FCP Workflows / Process?

I've tried to search for this, but haven't come up with anything yet. Admittedly, the problem may be how I'm looking but I figured I'd go ahead and ask.

I'm very interested in hearing about other people's workflows within Final Cut Studio and the process in which they do their work. From converting and importing footage to managing all the media to backup strategies and the final export. I have my (very basic) way of doing things and I'm pretty sure I could always be improving on my process, so I'm always on the lookout for information on how everyone else works. I have the same kind of fascination with seeing other people's workstations and gear setups...I don't know what it is, but I can't get enough of it.

Does anyone know where I might be able to find info like this? I'm sure someone somewhere has documented their process and published it somewhere. I've found lots of stuff like this about graphic design and photography, but haven't been able to track down much stuff for video.

Anyone have any ideas?

Your question is too broad. Long-form and short-form have different needs, documentary is not the same as reality TV, multi-cam is not the same as single-cam, DSLR is not the same as RED.

Aside from the incredible amount of time it would take for us to "outline our workflow", there's also the matter of proprietary information. Sounds like what you want is a post-production/editing consultant. You should hire one.


www.derekmok.com

Gotcha. I was asking just out of curiosity, so I don't think a consultant is really necessary. Thanks.

It's true that this question is too broad. I'm a gun-for-hire editor and so I see all kinds of projects in all sorts of environments, and you virtually have to design new workflows for every different workplace. Some of the variables are

1. The genre - Feature? Corporate? TVC? Live event? Animation? TV Show? All very different requirements in terms of workflow.

2. The crew and capture method. How many cams? And what kind? Arri? XDCam? Betacam? DSLR? DVCam? These are all very different acquisition methods, that need different workflows.

3. Where you fit in the pipeline. Has someone else captured for you? Already cut the rough? Or is it you all the way? And where is it going after you? Sound? FX? Grading? Or right to broadcast/display? The way you design your timeline setup can vastly affect some of these destinations.

4. Delivery spec. Where will it be seen? Movie theatre? Broadcast television? DVD? The Web? Again, your workflow from the beginning has to take this into account.

5. Your equipment. Mac Mini with USB attached drives? Satellite truck? Multiple seat high-end MacPros with all the bling on a central server?

And that's not all. So every job can be different to the very core, and there's not really any right or wrong method, only one that works the most efficiently in a given situation.

Keep this thread!! Jude has summarized all the variables and I think this is worth a separate topic area in the FAQ under exactly this subject name and would be EXTREMELY valuable to have everybody's wisdom. For instance, right now for a corporate conference video, I'm puzzling over importing XDCAM HD which I've never encountered before; I've done P2, AVCHD, etc.

I have XDCAM BPAV folders that appear to be properly copied intact by the cameraman and of course Log and Transfer doesn't recognized them as valid folder structures. Is there some Sony driver pack I have to install to handle them? I have installed Sony's XDCAM Browser 1.1 which doesn't even play the clips- but does recognize them. What else can I do? I want to transcode them to ProRes and keep the existing timecode.

MacOSX 10.5.8 or 10.7
8-Core Mac Pro (Nahalem 2.26Ghz) w/ 12 GB RAM
4 internal SATA drives

Again... valuable thread. Half our question relate to workflow. Nice to have it focused!

- Loren

Today's FCP 7 keytip:
Summon your Video Scopes with Option - 9 !

Your Final Cut Studio KeyGuide? Power Pack
with FCP7 KeyGuide --
now available at KeyGuide Central.
www.neotrondesign.com

Loren, use XDCAM Transfer. It preserves all the metadata and rewraps XDCAM formats to MOV without re-transcoding.

On top of what Jude mentioned, there is also the collaborative workflow pipeline. When data is handed from one editor another, from the assistant editorial department to the editorial department within a shared storage environment, then to the colorist, and the visual effects department, there is a need to keep to specific protocols or the entire pipeline will be thrown into disarray. Of course, that varies from the type of show, the volume of rushes, they turnaround time, etc...



www.strypesinpost.com

Awesome on both counts, Gerard. Merci.

- Loren

Today's FCP 7 keytip:
Summon your Video Scopes with Option - 9 !

Your Final Cut Studio KeyGuide? Power Pack
with FCP7 KeyGuide --
now available at KeyGuide Central.
www.neotrondesign.com

"How many cams? And what kind? Arri? XDCam? Betacam? DSLR? DVCam? These are all very different acquisition methods, that need different workflows."

Jude - have you ever been on a job which required differing workflows due to multiple formats being used on the same project? if so which ones and how did you proceed?

Bluey,

I was recently cutting for CHOGM (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting) and we had all sorts coming in. They didn't need to be edited into the same package, but many of them needed to be sent via satellite. The system had to be able to handle everything from MiniDv (a lot of African countries are still on SD minidv) to a Panasonic 3D HD camera and everything in between. It was a week long and almost everyone had different needs - so all our workflows had to change for every client. Delivery also varied from USB stick to authored DVD, tape and straight to the server.

For the most part, though, I usually work on jobs that have been designed somewhat from the start to be consistent. Occasionally I'll be thrown a curve ball in the form of a few shots from a different source, but generally speaking it's the same format, frame size and frame rate. If anything, the thing that varies the most is the frame size, because almost everyone here in PAL shoots in 25, unless they've made a hideous mistake.

As for how I would proceed if I had to work with different stuff - I would conform it all to be as similar as humanly possible before import. Takes long,r but saves your ass at the end of the day when things are tight.

Just to add to the discussion... Yea, I've had RED and DvcproHD... RED for opening titles and some BROLLs, which was eventually used in the show. RED shot at 4K. Offline/online workflow with final output done at full debayer for opening titles, a half high debayer for the BROLLs used in the show transcoded to DvcproHD (to fit the format of the show).



www.strypesinpost.com