Importing and Storing MP4s into Final Cut from Sony EX1 SxS cards

[finklefilms]

Hello,

I'm wondering if anyone has any work flow/storage suggestions for importing footage from SxS cards shot on the EX1 into Final Cut. So far this is where I am at:

1. Copying all clips into folders by day of shoot ex. 001
2. Open up XDCAM Transfer program. At this point all the clips are labeled with numbers and the MP4 extension (ex. 043_0400_01.MP4)
3. Import clip into Final Cut where the MP4 is converted to an MOV.

Here's where I am stuck. The clips now converted into MOVs and are stored in my designated Capture Scratch folder. I am now left with an MOV file of the clip for editing in addition to the MP4 file from the SxS card. As you well know this takes up some serious space!

Now for example I lose the MOV clip. It gets moved into another folder or it gets deleted, when trying to reconnect the media Final Cut has no idea where to look.

Is it possible to find obtain the original clip through the MP4?

Should we be backing up the MOVs after they have been converted and getting rid of the original MP4s after they have been imported? This whole process seems very tedious if I have to import the MP4s to be converted to MOVs then backup said MOVs then trash the MP4s!

Any suggestions on storage and workflow would be greatly appreciated. Sorry for any confusion!

[Mike70]

1. Use Clip Browser to copy the files off your sxs card, not finder, otherwise you run the risk of corruption.
2. Do NOT trash your mp4's or the BPAV folders containing them. These are your camera originals.
3. Creating movs is the cost of doing bizness between xdcam and fcp, unless you use a program like Calibrated Q, which imports the mp4's natively. Some people swear by it, but it presents serious naming issues, since you can only import the camera name, and then have to use xml or some other means to rename within fcp. You'll just have to live with the fact that you'll be using double the hard drive space for those mov files.
4. Upgrade to FCS3 so you can use the new Log & Transfer to rename your clips, which is a much better way now than XDCAM transder.

[finklefilms]

Thanks Mike!