Saving Project File Without Media Once You're Done Project?

Hi,

So, I've finished a project. I have a massive FCP X library file that is over 350 GB. It's huge size is primarily due to me transcoding H.264 files that I left outside the library to optimised ProRes. Now, what I would like to do is give one copy of the library (with the ProRes files) to the client and keep a version of the library (without ProRes files) for myself. How do I make a backup of the whole library without the ProRes files, without having to copy the entire library file to extra disk drive space that I don't have and then deleting the ProRes files? Libraries seem convenient on the one hand and then very inconvenient at stages like this - unless I'm missing something. And I don't want to dip into the automatic back-ups. Suggestions?

Make a new library. Copy all the events you want to keep to the new library. You'll get a dialog asking if you want to keep optimized and proxies. Uncheck them.

Thanks, Tom. That is part of the solution. However, even though you can prevent copying optimised and proxy media by not checking the boxes, FCP does force a transfer of the original media, which is not only time consuming, but eats up drive space I don't really have. I would like to be able to make an offline backup copy of the library, without copying all the media associated with it. Is this possible without using automated backups?

hi

You can consolidate the library. It gives you the option to disable Optimized and proxy media.
It copies only the original (h264 in your case) media.

Go to File/Consolidate Library

hope it helps

You can't copy the contents of a library which has the media inside it and not expect the media to go with it. If you don't want the media in the new library, you need to do what benco said, consolidate the library so the media in the original library is external before you copy it. The media will then be outside the library and replaced with symlinks. When you duplicate the library both will have symlinks pointing to the same external media folder.

Yep, 10.1.2 introduced a great new feature for workflows such as yours. You can now used managed external media, meaning you can have FCPX manage all your media, but point it outside the library to an external folder. Essentially, consolidating your media to an external folder will achieve the same thing.

You have to select your library, then go into the inspector and click on "modify settings," which will give you a window where you can point your media and caches. From here on, you can consolidate your library and it will move all your media to this location.

Thanks, guys.