Apple Final Cut Pro 7 - Manual (Page 326)

• Media file: A file containing one or more video or audio tracks of sample data. Media
files contain your actual footage (also called content or essence). Associated video and
audio content (for example, interview footage including both image and sound) may
be stored together in a single file or as separate files. Separated video and audio must
be associated together via a metadata file (P2 cards have an XML file for this purpose).
Many media files are stored in a general-purpose container format, such as QuickTime
or MXF, which then contains tracks or streams of video, audio, and metadata content.
AIFF, Wave, TIFF, and JPEG are also examples of types of media files.
• MXF: A media file standard for wrapping video or audio and associated metadata into
a single container file. An MXF file is similar to a QuickTime file; they are both file formats
for storing media and metadata about the media. For more information, see
“About
MXF-Based Formats.”
• Metadata: Generally, secondary data describing the primary data. In the case of media,
the primary data is the video and audio samples themselves, and the metadata is
descriptive information attached to it, such as shooting time, GPS coordinates, camera
operator name, shot and take number, sample rate, video codec used, and so on.
• Proxy media file: A low-resolution copy of a media file, usually stored as an MPEG-4 file.
A proxy can be used for fast transfer and preview of footage. Not all formats record
proxy files.
• Clip: An object in Final Cut Pro that refers to—or points to—a media file on disk.
• Reel name: A property stored in each clip in your Final Cut Pro project to remind you
which media volume your clip’s original media is stored on. A clip’s reel name is
especially important when you are reingesting a clip and you need to find the volume
containing the original media.
• Spanned clip: A single clip that consists of two or more media files. Spanned clips are
created whenever you record a single shot that exceeds the capacity of your storage
media (or, in the case of P2 cards, if your media exceeds 4 GB). In this case, the camcorder
seamlessly continues recording to a new media file on the next available storage
medium. For more information, see
“Viewing Spanned Clips in the Browse Area.”
Example File-Based Media Workflow
The process of transferring file-based media is similar to capturing tape-based footage
using the Log and Capture window, although it is often much faster because you avoid
the inconveniences of tape. After you record your media using a device such as a Panasonic
P2, XDCAM, or AVCHD camcorder, you can connect the device to your computer and
transfer the media into Final Cut Pro using the Log and Transfer window. Here is an
example workflow to get you started using the Log and Transfer window to transfer your
recorded media into a Final Cut Pro project.
326 Chapter 21 Overview of Transferring File-Based Media