FCP long project workflow: Combining exported segments?

Ian, are you confusing Project with Library? A Compound Clip lives inside an Event. It can be applied to any and all Project timelines you want to apply it to, copied between Events. It can be duplicated, it can be broken apart, it is very flexible. If a Project gets corrupted, you need to go to a backup, period. Compound Clips have nothing to do with something becoming corrupted or not. If the Library is corrupted, you better have a recent backup.

If you use uncompressed file exports, you're eating up tons of drive space (ProRes is good, no need for uncompressed) and then your edits are baked-in, you can't change them. Plus the time to export all those clips. Just turn them into Compounds, save drive space, save time, be more organized.

Make a Project for each scene. Once a scene is done and locked down, select all, create compound clip. Now you can assemble your film in one Project with your compound clips.

Thank you for sharing your concerns. 😉

I have had a massive project many years ago.

I exported each chapter as an uncompressed movie (Command + E (Export)).

After all chapters were done, I simply started a new project, imported all of the chapters, then I was able to complete the project with proper transitions between the chapters, background music, etc. for a seamless workflow.

You can safely delete the render files once exported if you like. 👍🏼

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Good Luck! 👋🏼😉

Smiliñ 😎 Brian

BenB's suggestion is great, as usual.

You can always go back to each compound clips and make further edits, if necessary.

You should also make sure to turn off "background render" - that is probably the reason that your render files keep growing.

The file size is irrelevant as each uncompressed project is completely done.

You are effectively freeing up system resources with each completed chapter.

Smiliñ 😎 Brian

The method I described completely frees up system resources.

Smiliñ 😎 Brian