Benefits of logging, Preparing to log – Apple Final Cut Pro 7 User Manual
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Important:
When you log in Final Cut Pro, you add descriptive information to clips, not
to media files. This means that all of your logging information is stored in your project
file, not the media files on disk. If you delete your project file or clips from the Browser,
your logging information is gone forever.
Benefits of Logging
Aside from the practical matters of selecting which footage to capture to disk, logging
has many editorial benefits:
• By watching the footage, you familiarize yourself with the material of your project. The
better you know your footage, the more options you have when you’re stuck in an
editorial corner.
• Adding descriptive notes, comments, and labels to the footage helps you, and other
editors on the project, navigate large amounts of original source material.
• The first time you watch the footage is a unique occasion to view it objectively. Your
gut reactions are important to note at this time. They serve as valuable reminders of
what a first-time viewer may think of the footage long after you have seen the same
shots over and over again.
• Meticulous logging can identify problem shots early on, when there is still a chance to
fix them. For example, if there is only one take of a particular scene, and it is flawed,
the director may have an opportunity to reshoot it if informed early enough. Usually,
these discoveries should be made in production, during the review of dailies. As an
editor, you have the potential to warn the production crew of possible errors before it
is too late.
• Logging can reduce the amount of footage you capture and edit with. Editing is a
constant process of refinement and reduction of footage. When you log your footage,
you can often eliminate a large amount of footage before you start editing.
Preparing to Log
During the logging stage, you find out just how organized you really were during the
production phase. No matter how careful you were, a few things may not have been
labeled properly, or some information may be missing. Take time before you begin
post-production to get your tapes as organized as possible.
Remember that the list below is really a production checklist. However, any inconsistencies
during production should be straightened out before you start logging and capturing.
• Clearly label each of your tapes (reels) with a unique, simple name: If for any reason you
ever leave the Final Cut Pro editing environment to work on another system, simpler
reel names will cause less confusion. See
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Chapter 15
Overview of Capturing Tape-Based Media