P2 Clip Management & Naming - A Shortcut

[Robert Lane]

If you're like most HVX/P2 users you've noticed that unlike D-SLRs which allow you to create a custom-naming sheme for each individual shot, the current clip-naming convention for P2 is the built-in heximdecimal UNIX naming that the camera software gives each clip which cannot be altered, not until you've exported the original MXF into another file. I'll share a quick method I've created for getting those custom-named clips and arranging them into sub-folders for later import into FCP.

First, I always use either P2Log Pro or HD Log to convert my MXF's into QT's. This gives me the ability to custom name each exported folder for each P2 card that's been previously offloaded or copied onto my archive media. Remember, one folder will contain all the clips that were in that single P2 card, which means that after conversion I now have native QT's for FCP to use, but they still have the orignal UNIX clip name the camera assinged to it. You CAN change Meta-Data in P2Log/HDLog such as shot name, roll, etc but not the actual base-clip name itself. Here's how I get around that:

I use Adobe "Bridge" (part of CS2 and now CS3 Beta) to view all these clips and the "Batch Rename" command to quickly re-name all the similar clips. For example:

On one P2 card I might have had 12 clips of flowers, 5 of sunsets and 7 of a model. In Bridge I can view all the thumbnails immediately (if you click on just one clip it will actually playback WITH audio in Bridge!), create sub-folders that are respective to the content (i.e., Roses, Sunsets, Model, etc) select each same-type clip and Batch Rename them "RosesXXX" or whatever and then move them into the appropriate sub-folder.

Now I have native QT's that have been quickly previewed, renamed and moved into sub-folders for easy import and navigation in the FCP browser. NOTE: Bridge will not be able to preview the original MXF clips, they must first be converted to QT's.

P2Log/HDLog will allow you to do the same thing - to a certain degree - by selecting certain clips from each P2 card and only batch-exporting those of which you can create the folder name with "roses, model, etc" but that still does not alter the original CLIP name, only the batch conversion folder. I just "select all" when making my conversions and then use Bridge for individual or batch clip renaming.

[James Bart]

So does that mean that you're not saving any of the original MXF files? Are you importing with P2Log into quicktime HD format??

Right now my workflow is to have 2 drives. On one drive (backup drive) I create a folder and copy the card data (contents and lastclip.txt) into separate folders per card, and then import those folders to final cut pro, with my capture scratch being a separate drive. So now I have two copies, the original and the captured.

From what I'm understanding, you convert the card data into quicktime files as you're importing them, so you don't have the whole contents and lastclip.txt as your backup source, but a single quicktime file?

How long does this process take to convert? Right now I d/l an 8GB card in about 10-15 min using my method, and then another 10 min to import into final cut. Is the end result of your conversion the same size as the data on the card?

Thanks for any help you can give.

-bart

[Robert Lane]

Originally Posted by James Bart

So does that mean that you're not saving any of the original MXF files? Are you importing with P2Log into quicktime HD format??-bart

I always keep a copy of the original MXF files onto a HDD that is specifically for archival purposes and is my "digital master", which means those files never get converted or worked at all and remain "untouched". They get copied onto a "working" drive or array which is where I make the conversions into QT's.

I've enclosed a few frames from my P2-Mac Workflow Keynote; this should give you an overview of the workflow for both direct-copy/hotswap and HOST mode transfer. Note that the traditional tape-transfer workflow is the same as P2 Direct Copy/Hotswap>

Note also there is a distinct difference between Direct Copy (DC) and HOST mode workflow; in DC you could - if you wanted - make the original copy HDD the working drive (after you've duplicated that drive for backup) just as many people do in a tape-based workflow. However in HOST mode you cannot do this - there is no direct link from copy drive to working drive.

if you come to NAB this year you'll get the whole workflow presentation.