[Herb Sevush]

We were surprised to find there actually wasn’t one for firewire. Only 720p60, so we made our own.

Herb Sevush
Zebra Productions

[Herb Sevush]

Thanks Jeremy!

But why do my clips have 60 frames in the viewer? I’m creating batch lists to ensure accuracy for my multicam clips and am unable to work with 60f batch lists. apparently FCP only works with 29.97 batch lists. When I import these lists I get all sorts of weird results, suddenly some clips are non drop when they should be drop and there are random tc changes.

Any idea why? Thanks again!

Herb Sevush
Zebra Productions

[Herb Sevush]

George –

We are creating a DVD for duplication. It’s a bonus DVD for a book publisher and they want a PAL DVD for the European versions of the book.

Herb Sevush
Zebra Productions

[Herb Sevush]

Joel –

for less than the price you indicated I recently purchased a 6 Terrabyte eSata raid from MaxxDigital(www.maxxdigital.com). Raid 5 capable, very high read/writes for uncompressed HD, very easy (10 minutes) to install.

Herb Sevush
Zebra Productions

[Herb Sevush]

Walter –

I’m sorry I was off-line for awhile and missed this exchange. Walter, thank you for the compliments but now that I understand exactly what Jasper is complaining about I will have to offer some caveats.

I do almost nothing but multi-cam editing, and have for the last 8 to 10 years, but the overwhelming majority of my work is with matched time-code cameras. I have worked with in-points on FCP and have not had these problems, but I don’t do it that often, so I don’t feel comfortable telling someone that he’s not having the problems he is having.

Jasper – when making multi-clips with in-points are you using master clips or sub-clips? Also are you sure you haven’t seperately used the same source clip and thereby changed the in-point reference? These would be the first 2 things i would test when trying to figure out why the multi-clips were not functioning. Also I will say the a sure way to get corrupted multi-clips is to use a clip that has time-code breaks within it – something that shouldn’t happen, but that actually happens all to easily in FCP.

Finally I can offer this work around, change the AUX time-code on the clips and sync with them. FCP makes it incredibly easy to change the time-code on a captured clip, and that includes 2 optional AUX time code tracks that are available for each clip. Find a sync point on each of the clips that you want to use in a multi-clip, go to Modify / Time Code – check the AUX TC 1 box and enter a common time code in the window – I would recommend that this time code be a copy of the actual time code of your most important clip, but anything will do – and then when making a multi-clip choose to Sync with Aux 1. (just don’t uncheck the box containing your source time-code or you’ll loose it – leave both boxes checked) – this extra step does not take long and should alleviate your problems.

Herb Sevush
Zebra Productions

[Herb Sevush]

Jasper –

I have cut close to 100 half hour broadcast episodes using FCP’s multi-clip feature. While there are a few frustrating features overall I find FCP to be an excellent multi-cam editor. Now for your complaints.

Multiclips do not work and frequently lose sync. If you’re trying to edit any sizable project, then forget it.

Are you talking about losing audio sync or losing sync between cameras? If your talking about audio then I am perplexed. I’ve cut 90 minute 5 camera multi-cam shows without any loss of audio sync. In fact I’ve never had an audio sync problem with multi-clips. As for sync between cameras – if a multi-clip is corrupted it will destroy the sync relationship between cameras – this is irregardless of the size of the project.

Problems occur if timecodes and in points are different, which on multicamera shoot is often the case.

Problems occur if you haven’t set the clips up properly and you choose the wrong mode to sync them up with. If your various cameras don’t have identical timecode then you have to set in-points to sync with. When done properly I’ve never had a problem. However if done improperly it cannot be fixed later, which is a problem.

Problem happens when you move, reconnect or otherwise change media, and on some projects it will happen on closing and opening FCP.

Yes to problems with reconnecting and moving media, but I’ve never had a problem with merely opening and closing FCP.

You’ll also notice that the length of the multiclip is longer than it should be, possibly with black at the beginning or end.

Only with an improperly set up multi-clip.

I work for TV network that installed FCP in January, and after two months of trying to edit multicamera shoots, the official support people have finally admitted that there is indeed a problem with the FCP software. Apple have been informed…

I’ve been working constantly with FCP multi-cam’s for the past 3 years and have not had your experience. There are issues with moving and reconnecting media, and its’ frustrating that once a clip is set up it cannot be altered or repaired. But basically if you know how to use them you don’t have these problems.

Herb Sevush
Zebra Productions

[Herb Sevush]

I’d like to commend this recommendation – The Droidmaker is a fabulous book that details the genesis of our current media world, at lest in a technical sense.

I might also suggest the Tao Te Ching, a must read for aspiring editors (and everyone else.)

Then you might want to try God Knows by Joseph Heller, if you want to laugh a little. You did say it was a vacation.

Herb Sevush
Zebra Productions

[Herb Sevush]

Greg –

After much researching I recently bought a 6 terabyte Maxxdigital and couldn’t be more pleased. Fast, quiet, incredibly easy to install and did i say fast? Walter’s figures are about right – at raid 5 it was reading at about 515 MB/s and writing at 410 MB/s(using the Blackmagic Test Utility.) Also the best price of any of the better known Raids.

Herb Sevush
Zebra Productions

[Herb Sevush]

Michael –

Your c-mode workaround will give you a cut list, but it will not give you a useable EDL becuase while all the source clips have been sorted, all the record ins and outs are now inacurrate. I don’t see how you can assemble a finished show from your work-around list.

Herb Sevush
Zebra Productions

[Herb Sevush]

Dave –

I use the Blackmagic tests, which are a little different, but I get Reads and Writes around 170 – 210. This is with a fully populated Xraid with each side set up as raid 5 and both sides striped together as a single raid 0 (this is often referred to as raid 50). How is your Xraid configured?

Herb Sevush
Zebra Productions