Final Cut Studio (2009): Exchanging clip metadata between Cinema Tools and Final Cut Pro

  • Last Modified: July 23, 2009
  • Article: HT3675

Summary

Follow these best practices when you exchange metadata between Cinema Tools and FInal Cut Pro.

Avoid exporting a Batch List from Final Cut Pro for importing into Cinema Tools to create a Cinema Tools database.

This method only works if Final Cut Pro is using the English language and only provides minimal information. Instead, use the "Synchronize with Cinema Tools" command in the Final Cut Pro Tools menu. The options will then be to add the selected clips to an existing Cinema Tools database or create a new database. This method works with all supported languages and ensures all available information processes correctly.

Avoid exporting a Batch Capture list from Cinema Tools with the intent of importing it into Final Cut Pro.

This method only works if you are using English as the system language and it provides only minimal information. Instead, use the XML Batch List command in the Cinema Tools Export menu. In addition to working with all supported languages, an XML batch list also has the advantage of including additional information about each clip that is imported into Final Cut Pro. Additionally, you can import Telecine Log files directly into Final Cut Pro and avoid the need for Cinema Tools to export an XML batch list.

Products Affected

Cinema Tools, Final Cut Pro, Final Cut Studio (2009)

Add clips in the Final Cut Pro Browser to a Cinema Tools database using any of the following methods:

  • Select the clips in the Final Cut Pro Browser then choose Tools > Synchronize with Cinema Tools.
  • Select the clips in the Final Cut Pro Browser then choose File > Export > Batch List to generate a tab-delimited text file. You can then import  that file into a Cinema Tools database by choosing File > Import > Final Cut Pro Batch List.

Note: You should avoid the last method listed, using tab-delimited batch lists, because these batch lists do not contain all the metadata that the XML batch lists contain. Cinema Tools supports Final Cut Pro batch lists only in English. Using the "Synchronize with Cinema Tools" command is always preferable to using a Final Cut Pro tab-delimited batch list.

Create a list of clips to capture in Final Cut Pro that are based on a Cinema Tools database using any of the following methods:

  • In Final Cut Pro, choose File > Import > Cinema Tools Telecine Log.
  • In Cinema Tools, choose File > Import > Telecine Log to add the clips to a database, then choose File > Export > XML Batch List to generate an XML list of the clips that you can import into Final Cut Pro by choosing File > Import > XML.
  • In Cinema Tools, choose File > Import > Telecine Log to add the clips to a database, then choose  then File > Export > Batch Capture to generate a tab-delimited list of the clips that you can import into Final Cut Pro by choosing File > Import > Batch List.

Note: You should avoid the last method listed, using tab-delimited batch lists, because these batch lists do not contain all the metadata that the XML batch lists contain. Cinema Tools supports Final Cut Pro batch lists only in English. Using an XML batch list is always preferable to using a Final Cut Pro tab-delimited batch list.

Additional Information

See the Cinema Tools User Manual for more information about these options.

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