P2 Import in Final Cut Pro 6 : Apple Final Cut Pro Tutorial

A Creative COW Final Cut Pro Video Tutorial

Shane Ross
Los Angeles California USA
© 2007, CreativeCOW.net. All rights reserved.

Article Focus:
P2 workflows are among the very hottest topics at the Cow, and with extensive experience with P2 in broadcast editing, leader Shane Ross is one of the industry experts in the new features to support P2 in Final Cut Pro 6. In this video tutorial, Shane covers new techniques for bringing in captured footage, and as always, tips for project organization and media management for the best results with the least effort.

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Comments

Re: P2 Import in Final Cut Pro 6
by Nathalie Younglai

Excellent tutorial, thank you! I had spent 2 hours last night trying to figure out how to do this and stumbled on your video this morning. What a godsend and so easy, once you know :)

P2 Import in Final Cut Pro 6 Video
by Shannon Lloyd

YOU, SHANE, ARE A ROCK STAR

probelm with log and transfer
by Taylor Randall

When i log and transfer card 1 and card 2 the footage is incomplete and spanned how do i fix this

"assume the process is the same
by Shane Ross

"assume the process is the same if you off load cards to one disk array for archive, and then want to import material to another disk array to edit from ?"

Yes. This is what I do, and what the tutorial says. Insert the P2 card, copy the footage off onto your archive drive (or field drive, then later to the archive drive), then import. And always ALWAYS save the original P2 card structure. Always.

"Do you just assign a capture scratch drive, like you would if you are importing from tape?"

When I import...yes. This is how you tell FCP were to put the imported and captured footage.

" Also what if you media manage, then trash the material, can you connect from the original files just as simply ?"

Media Manage to free up space? To narrow the footage down to ONLY what is used in the cut? I dunno, I haven't done that. I have marked IN and OUT points on the footage in the L&T window, and then batch captured just fine. I haven't tried media managing. Why not test and see? I am a tad busy now, or I would. I might anyway, but it will be a while.

"hat if the original material is located on a number of drives, how does the reel name etc effect that process then ?"

It doesn't. The reel name is the name you give the folder you put the card structure into. It does not relate at all to the name of the drive you have it stored on. The import path FCP retains contains that information, so if you batch captured from the same drives with the same names, it would just do it. But change the name of the drive, or copy to another drive and you will have to manually direct FCP to the folder.

P2 Import in Final Cut Pro 6
by Dave Francombe

As a total rookie in tapeless work flows this was very interesting, and really informative, thanks. Couple things, you brought material in directly from the cards, but I assume the process is the same if you off load cards to one disk array for archive, and then want to import material to another disk array to edit from ? Do you just assign a capture scratch drive, like you would if you are importing from tape ? Also what if you media manage, then trash the material, can you connect from the original files just as simply ? Finally, what if the original material is located on a number of drives, how does the reel name etc effect that process then ?

P2 Import in Final Cut Pro 6
by Roli Rivelino

Excellent tutorial, though the sound was glitching on me after the first play. But tip top info, thank you.

P2 Import in Final Cut Pro 6
by Shane Ross

When I did this there weren't many applications that copied the cards...and I never had issues with the FInder level copy. Others have, so there is software that does it. I find P2CMS a horrid application to work with, so I didn't demo it. And at the time P2 Genie support had crumbled.

NOW there is a great application called ShotPut P2 by imagineproducts.com. That I highly recommend. I still recommend avoiding P2CMS. But others swear by it. go figure.

P2 Import in Final Cut Pro 6
by Jim McNally

I found this tutorial quite helpful but the initial finder transfer of footage leaves me with a question. I understand this method doesn't do a verify on the transferred files.

Is it not preferable to transfer the footage with the Panasonic P2CMS program?

P2 Import in Final Cut Pro 6
by Katrina Lynn

Thanks! This is very helpful! It's the sort of thing that's very simple, but when you're trying to help your company blind buy a P2 camera, it's nice to have a tutorial to show them.

Nice Dharma icons, by the way.

P2 Import in Final Cut Pro 6
by Oz Cavazos

I had a question about the import process, what are you using to read the card? Are your reading it from the camera in PC mode? I have been having trouble with the camera not reading or connecting to the computer...

P2 Import in Final Cut Pro 6
by Shane Ross

OK, do you have the drivers for the P2 card installed?

http://www.panasonic.com/business/provideo/p2-hd/downloads-and-updates.asp

I use my laptop...it has a PCMCIA slot (the P2 card type) built in.

P2 Import in Final Cut Pro 6
by Ron Lindeboom

Every time that I see your drives named Race Bannon and Jonny Quest, I have to crack up. One of these times I expect to watch one and see your system drive named Clutch Cargo and your media drives named Spinner and Paddlefoot. (My apologies in advance to those who do not understand references drawn from 60s and 70s Saturday morning cartoon shows.)