via thunderbolt.

The most important thing to consider right now is your current project: how much media space do you need? Remember that no hard drive should be more than 80% full. For backing up I think the dock I suggested with bare hard drives is a cool solution. It also allows you to check on the contents of any stored drive.

I am far from an expert for large storage requirements. I need to learn this because i will be setting up a 20 computer lab soon. So if I were you and feel that these suggestions don’t meet your needs I would figure out exactly what you are trying to accomplish in terms of amount of storage and then research solutions for that. These are transitional times and it’s all a bit confusing.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

Later this summer i will be setting up a 20 computer FCP X lab and plan on using sparse images as a way to control ownership of projects/media and make it easier to move projects to computers in the studio and elsewhere.

Would love to hear/understand best practices to do so. I plan to put all media associated with an active project in the same sparse image rather than having the original media in its own location. Is it best that the events folder itself only point to the media in a different folder(s)?

Based on above and doing more research on google I will switch to sparse image ‘bundles’ since they copy faster, shrink easier, and can get corrupted in a smaller chunks rather than the whole image going down. Disk warrior is probably a great app for them either way.

Question: I read somewhere that it is best when you begin to use a new sparse image to let FCP X create the folders (Final Cut Events/Final Cut Projects) instead of creating them in the finder. Is this true? I know just putting new media in them in the finder doesn’t work but I haven’t noticed any problems creating the folders – though maybe something is duplicated?

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.