Sony XDCAM HD & XDCAM EX Workflows in Apple Final Cut Pro
XDCAM HD Overview XDCAM EX Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 2 – XDCAM Workflows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 XDCAM EX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2 – XDCAM Workflows 3 – Creating a Final Cut Pro Project 4 – XDCA M HD 5 – XDCAM EX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Optional Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Connections & Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Importing XDCAM EX Media Using XDCAM Transfer . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Sony XDCAM® workflow makes use of IT-based technology and workflows familiar to the realm of personal computers, allowing the user to browse, ingest, and export content as data files – greatly enhancing the speed and flexibility of the editing process. This document explains how to import, edit, and export XDCAM HD and XDCAM EXTM based media utilizing Final Cut Pro® software.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro 2 – XDCAM Workflows 1– Import XDCAM HD Professional Disc media into Final Cut Pro Software over the i.LINK® interface* or USB 2.0 using the Sony XDCAM Transfer application, or over Ethernet using the Filp4MacTM XDCAM plug-In. 2– Edit 2 – XDCAM Workflows XDCAM HD XDCAM Export function provided with the XDCAM Transfer plug-in. Alternatively, output to videotape. Table of Contents 3– Export to XDCAM Professional Disc over the i.LINK interface using the Sony NOTE: i.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro XDCAM EX 1– Import XDCAM EX media into Final Cut Pro software over USB 2.0 (or internal PC reader) using the Sony XDCAM Transfer application. media to local storage, prior to importing with XDCAM Transfer. 2– Edit 3– Export to XDCAM Professional Disc media, or Hard Drive via Sony Export plug-in. 2 – XDCAM Workflows NOTE: You may use the Sony XDCAM EX Clip Browser to first copy the SxS–based Alternatively, output to videotape.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro Overview of XDCAM Transfer Application The XDCAM Transfer application lets users view, search and modify metadata. Clips can be filtered based on Clip Status. A key feature is the ability to preview clips and either import the entire clip or multiple segments, known as subclips. 2 – XDCAM Workflows In the Final Cut Pro application, the Sony XDCAM Transfer application is used for all XDCAM-based file imports over the i.LINK (Firewire), USB 2.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro Overview of Flip4Mac XDCAM Pro Plug-in The Flip4Mac XDCAM Pro plug-in (purchased separately) is used to import HDVTM, DV, or MPEG IMX® MXF files into Final Cut Pro as QuickTime movies.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro 3 – Creating a Final Cut Pro Project 1– Launch Final Cut Pro software (FCP). 2– If not adding the XDCAM HD material to an existing FCP Project, create a new /Users/username/Documents/Final Cut Pro Documents/ folder. During the Save process, change “Untitled Project” to something more meaningful. 4– Verify the FCP Scratch Disk location and set according to your preference. Press Shift + Q to access this menu.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro Sequence Preparation Although not mandatory, it is typically best to set the FCP Sequence Settings to match the settings of the preponderance of your media, which minimizes rendering. The steps involved are: 1– Create a New Sequence by pressing + N. A new Sequence will be placed in the Browser, with the Sequence name highlighted. If desired, edit the default name to something more meaningful.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro Table of Contents 3 – Creating a Final Cut Pro Project As an example, the proper Sequence Settings for XDCAM HD media shot at 1080i/60 at 35 Mbps would be: 11
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro 4 – XDCAM HD Key Workflow Features and Restrictions • Support for 1080 50/60i, 24/25/30p • Support for XDCAM HD Essence Marks • Proxy may be viewed and Hi-Resolution XDCAM HD media may be imported via i.LINK, USB, or Ethernet interfaces • Sequences may be written back to XDCAM optical disc via the i.LINK interface • FCP does not support Proxy media in a Sequence System Requirements • Apple OS X 10.4.11 / OS X 10.5 or later • Apple Final Cut Pro (FCP) 6.0.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro PDW-F70, PDW-F75 and PDW-F30 i.LINK Setup For data transfers, the i.LINK Mode of the deck must be set to “File Access Mode” (FAM), which allows the XDCAM volume to be mounted as a drive by the host computer. The other i.LINK mode, AV/C, configures the deck for standard i.LINK audio, video and transport control. To configure the PDW-F75 for FAM mode, utilize the front panel buttons to do the following: • Press the MENU button.