Apple Final Cut Pro 7 - Manual (Page 328)

A typical file-based media folder may hold several types of files associated with each shot
of footage, including the video, audio, and other files such as XML files. To transfer your
media to your computer, you should transfer the entire folder that the file-based media
is recorded in. Although the folder may look like any standard folder in your Finder, it’s
recommended that you not change the contents of the folder in any way, because the
access and playback of the files often require the exact filenames and hierarchy of folders
that the camcorder originally created them with. So opening a folder of your source media
and changing filenames or sub-folder names can have unexpected results, and may make
files unusable.
After a shoot, it’s recommended that you immediately back up the folder of source media
for safekeeping. Once you have a copy made, you can then copy the folder to your
computer and ingest the media into a Final Cut Pro project.
At the point of backing up your source media folder, you can take a first critical step in
logging your media. It’s recommended that you rename the source media folder with an
easily identifiable reel name. Although there are no actual reels used with file-based
media, assigning a reel name to each source media folder creates a basic organization
for your source footage, clips, and media files that will make retrieving and accessing files
more efficient later. For more information about choosing a useful reel-naming scheme,
see
“Choosing Reel Names for Folders of File-based Media.”
When you copy your source media folder to your computer, Final Cut Pro identifies this
folder as a volume. You use the Log and Transfer window to open a volume of source
media in order to transfer the media files into your project and create clips. The name of
your source media folder appears in the Volume column in the Browser area of the Log
and Transfer window. If you have applied a reel name to the source media folder, you
can check the Volume column to see the reel location of your source media.
As you log clips, Final Cut Pro uses the volume name as the reel name logged with clips
and media files. Therefore, if you have applied a reel name to your source media folder,
your source folder name, the volume name, and logged reel name are all the same. For
example, if you give a source media folder the reel name, 001 Camera 1, you can mount
the 001 Camera 1 folder as a volume and as you log clips, the reel name associated with
each clip and media file is 001 Camera 1. You then have a clear path for tracking source
footage, clips, and media files logged with the same reel name.
Note: REDCODE media requires a slightly different procedure. For more information, see
“Working with REDCODE Media” in Professional Formats and Workflows, available in
Final Cut Pro Help.
328 Chapter 21 Overview of Transferring File-Based Media