Apple Pro Training Series Getting Started with Final Cut Server

Apple Pro Training Series Getting Started with Final Cut Server

Released May 2008
Publisher(s): Peachpit Press
ISBN: 9780321549952

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Book description


Designed for video-production professionals, Final Cut Server sets the standard for intuitive media asset management, making it easy to manage large collections
of media files efficiently. In this Apple-authorized reference guide, system integrator Matthew Geller takes you on a comprehensive tour of the software, covering everything from tools for tracking, reviewing, and approving jobs to automating complex sequences of tasks in a busy post environment. Along the way, Geller shares essential workflows that will shave hours from your post-production jobs. You’ll learn techniques for searching, cataloging, and finding the right asset quickly, as well as how to handle large quantities of real-time HD video, audio, and still image assets in a fast-paced production environment.

Administrators will find a comprehensive overview of how to set up and configure this powerful collaboration tool, how to customize it to serve individual sites, and how to automate workflows and manage storage locations, users, and groups.

Table of contents

  1. Copyright
  2. Getting Started
    1. The Methodology
    2. System Requirements
    3. About the Apple Pro Training Series
    4. Apple Pro Certification Program
    5. Resources
  3. Using Final Cut Server
    1. 1. Overview and Interface Basics
      1. The Nature of the Software: Server, Client, and Device
        1. A Few Words on Nomenclature
      2. The Building Blocks: Assets, Proxies, Metadata, Productions, and Jobs
        1. Collaboration: Users and Groups
      3. Downloading the Client Application
      4. Installation Instructions for Mac
      5. Installation Instructions for PCs
      6. Logging In to Final Cut Server
      7. Lesson Review
        1. Answers
    2. 2. Working with Assets
      1. Searching for Assets
        1. Structuring Search Queries
        2. Selecting Advanced Search Options
        3. Viewing Search Results
        4. Adjusting Search Results Settings
        5. Working with Smart Searches
      2. Accessing Asset Options and Properties
        1. Asset Info Window
        2. Locking and Unlocking Assets
        3. Reanalyzing Assets
      3. Enriching Assets with Metadata and Annotation
        1. Adding and Editing Asset Metadata
        2. Annotating Clips
      4. Getting Assets into Final Cut Server
        1. Uploading Files
        2. Adding Metadata During Upload
        3. Watchers
        4. Scans
      5. Getting Assets Out of Final Cut Server
        1. Previewing Assets
        2. Checking Primary Representation Availability
        3. Adding to Cache
        4. Dragging and Dropping
        5. Preparing for Disconnected Use
        6. Adjusting the Cache and Alias Preferences
        7. Exporting Primary Representations
        8. Archiving and Restoring Assets
        9. Duplicating Primary Representations
        10. Deleting Assets
      6. Monitoring Access with Check Out and Version Control
        1. Checking Out and Checking In Assets
        2. Revealing Checked Out Media
        3. Tracking Changes with Version Control
      7. Lesson Review
        1. Answers
    3. 3. Working with Final Cut Studio Projects
      1. Adding Final Cut Studio Projects to Final Cut Server
        1. Uploading Project Files
        2. Uploading Final Cut Pro Project Files
        3. Understanding Version Control
      2. Working with Final Cut Pro Project Assets
        1. Viewing Final Cut Pro Project Asset Details
        2. Adding and Editing Project Metadata
        3. Reviewing and Approving Final Cut Pro Project Assets
      3. Working with Elements
        1. Viewing Element Details
        2. Viewing Master Assets
        3. Annotating Elements
        4. Viewing Element Metadata
        5. Checking Out and Checking In Final Cut Pro Project Assets
        6. Checking Out a Project
        7. Retrieving Original Final Cut Pro Projects
        8. Checking In a Project
      4. Exporting Final Cut Pro Project Assets
      5. Using Media Prepared for Disconnected Use
      6. Archiving Assets Associated with Final Cut Pro Projects
      7. Lesson Review
        1. Answers
    4. 4. Working with Productions
      1. Searching for Productions
      2. Associating Assets with Productions During Upload