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro PDW-F70, PDW-F75 and PDW-F30 Ethernet Setup For data transfers over Ethernet, the PDW-F75 must be fitted with a Sony PDBK-101 Network Board. “Network” mode allows XDCAM media to be moved to the host computer via high-speed FTP file transfers. To configure the PDW-F75 to for Network mode, utilize the front panel buttons to do the following: • Press the MENU button. • Press the Up or Down arrow buttons to navigate to Setup Menu.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro Importing XDCAM HD Media Getting Started NOTE: It is highly recommended to start the XDCAM Transfer program from Final Cut Pro software. This will automatically place files in the correct folder. user interface.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro Setting Preferences 1– With the focus on XDCAM Transfer, press , (the comma key), which opens the XDCAM Transfer Preferences window. 2– Select the Cache button. 4– If “Automatically fetch proxies” is checked, XDCAM Transfer will download proxy data as soon as a disc is mounted. Left unchecked, XDCAM Transfer will download the thumbnails only. This is faster, but the clip cannot be previewed until the proxy is also downloaded.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro Also note the other settings available for imported media are enabled to suit individual or project preferences. • Each source may have its own folder within the Import Location. • Files may either be overwritten, or not. Filenames may have additional metadata appended to the standard filename, and may be set to suit individual or project preferences. Close the Preferences window. Select an XDCAM volume under the “Source” column.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro Importing XDCAM HD Media Clips and/or Subclips may be imported individually or in batches. Before proceeding, ensure that the correct FCP project is open, and that its title is displayed to the left of the XDCAM Transfer Import button. In the example below, metadata for the imported media will be sent to the FCP project “NAB08”.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro General Notes on XDCAM Transfer Operations • XDCAM Transfer can be utilized in a standalone fashion without Final Cut Pro software running. • When XDCAM Transfer is launched independently (not via Final Cut Pro software), XDCAM Transfer will not make entries in the FCP Browser when performing an Import.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro Importing XDCAM HD Media Over a Network To import XDCAM files over an Ethernet network, do the following: 1– Insert an XDCAM disc in the drive. 2– Select File > Import > Sony XDCAM (Ethernet). The Connection Window will appear. 3– Enter the XDCAM device IP address. 5– Enter the Password (usually the device model name – in lower case and include the hyphen. For example, in the case of the PDW-F75, the password is pdw-f75). 6– Click Connect.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro Adding Clips to the Timeline There are a variety of methods for placing clips in the timeline. For purposes of illustration, below are just a few methodologies: To add a clip to a Sequence without trimming, simply drag the clip from the Browser to the Timeline. To trim a clip prior to adding it to the Sequence: 1– Double-click on a clip in the Browser. This will load the media into the Viewer window. 2– Play the clip by either pressing the spacebar or the L key.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro Exporting an XDCAM-Native Sequence Important Audio Output Settings Before FCP sequences can be written back to disc, the Audio Outputs settings for the sequence must be adjusted so that they match the number of available audio channels on the disc. XDCAM HD and DVCAM®- formatted discs accept up to 4 mono audio channels, while SD discs utilizing the MPEG IMX codecs accept up to 8 mono channels.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro Exporting a Sequence 1– In the Timeline, set In and Out points for the range to export. Table of Contents 4 – XDCAM HD 2– Select File > Export > Sony XDCAM.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro 3– The Sony XDCAM Export window will open. 6– Select an export compression setting. 7– Select Export (or press Enter). Table of Contents 5– Enter a filename. 4 – XDCAM HD 4– Choose an export location.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro 5 – XDCAM EX Key Workflow Features and Restrictions • Support for 1080 50/60i, 24/25/30p. • Support for XDCAM EX Essence Marks. System Requirements • Apple OS X 10.4.11+ • Apple Final Cut Pro (FCP) 6.0.3+ • Sony SxS Pro Device Driver (required for MacBook Pro ExpressCard slot) • Sony XDCAM Transfer v2.7.1 • XDCAM Ex Clip Browser v2.0+ • Sony SBAC-US10 SxS Card Reader (or internal laptop card reader) Optional Software • Sony PDZK-LT1 Log and Transfer Utility v1.