Hi, I'm trying to learn from other people's mistakes before I dump all my files into Final Cut Pro X. This is my first movie, and I am concerned about organizing massive amounts of files to make an easy workflow. Any advice on what NOT to do? Any advice at all would be welcome. Thanks.
🙂Christine
MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Late 2012), OS X Yosemite (10.10.5)
WWhat type of production and where is the media coming from?
It's all digital files from my Nikon DSLR. I have narrowed down all the files to what I specifically need, just concerned about how to organize them within the software. Don't want to start blindly! I'm so new to making movies that I'm not even sure what you mean when you say "What type of Production?". It'll be a full length horror movie when it's done. I have filmed it over the last 3 years. Keep in mind I posted in the wrong forum, I am using Final Cut Pro X. Thanks.
🙂Christine
So it's scripted narrative fiction. The most common way of organizing this is to create separate events for each scene based on script number. Shots for the scene go into that event. There's often a separate project in each event for the first cut of the scene, then master projects that are usually one or two reels long assemble the scenes, and then a final master where everything is put together.
Awesome! That's exactly what I wanted to know. Thanks Tom!
What to do: follow Tom's advice.
What NOT to do: if this is your first usage of FCPX don't...
... dump all my files into Final Cut Pro X.
Never a good plan to learn new software with a big real world (timed) project.
If you did allready edit a few just4fun projects for the trashcan, studied a few hours of tutorials, spend a day or two with an experienced FCPX editor, what you should NOT do ...
...dump all my files into Final Cut Pro X. ...
Before launching FCPX imagine what you expect for a good edit experience ... what meta-data do you need first hand? script numbers? lines of text? director notes? group of 'scenes'? A star-rating 1-5 system?
What about the follow-up steps - will the audio-dept ask for roles; which ones? Will the director, after version 24 go back to vers 2? Will there be an IT-version? ... etc etc
... based upon that wishlist, structure your project... keywords, collections, filters, auditions, snapshots, notes, ..
THEN launch FCPX, create that structures, then dump all your files ... right on onto selected keywords ...
And, sorry to talk to you as Mr Knowitall:
do NOT work without a smart backup-strategy ... what where how often?
Sheer experience: a backup in the same room as the working place is no backup ... 😉
Tom's advice is sound but it's actually more complicated than a simple paragraph can communicate. IN addition to Tom's suggestion, and in the same spirit, I'd offer up that you bring in only the material you need to complete one scene. Visit Tom's site to see his advice for project/event/library breakdowns for both episodic and feature length productions.
Practice with the application. Research production workflows and how you will interact with other applications or collaborators. Make sure you have a backup system that will safeguard your work and your irreplaceable footage from loss or deterioration. Learn how to use Snapshots of your projects so you maintain a record of the different edited versions of your scene. Learn how to use Auditions. Use lots of keystroke shortcuts.
Then, start thinking about how another, perhaps adjacent, scene might work with a different organizational structure.
Advice on what NOT to do when editing my first movie in Final Cut Pro X. (Organizing files specifically) Thanks
