FCPX and MacBook Pro

[Gerry65]

So I've my MP for only about a month and fly mostly around water as I live in Pensacola Beach. Doing lots of videoing and got a new MacBook Pro 2 weeks ago, primarily for working on movie clips. I got the 15 inch 500GB model and was quite unsettled when I got a message a few days ago that I only had about 55GB left. WOW! I'd only done 5-6 short movies between 2-3 minutes and one 4+ minute movie of a friend windsurfing. I knew I'd eventually need an external HD but didn't think I'd need one after just 2 weeks. I gave Apple a call as I have AppleCare and they hooked me up with the App Department help and was able to delete the cache of video I'd accumulated in FCPX, which totaled 205 GB. So, I just ordered a LaCie 2TB external HD and will be using that after I format it but it was good to learn how to delete cached items from FCPX. Do others out there using this program know how to perform that procedure?

 

[LeonZ]

It's a known issue with the render files in FCPX. Search for removing those on the web.

 

[rocdok]

just about to learn i'm in the same boat as you exactly.....please do tell....otherwise i'm going to look it up....

 

[Gerry65]

Well, I don't have my laptop with me right now and I can't recall exactly but in FCPX go to pull down file menu at the top and I think there is option to 'consolidate generated files' or something like that. That should open a window in the viewer which lists 3-4 items. The cache item will list the total mb in the cache and it I think you select it and it gives you an option to delete cache. Anyway, that's the best I remember offhand but will get back when I have access to my laptop. Or, someone with exp may chime in.

 

[Budmancan]

just about to learn i'm in the same boat as you exactly.....please do tell....otherwise i'm going to look it up....

Your external drive should solve the problem. When you create a library in FCPX assign it to the external drive. Use FCPX to do the media import to the library and check the leave media in place button in the media import pane. Everything is maintained on the external drive and only very small link files are stored on the Mac. Everything will run fast and efficiently as FCPX does all the hard processing in the background and you can work with other editing tasks while this is going on.

 

[rocdok]

thanks for this both of you....such a learning curve...watching so much on youtube and udemy ....but fun for sure...

 

[pjnorris]

thanks for this both of you....such a learning curve...watching so much on youtube and udemy ....but fun for sure...

Video editing 4K footage is going to be expensive on disk space.

I use my 500mb MBP as my main edit machine. I import all my media in to one library for the particular project. Once I have cut the final movie, I put it in a folder that is synced to OneDrive for back up. I then move the whole library off to an external HDD (2TB) in a USB3 Caddy.

This way I can retrieve, or open, archived libraries whenever I want. I will but more TB disks as and when in need them and freeing up space on MBP for next project/Library.

HTH. Paul.

 

[Commo]

In virtually any laptop video editing scenario you're going to want to direct your data to an external drive for effciency and archiving..that enables the computer to route your data back and forth to the external drive while your internal drive holds the programs...

Commo

 

[Gerry65]

just about to learn i'm in the same boat as you exactly.....please do tell....otherwise i'm going to look it up....

Got back to my computer and my instructions on creating space was not too far off. You select your library in FCPX and that will list library properties in the FCPX inspector. On the bottom of the inspector it'll have the cache and the amount in the cache. Mine had something like 225GB in there. You then go to FCPX 'File' in the apple bar and select 'delete generated library files' and a box comes up with the option to 'delete render files'. I forget if i was instructed by Apple Care to delete 'unused' or 'all' but after choosing one of the options it went fro 225 to 36GB. They said to do this every so often but if you use an external HD it may not be necessary. Hope that helps some but the other folks who've responded also offer great help.

I found a good free intro to FCPX that i'll be looking at soon as I'm definetly in over my head here. Here's that site I found:

 

[Budmancan]

Got back to my computer and my instructions on creating space was not too far off. You select your library in FCPX and that will list library properties in the FCPX inspector. On the bottom of the inspector it'll have the cache and the amount in the cache. Mine had something like 225GB in there. You then go to FCPX 'File' in the apple bar and select 'delete generated library files' and a box comes up with the option to 'delete render files'. I forget if i was instructed by Apple Care to delete 'unused' or 'all' but after choosing one of the options it went fro 225 to 36GB. They said to do this every so often but if you use an external HD it may not be necessary. Hope that helps some but the other folks who've responded also offer great help.

I found a good free intro to FCPX that i'll be looking at soon as I'm definetly in over my head here. Here's that site I found:

There is a great online course available at www.peachpit.com for roughly $50 that will get you up to speed pretty quickly. I highly recommend it.

