TRYING TO RECOVER A PROJECT !!!!!!

I've been working on a Wu-tang project that took place in NYC for a couple months now. Last night I completed about 95% of the edit. It has always been saved in a certain folder and on my external drive. Until late last night when I completed a large majority of the project and Re-opened it today to finish and ofcourse something has to go wrong! My project is no where to be found?!?! As if nothing was ever made or created? A couple weeks ago when I did work on it, it was always there when I re-opened it..! Can anyone help me get it back or find it if you have any idea. That would be so great!! Thanks in advance

Is your library actually gone from the folder that it's supposed to be in? If so, that's very strange as long as the external drive is in good working condition. Files don't just disappear like that. Maybe go into Disk Utility and do a verify/repair of your external drive.

Also, you should be default have backups of the libraries you've been working in. Check the ~/Movies/Final Cut Pro Backups folder and they should be in there. However, these backup libraries don't contain the actual media.

Hopefully you have kept backups of the media itself, since external drives go bad all the time.

Hi Leon,

With a problem such as this it is best to provide as much detail as possible so we can better understand what is happening.

What version of FCP X are you using?

If it's the latest version:

When you launch FCP X do you see the Library for this production in the Library Browser? If you don't see the Library in the Library Browser: Select File > Open Library and see if your Library is listed in the drop-down list.

- If it is listed: select it and it will open in FCP X.
- If it isn't listed: shut down FCP X and check if the hard drive where you have stored the Library is connected and functioning well, and if you see the Library icon inside the folder on that drive, like haysoos says.

Please keep us updated on your progress.

- Ronny

PLEASE tell us you didn't install the beta of Yosemite...
(just kidding)

What Ronny said, was about to post the same thing.

Thanks Haysoos, Ronny & BenB for all of your prompt responses & consideration of my project. I did all that you guys mentioned.

My version of FCPX is 10.0.8

There isn't a library folder or events of what I had saved anymore.. The only thing is that when I go into my external harddrive the backup & original folder still exist but when I click them, they say the project cannot be opened. I checked on the info about the projects just to see if anything has changed and still says last modified on June 5th at 11pm.. But besides that nothing is working, including what you all mentioned. I may have to start over at this point.

thanks guys

If you are on 10.0.8 this is a completely different matter. In pre-10.1 versions Events and Projects are stored in separate folders.

You should find a folder called "Final Cut Projects" and another folder called "Final Cut Events" on your drive. Do you see these folders? If so: when you open the "Final Cut Projects" folder do you see a folder inside it with the name you have given to your lost project?


- Ronny

Yes, I have those folders & my project is still within the folder and the drive as well.. but when I open the folder of the project it says it can't be opened?!

I deleted some old exports and old projects to make room on my drive, but nothing having to do with this current project.

Not sure whats happening but I know the project is still in existence, just not functioning or opening properly.. I'm lost on ideas at this point.

Thanks again Ronny

You cannot open a Project from within the folder. Are you sure the "Final Cut Projects" folder and the "Final Cut Events" folder sit on the root of your hard drive? If these folders are inside another one FCP X won't recognize any Projects or Events.

So first thing to do: make sure the "Final Cut Projects" folder is not inside any other folder, make sure your drive is properly connected and it is recognized by your system, launch FCP X and see if it opens your lost Project.

- Ronny

Just in case... You didn't happen to rename or move the Final Cut Projects folder by any chance?

The Final Cut Events folder and the Final Cut Projects folders MUST live at the top level of your external hard drive OR inside your Movies folder.

Moving them anywhere else or renaming them will effectively make them invisible to Final Cut Pro X.

I think I may have changed the name or better yet most likely tried moving the events folder into the project folder..

If I did one of those 2 mistakes what is the best option to take to try and re-cover my project.. Thanks guys for all of your support & help! greatly appreciated..


Here's a link to some of my previous work..

vimeo.com/user18742796