New to FCP and harddrives, timecode, and good editing sites questions?

R

Ralph nixon

Well-known member
1) We're shooting 25 hrs of material and have a 250g harddrive on our Imac G5. Will we need an external harddrive to work properly with that much material or can it be done with DVD's. Which is cheaper? Pros and Cons?

2)The first tape and a bit of our documentary project I've had the timecode set to Regen mode and so I have it labelled tape 1 blah:blah:blah and then tape 2 blah:blah:blah. My question is should I have set to TC Preset mode so that each tape follows sequentially one after the other or should I continue on as I have it set now? Which is best for putting out a timecode list in the end for onlining?

3)When editing a documentary do people usually bulk capture their material or do the do it selectively choosing the pieces they most likely will use?

4)What is a good site to learn the proper editing methods (logging and so forth) and working style that will keep us organized and on top of things?

5)What is a good site to learn different types of documentary editing styles?
 
I'm not gonna open a can of woop arse on you, but you are asking the questions people here go to film school to learn. So...

http://www.nyfa.com/

Now --

Just to get you started:

1) Forget the iMac's drive. Don't capture or edit video on your system drive. Buy an external. You've GOT to be kidding me about dvds? You'll get 24 minutes on a dvd and it'll cost you HOURS getting it on and off. Find a good 500gig FW drive and spend $350+ on it.

2) With the DVX you CAN set timecode based on tapes... but the control is SO far down in the weeds on the menu you'll forget once and then you'll be hosed. Label the tapes and log them as such labeled.

3) Go to film school

4) Go to film school

5) Go to film school

The answers to questions 1 and 2 are more than enough to get you started. Ambition is great... keep it up while you're in film school.

CaptM
 
CaptainMench said:
Find a good 500gig FW drive and spend $350+ on it.
Click to expand...
And LaCie IS NOT the one you want!!! I CANNOT stress this enough. Search LaCie and you will see what I mean. I thought I got away safe and it bit me. There are many good external drives out there and believe me when I say I would never again trust anything I care about to LaCie.

DVDs are good to archive the raw footage on...it's going to take some time, though...but you DO NOT want to work of DVDs, it's just insane.
 
CaptainMench said:
3) Go to film school

4) Go to film school

5) Go to film school

The answers to questions 1 and 2 are more than enough to get you started. Ambition is great... keep it up while you're in film school.

CaptM
Click to expand...

No offense CaptM, but it seems to me that forums such as this exist in part for those who choose and have the ability to teach themselves. There are plenty of sites, free tutorials, DVD tutorials, books, etc that can do the trick. All it takes is self-motivation.

Ralph nixon,

I would definitely use a drive other than the system drive for storage. I would check http://newegg.com/ for a good deal on a pretty big one (300+). The customer reviews are great there and normally provide tons of info as to what systems the specific item is being used on etc.

You should read through the articles at the ken stone website to get ideas and perhaps learn what you might need to learn. It isn't the most organized site, but there is tons of great info for FCP.
http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/fcp_homepage_index.html

I have never shot a documentary, so that is about all I can give you. My preference for capturing is to be selective as I capture, but I can see how this would be different for a documentary.

Good Luck. And I say the best film school on earth is the Home-School Film-School.
 
None taken.

I do get fed up with many questions like these on the boards. I answer many... get ticked by others. Short straw was up.

CaptM
 
CaptainMench said:
None taken.

I do get fed up with many questions like these on the boards. I answer many... get ticked by others. Short straw was up.

CaptM
Click to expand...

My advise: don't answer, take a deep breath, and go film something. :)
 
CaptainMench said:
None taken.

I do get fed up with many questions like these on the boards. I answer many... get ticked by others. Short straw was up.

CaptM
Click to expand...

Hery Cap.

Thanks for the answers though. And just for the record between my wife and I we have seven years of film school under our belt but that was "film" school and we our new to the DVX and tapes and computer editing and the whole world of one and zeros etc...

And although I have one feature under my belt that still plays regulary on T.V. some thirteen years after it's national release this is our first documentary.

So the questions may be lame but if there was a more concise place to find simple answers I'd be there. But if our questions are too simple then just pass them by.

This site is at it's best when it's exhanging inofrmation and positive energy and at it's weakest when used for griping...which is what I just did I guess.
 
Ya --

If you're smart enough not to take me too seriously then you're better than most.

I'll tell you one of the best books I read for editing with FCP was Jerry Hofmann's book. The one I have is "Jerry Hofmann on Final Cut Pro 4" but 5 might be out now too.

VERY step by step... from organizing to style choices. Check it out. I STILL have it here on my desk.

CaptM
 
The Capt...Major speaks the truth. The apple training books are great as well. Along with that kenstone.net will keep you busy for a few days, along with creativemac.com, a few good things there as well.
 
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