Native editing of EX files in FCP at DVinfo.net

Simon Wyndham · June 9th, 2009, 10:19 AM

I don't believe I saw mention of this plugin here, but Calibrated Software have made plugins for FCP that allow native editing of the MP4 files from XDCAM EX within FCP
Calibrated{Q} MP4-EX Import for OSX

They also have one for P2 and XDCAM HD MXF files too. So there is no need to use the XDCAM Transfer software. For EX users this will be useful because we won't effectively have to import twice anymore, once with the EX Clip Browser to ensure a solid transfer to the HDD, and then again with the XDCAM Transfer tool to rewrap to .mov.

The tool also has a built in image flip for footage taken with 35mm adaptors.

James Huenergardt · June 14th, 2009, 09:50 PM

Has anyone tried this?

Are there any drawbacks to using this?

Alister Chapman · June 15th, 2009, 12:30 AM

It works seamlessly. You can even edit directly off the cards, no need to copy anything. The only downside at the moment is that if you choose "Import" "Folder" all the files in the folder get imported so you end up with the MP4's and XML's etc in the bin. This is down to the way FCP works and I think Calibrated are looking at writing their own importer. It's great to have the ability to see thumbnails in Finder to! I am converted to Calibrated-Q. It makes sharing projects with PC users so much easier and if you expert your project as a MP4 you can then re-import it without having to make it in to a .mov first.

Trevor Meeks · June 15th, 2009, 02:36 AM

i prefer the log and transfer plugin for FCP. just seems to work best for my workflow! but cool to know that this software is out there as well.

Paul Joy · June 15th, 2009, 01:00 PM

It's nice that you don't have to store two sets of data, but how do you go about browsing your clips? It's not exactly efficient when you have to open every CLPR/CLIP FOLDER to see the single shot that's stored inside.

Larry Huntington · June 15th, 2009, 01:19 PM

What is the main benefit of working with the raw clips again?

Keith Moreau · June 16th, 2009, 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Huntington

What is the main benefit of working with the raw clips again?

You don't have to take the time or space to 'wrap' the native EX files in a Quicktime or MXF wrapper.

Previously, in order to use EX footage, I had to use the EX Transfer utility to take the raw files and then essentially make a compatible copy so that Final Cut Pro could utilize them, it couldn't read the native Ex files directly. The EX Transfer utility doesn't do much other than put a little data at the beginning and end of the EX .MP4 files (it's just an extension, the codec really is MPEG2) to make it a '.MOV' But the file itself is the same data.

Now I can 'import' a folder from my EX BPAV archive and it then just works and references the original .MP4 file. No copying, no unnecessary duplication of files, saving hard drive space and the time to make the initial 'wrapping/copying.' This will save $$$ over time, less hard drive space use (1/2 to be precise) and less time to log and transfer or Transfer utility.

So far it works well. THere is a slight inconvenience of having to go into the nested structure but it takes about 10 seconds to use FCP 'Find' feature to pull out all the MP4s from all the BPAV structures and put them wherever you want. You can then discard the empty, useless BPAV folders. (this is all FCP technique, not sure about other NLEs).

Alister Chapman · June 17th, 2009, 12:39 AM

If you are doing news or something requiring a very quick turn around you can even edit directly off the cards in the camera.

Simon Wyndham · June 17th, 2009, 01:03 AM

Quote:

Here is a slight inconvenience of having to go into the nested structure but it takes about 10 seconds to use FCP 'Find' feature to pull out all the MP4s from all the BPAV structures

The trouble with this is if you need to organise things if you have imported two different SxS cards. If you use the find feature you end up finding all of the MP4 files and not just the ones in the clip bin that you want. So it makes sorting things very difficult. Especially if you have a project where you have already imported files and then add to it at a later date. The find feature makes it impossible to distinguish between the MP4 files that you have already moved from the MP4 files that are in the newly imported BPAV folder.

Mike Chandler · July 1st, 2009, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simon Wyndham

The trouble with this is if you need to organise things if you have imported two different SxS cards. If you use the find feature you end up finding all of the MP4 files and not just the ones in the clip bin that you want.

True, Simon, you will find all the mp4's, but if you highlight the bin you've just imported , it will highlight the mp4 find results in that bin, making them easy to identify.

I think the bigger problem is renaming clips, which you can do in bulk in XDCAm transfer. Is there a way to bulk re-name clips in fcp?

Simon Wyndham · July 1st, 2009, 04:33 PM

Quote:

but if you highlight the bin you've just imported , it will highlight the mp4 find results in that bin, making them easy to identify.

That didn't happen for me. It still highlighted all the MP4's.

Mike Chandler · July 1st, 2009, 06:16 PM

Hmm. I wonder why. I highlight the bin, go to find, click all media, name: mp4 and the list of all mp4's comes up, but only the ones on the bin I highlighted are highlighted. Happens every time.

Simon Wyndham · July 2nd, 2009, 02:26 AM

I have another way. Go to the Finder, highlight the CLPR folder that you want to search and type mp4 into the search bar. This will show all the mp4's on that hard drive. However at the top of the list you will see next to "Search: This Mac" that you can also select to show only the results from the CLPR folder. You can then highlight all the files and drag them to the required bin in FCP.

Simon Wyndham · July 2nd, 2009, 04:31 AM

There's also one other rather huge drawback to this plugin. You can't grade your sequences with Color because it won't read the MP4 files.

