Consolidate all media outside of library file.

hey there,

I have just completed an edit of a feature documentary. Next i will be handing off the edit to to a sound mixer and colourist for them to complete the sound mix and colour grade.

My problem is that there are files all over the place. Some picture and sound rushes on my laptop, others on an external hard drive and others on the hard drive but within the library file.

I know there is a consolidate feature in FCPX which could allow me to consolidate all the media from different locations and drives, but it consolidates them into the library file. However i need to consolidate them all to the same place, but NOT to within the library file, as my colourist says this is what would work best for him.

Ideally... I would buy a new external hard drive and somehow have all the media used in my timeline be found and referenced from this drive. Is there anyway to do this?

If this does not make sense, but you feel you may be able to help me given further explanation, please add me on skype: petertrifunovic

I'm assuming you're using a recent version of FCP. In which case you select the library in the libraries pane and the inspector will show you the library properties. Click Modify Settings and select a external folder to use to hold your media. Run the consolidate file function. The media will be assembled in the selected folder.

Thank you for your reply. This sounds like it will work. I will buy a new external drive and try this tomorrow. Once i consolidate all media to this new drive, will all the media in my project file be relinked to that drive also? Ie. I could remove the original external drive and hypotetically also delete media from my computer and I would not experience any red missing media blocks in my timeline, because it is all now linked to the new external drive.

Yes, i am running the newest version of FCPX.

Yes, everything that's in the library will be replaced with symlinks that point to the new folder that holds the media.

Thank you Tom. Your help is very much appreciated.