      3. Creating Productions
      4. Viewing Production Details
      5. Adding Assets to Productions
      6. Deleting Productions
      7. Lesson Review
        1. Answers
    5. 5. Working with Devices
      1. Searching a Device for Files
      2. Viewing Device Content
      3. Viewing File Details
      4. Viewing Files
      5. Cataloging Device Files
      6. Exporting and Duplicating Assets from Devices
      7. Deleting Files
      8. Lesson Review
        1. Answers
    6. 6. Working with Jobs
      1. Viewing Downloads and Uploads
      2. Viewing All Jobs
      3. Searching for Jobs
      4. Viewing Job Details and Error Messages
      5. Retrying and Canceling Jobs
      6. Lesson Review
        1. Answers
  4. Basic Final Cut Server Administration
    1. 7. Basic Administration
      1. Accessing Administration Tools
      2. Defining Groups and Permission Sets
        1. Using System Preferences to Create Users and Groups
        2. Defining Groups
        3. Using Workgroup Manager to Create Groups
        4. Adding Groups to Final Cut Server
        5. Assigning Permission Sets to Groups
        6. Setting Group Priorities
        7. Checking Logins and Permissions
      3. Defining Devices
        1. Determining Device Requirements
        2. Adding a New Device
      4. Creating Simple Automations
        1. Defining File System Watchers
        2. Defining Metadata Subscriptions
      5. Backing Up the Final Cut Server Catalog
      6. Lesson Review
        1. Answers
  5. Advanced Final Cut Server Administration
    1. 8. Advanced Administration
      1. Administration Tools Within the Client Application
      2. Adding and Editing Metadata
        1. Creating and Editing Metadata Fields
        2. Data Types
        3. Creating and Editing Lookups for Metadata Fields
        4. Creating and Editing Metadata Groups
        5. Modifying Specialized Metadata Groups
        6. Creating and Editing Metadata Sets
        7. Mapping External Metadata to Final Cut Server Fields
      3. Giving Devices Edit-in-Place Status
      4. Defining Transcode Settings
        1. Working with Media Transcode Settings
        2. Creating Custom Settings in Compressor
        3. Creating Settings for Other Industry Formats
        4. Linking Compressor Settings to Final Cut Server Transcode Settings
        5. Creating Custom Still Image Transcoding Settings
        6. Linking Settings to Devices
      5. Creating Advanced Automations
        1. Response Definitions
        2. Defining Responses and Response Details
          1. Copy
          2. Read and Write XML
          3. Scan
          4. Scan Production
          5. Run an External Script or Command
          6. Search Expired
        3. Defining Triggers and Trigger Details
          1. Schedule
          2. Watcher
          3. Subscription
      6. Adding and Editing Permission Sets
      7. Using the Logs Tab
      8. Using the Preferences Tab
        1. Global Preferences
        2. Compressor
        3. Proxies
        4. Version Control
        5. Analyze
      9. Lesson Review
        1. Answers
    2. 9. Workflows and Final Cut Server
      1. Planning Your Workflow
      2. Broadcast News Workflow
        1. Uploading with Metadata
        2. Tracking Production Progress
        3. Getting Remote Producer Approval
        4. Making Assets Available Based on Metadata
        5. Archiving Assets
        6. Previewing and Annotating HD Footage Through Proxies
      3. Rich-Media Publishing Workflow
        1. Remote Workflow
        2. Accessing and Adding Metadata
        3. Versioning Assets
        4. Automating Posts to a Website
      4. Lesson Review
        1. Answers
    3. Best Practices for Installation
      1. Optimizing the Final Cut Server
        1. Using the Right Mac
        2. Stuffing the Machine with RAM, RAM, and More RAM
        3. Creating a Redundant Array for the System Volume
        4. Beefing Up the Ethernet Pipe
        5. Regulating Bandwidth for Xsan Clients
      2. Optimizing Your LAN
      3. Planning File Locations
        1. Planning for the Proxies Device
        2. Planning for Other Final Cut Server Devices
        3. Planning the Catalog Backup Location
      4. Optimizing Transcoding Operations
      5. Installing Final Cut Server
    4. Glossary

Product information

  • Title: Apple Pro Training Series Getting Started with Final Cut Server
  • Author(s):
  • Release date: May 2008
  • Publisher(s): Peachpit Press
  • ISBN: 9780321549952