Self-contanied vs. Not...
 

Wondering what all the advantages are of creating a file that is self-contained vs. creating one that is not. Self-contained is explained as one that saves all the "info" that comes with it in one file, even though it is a bigger file, it is easier to share it or tranfer it. What happens when you are not sharing it?

This came up when I was trying to use the DVCPRO HD Frame Rate Converter and I was trying to slow down a 60fps clip to 24fps and apply it to my project. Is this is a case when I want to just make it NOT self-contained so that it saves me space? Is self-contained useful when exporting a quicktime movie to share with others? Thanks for any help. :)

Self-Contained movie files are a direct transfer of the digital data of your edit in absolute order of the sequence. Nothing is recompressed (unless you check that box) therefore making a very clean copy of your edit. NOT self-contained used to be called a reference file. This file contains all the hard drive locations and edit info of the footage you have selected in the sequence but none of the actual data. That's why it's much smaller. These files are good for bringing an edited sequence into another program (After Effects, Motion, even Final Cut again) without clogging up your hard drive with entire movie files. These reference files can't be used outside of the computer they were created on unless the entire project is contained on an external drive.

Changing the speed of a video file and then sharing it with other people using FCP requires that you export a self-contained file.

Self Contained
 

Marco,

For me here is are the pros and cons and self contained

pros - Do not need original footage. Self contained file is not dependent on render files and video files for playback. Many times I have inadvertently trashed a video clip only to find out after opening a file that the video clip had to be recaptured.

cons - memory and time. Files will get upwards of 8-10 GB for an hour video plus it takes a lot longer to export the file when self contained is marked.

Hope this helps,

Jon Schwartz
Owner CA Video Productions