[Rainer Wirth]

Hi Joey,

yes, you should use a simple file structure. Now DSLR means big files. Normally you convert the H264 files via compressor or mgeg streamclip in your working codec, which is mostly 2k or HD uncompressed. Here we go. Your system doesn’t meet proper HD standards. Your fastest drive is that within your imac. So I would recommend an outline edit.
You store your original files on one HD FW 800. You convert the clips to DVCPro50 16:9. These clips you store on the other FW 800 drive. (two seperate drives). You edit the stuff on DvcPro 50. When you are on a proper Machine you rebatch it with the conversion of the original files/HD codec files. All files must have identical names!
So-original card(shooting)-HD drive1-via compressor or mpeg streamclip-HD drive2(HD codec)-via compressor or mpeg streamclip-HD drive3(DVCPro50). Editing from HD drive3.
Render files go on internal drive iMac.
Tricky thing this is.

Good luck

Rainer

I would prefer mpeg streamclip

[Rainer Wirth]

First of all – you edit with FW 800. Is this HD material you are editing? What power has your editing computer? – Ram, MacPro, Mac book pro, iMac?
How do you organize it now?

FW 800 is good for SD only. If you’re going to edit HD, I mean really High definition, not the HDV stuff, you need a raid system. Thunderbold, SAS, Fibre channel, at least eSata.
Let’s start with eSata:
FCP files go into Documents, FCP
your original file goes on the eSata Raid, Render files go on you second HD within your mac or on the eSata as well.
The render files become more important the bigger your project is.
SAS is simple:
FCP files in documents, the rest onto your SAS Raid (SAS is pretty fast)
The same with fibre channel Raid.

You can create folders for each day or otherwise. You can move the clips into named folders, and reconnect them in FCP. Don’t rename clips after capturing!

I hope this helps.

[Rainer Wirth]

I will put up the new system Lion on a clean install with FCPX, Production suite 5.5, new compressor and motion.
The SL drive with FCP7 will be working untouched.
Next week I’ll know more.
In the current working process FCS3 including all third party plugins run pretty stable. So I stick with Walter – never change a running system! At the present moment there is no need for a big change.

Rainer

[Rainer Wirth]

I agree, I forgot soundtrack pro.
But with no proper monitoring, editing to me is not possible. So I need monitoring via Aja. I think if apple listens we’ll get a great piece of software in 1 years time. The relinking capabilities of FCPX should be much better. Often I store the material on HD and need relinking when I rebuild a project. This seems tricky, if not impossible in X.
And thanks to Alban. Never read something more substantial on X than this blog.

Rainer

[Rainer Wirth]

“I’ve got X, and I’m poking at it with a long stick, but until I get some indication that its features and work-flow will be worth the time and effort to change over, I’ll be on the sidelines.”

very true. The same with me. I’ve ordered PP5.5 mostly because of Photoshop and After effects. If nothing happens with FCPX within the next 12 months I swap over to premiere first. Lets see whether I will get smoke. The Adobe production package is a bargain for 1000 bucks.

Rainer

[Rainer Wirth]

We as a company deliver 99% data for TV and industry. So most of the stuff is either on USB stick, or Harddisc. Some of the shows go on DVD. Mostly because the producer is used to the old DVD player. Others want a wmv to watch. This was totally different 5 years ago. Blu Ray is no option, because a stick can contain more data and can be used again. So I think in one years time the DVD as a medium is dying. The same with tape. Our workflow is tapeless since 7 years. Our expensive tape machines are used perhaps 10 times a year. So why developing something you won’t need in the near future?
And for old stuff or archives you can set up a cheap workstation with any old programme to capture the stuff, or you service it out.
So to me Motion, compressor and FCP is efficient as a package. The only thing I would like in addition is color.

Rainer

[Rainer Wirth]

We as a production company (sorry) not we as a whole.

Rainer

[Rainer Wirth]

So, lets join in!

So far nothing really bad happend. FCP7 is still a very reliable, stable professional software. This will continue at least for the next 12 months. We produce very little DVDs any longer. This was different 2 years ago. So I wouldn’t continue with DVDPro. In a max. of 2 years time the DVD will be dead. USB sticks are taking over. If we are friendly we could argue, that FCPX is a start, which has to be developed. I was looking into Smoke, and it is a tremendous piece of Software. But too expensive. If you make the most out of the FCP package, you achieve similar results – for most of the jobs I do. Clearly the greenscreen with smoke is far better, and other things look just great. Smoke for me is Motion, colour and FCP in one piece. If you work with 3D Models regulary then Smoke is perfect. The more price sensitive option is Premiere pro. We all work with photoshop and After effects, so Premiere is for free then. It is very similar to FCP. Avid is a choice as well. Bur Avid does not support our beloved AJA Kona cards. Also the surrounding package is weak (compared with FCP Studio or CS5.5).
So what do we do?
Folks out there, we will just wait and see, what comes up. And we’ve got time. We still can feed the needs of the TV industry for the next 2 years, with what we have got. We can decide wether we step up to smoke, start with Avid or Adobe, or we go continue with FCPX in an advanced version. I truly believe FCPX will be developed, it has to be. If not, it will die for the professionals. But for us – it is just switching to a new hammer with a different feeling – but with the same professional results – excellent programs, films, shows, clip etc.
Let us see what the future brings to us. In the end, we spend the money.
Wait and see.

Rainer

[Rainer Wirth]

Now, whats the difference?

Adobe Premiere 5.5 is like FCP. The progam package is very strong. It contains Photoshop and After effects, both strong and professional devices. The advantages of FCP are color with compressor and DVD stidio. Motion is more like a add on in compositing. Soundtrack pro is okay, but the sound guys mostly work with pro tools.
Smoke is a different league. Its advantages lay in the finishing. Means green screen keying, film effects etc. Editing with smoke is not that fast. The structure is different. But smoke works well in a network, it works perfectly together with FCP, Aja Kona, raids etc. are supported it is very reliable and rock solid but expensive.
The workflow shows like this:

editing in FCP without fades and effects.
finishing in smoke (different workstation)

Smoke is after effects, FCP, color in one program with a perfect touch.

Rainer

[Rainer Wirth]

to work with 4k video native you need the strongest devices.
At least a 8 core Mac Pro with min. 12Gb Ram.
You need a very strong breakout card (biggest Aja/Blackmagic) You need a HD Monitor for Monitoring and at least a good SAS Raid or 4x Fibrechannel raid. (more than 400 MB/s)
Hot stuff.

Good luck

Rainer Wirth