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro Importing XDCAM EX Media Using XDCAM Transfer Sony's XDCAM Transfer application provides the most versatile method of importing XDCAM EX clips into Final Cut Pro. Getting Started 1– Select File > Import > Sony XDCAM. 2– After several seconds the XDCAM Transfer window will open in front of the FCP Table of Contents 5 – XDCAM EX user interface.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro Setting Preferences Before working with SxS media, take a few moments to review XDCAM Transfer's Preference Settings. Open the Preferences window by selecting Preferences from the XDCAM Transfer drop menu, or by pressing + , (comma). 1– Select the General button. • Check Show offline media to view thumbnails and metadata of cards that are offline. (If cards are immediately recycled, it is recommended that this item not be checked.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro 2– Select the Cache button. • Select a location for metadata and thumbnail caches by selecting the “Choose” button, and navigating to a desired location. • Adjust the Cache Size, if necessary. • The setting for Automatically fetch proxies is not applicable to XDCAM EX. • Set an Import Location by selecting the “Choose” button, and navigating to the Capture Scratch location previously set in FCP. (Recommended) Table of Contents 5 – XDCAM EX 3– Select the Import button.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro Also note the other settings available for imported media, and set to suit individual or project preferences. • Each source may have its own folder within the Import Location. Left unchecked, clips will be saved directly to the root of the Import Location. • Files with duplicate names may be overwritten, or not. Left unchecked, duplicate filenames will be appended with a serial number to differentiate between the clips.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro 4– Click on the + button at the bottom right of the Clip Viewer. This adds a subclip to the list. Note: Adding a subclip automatically deselects the full clip for importing. 5– Navigate the clip in the Clip Viewer. 6– Press I to set an Inpoint. 7– Press O to set an Outpoint. 8– Repeat to add more subclips. Importing Clips and/or Subclips may be imported individually or in batches.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro General Notes on XDCAM Transfer Operations • When XDCAM Transfer is launched independently (not via Final Cut Pro), XDCAM Transfer will not make entries in the FCP Browser when performing an Import.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro Importing Using Log and Transfer As an alternative to Sony's XDCAM Transfer application, Final Cut Pro's Log and Transfer feature may also be used to import clips. Installation of Sony's PDZK-LT1 Log and Transfer Utility is required for support of EX media. Log and Transfer automatically scans for connected SxS card media, and displays clips in the Clip List.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro To import a clip(s), select and drag either to: • The Import Queue below, which will register the clips in the root Project Bin of the selected FCP project. • Directly to a specific Bin. To create and import a subclip, do the following: 1– Select a clip from the Clip List. 2– Navigate the clip in the Preview Window. Table of Contents 4– Click the Add Clip to Queue button. 5 – XDCAM EX 3– Set In and Out points.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro Using XDCAM EX Clip Browser To archive media from an SxS card to hard disc or other media, the Sony XDCAM EX Clip Browser application must be used. Copying individual clips via the Macintosh Finder will result in unusable media on the target drive.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro The right side of the screen contains the Preview window, which automatically updates based on the selections made in the active Explorer window. Clip information is displayed in the lower portion of the Preview window, and logging data may be entered here as well. Note that the user may freely reposition and resize the windows, as well as add additional Explorer windows (up to 10 total) and Preview windows (up to 5 total) to the screen.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro 2– In the Copy pane of the General tab, enter (or browse to) a location for the copied clips. 3– To ensure data integrity, check marking the Perform CRC Check After Copy item is recommended. 4– Click OK (or press Enter). 5– In the Tree View pane of an Explorer window, click on the SxS card icon for the card you want to copy from. 6– In the Button Bar, Click the button. A confirmation message such as the derived from the current date and time (20080917155438, above).
