Reconnecting Media in FCP?

GroovyBrent

GroovyBrent

Member
Hello All -

Fortunately I've not had to worry about this yet, but I've been thinking it and trying to come up with a plan...

Here's the fictional scenario:

We're cruising along editing a project that was shot on our brand new HVX200s. 24 hours before our deadline, an intern decides to "help" by cleaning all the excess footage from our working hard drive, deleting the HVX200 footage for the current project in the process.

No problem! Because I'm a diligent producer, I kept a backup of the original files on a separate hard drive (for just such an emergency!). So I plug in that backup drive, select the files that are offline in FCP and reconnect media. No problemo, right?

Oh... wait... the files on the backup drive are MXF files...

Er... Now what?

The way I see it, there are a couple options:

1) Store the backups in QuickTime, not MXF. However, some day FCP may support MXF, or I may switch to another program that supports MXF, and I would hate to loose that metadata forever.

2) After the disaster, reimport the files from the backup using FCP, delete the new files from FCP's browser, THEN choose "Reconnect Media." This would seem to work as long as I've lost ALL my clips. There may be trouble if I only have 1 or 2 clips missing (for instance if I deleted a clip I thought I wouldn't need).

3) HD Log might have a solution... I just heard about it today and haven't explored it yet.

Thoughts?
 
Brent,

You're on the right track with HD Log. www.ImagineProducts.com
Your fictional problem is one others have posed too.

Basically, if you've incorporated HDLog into your P2 workflow, not only can you save out just the clips or sections of them you want for FCP in XML format (which includes converting the selections to QT files), but you should also choose to SAVE each of your P2 volumes in HDLog format. This creates a log file which includes all the metadata of all the clips and auto-converts them to QT clips.

This has a couple of advantages. One is being able to find any clip in the future based on the metadata searching (date, project, customer, log notes, reel name, clip name, etc.). This could save you a bundle in not having to reshoot something you already have stored. It also saves loads of time in manually looking through clips to find a certain shot, etc.

The other advantage would be restoring media for recovery as you've described. Since you're log files are in QT format already, you can quickly re-export any media you want. Or, simply relink the QT files in FCP.

I wouldn't hold my breath on FCP becoming MXF native. Apple may choose to make the editor more MXF friendly, but you're talking about the company that invented and patented QT. This strikes to the very core of the application's design.

Oh, and BTW, all the hype about MXF being a standard, etc, etc. is true--and not true. Think of SQL (Standard Query Language). That sounds pretty standardizing, right? But each database made their own version of SQL, so you end up with MySQL SQL commands, Oracle SQL commands, SQL Server SQL commands...well, you get the idea. MXF has all the markings of becoming a standard that each adopting company puts their own twist on (Sony MXF, Panasonic MXF, JVC MXF, et al). Similiar, but not exactly the same. Ah, the video biz... the more things change, the more they stay the same <g>.
 
I have already experienced this and it was a no brainer:

I keep a backup of the original MXF files and P2 structure. The trick is that it's important to have all P2 cards have a unique reelname. That could be to include Project+date+time.
One of my cards could be "XMAS_061224_1624" on the backupdrive, and when imported into FCP I paste the foldername into the REEL field of the import dialog.

Now if a full card becomes offline I can see from the reel column inside FCP exactly what card I need to reimport, and I get the date and time of the shoot.
So as I always keep all related backups on 1-2 disks, I just mount them and search for the foldername, get the result and drag that folder into the importdialogs import sheet.

If only 1-2 files becomes offline, I can still locate the card from the reelname, drag it into the import file dialog and just select only the items that I need and hit import.
As long as the reelname is the same, FCP can automatically search and find the new mediafiles when you hit reconnect. Not that difficult really.
 
Anders,

This is my process as well, works like a charm. For some awful reason, FCP will not allow me to paste to the Reel Name text box in the P2 import screen. VERY ANNOYING! I can't tell you how many times I've retyped my reel names! :( Paste is available in the file menu, the data is in the clipboard but Paste just doesn't work.

-filmstox
 
Why do you folks keep insisting the QT files FCP makes from the P2 lose metadata? I don't think it does!
 
I have a weird one where the thumbnails in my bin and on the timeline say the media is offline. Yet the timeline plays fine and the bin files play in my viewer.
 
store the backups in QuickTime, not MXF. However, some day FCP may support MXF, or I may switch to another program that supports MXF, and I would hate to loose that metadata forever.
Click to expand...

The metadata live in two places. There is an XML wrapper around the actual video file, but most of your metadata are text files that live in /Contents/Clip. So you would have to keep that linked text file, too.

Your fictional problem is one others have posed too.
Click to expand...

Amen. Dan gives the best explanation. And Ander's technique of entering the clip’s folder name as the reel name in FCP is the most elegant solution for reconnecting media.

But the devil is in the details. While it is true importing directly from P2 to FCP preserves some of the clip’s metadata, not all of the fields are preserved.

I did a test with a single HD clip from a P2 shoot. I imported the clip into Final Cut Pro twice-- once directly using the Import menu item, and once using HD Log. Both methods created a .mov video and populated the FCP fields with metadata, except...

The FCP plug-in does not fill the fields for In and Out point.
HD Log got the aspect ratio wrong. It imported the clip as NTSC 4:3; FCP correctly imported it as (HD (960x720).
HD Log got the field dominance right. It imported the clip as Lower (Even); FCP declared it as None.

But here’s the clincher: when FCP imports, it records no reel/folder info to re-connect the media.

For example, we store all of our clips in sequentially-numbered folders -- from 0001 to 0851. Each folder contains the contents of a different P2 card. HD Log uses those folder names as reel names for a FCP project.

In the bin, HD Log assigns each clip the reel number. So, for example, a clip hiding in Folder 0017, is assigned the reel number 0017. 3 months from now, I can resurrect the project and reconnect the media.

FCP, on the other hand, assigns every P2 clip the Reel number “P2 Import”. Not very helpful. Good luck reusing that project.
 
hatchmo said:
FCP, on the other hand, assigns every P2 clip the Reel number “P2 Import”. Not very helpful. Good luck reusing that project.
Click to expand...

In the P2 Import Window, the field at the top of the screen above the thumbnails reads "P2 Import" by default. Type in your Card Number or Name here and it will be saved as the Reel Number. This is the field that annoyingly won't allow you to cut and paste.

-filmstox
 
hatchmo said:
HD Log got the field dominance right. It imported the clip as Lower (Even); FCP declared it as None.
Click to expand...

FCP had it right, 720 would be progressive scan and therefore has no fields, and no need for field dominance. Assigning a field dominance won't cause any problems, it just isn't necessary.

-filmstox
 
[HD Log got the aspect ratio wrong. It imported the clip as NTSC 4:3; FCP correctly imported it as (HD (960x720).
HD Log got the field dominance right. It imported the clip as Lower (Even); FCP declared it as None.]

HDLG certainly supports HD 960x720 format. Sounds like you didn't map the Anamorphic field correctly during FCP XML export. It should have auto mapped since there's a field for it in FCP XML with same name as the P2 template, but that could have inadvertently mismapped.
 
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FCP will not show In or Out points to media when it is first imported as there have been none set. You have to set In and Out points after you ingest the footage. FCP will show the info you want in the Media Start and Media End fields.
 
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Jeff Deveraux said:
I have a weird one where the thumbnails in my bin and on the timeline say the media is offline. Yet the timeline plays fine and the bin files play in my viewer.
Click to expand...


I have the same problem.... the footage plays fine and even exports though compressor to dvdsp fine.

Any thoughts?
 
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