Rainer Standke has built some great utility applications for FCPX and Final Cut Pro 7. He's just released Marker, a $19.99 application that can highlight clips in the finder by reading FCPXML and XML files.
Media management -not the sexiest of topics, but certainly one of the most important as the reuse of media is essential to making money with an NLE these days. So how do you keep track of what files have been used in an FCPX project or an FCP7 sequence?
Wouldn't it be a great idea if you could mark up the used and unused files with different colours right in the Finder? That's exactly what Marker, the new $19.99 application from XMil allows you to do.
Rainer's application takes either FCPXML from Final Cut Pro X or XML from FCP7 and gives the user the tools to perform certain tasks in the finder.
- Show a list of all folders that contain media files from the XML in Marker's main window
- Open folders containing used media files in the Finder
- Select and de-select used and un-used files
- Set the File Label on your media files in the Finder
The application and its workflow possibilities get more complex and intriguing the more you study the app. Rainer has produced three demo videos that show Marker in action.
Let's start off with an introduction, the video uses FCP7 with XML, but we would assume the same functionality with FCPXML from FCPX.
The next video shows features in more depth.
And finally Rainer shows us what the Marker script does.
We can see this application being very useful for media management, especially when on shared storage. Could it be expanded to offer more management tasks that FCPX lacks? We will have to see, in the meantime please visit the XMil site for more information.
I am the Editor-in-Chief of FCP.co and have run the website since its inception ten years ago.
I have also worked as a broadcast and corporate editor for over 30 years, starting on one inch tape, working through many formats, right up to today's NLEs.
Under the name Idustrial Revolution, I have written and sold plugins for Final Cut Pro for 13 years.
I was made a Freeman of Lichfield through The Worshipful Company of Smiths (established 1601). Though I haven't yet tried to herd a flock of sheep through the city centre!
Current Editing
2020 has been busy, the beginning of the year was finishing off a new property series (cut on FCP) for Channel 4 called The Great House Giveaway. I also designed and built the majority of the graphics as Motion templates. It has been a great success and the shows grabbed more viewers in the 4pm weekday slot than any previous strand. It has been recommissioned by C4 for 60 episodes, including prime-time versions and five themed programmes. The shows have also been nominated for a 2021 BAFTA.
Although both were postponed to later in the year, I worked again on ITV's coverage of the Tour de France and La Vuelta. 2020 was my 25th year of editing the TdF and my 20th year as lead editor. The Tour was the first broadcast show to adopt FCPX working for multiple editors on shared storage.
BBC's Snooker has played a big part in my life, I've been editing tournament coverage since 1997. I'm proud to be part of a very creative team that has pioneered many new ideas and workflows that are now industry standard in sports' production. This is currently an Adobe Premiere edit.
Covid cancelled some of the regular corporate events that I edit such as trade shows & events. I was lucky however to edit, from home, on projects for Amazon Kindle, Amazon Black Friday, Mastercard and very proud to have helped local charitable trust Kendall & Wall secure lottery funding.
As for software, my weapon of choice is Final Cut Pro and Motion, but I also have a good knowledge and broadcast credits with Adobe Premiere Pro, MOGRT design and Photoshop.
Plugin Design & Development
I'm the creative force behind Idustrial Revolution, one of the oldest Final Cut Pro plugin developers. It hosts a range of commercial and free plugins on the site. One free plugin was downloaded over a thousand times within 24 hours of release.
I also take on custom work, whether it is adapting an existing plugin for a special use or designing new plugins for clients from scratch. Having a good knowledge of editing allows me to build-in flexibility and more importantly, usability.
FCP.co
Now in its 10th year and 4th redesign, running FCP.co has given me knowledge on how to run a large CMS- you are currently reading my bio from the database! Although it sounds corny, I am pretty well up on social media trends & techniques, especially in the video sector. The recent Covid restrictions has enabled live FCP.co shows online. This involves managing a Zoom Webinar through Restream.io to YouTube and Facebook.
The Future
I'm always open to new ideas and opportunities, so please get in touch at editor (at) fcp.co. I've judged film competitions, presented workflow techniques to international audiences and come up with ideas for TV shows and software programs!
