Wednesday, June 04, 2008

What’s in a Name?

steve martin | 06/04- 09:47 AM

Manage Your File Names without Leaving the Browser

As any editor knows, good media management begins by establishing proper naming conventions.  In a perfect world, proper clip names would be entered during the logging stage.  However, due to tight deadlines or perhaps shear laziness on the part of the editor, media file names are sometimes injested or captured with non-descript file names such as “untitled” or, as is the case with the Panasonic AG-HVX200, transferred with their 6 digit camera-assigned file names. This article will show you how to rename your files directly in the Browser using Final Cut Pro 6.  Below is an screen shot of an edit in progress using clips transferred from an AG-HVX200. 

Before you can rename the file, you first must locate the Master clip.  Park your playhead over the clip to be renamed, then press Shift-F to reveal the clip in the Browser.  The clip will become selected.

In the Browser, give your clip a meaningful name.

From the Modify Menu choose Rename>File to Match Clip.

You will be warned that what you are about to do will modify the original file. Go ahead, live life on the edge…

Because of Final Cut Pro’s Master/Affiliate clip architecture, all Affiliate clips that reference the Master clip will be renamed.

In the Finder, you’ll see that the file name was actually changed to the new name you entered in the Browser.

Page 1 of 1 pages