Multiple Sequences in FCP?

[Paul J Carey]

I am about to edit my first wedding video in Final Cut Pro. I actually haven't done any projects in DVD Studio Pro either. Forgive my naive questions. I did a few searches and didn't see anything.

What I am trying to do is create a DVD with multiple chapters: the pre-ceremony, the ceremony and the reception. I know I can add chapter markers in my timeline and DVD Studio Pro will recognize them. But for a longer video, is it better to create multiple sequences? They will all have a different feel to them so it just feels like they should be edited independent of each other. If I do create multiple sequences, how hard is it to export them to DVD Studio Pro. I want to make sure I am doing this right before beginning to edit. Thanks for your help!!

- Paul

[Nate Schmidt]

There's a couple ways you could do this...
You could create seperate sequences for each section to keep organized, which is what I like to do, and then when you're done the edit you could either copy and paste all the clips into a new sequence and then add chapters and export, or else export each sequence as a seperate movie and then encode all thise to mpeg2 and give them each their own track in DVD Studio Pro and just have them play back to back on the DVD.

[Todd Giglio]

Hi Paul,

When I edit in FCP for my weddings, I do a sequence for each individual element (pre-ceremony, ceremony, reception; sometimes I will break the reception down also). For the reception, I piece all of my sequences together to create one exported movie for compression.

In DVD Studio Pro I import all of the assets and then put them on each on it's own track (you can dictate 'at end jump to' so that the ceremony will automatically jump to the beginning of the reception). For example I will have (in DVDSP) one track that is the ceremony, one that is the reception, one that is the love story, on is the music video, one that is pre-ceremony, one that is 'deleted' scenes and/or out takes, etc.) Each section has it's chapter markers, but I set it up so that it will go from one track to another seemlessly (the B&G can press play and it will play every element of the DVD; plus they can jump around if they want).

Hope that helps.

Todd

[Nate Weaver]

You can also edit each section is it's own sequence, and then nest the finished section sequences into one big master sequence.

To export to DVDSP, to chapter markers would have to be in the master sequence, not in the sub (section) sequences.

I use this method for long form videos all the time, it helps with FCP's memory management. If you load a 90 minute sequence up with hundreds of cuts and you don't have enough RAM, FCP will swap disk space and slow way down. But if the project is in 'sections', and you keep the master or other finished sequences closed until you need them, then you can get by.

[Paul J Carey]

Thanks guys. That definitely helps. It sounds like I can do it either way. I think I will create seperate sequences and then combine them before compression. I'm guessing if I put a chapter marker at the beginning of each sequence that should help when exporting to DVDSP.