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro Copying Clips Individually or in Batches As an alternative to copying the entire contents of a card, clips may be copied individually or in batches to a user-selectable folder. Please note that the following steps are designed as a guide to the Copy workflow, and that folder names and locations are entirely at the user's discretion. Preparing to Copy 1– Launch XDCAM EX Clip Browser. 2– In the Tree View pane of an Explorer Window, select the SxS card.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro 7– Double-click on the newly created folder to display its contents (currently empty). In the example below, the upper window displays a portion of the contents of the SxS card, while the lower window displays the contents of the “SxS Media” folder. With the above accomplished, the user is now free to choose from the following two Copy methods.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro 5– A confirmation message will appear: 6– Click Yes (or press Enter) to copy the clips. Using Drag/Drop 1– In the List View pane of the upper Explorer Window (the one displaying the contents of the SxS card), select the clips to be copied. As necessary, press Shift or Control to select multiple clips (or _ + A to select all the clips). 2– Drag the clips from the upper List View pane to the lower List View pane. 3– A confirmation message will appear.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro 2– In the Priority in Move pane of the General tab, select one of the two options: • Processing Speed provides the fastest possible transfer. • Data Protection creates a duplicate before deletion of the original clip. In general, select Data Protection when moving clips that have not been archived. 3– Click OK (or press Enter). 4– In the List View pane of a Clip Browser Explorer Window, navigate to a location for the moved media.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro Working With Split and Spanned XDCAM EX Clips An XDCAM EX device automatically saves video that exceeds 4 GB in size as multiple clips. Clips that are divided in this manner on a single card are referred to as Split Clips. Clips that are divided across 2 or more SxS cards are referred to as Spanned Clips.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro • When viewed in the Log and Transfer window, the clip name is appended with “(Spanned)” and only a single Volume is listed, as below: Identifying a Spanned Clip A clip that has been recorded across two or more SxS cards is referred to as a Spanned Clip, and is identified by: • When viewed in the List View Pane of the XDCAM EX Clip Browser application, thumbnail image(s) have the icon depicted below superimposed in the top right corner.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro Although spanned clips may be imported in segments using XDCAM Transfer, the recommended workflow is to first join these spanned clips together using XDCAM EX Clip Browser. • When viewed in the Log and Transfer window, the clip name is appended with “(Spanned)” and multiple Volumes are listed, as below: Preparing to Join a Spanned Clip 1– Launch XDCAM EX Clip Browser. 2– Insert the first SxS Card into the card reader.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro 2– Navigate to Documents. 3– Click the New Folder button. 4– Name the folder “Joined Clips”. window. A dialog box will appear: 6– Select Yes (or press Enter). 7– When the copy is complete, perform a software Eject of the SxS card. 8– Remove the SxS card from the reader.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro Copying Media from the Next Card 1– Insert the next card into the SxS Card Reader. 2– In the upper window, navigate to this card (in this example, named “Card 2”). 3– Select the spanned clip from the second card (upper window) and drag to the lower window. A dialog box will appear: 4– Select Yes (or press Enter).
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro Converting XDCAM EX Media for use on Other Platforms With optional Main Concept Conversion Packs, XDCAM EX Clip Browser may be utilized to convert XDCAM EX source material for use on a wide variety of other platforms, including Apple iPod, Sony PSP, and Sony XDCAM Optical formats. Table of Contents 5 – XDCAM EX Main Concept conversion packs are available at www.mainconcept.com.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro Adding Clips to the Timeline There are a variety of methods for placing clips in the timeline. For purposes of illustration, below are just a few methodologies: To add a clip to a Sequence without trimming, simply drag the clip from the Bin to the Timeline. To trim a clip prior to adding it to the Sequence: 1– Double-click on a clip in the Browser. This will load the media into the Viewer window. 2– Play the clip by pressing either the spacebar or the L key.
XDCAM Workflow in Final Cut Pro 6 – Notes • Always perform a software “Eject” of the XDCAM HD media prior to removing the disc from the drive. • Always perform a software “Eject” of the XDCAM EX media prior to removing the card from the reader. *i.LINK is a trademark of Sony used only to designate that a product contains IEEE 1394 connector. All products with an i.LINK connector may not communicate with each other. Please refer to the documentation that comes with any device having an i.
