FS7: importing FS7 to FCPX and "camera archives"

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LennyLevy

Veteran
I have a friend who is just starting to use Final Cut Pro X which I know nothing about. They have files from a shoot I wasn't on with an FS7 and presumably the DP just made normal copies of the cards onto folders with XDROOT folder in them so the files should retain all their info. Footage is probably UHD though I'm not certain - it could be full 4K .
Anyway they want to import the footage into FCPX then edit with smaller proxies and eventually relink for final output in full res.

A couple of problems have come up and they have gotten a lot of advice that doesn't make sense to me, so I thought I would check with you guys.

1. They already made UHD Pro Res files from the original XDROOT folders in edit ready but were told that in order to be able to easily re-link after editing with proxy files that they were better off not using those and importing the whole XDROOT card into FCPX.

Now I know nothing about FCPX but assuming that FCPX is making your proxy files in the first place , wouldn't it be just as easy to start with a bunch of ProRes UHD files as it would be to start by importing the XDROOT card? Is there a reason why its easier to relink if you start from the camera card (XDROOT) ?

2 Trying to go the original import from camera card root they encountered another problem.- They've been unable to directly import from copied camera files ( XDROOT) into FCPX 10.4 though it seems to work OK with 10.34 but they had 10.4 installed on a new computer and its a PITA to get a copy of older 10.3 and reinstall. That is probably what they intend to do at this point

Anyone work with 10.4 and have any problems?

3. An apple advice tech told them they needed to use a "camera archive" file to get the files into 10.4 directly and you can only do that by hooking the camera up directly to a computer and creating this from the camera itself.

This sounds nuts to me and I've never heard of a camera archive before. I did a little checking and it seems like its something that FCPX creates but all the info I found has it connecting to cameras that were pre-digital file based - i.e. it was way to get a digital file in a folder from a tape based camera. That may not be true any longer but nothing else came up on a search. Moreover if FCPX needs to make a "camera archive" I don't understand why it would need to connect to the camera instead of just connecting to the XDROOT copy on your hard drive.
- Make sense to anyone? What's a "camera archive"

Thanks folks. Just trying to help a client I care about.

Lenny
 
You make the camera archive directly from the original camera media or by connecting the camera to the mac.

https://support.apple.com/kb/PH12710?locale=en_US

I haven’t had any problems with FCPX 10.4.1. I’ve imported footage via drag and drop, and also from pointing fcpx to the xdroot folder. Either way it says it doesnt recognize the other files and imports just the footage. Whether or not the footage files and fcpx are doing something with the extra files I cant say. But I’ve been told to copy all the files regardless.

Anyway, using copies of the various xdroot folder structures to import footage from should work without issue. FCPX gives you the option to create proxy and optimized versions of the footage on import so transcoding before you import is an unnecccessary step.

It’s probably better to let FCPX handle the transcoding than to use the transcoded files provided because its a more streamlined process, a transparent workflow, and the footage is in its original quality at the start.

I always prefer to copy all the footage to a work folder for the project. I call the footage folder Raw. Then I make subfolders depending on whatever the slate said, or whataver camera is being used, etc. These folder names become key words in fcpx upon import so you can better organize within the editor. Doing it before you get into fcpx just makes the process less frustrating down the line.

When i import all the contents of the raw folder i select “leave files in place” and deselect any of the “fix” options like audio and color. Then I make sure the options to build proxy and optimized media are selected. Also make sure the option to make keywords out of the folders is selected. Then i import the footage.

I generally wait for the transcoding to finish in the background before i do anything else. Sure it can do it while i work but it just takes longer since it pauses when i do anything more than move the mouse cursor.

The main project is called a Library. The timeline is called a Project. The folders that contain the media are called Events. The magnetic timeline is a pita to learn but once you do itll be incredibly easy to work with movig forward. And theres settings you can invoke or turn off to make things nicer.

I really like this trick: https://youtu.be/llokO4TuwIM

Oh, also, relinking is incredibly easy.
 
Thanks Jason,,

Still a little confused though about this "camera archive " business.
1- Do you need to make a "camera archive" to import from the XDROOT folder? Is that a necessary part of the process? ( I've never heard of this before.)

2 . You say you can make the "camera archive:" from an original camera card or by connecting camera to the mac ( which sounds like a very very very dangerous idea to me.) Can you make it from a copied camera card on the hard drive ( i.e. XDROOT folder inside another folder?)

3. "It’s probably better to let FCPX handle the transcoding than to use the transcoded files provided because its a more streamlined process, a transparent workflow, and the footage is in its original quality at the start."

Aside from the fact that its more streamlined, Ifyou've already made ProRes UHD files , would it be any harder once those are imported to FCPX to make proxies and then reconnect them later? Does starting from the XDROOT do anything other than save you the step of the original transcode? Does it make the reconnect easier?

