FCSvr 101: Introduction to Administering Final Cut Server

This two-day class guides you through administering Final Cut Server, Apple’s powerful media asset management and workflow automation software. Featuring deeper integration with Final Cut Studio, Final Cut Server 1.5 lets you find production assets at blazing speeds and automate post-production workflows with ease. The course combines lectures and hands-on case study exercises to provide practical real-world experience.

Who Should Attend

This course is designed to provide the necessary skills, tools, and knowledge to those who are responsible for implementing and maintaining Final Cut Server systems. It is appropriate for system administrators, technical coordinators, resellers, Apple field employees working with Pro Apps, and technicians working in a post house, studio, or other large facility.

What You Will Learn

• Working with the interface
• Understanding the features of Final Cut Server
• Connecting Final Cut Server to devices
• Automating workflow with Final Cut Server and Compressor
• Using Final Cut Server tools to monitor and troubleshoot jobs
• Effective use of Final Cut Server in several collaborative scenarios
• Understanding integration with Final Cut Studio applications

Prerequisites

Students should have the following prerequisite knowledge prior to attending the course:

• Understanding of Mac OS X in a network environment
• Basic troubleshooting experience or Snow Leopard 101
• Thorough knowledge of Final Cut Pro and Final Cut Studio
• ACSA status or Xsan 301 knowledge helpful
• Before attending this class, students may want to review the Final Cut Server tutorials.

Course Outline

Day 1

Overview of Final Cut Server, Understanding Server, Client and Device Paradigms, Understanding Assets, Proxies, Metadata, Productions and Jobs, Installing Final Cut Server, Downloading and Installing the Client Application and
Logging into Final Cut Server

Introducing the Structure of Metadata, Manually Adding Assets, Using the Upload Files Command, Uploading Using Drag and Drop, Using Special Uploads and Uploading a Folder of Files

Understanding Acquisition Scenarios, Assigning and Using a Local Scratch Drive, Uploading a Final Cut Pro Project, Preparing Final Cut Server, Assigning the Scratch Disk to a Scanned Device, Using Log and Transfer with a Scanned Device and Working with Elements of a Project

Using Scans and Watchers, Setting Up a Basic Scan, Breaking Down the Scan, Discovering Video Assets Using Scans, Discovering Audio Assets Using Scans, Discovering Graphic Assets Using Scans, Discovering Assets Using Watchers and Using Sample Media to Trigger the Watchers

Structuring Search Queries, Viewing Search Results, Adjusting Search-Results Settings, Customizing Advanced Searches, Utilizing Advanced Search and Creating Smart Searches, Deleting Assets, Locking and Unlocking Assets and Organizing Assets into Productions

Preparing Final Cut Server, Adding Final Cut Pro Projects to Final Cut Server, Online Workflow, Offline Edit Proxy Workflow, Adding New Content to a Final Cut Pro Project and Using Version Control

Day 2

Working with Final Cut Studio Projects, Preparing for Motion, Roundtripping a Motion Project, Working with Graphics Applications, Preparing Final Cut Server, Cataloging Photos, Metadata Mapping, Configuring Custom Metadata Maps, Viewing Custom Metadata, Exporting Metadata as XML, Writing XML Based on Status and Working with Podcast Producer

Adding New Users for Review and Approve, Investigating the Built-In Review and Approve Template, Triggering the Review and Approve Functions, Customizing the Default Template, Associating Metadata Fields, Setting Up Email Responses for Status Change Notification, Configuring Special Permission Sets, Walking Through a Custom Review and Approve Workflow, Using Annotations for Review and Approve and Walking Through a Sample Review and Approve Workflow

Configuring Settings for Publishing Finished Media, Configuring Job Email Notifications, Configuring Watchers for Delivery, Copying Content from Watchers to Destination Locations, Configuring Metadata Subscriptions for Delivery, Associating and Triggering Responses Using a Metadata Subscription and Using Metadata Subscription for Publishing

Creating an Archive Device, Archiving Assets, Searching for Archived Assets, Restoring Archived Assets, Automating Archiving and Setting Up the Automated Restore Process

Production Scans, Mapping Directory Name Components to Metadata Fields, Changing the Default Views, Optimizing the Database, Using Command-Line Binaries and Advanced Command-Line Tasks

Students take an end user exam to earn Apple Certified Pro, Final Cut Server 1.5 Level One status