Re: Project Problem

I have my documentary film as the Library and divided the film sequences into several projects, so I can edit them separately, and then converted them into the "original compound clips". Once they are all edited, I throw all these compound clips onto a new Master Project to build the film.

Now I want to make my changes, so on the Master Project, I select the button up on the left of a compound clip so it opens up. Then I do my changes in several compound clips, so they become the "modified compound clips".

Then I see, what I had done in the "original compound clips" was much better, or may be I need some parts of the "original compound clips". But: they are gone! The version in the "original compound clip" is no longer available. They have been also modified and had also become "modified compound clips".

Thats a nightmare. I had to rebuilt several "original compound clips" out of my memory, which sometimes was not possible any more. So will I have to go back to backup library versions, to recover my older stuff? I cannot believe that. There should be an easier way to do this.

Would be very pleased to receive some help.
Cheers

You are doing this the wrong way.

When you want to make changes inside a Compound Clip timeline without losing the original edit, you first need to make the Compound Clip independent.

Select the CC on the master timeline and choose Clip > Reference New Parent Clip. This will create a new Compound Clip in the Browser. This new CC is a copy of the original CC, but it is independent. Now you can make any changes to the CC on the master timeline, this won't have any effect on the original CC. And yes, you also can use parts of the original CC in the new CC as well if you wish.

Best wishes,

Ronny

This is exactly what I needed, thanks Ronny, like always, you got it immediately.

This is not your fault, there is not enough documentation about this kind of workflows with compound clips. I think 80% of all FCP X users are not aware of the Reference New Parent Clip feature. But it's quite powerful: if you don't like the changes you have made you can simply substitute the CC on the timeline with the original CC, make it independent again and continue to work on it. You will always preserve the original edit.

Best wishes,

Ronny

A part from the fact that it is quite powerful, I think also its very basic. Its absolutely normal and necessary to come back to older editing versions.

You also can use the "Duplicate As Snapshot" command. This creates a self-contained copy of a Project timeline with all assets, including compound clips and multiclips, "frozen" in time. When you have created a Snapshot of your timeline, any changes you make to compound clips in this timeline will not affect the Compound Clips in the Snapshot copy.

Best wishes,

Ronny

Hi Phil,

That's a good method, you can do it either way.

Best wishes,

Ronny

I was doing Phils method, but in a wrong way without using the snapshot command. I was just copying the master project to the following version number ...#2, #3, #4 etc, but then, as mentioned, the changes in the latest compound clips were visible through all version.

When you have a CC on a Project timeline and you open the CC from within that timeline, the triangles indicate which part of the original CC is being used on that timeline. You cannot move these triangles, they are just indicators.

But you can modify the length of any clip on the timeline of the CC.

Best wishes,

Ronny

I know that you can modify the length on the timeline, but sometimes you need to see what you are doing inside the CC to determine modification.

Compound Clips are containers, just like Nested clips in good old FCP. They are used to wrap finished edits or compositions inside one single clip in order to easily re-use them in other Projects.

When you want to modify the content of a CC you have to step into it (Open in Timeline), do your changes on the CC timeline and then step out of it again. That's exactly how it works with nested clips in FCP, or how it works with nested comps in After Effects.

That's why you only should use CCs once you know you won't have to make many changes to them anymore. Finish your edit as much as you can, and only then compound it to re-use it on a master timeline.

If you still need to make a lot of changes to a CC once it is on the master timeline, it may be easier to just break apart the CC on the master timeline (SHIFT+CMD+G). This will open the entire content of the CC right on the timeline.

Best wishes,

Ronny

Another little question, concerning CCs. Lets say you have a CC and then make it shorter. When you open it, there is this grey area, which is the part of the clip that you had shortened previously. And up there is a little triangle, just on the border between the grey and the normal looking area. Is there any chance to move this triangle, means to modify inside the opened CC the length of the clip?