4. Do i understand correctly that inside your RAW folder > you have subfolders for each camera card and those are labeled according to the slate or camera?

5. I get your import strategy - is that all part of making a "camera archive" ? ( Sorry back to that - I'm just not an FCPX guy ) - just trying to be absolutely clear for my client.

BTW My question in the previous post #2 above was a little garbled so I rewrote it.

I guess there's still
#6 - When an Apple tech told them they needed to make a "camera archive" from the original card or the camera directly to get into FCPX10.4 at all , was that incorrect - Sure sounds that way from what you've said. This might be a redundant question - sorry.

Thanks - I think you're helping a lot.

Lenny
 
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I used the FCPX Camera Archive function last year when I had to import 10 year old HDV footage into FCPX. The camera archive function was a life saver. Experienced no problems.
 
importing
off course you don't need the camera attached. It's recommended to use the card for import into FCPX because it retains all metadata informations. Instead of directly importing you can create a "camera archive" and use it for import and backup/archive. Also you can use HEDGE for offloading the card to a hard drive. FCPX treats these folders in the same way as archives from FCPX. EditReady works too but I don't use it because in some cases it flags the converted files as video while FCPX does full range.

Proxies and optimized media
you can create proxies and optimized media (=ProRes) either when you import your footage or later after you have done that. If you have finished editing you can delete them to save space. As long as you have the the original footage you can create proxies and optimized again. Don't delete your original footage. For FS7 there is no need to create optimized media because the XAVC-I plays back smoothly. I always work with proxies. They play back smooth also on my 2014 MBP.

unfortunately FCPX works only with proxies which are created by the program itself. Also they are standard half size of the original and PreRes LT. It is not possible to work with 720 files from 4K footage. This is one of the downsides you have to live with.

I can highly recommend when you move from Premiere or Avid to get through a training first. FCPX is different and if you expect more ore less the same you end up in frustration what happened to many when they came from FCP 7 to X.

media management with keywords is a priceless feature. It speeds up my work. I am editing with FCPX for 4 years and I am still learning. Beside all it cost me 300$ once I saved 2,000 compared to CC subscription. I sold my iPhone because of the apple craziness prices but FCPX is a real bargain in their portfolio.
 
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Thanks Clermont.
Now - Can you make a camera archive from the folders you've created when downloading cards with Hedge - Just treating them as if they were original camera cards? They should have the exact same information in them.

I don't get why everything says to go to the original camera card. Most people in the field don't know how to use FCPX , They just copy the cards to a hard drive . I do it with Hedge myself.

BTW I realize you said FCPX treats the Hedge files the same as an archive, but for the time being I also want to know if I can make an archive from those folders as well even if its a redundant step. This is for a client to make sense of.

Sorry if I seem kind of anal about this business , but I need everything spelled out really carefully to get it straight. I appreciate the help.
 
a copy from HEDGE isn't called archive but FCPX sees this folder in the same way as a archive created by the FCPX itself. This is a feature of HEDGE I guess since 17.x I use it all day. I offload my cards only with HEDGE als well for backup and archive and ingest into FCPX too. You can copy these folders as long as you don't change the content.
I have external hard drives with backup from all cards form my jobs of the last 12 months. They are all created with HEDGE.

You don't have to create an archive anymore if you copied your cards with HEDGE.

-> but do not copy the card by the finder <-

I don't get why everything says to go to the original camera card. Most people in the field don't know how to use FCPX , They just copy the cards to a hard drive . I do it with Hedge myself.
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because they don't know. And maybe because this feature exists only since ±9 months
 
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Thanks, I got an answer from another forum that you can't make a "camera archive " from a copy of a card because that option will just be disabled in FCPX.

That's great to know about Hedge, but aside from the fact that its reliable and safe what difference is there between a backup made with Hedge or Shotput or drag and drop or Catalyst browse ( when it copies the card) ? Aren't they all just exact copies of the card?
 
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LennyLevy said:
Thanks, I got an answer from another forum that you can't make a "camera archive " from a copy of a card because that option will just be disabled in FCPX.
Click to expand...

true. If you want a FCPX archive with the symbol like a film roll you need the original card and the FCPX import window. But with HEDGE you don't need this archive as the folders created by HEDGE are seen in the same way as these archives. If you copy manually your XDROOT folder you might loose some metadata and you cannot set in and out marks at the import. You always have to import the whole clip into your library

That's great to know about Hedge, but aside from the fact that its reliable and safe what difference is there between a backup made with Hedge or Shotput or drag and drop or Catalyst browse ( when it copies the card) ? Aren't they all just exact copies of the card?
Click to expand...

see above. I don't use neither Shotput nor Catalyst
 
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