File naming

Hi, I am about to start an edit on FCPX and I have a concern about the naming of the files on the harddrive and how that might impact the workflow.

1. The shoot was over many years with multiple cameras, mainly Canon 300, so there are many files named 'C0001' or 'C0002', from multiple shoots over the years... They are however in separate folders and subfolders on the harddrive. Will this cause a problem later? Will clips link to the wrong files? I don't think changing the file names is acceptable anyway as they are the files created by the camera...

2. For some of the footage taken on mobile phones, the director changed the names of the files to actual descriptions rather than numbers - so for example 'nicole at the beach.mov' or 'rain in the mountains.mov' ) including spaces... Can I import them like that or should I rename/number them?

Thanks,
Zeina

As long as the many C000x clips have their metadata, there is no reason why FCP should mix them up.

I’d not rename them externally. Would I rename them with FCPX? It’s a matter of your own convenience. You need to identify and find them. But names are just one of many ways to tag a clip.

Because very few use the batch renaming feature in FCPX (on Finder level, the names don’t change), they don’t know how good it is. There are rules that let you choose really useful names. Try it.

Zeina-AH wrote: .... there are many files named 'C0001' or 'C0002', from multiple shoots over the years... They are however in separate folders and subfolders on the harddrive. Will this cause a problem later?...

Yes this can definitely cause a problem. Under no conditions import a bunch of files with duplicate names - even if they are in separate folders. FCPX internally re-organizes the files or symlinks to different folders which creates "filename collisions". It tries to solve this by appending a "uniquifier" which consists of the suffix (fcp1), (fcp2), etc. However --there is a bug in FCPX which will create spurious duplicates due to a database problem if you ever load an XML referencing those files. I reported this to Apple long ago and it's still not fixed.

It also streamlines post production if you have globally unique filenames. There are many situations where you may collaborate with other post-production people. It is a constant source of confusion to have many files with the same name. I cannot count the number of times I've had to explain "I meant the c0003.mp4 file size 1.56 GB with creation date 14-Nov, not the one size 1.42 GB with creation date 13-Nov". Redundant filenames (even if in separate folders) is often confusing, wastes time and is error prone.

It is not difficult to avoid duplicate filenames. Simply rename the files to be globally unique before import to FCPX. I use the 3rd party tool "A Better Finder Rename" www.publicspace.net/ABetterFinderRename/index.html

However Finder itself has batch rename ability. You can even do multiple rename passes to achieve your goals. Gary at MacMost Now just did a tutorial on this feature: macmost.com/step-by-step-using-the-mac-batch-rename-tool.html

My documentary team simply appends an incrementing 5-digit serial number to each file as part of the offload process. We keep track of the highest number used then the next offload operation uses the next sequential number. That way no matter how many projects or cameras, the filenames are unique.

This situation is an exception to the normal approach with FCPX. With FCPX it is often best to minimize the file-level media organization task and leverage the database capability within FCPX. E.g, instead of spending hours laboriously curating files at the Finder level before import, simply import everything using "leave files in place". It is very fast and no external tool is as fast as the FCPX skimmer. Any curating - marking rejects, favorites, keywords, etc - need only be done once. It is range-based, whereas curation at the file level is clip-based. After the project is over, within FCPX you can archive only the clips used in the timeline by copying the project to another library, then consolidate. However if doing this be careful about another FCPX bug which can cause black clips: www.fcp.co/forum/4-final-cut-pro-x-fcpx/...of-clips-or-projects