400 GB Project?! I must be doing this wrong

I'm no stranger to FCPX as I've created over 300 videos with it so far... and often my projects are in the hundreds of gigabytes... but today I would finally ask the question: Am I doing this wrong? Should they really be this big!?



This project does have a lot going on: 2 timeline video angles at 44 minutes x 1080P 30FPS plus a lot of game play footage b-roll (see screenshot below). I have Transcoding / Create Optimized Media checked during import in Preferences...and so I assume that is what is making these massive project files. True?

Is there a better way to handle a project like this? Or is this just the way it is when you have a lot of b-roll to cut back and forth with. Thanks for your suggestions!

Pretty normal size depending on the project. If you have the "create optimized media" checked during import FCPX transcodes everything into ProRes422-Files. Furthermore FCPX also renders in ProRes.

Looking like a lot of render files, used and un used. It sounds as if you know fcp x but did you try deleting some or all those files? If you delte the used files you'll need to re-render. After delete, quit fcp and then check library size.

Hi Rocks
It is not the length of the timeline, but total length of all media, codex, frame rate and more that determines total amount of data in a Library bundle(contained). You could have a 3 minute timeline with hours of shot footage with TBs of total data in your Library bundle.
Yes optimized media will vastly increase your data amounts. Optimized is ProRes which creates large files, that use less CPU resources while editing (+ you still have your original media). If you are using a format/codec that FCPX can support natively in the timeline, you will save file size. Then again, you might have playback issues and longer export times. Try it, you can always create optimized files later after import. You can calculate total GB data if you want for what ever footage you have.

It is also recommended practice to store your media on separate external drives.

Hope this helps, Greg

Check the format you are rendering in the Project's Modify Settings. I normally set it to ProResLT to save a bit more space.

If I'm working on a 4k Project I'll also set the timeline to 1080p while editing which saves on render time and space and at the end of the day I'll usually delete all generated project files.

The best space saver is to turn off background render and only render the areas of the timeline that absolutely need it while working.

Jonathan Levin wrote: Looking like a lot of render files, used and un used. It sounds as if you know fcp x but did you try deleting some or all those files? If you delte the used files you'll need to re-render. After delete, quit fcp and then check library size.

I had hoped this would work...but sadly it just ballooned back up to 380+ GB. It must be the amount of b-roll I have converted to ProRes. Worth a shot!

VidGreg wrote: Optimized is ProRes which creates large files, that use less CPU resources while editing (+ you still have your original media).

I think what you are really telling me is that it may be time to upgrade my 2011 iMac to something a bit more powerful so I don't NEED to convert to ProRes all the time. If Apple updates the 27" iMac this year, I will seriously consider it... Thanks!