Multicam #1 Mistake

One thing you should always remember, when you’re working with multiclips, you can’t render your sequence. Once you’ve rendered, you’ll only be able to see one clip in the viewer when playing the sequence, which defeats the purpose of multiclips.

If you need to render your multiclip, either your sequence settings are wrong, or your hard drive is causing a bottleneck, whether it’s from drive speed or connection speed, or you just need a faster computer/more RAM.

Also, somewhat related, once your multiclip edit is complete and you’re ready to add filters, etc., and do your final render for export, don’t forget to collapse your multiclip.  In fact, you should collapse it as soon as your shots are chosen.  You can always uncollapse it, and you can still roll, slip, and slide edit points even when it’s collapsed, but once you start adding filters and rendering, you’ll be effecting and rendering all the clips in your multiclip.  If you have 5 angles, it will take 5 times as long to render.  Get it?

AVCHD Final Cut Pro Workflow

I’ve been shooting and editing AVCHD with Final Cut Pro and a Panasonic HMC-150 for just over a year now. I’ve worked out a pretty good workflow that has caused me no problems at all.  Here’s how it goes:

• Shoot directly to SD card.  I have 4 8GB cards that I rotate through, and get about 52 minutes per card.
• Immediately copy cards to an external USB HDD upon return to the office.
• I create a new folder, numbered in my archive system on the archive drive, numbered 09-100, 09-101, etc.
• AVCHD folder and all contents are copied to the archive drive.
• Carbon Copy Cloner is set to back up the external drive to another external USB HDD (from a different manufacturer) each night.
• Archive drives can be USB, because active editing is not done from them.  Archive only.
• Final Cut Pro’s scratch disks are set to an internal 2-drive RAID.
• Log & Transfer the footage to ProRes 422.
• Edit.
• Export.
• I keep all folders in the Log & Transfer list, which makes Re-Batch Capturing a very quick and simple process.

Final Cut Pro Tips

Don’t worry folks, I still have a folder with all the images I used for the FCP tips, so hopefully I’ll be able to reconstruct them, with the images acting as my reminder.  If you have requests, feel free to comment on this thread to make sure I remember them.

Then I need to start putting out new ones, huh?

A New System

So, I’m about to finally upgrade my main edit machine at home.  It’s time to make the move to Intel.  Not that my trusty G5 hasn’t gotten me along very well, but, the projects are finally starting to tax it a little more than I like.  But I definitely got my money’s worth!

Along with a new Mac Pro (when they finally release a new Mac Pro), I think I’m going to pick up an M-Audio Project Mix I/O to replace my dying Tascam FW-1082.  It will be nice to have 8 mic pres on this box, plus many other features the Tascam was lacking.  Not that I didn’t like my Tascam, it has also served me well.  But something in the audio side of it blew out.  It still works great as a control surface, but I can’t use it as an audio I/O device anymore, meaning I’ve been doing all my editing under headphones, which I can’t stand.

So I’m getting pretty excited…I just wish Apple would announce the new Mac Pros already!!!

Average Joe’s Huntin’ Show

About 1 week after the pilot was sent out, we have signed a contract, and Average Joe’s Huntin’ Show will begin airing June 28th, 2010 on the Pursuit Channel!  We’re very excited, and ramping up production!  Watch soon for a trailer.

Ooops.

I blew up my site earlier today.  User error on a wordpress upgrade.  It’s all gone.  I’ll be starting over now.  Sorry.

Jefferson Airplane DVD

thrillcat editorial is handling post production on a DVD for legendary San Francisco psychedelic band Jefferson Airplane.  The footage comes from a 2003 show at the Avalon Ballroom in San Francisco.  Release date TBA.

The project is the latest in a partnership between thrillcat editorial and Global Recording Artists, which also includes projects for Tesla, Ronnie Montrose, Y&T, and Barbara Dane.