Feature documentary reels - compound clips or projects?

Just wrapping up a feature doc cut entirely in FCPX. Been a great experience, and now I'm breaking up the film into reels for sound, color, etc. I think I have a hint at what I might do, but wanted to ask if anyone else has cut long form content and has any words of wisdom.

I'm thinking of making compound clips out of each reel and then assembling the film in a new project. But I could just keep making projects... any advice here?

For me I just keep making projects. Use lots of folders for all the elements. Remember that Apple's new way of handling compound clips means you have to be extremely careful you don't accidentally destroy previous versions. Making new projects avoids this problem.

Great note - Apple changed the way compound clips operate since the first days of FCPX so it's required a bit of relearning on my part!

Sorry have to update this because I was not quite right. Duping Compound Clips DOES create an independent version while duping projects that contains compound clips does not.

So now I'm really confused. Why have projects at all?

* FcpX never reopen on a compound clip but project yes.
* sharing a project easiest than the event (maybe...)
* exporting an xml ? You can't export an xml from a CC.
* more settings in projects, like sharing info, etc... You can't change settings of CC.
* duplicate project with a new event with only media used in it.
* etc...

I edit the parts/reels/etc.. in CC and finish in a project.

Seanus wrote: So now I'm really confused. Why have projects at all?

I've been sorta kinda wondering this myself! Recall you pointed me to a video on another forum where the guy was using compound clips instead of projects, and only dropped them to a project for final output.

Other than export / share, what can you do in a project that could can't do in a compound clip?

Indeed. I will need to test this out as a work flow. Do everything as compound clips until the end, then make your final project. Hmmmm

I kept wanting to do this, but I was told that too many compound clips, particularly big ones, will slow things down and make fcpx unstable. I was told also that the last update pretty much took care of this problem. To be on the safe side, I use projects for my timelines and compound clips for various combinations within those projects. Most of my edits are 35-40 minutes long so I divide them into four separate projects. It would be easier to have my four projects as four compound clips in the browser and then combine them onto one project for export, but I'm nervous that something go wrong with that workflow.

Agreed. I'm about to start a 1 hour doc and I think I'll just avoid comps all together. Because while duping comps makes them independent, duping projects that contain comps does not.

Seanus wrote:
So now I'm really confused. Why have projects at all?

For exporting fcpxml to Resolve. Resolve isn't happy with a compound clip, but drop that clip into a project and all is well.