Hey there, welcome to Quick Tip King!

With the latest update to Final Cut Pro X, Apple upgraded the program in many ways, but one of the biggest changes is in how files are handled.  What was once Final Cut Events and Projects has been replaced by “Libraries.”  Setting it up is similar to setting up a scratch disk, for those that remember Final Cut Pro 7.   This update gives you more control over where your files are saved and it gives you more organization within FCPX.

To create a “Library,” simply click File > New > Library

Find a drive and a location for where you would like to store all of your project files.  Again, this is similar to setting up a scratch disk, but now you can set up a different “Library” for each individual project if you’d like, or you could still form one large master scratch folder.  The choice is up to you.

Navigate to where you would like the Library saved and name it accordingly.

Note: Once it is created there is nothing in FCPX that indicates where it is saved.  FCPX will immediately create a new event in the Library.  Feel free to delete or rename it.  Now when you add keywords while logging footage, you can potentially organize three “folders” deep with Library > Event > Keyword.  That’s one more level of organization that wasn’t there before.  Thanks, Apple.

But where are my files?

Have you looked in the finder for your files yet?  Go ahead, take a peak.  Your Final Cut Events and Projects folder is now gone or useless.  Your new files are there!  They are now in a Final Cut Libraries file.  The icon is a friendly-looking set of four lavender boxes with stars on them.  But when you double click on the library file, it just takes you back to Final Cut.  Don’t worry, you can still get to your files in the finder.

To see the contents in the finder: Right click > Show Content Packages

Now you can see your files again! Thanks, Apple.

So what do you think of FCPX.1 so far?  Love it? Hate it?

And as always please feel free to send me any questions!