Hi all,


I've just started using our P2 workflow. Now I'm looking for advice on archiving. With tape, I had batch captured and reinstalled the clips from tape. I know there's a slick, fast and easy way to archive P2 projects, but haven't yet discovered it for myself. Been reading through the help, sites, forums here, etc...

I thought the basic workflow is to consolidate the media to another HDD and save the project folder. I'm having problems getting the media back into the restored project. When I reinstall the project folder, the timeline is there all laid out with the fx, and the bin has the clip names. I've been trying to relink these clips, but I'm not getting the media restored, and have tried several different options in the relink tool.

I'd love some info/advice/tips on the best way to archive P2 media based projects and to restore them for future editing.

As always, I really appreciate the help!

Mark

In order to see the MXF files in Avid you have to restore them to folder X:\Avid MediaFiles\MXF\1\. The last folder - "1" can be replaced by any number and this way you can kepp the files organised. But even if you use other folder with differen number as the name, you MUST still have the folder 1 present and filled with at least one media file so the Avid makes his databases msmFMID.pmr and msmMMOB.mdb.

I don't recommend you to restore the MXF files to "1" folder. Simply make another folder with numbers which make sense (for example "99") and put files there.

When you restore the MXF files to X:\Avid MediaFiles\MXF\99\ folder you MUST NOT copy there the msmFMID.pmr and msmMMOB.mdb databases from your backup . When you start the Avid, it'll create them properly.

If you put the MXF files to MediaFiles folder and Avid has created his databases don't restore to this folder another MXF files. Simply make another folder like X:\Avid MediaFiles\MXF\999\ and put another restored files there. Again after starting Avid (or switching to application) the Avid makes his databases correctly.

After those procedures you should be able see those files in Media Tool. If yes, then it should work in timeline without performing any relinking.

This works for me, I hope it will work for you.

PP

The method we've used stems from the very early P2 work we did.  At that stage there were significant bugs with the Firestore firmware, so we had to develop our own bulk storage approach.

On location we handle the P2 cards like film mags.  They are transferred by the camera assistant as they fill to an external hard drive using a laptop.  Each card goes into its own uniquely named folder.  In our case the folder is named for the producton, the shoot day, and the mag number.  Two drives are used and for security the folders are duplicated before returning the P2 card to use.

At the end of each day one drive is returned to base, where its contents are transferred to our backup drive and from that to Avid.  It is then picked up next day fro return to location.  The result is total media redundancy from the start of production.  Backups are done at the outset, not the end of production.

We follow a similar line to jwrl.

First step is to buy shares in Panasonic and Seagate.

Last project 380 minutes of P2 at 1080 resolution.

2x 32GB P2's at $1700 each

Field hardrives 2x 500GB drives

Backup storage required 400 Gb's

Avid storage required  400GBs.

1.6TB of disk space for a safe(ish) workflow.

Add the Laptop and HOURS of assistants time and you REALLY appreciate how solid state is the way of the future.

IMO XDCAM/HD eats Solid state for breakfast on workflow, security, sanctity of your wallet and speed of ingest to Avid in any workflow requiring backup. Not to mention being able to hand the client a $30 disk at the end of the shoot and wave them goodbye.

thanks, everyone. I probably didn't explain myself very well on my post, but have since worked it out anyway. from these forums and other places on line, seems there is no streamlined method here for archiving P2 media. For future reference (possibly my own!) and for anybody else looking for ideas, I thought I'd post here what worked very well for us. btw, we're running Media Composer Adrenaline, 2.7.5

thanks!

AVID P2 MEDIA ARCHIVING

 

ARCHIVING

 

1. Be sure ext HD archive contains no Avid Media Files nor OMFI files out in the open.

 

2. Create new folder on archive HD, name it the project to be archived.

 

3. Best to put everything in one bin.

 

4. Select all media in bin.

 

5. Consolidate

 

6. check video and audio on the same drives

 

7. select archive HD

 

8. Uncheck everything

 

9. Consolidate button.

 

10. select "Relink Master Clips to media on target drive" in new window.

 

11. OK

 

(consolidates)

 

12. close Avid.

 

13. Save the project file on the ext. HD Archive. [Might also have to save the gfx elements in the archive, but should be OK if they will be in the same place when recalling project later.]

 

(delete project from Avid)

RECALLING

 

1. Have Avid off and the archive ext. HD connected.

 

2. Restore the project folder.

 

3. Launch Avid/project.

 

4. Put archived "Avid Media Files" to the root drive of the archive HD.

 

5. Reconsolidate the sequence to Avid Media Drive