I’ve written a lot about media management in Final Cut Pro X. So, here, I collected all my articles in one spot to make them easier to find. (These are relevant to version 10.1 or later.)
VIDEO
Update FCP X Events and Projects
ARTICLES
Apple Updates Media Management in FCP X v.10.1.2
Media Management is the Biggest Change in Final Cut Pro X v10.1
Move or Copy Libraries, Events, Clips or Projects
When to Use Optimized, Proxy, or Native Media
How to Convert Managed to External Media
Thoughts on Editing with Final Cut Pro X (v. 10.1)
Backup
Restore Projects From Library Backup Files
SEARCH
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6 Responses to FCP X: Media Management Collection
Larry, If you’ve migrated a 10.9 project to 10.1 and all the media files have been copied, can you move the media files out of the Library and keep the project intact? What is the procedure here?
Blair:
Generally, you should leave the media files in the library.
However, if you move them out of the library, you’ll need to relink them.
Larry
hi larry … editing 4K on fcpx is a puzzle to me … will this imac be able to handle it: 3.2 GHz Intel Core i5, 8 GB 1600 MHz DDR3, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX late 2012
thanks
Kevin:
“What do I need to edit 4K?” is a good question, but it is the wrong question. It is like asking “what do I need to drive a car?” It all depends upon the situation.
MUCH!!! more critical than resolution (4K) is the codec and bit depth of your files, along with the size and speed of your external storage. Your computer will be fine for most files. However, your storage may be totally inadequate.
Some 4K files, such as ProRes, can be edited easily. Other files, like LogC or RAW need seriously fast storage. “4K” files range from 60 MB/sec to 2,000 MB/sec in data transfer rates.
My concern is that your computer is five years old, with a medium-to-slow speed CPU. This can most likely handle 4K optimized and proxy files, but your GPU is also five years old and not that powerful. Depending upon codec and bit-depth, it may get overwhelmed.
If you need to use this system, plan on using Proxies to edit your 4K media.
Larry
I film much of my video using DSLR that’s connects to iMac 2017 via camLink. Then I use QuickTime to record movie directly to my desktop. I also use an external lavalier mic connected via mini usb to my computer. Is this an optimal setup for quality footage? I do have to sync audio in fcpx and I reduce the resolution to 1080. I don’t use 4K because my teaching lessons are 15-20 minutes each and don’t want to cause buffering for students that have slow connections.
My Mac will bog down quite a bit if fcpx and compressor are open and rendering. At times it will crash.
Any tips that may help?
Robert:
“Optimal” depends upon your standards and budget. I use Screenflow to record my screen because it’s the only software I’ve found that can export a ProRes 4444 file that EXACTLY matches the color and gray-scale values on my screen. The files are huge, though.
For my webinars, using ScreenFlow, I’ve never had a crash (… knock on wood…) when running multiple apps – like FCP X, Premiere, Keynote, ScreenFlow and, say, Adobe Media Encoder – at the same time. And, like you, I’m using a 2017 iMac. However, as it is a 27″ iMac, I’ve boosted the RAM to 32 GB – which may help minimize crashes.
I agree, 4K is way overkill for training. All my training is 1280 x 720 to make the text in software interfaces easier to read. Larger frame sizes may make the images look better, but I’ve not found an educational benefit to using them.
Larry