Apple Final Cut Server David Leathers September 1, 2008 Source: Studio Monthly Final Cut Server is a server-based database application that is, as one would expect, highly integrated with Final Cut Pro and Xserve. It’s designed to manage video, audio, stills and other digital assets across networks involving multiple users, projects and storage devices. Though it’s scalable from a single user and project to potentially very large workgroups managing multiple, simulaneous projects, it’s highly customizable, giving it huge potential for facilities of every size.
Final Cut Server grew out of artbox, a digital asset management tool from a company called Proximity that Apple acquired at the end of 2006. In 2003, Proximity won a technical Emmy for the precursor to artbox, which launched in 2004 and cost $20,000 per copy. Apple sells its Final Cut Pro-optimized version for $999 (one server, 10 clients) to $1999 (unlimited clients).
Final Cut Server runs best on a Mac Pro or an Xserve. How you set it up is completely up to you and depends on the equipment and workflow of your workgroup. It’s also compatible with a wide variety of storage devices. Though aimed at edit-intensive operations, Server is not an editing application and being a good editor won’t help you much in setting it up. It’s a pure database library type of application. Optimizing your system requires network, database and scripting skills.
That being said, the interface for end users (editors, artists, production support staff, etc.) is simple and intuitive. The general functions include being able to enter and catalogue media assets into a database, search and control access to the contents of the database, and automate certain aspects of the workflow, production and client communications, and delivery.
Adding Media
Getting started is easy. When you drag a Final Cut Pro project to Server, it automatically adds all the project’s media to the database. That’s the good news. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way with the other programs in Final Cut Studio. Motion, DVD Studio Pro, LiveType and Soundtrack Pro assets must be uploaded manually. You can also add files by “sending” them from Final Cut Pro and scanning a watch folder or scanning entire disks.
Search and Control
Since it’s a Java-based application, you can access Server from both Macs and PCs for a number of purposes, including viewing, adding notations and communicating with colleagues. The administrator controls each user’s permissions.
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There’s also strict version control. If you check out a project, no one else can work on it until you check it back in. This leads to a different workflow than you might have with, say, Avid Unity, where multiple users can work in a project and keep their results in separate bins. Final Cut Server’s solution to distributing work around a group is to create multiple projects for different parts of the work that can access the same assets, using proxies or copies of the media. When you check in assets, they’re saved as a new version and backups are automatically created. It’s always possible to revert to previous versions of your work.
Automation
The basic automation concept of Final Cut Server is it “watches” for certain events and then “responds” with one or more actions. A script contains a “trigger,” which defines the event that starts the automation, and a “response,” which defines the actions taken. For instance, you could set up a trigger to watch for a change in a metadata field; the response might be to send the file into another process and eliminate a human step. Other typical responses are to send a finished edit to Compressor with complete settings or to communicate with others in a workgroup by sending automated e-mail alerts. Theses automations are critical if you want an advanced setup and generally require custom scripting.
Facility Uses
Final Cut Server is definitely built to be used as enterprise-level software and will most benefit larger workgroups like large film projects and television newsrooms and shows. It is already in use in several high-profile places where support staff has the necessary skills to administer a database and network environment. For small operations that don’t have multiple projects with lots of media and multiple editors working together, Server’s benefits may be limited.
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