Eric Peters
Forum Replies Created
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Steve, I think you may have something with the Movie directory/symlink idea… Disappointing that this is the way you would need to be set up to make it do what we all want it to.
The one option you are given as far as choosing where your Events reside within FCPX is in the File > Move Event option… But that won’t allow you to permanently change your Event location. The next Event you create is automatically created locally.
On to more testing…
Eric Peters
ProMAX Systems
eric.peters@promax.com -
I wanted to jump in and lend some of my observations so far regarding the “projects” (sequences) and “events” folders and the ability to move them around and work with them from different locations, though having only had it in my hands for a day, I’m reluctant to go to far into making SAN workflow claims without putting it through further rigorous testing. But some of these observations do at least answer some general questions in terms of what you seemingly cannot do…
From what I’ve been able to surmise, you cannot move the Events folder. FCP X does not allow you to change the save location, and it doesn’t like it when you try to open the “CurrentVersion.fcpevent” file from another location. It will not open properly from anywhere but the designated location. This means that each user’s clip database will be customized specifically to them based on the footage that they import, whether it is stored on a server or not. You CAN move the entire contents of the “Final Cut Events” folder onto an external drive and then move it back locally to the proper location, and it will still open fine.
As for projects, these also will only work properly (as best as I’ve been able to tell) if in the location that FCP is expecting them. Again, you can move the entire contents of the folder from an external drive into the designated location, and you should be able to do this with or without the render files. As I’m sure everyone has noticed already, the render files no longer present themselves in Finder as QT files. Finder reads them as document files, and each render file has a plist associated with it. If you attempt to move a project but don’t move the render files, it should work fine, you’ll just have to re-render the sequence when it is first opened.
As it all relates to Final Cut Server… From what I’ve seen, the Events library is very much taking on at least some of the features of Final Cut Server. You can create custom metadata fields and fill in metadata as long as you want on your media. I’ve created 20+ “custom” metadata fields without issue. Not sure if they have any sort of limit on how many custom fields can be added…
Eric Peters
ProMAX Systems
eric.peters@promax.com -
In the past, I have delivered hourlong ProRes-encoded episode masters via the web, but only by relying on a combination of (a) a speedy internet connection (T3) and (b) WAN-acceleration via Signiant web client provided by the network I was delivering to. So, it is definitely possible and can be a feasible means of delivery given the technology necessary for the job, but even then, the upload took hours.
Unfortunately, in your case, I think Dave and Shane have covered the only reasonable options… Either satellite feed or some form of air-freight/courier/FedEx delivery.
Eric Peters
ProMAX Systems
eric.peters@promax.com -
The way I see it, you have a couple options here… You could either reformat the hard drive and then recapture the footage (the safest way to deal with the problem) OR you could throw your clips in a sequence, set the starting timecode of your sequence to reflect that of the footage, and export a new merged quicktime. Either way is a bit of a headache. No matter which option you choose, you’re going to want to get that drive reformatted at some point so that you’re not dealing with FAT32. Also, I know it’s been said on here plenty of times before, but a USB drive isn’t the best storage solution to be editing from…
Eric Peters
ProMAX Systems
eric.peters@promax.com -
I have dealt with this problem in FCP 6. We have not yet made the transition to FCP 7, but it sounds like the exact problem with incompatible bit rates that I’ve seen a few times with the version we’re using.
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I have had playback issues like what you have described where the multiclip will go from a 4-up (or 9-up, 16-up, whatever-up) when stopped to a “1-up” of the active angle only as soon as you hit play. In my experience, this has always been related to the bit rate of the footage, in that at your given bit rate, RT playback of the multiclip is not supported in the “multi”-up configuration.
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Once you open the .VOB file up in MPEG Streamclip, you want to go to File > Export to Quicktime. This will allow you to export the .VOB files to quicktime in whatever format you want with audio included. You don’t want to try to edit with the .VOB files directly.
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Digital Heaven also makes the DH_WideSafe plugin for FCP that works well for what you need.
https://www.digital-heaven.co.uk/plugins
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We have several of the Transcend 16 GB cards and have been using them without any issues.
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To characterize the offline-online workflow as “lunacy” is pretty narrow-minded. Sure, it might not be the BEST solution in Simon’s case, but for some of us it is the ONLY solution. We are regularly dealing with thousands of hours of footage per project, at which point going in at full res would be considered lunacy. Just because you don’t have a need for the traditional offline-online workflow doesn’t mean that you should discount it as something that has outlived its usefulness.