David Herman · July 2nd, 2009, 05:44 AM

Maybe this question is too dumb not to get a "read the manual" response, but, I'm at present archiving using shot put pro (missed out on the free sp express). Importing files for editing fcp using ex transfer which gives me .mov's. What, if anything are these .mov files lacking quality wise compared to the original mpeg 4's? I find the BPAV's a pain because of everyone of them having the same name and I have to create a new folder each time to import them in order to be able to tell them apart - or am I doing something wrong? If I discard the rest of the BPAV folder what am I losing, or can't the mpeg 4s be used without this stuff? And therefor where does the calibrated software fit in to all this to help me? Point me at the relevant source of answers please if this is too basic to answer.

June 9th, 2009, 10:19 AM	#1
Simon Wyndham Trustee Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Malvern UK Posts: 1,931	Native editing of EX files in FCP I don't believe I saw mention of this plugin here, but Calibrated Software have made plugins for FCP that allow native editing of the MP4 files from XDCAM EX within FCP Calibrated{Q} MP4-EX Import for OSX They also have one for P2 and XDCAM HD MXF files too. So there is no need to use the XDCAM Transfer software. For EX users this will be useful because we won't effectively have to import twice anymore, once with the EX Clip Browser to ensure a solid transfer to the HDD, and then again with the XDCAM Transfer tool to rewrap to .mov. The tool also has a built in image flip for footage taken with 35mm adaptors.

June 14th, 2009, 09:50 PM	#2
James Huenergardt Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Chehalis, WA Posts: 513	Has anyone tried this? Are there any drawbacks to using this? __________________ Reel Inspirations - www.reelinspirations.com Commercials, Dramas, Image Pieces, Documentaries, Motion Graphics

June 15th, 2009, 12:30 AM	#3
Alister Chapman Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bracknell, Berkshire, UK Posts: 4,957	It works seamlessly. You can even edit directly off the cards, no need to copy anything. The only downside at the moment is that if you choose "Import" "Folder" all the files in the folder get imported so you end up with the MP4's and XML's etc in the bin. This is down to the way FCP works and I think Calibrated are looking at writing their own importer. It's great to have the ability to see thumbnails in Finder to! I am converted to Calibrated-Q. It makes sharing projects with PC users so much easier and if you expert your project as a MP4 you can then re-import it without having to make it in to a .mov first. __________________ Alister Chapman, Film-Maker/Stormchaser http://www.xdcam-user.com/alisters-blog/ My XDCAM site and blog. http://www.hurricane-rig.com

June 15th, 2009, 01:00 PM	#5
Paul Joy Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Norfolk, UK Posts: 627	It's nice that you don't have to store two sets of data, but how do you go about browsing your clips? It's not exactly efficient when you have to open every CLPR/CLIP FOLDER to see the single shot that's stored inside. __________________ Blog: www.pauljoy.com Company: www.videotrader.co.uk

June 17th, 2009, 12:39 AM	#8
Alister Chapman Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bracknell, Berkshire, UK Posts: 4,957	If you are doing news or something requiring a very quick turn around you can even edit directly off the cards in the camera. __________________ Alister Chapman, Film-Maker/Stormchaser http://www.xdcam-user.com/alisters-blog/ My XDCAM site and blog. http://www.hurricane-rig.com

June 15th, 2009, 02:36 AM	#4
Trevor Meeks Major Player Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Sonoma, CA Posts: 336	i prefer the log and transfer plugin for FCP. just seems to work best for my workflow! but cool to know that this software is out there as well.

June 15th, 2009, 01:19 PM	#6
Larry Huntington Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Grass Valley, California Posts: 350	What is the main benefit of working with the raw clips again?

July 1st, 2009, 06:16 PM	#12
Mike Chandler Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Moab, UT Posts: 264	Hmm. I wonder why. I highlight the bin, go to find, click all media, name: mp4 and the list of all mp4's comes up, but only the ones on the bin I highlighted are highlighted. Happens every time. __________________ www.packcreekproductions.com EX3, Mac Pro, FCP

July 2nd, 2009, 02:26 AM	#13
Simon Wyndham Trustee Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Malvern UK Posts: 1,931	I have another way. Go to the Finder, highlight the CLPR folder that you want to search and type mp4 into the search bar. This will show all the mp4's on that hard drive. However at the top of the list you will see next to "Search: This Mac" that you can also select to show only the results from the CLPR folder. You can then highlight all the files and drag them to the required bin in FCP.

July 2nd, 2009, 04:31 AM	#14
Simon Wyndham Trustee Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Malvern UK Posts: 1,931	There's also one other rather huge drawback to this plugin. You can't grade your sequences with Color because it won't read the MP4 files.

July 2nd, 2009, 05:44 AM	#15
David Herman Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: gloucestershire uk Posts: 93	Maybe this question is too dumb not to get a "read the manual" response, but, I'm at present archiving using shot put pro (missed out on the free sp express). Importing files for editing fcp using ex transfer which gives me .mov's. What, if anything are these .mov files lacking quality wise compared to the original mpeg 4's? I find the BPAV's a pain because of everyone of them having the same name and I have to create a new folder each time to import them in order to be able to tell them apart - or am I doing something wrong? If I discard the rest of the BPAV folder what am I losing, or can't the mpeg 4s be used without this stuff? And therefor where does the calibrated software fit in to all this to help me? Point me at the relevant source of answers please if this is too basic to answer.