 

[mikey201]

all you have to do is delete the backups located in the movies/final cut backups folder and youll see it . its usually alot of GBs..after that empty the trash and youll be good. i had the same problem until i figured that out

 

[Gerry65]

There is a great online course available at www.peachpit.com for roughly $50 that will get you up to speed pretty quickly. I highly recommend it.

Thanks. I checked that site out and searched Final Cut Pro and they list a lot of books and e-books but I didn't see an on-line course per se. Can you be more specific about what you're referring to. Thanks

 

[Budmancan]

Thanks. I checked that site out and searched Final Cut Pro and they list a lot of books and e-books but I didn't see an on-line course per se. Can you be more specific about what you're referring to. Thanks

Sorry I did the snook course.

 

[Budmancan]

I mean the e-book course

 

[LeonZ]

1. Select a Project/Event/Library in the Browser by simply clicking on it so it's highlighted.
2. In the menu; choose File > "Delete Generated Project Files..." (or "Delete Generated Event Files..." or "Delete Generated Library Files...")
3. Choose Delete All Render Files and Click OK.

that is, if you don't want to reuse the editing that you were working with. I don't, when my films are on Youtube, I remove the rendering files

 

[Gerry65]

Oh, OK. I'll check those folders out. I assume you're referring to the movies file on my MacBook Pro, right?

I mean the e-book course

Ok, one more thing, do you recall which e-book course you used. I think there are a number to select from. Thanks.

1. Select a Project/Event/Library in the Browser by simply clicking on it so it's highlighted.
2. In the menu; choose File > "Delete Generated Project Files..." (or "Delete Generated Event Files..." or "Delete Generated Library Files...")
3. Choose Delete All Render Files and Click OK.

that is, if you don't want to reuse the editing that you were working with. I don't, when my films are on Youtube, I remove the rendering files

Thanks for laying it out so well.

 

[ChopSticks]

Your external drive should solve the problem. When you create a library in FCPX assign it to the external drive. Use FCPX to do the media import to the library and check the leave media in place button in the media import pane. Everything is maintained on the external drive and only very small link files are stored on the Mac. Everything will run fast and efficiently as FCPX does all the hard processing in the background and you can work with other editing tasks while this is going on.

In virtually any laptop video editing scenario you're going to want to direct your data to an external drive for effciency and archiving..that enables the computer to route your data back and forth to the external drive while your internal drive holds the programs...

Commo

Any idea what's a good external HD to use for editing 4k directly from? I was considering the Samsung T3 SSD but it's pretty pricey are there any alternatives or is this something I just need to accept and bite the bullet?

 

[newnan3]

Any idea what's a good external HD to use for editing 4k directly from? I was considering the Samsung T3 SSD but it's pretty pricey are there any alternatives or is this something I just need to accept and bite the bullet?

Curious to know if an external SSD like the Samsung is any faster/more reliable than a regular HD

 

[Budmancan]

Curious to know if an external SSD like the Samsung is any faster/more reliable than a regular HD

I use a 4TB LaCie Rugged with a Lightning connector. I have had zero issues. The rule of thumb I use is 1 minute of 4K video = 4GB file. I've had my Mavic for 2 months and have accumulated 300GB if video.

 

[roflyer]

So I've my MP for only about a month and fly mostly around water as I live in Pensacola Beach. Doing lots of videoing and got a new MacBook Pro 2 weeks ago, primarily for working on movie clips. I got the 15 inch 500GB model and was quite unsettled when I got a message a few days ago that I only had about 55GB left. WOW! I'd only done 5-6 short movies between 2-3 minutes and one 4+ minute movie of a friend windsurfing. I knew I'd eventually need an external HD but didn't think I'd need one after just 2 weeks. I gave Apple a call as I have AppleCare and they hooked me up with the App Department help and was able to delete the cache of video I'd accumulated in FCPX, which totaled 205 GB. So, I just ordered a LaCie 2TB external HD and will be using that after I format it but it was good to learn how to delete cached items from FCPX. Do others out there using this program know how to perform that procedure?

1. When you copy your media footage from SD cards, do it to your external hard drives.
2. When you import media to edit in FCPX choose only "create proxy media" and "leave files in place".

This wiil prevent FCPX to render proxy media to your local HD and copy those files to it... The downside is that you have always to get your external HD connected to your Mac while editing, and you will loose some performance, so choose carefully your external HDs.