Apple Final Cut Pro 7 - Manual (Page 248)

Important: Whenever you create clips from NTSC footage without a tape in your video
device, you risk entering the wrong type of timecode (drop frame instead of non-drop
frame, or vice versa) because Final Cut Pro isn’t reading timecode directly from the tape
itself. If you are manually entering timecode in the Log and Capture window, and there
is no tape in the device, make sure that the Default Timecode pop-up menu in the device
control preset you are using is set to the proper timecode. (For more information, see
“Device Control Settings and Presets.” ) You can also Control-click the timecode field for
the clip In or Out point in the Log and Capture window and choose between drop frame
and non-drop frame timecode.
Import Final Cut Pro XML created in another application, then batch capture clips
The Final Cut Pro XML Interchange Format can be used to represent entire projects,
including sequences, bins, and clips. Using any XML-compliant application, you can create
an entire project in the Final Cut Pro XML Interchange Format, import the XML file, and
then batch capture the clips. This is similar to importing a batch list, but with XML you
can create not only clips, but sequences, bins, effects, and so on.
• Logging: Import the XML file into Final Cut Pro.
• Capturing: Batch capture the clips you created to make them online.
The Importance of Logging
Because of the deadline-driven nature of moviemaking, it is tempting to skip the
time-consuming preparatory steps in an effort to produce results faster. Don’t make this
mistake. The benefits of accurate logging usually come late in a project, such as in the
media management and finishing phases, when time is at a premium.
To log your tapes using Final Cut Pro, you connect your camcorder or deck to your
computer and use the Logging tab in the Log and Capture window to specify the reel
number, timecode In and Out points, and name of each clip you create.
In the Logging tab, you can also add details about each clip such as a clip description,
scene number, shot or take number, and general logging notes. You can also select a
checkbox labeled Good to identify the best of several takes. Once you have edited several
projects, you may devise your own particular rules and abbreviations for these descriptive
fields.
Each clip that you log is stored in your project, and all of the descriptive information in
the clip can be changed in the Browser or using the Item Properties window. For more
information about changing clip properties, see
“Working with Projects, Clips, and
Sequences.”
248 Chapter 15 Overview of Capturing Tape-Based Media