Apple Final Cut Pro 7 - Manual (Page 293)

Working with Batch Lists
A batch list, also called a batch capture list, is a tab-delimited text file that contains
information about clips you want to capture and use in your project. These lists provide
a convenient alternative to logging tapes and creating clips within Final Cut Pro.
In another application, you can create a list of clips with descriptive information such as
reel name, timecode, log notes, director’s comments, and so on, and then import the list
into Final Cut Pro. The imported list becomes a group of offline clips in your project, which
you can then batch capture from the original tapes. As long as you entered accurate reel
and timecode information for each clip, the clips imported via a batch list are no different
from clips created directly in Final Cut Pro.
There are various applications you can use to create a batch list such as Numbers, FileMaker
Pro, or Microsoft Excel. You can even use text editors such as TextEdit, but it is generally
easier to use a program that keeps columns of information (such as clip name, reel name,
and timecode numbers) clearly separated. For more information, see
“Creating a Batch
List.”
You can use batch lists in several ways:
• Producers and directors can create a list of clips for you to edit with and save you the
tedium of reviewing every single take.
• An editor or assistant editor can log the In and Out points of every shot and make a
note about whether the director liked each one.
• You can log material on one Final Cut Pro workstation for import and capture on another
workstation.
• You can watch your videotapes on a large projector to emulate a theater viewing
experience and take your log notes on a portable computer.
Differences Between Edit Decision Lists and Batch Lists
An Edit Decision List, or EDL, describes an entire edited sequence. After you import an
EDL into Final Cut Pro, the sequence described in the EDL is automatically created.
A batch list is a simpler list that describes only the clips used in your project, not any
chronological order or applied effects. After you import a batch list into Final Cut Pro,
your project contains a series of offline clips, one for each entry in the batch list. You then
need to recapture or relink the clips to use the media.
293 Chapter 18 Capturing Video from Tape