FCP6 - Finding which sequences use a given clip at DVinfo.net

Andy Johnson-Laird · July 27th, 2009, 09:34 PM

Apologies in advance if this is a question already asked and answered, but I've been searching for an answer for an hour or more. I suspect the issue is not knowing just the right way to phrase the question.

Imagine an FCP project with, oh, say, 20 sequences for the 20 chapters of the future DVD. Also imagine a couple of hundred clips produced by ingesting entire tapes and using TC breaks to form the clips. I've constructed the 20 sequences using most of the clips.

Is there a way of selecting a given clip in the Browser and getting FCP to show in which sequence(s) the clip has been used?

Thanks in advance
Andy

Robert Lane · July 27th, 2009, 10:42 PM

Unfortunately not; media management is one of the biggest weaknesses in FCP and despite the user-base pleading with Apple for years to boost it's capabilities even the newest version still suffers from it's lack-luster and outmoded media storage/management.

Paul E. Coleman · July 28th, 2009, 12:00 AM

I've used the color coded labeling feature to give a clip in the browser a particular color, then I look through my sequences for that colored clip. There's a few different colors available, so I've given different types of clips (talking heads - red shading / b-roll - green shading) different colors to find more as I look for stuff.

Just right click a clip in the bin, change it's label from "none" to whatever color you want and you'll be able to easily pick it out.

Andy Johnson-Laird · July 28th, 2009, 10:45 AM

Wow. I didn't realize that "there was no way to get there from here...." It seems such a simple question -- and obviously, internally, FCP has the information as to which sequence(s) a given clip is used in.

I, too, have experimented with color coding and it helps, but, obviously it's a bit of a hokey solution.

I think the only solution is to try and encode the information in the clip name by giving Sequences a number, e.g. " Seq 0060 <narrative description" and then suffixing the clip name with the sequence numbers in which it has been used. Basically doing in the textual name of the clip what FCP must be doing internally.

Oh, well....thanks for confirming I'm not nuts for not finding the answer...
Regards
Andy

Robert Lane · July 28th, 2009, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy Johnson-Laird

Oh, well....thanks for confirming I'm not nuts for not finding the answer...

Nope, you're not nuts, but apparently most of us are for thinking Apple would actually fix media "mangler" as it's often referred to.

July 27th, 2009, 09:34 PM	#1
Andy Johnson-Laird Regular Crew Join Date: May 2009 Location: Portland, Oregon ("Orygun"), USA Posts: 34	FCP6 - Finding which sequences use a given clip Apologies in advance if this is a question already asked and answered, but I've been searching for an answer for an hour or more. I suspect the issue is not knowing just the right way to phrase the question. Imagine an FCP project with, oh, say, 20 sequences for the 20 chapters of the future DVD. Also imagine a couple of hundred clips produced by ingesting entire tapes and using TC breaks to form the clips. I've constructed the 20 sequences using most of the clips. Is there a way of selecting a given clip in the Browser and getting FCP to show in which sequence(s) the clip has been used? Thanks in advance Andy __________________ Forensic Software/Image Analyst & Educational DVD Production Portland, Oregon ("Orygun"), USA : www.jli.com

July 27th, 2009, 10:42 PM	#2
Robert Lane Go Go Godzilla Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Scottsdale, AZ USA Posts: 2,788 Images: 15	Unfortunately not; media management is one of the biggest weaknesses in FCP and despite the user-base pleading with Apple for years to boost it's capabilities even the newest version still suffers from it's lack-luster and outmoded media storage/management. __________________ Robert Lane Producer/Creator - Bike Pilots TV

July 28th, 2009, 12:00 AM	#3
Paul E. Coleman Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: 42º 12' N, 72º 32' W Posts: 88	Use color labeling... I've used the color coded labeling feature to give a clip in the browser a particular color, then I look through my sequences for that colored clip. There's a few different colors available, so I've given different types of clips (talking heads - red shading / b-roll - green shading) different colors to find more as I look for stuff. Just right click a clip in the bin, change it's label from "none" to whatever color you want and you'll be able to easily pick it out.

July 28th, 2009, 10:45 AM	#4
Andy Johnson-Laird Regular Crew Join Date: May 2009 Location: Portland, Oregon ("Orygun"), USA Posts: 34	Wow. I didn't realize that "there was no way to get there from here...." It seems such a simple question -- and obviously, internally, FCP has the information as to which sequence(s) a given clip is used in. I, too, have experimented with color coding and it helps, but, obviously it's a bit of a hokey solution. I think the only solution is to try and encode the information in the clip name by giving Sequences a number, e.g. " Seq 0060 <narrative description" and then suffixing the clip name with the sequence numbers in which it has been used. Basically doing in the textual name of the clip what FCP must be doing internally. Oh, well....thanks for confirming I'm not nuts for not finding the answer... Regards Andy __________________ Forensic Software/Image Analyst & Educational DVD Production Portland, Oregon ("Orygun"), USA : www.jli.com