GoPro Workflow with Mac

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Scott79
Scott79
QLD
209 posts
QLD, 209 posts
13 Apr 2013 8:46am
Hi Guys,
I am new to both GoPro and iMac, I am hoping someone can share their workflow process to get footage from a card to an edited product. I am assuming it is something along the lines of:

SD card out of GoPro, into Mac.
Copy files from card (using Finder?) and put in a folder GoPro/Sup/Rocky Point130413 etc
Reformat the card when in the GoPro - or just delete files when in Mac?
Import the raw files into iMovie, create a watchable movie then delete the raw files.

I am guessing that is about it, mostly unsure if I should be creating a folder structure for the raw stuff or whether I just let iMovie weave it's magic.

Thanks,
Scott.
DavidJohn
DavidJohn
VIC
17570 posts
VIC, 17570 posts
13 Apr 2013 10:06am
Hi Scott.. That's close to what I do.

SD card into Mac.. See it using finder.. Re name and drag to screen.. Eject card on screen in finder and remove SD card.. btw I use my digital camera to re format the card and put it back into the GoPro.. I then open iMovie and import movie from screen (desktop).. Once the video files are loaded into iMovie (in the lower section) I then choose the bits that I want and drag then to the upper section of iMovie.. I then add music from iTunes (just drag it across) and then I just trim the bits till I'm happy.. Then click finalize project.. Then share with Vimeo.

I'm not sure if I'm doing it right..I just fumbled my way through learning it and it seems to work ok.

DJ
Scott79
Scott79
QLD
209 posts
QLD, 209 posts
13 Apr 2013 10:16am
Thanks DJ, appreciated. I was hoping you would respond given the amount of editing you do.

Cheers.
Scott.
Ted the Kiwi
Ted the Kiwi
NSW
14256 posts
NSW, 14256 posts
13 Apr 2013 10:18am
If you get stuck check out youtube - lots of video's there showing you how to do things step by step - a good resource and its free!!!
NNSUP
NNSUP
NSW
1263 posts
NSW, 1263 posts
13 Apr 2013 11:28am
DJ - I sometimes just download straight into Imovie via the cable attached to the GoPro. Work within imovie etc.
To re format the card I do it on the Go Pro itself and that seems to be working.
Any thoughts.?
Reflex Films
Reflex Films
WA
1462 posts
WA, 1462 posts
13 Apr 2013 12:41pm
ALways best to format cards in camera

Piss off 1080 - no one can tell once its uploaded - 720 is your friend. Hd is highly over rated - Very HIGHLY Overrated. Good light , framing / composition and how you move the camera are the factors that will win brownie points. I highly rate the go pro as a locked off wide angle shot maker - that you can put in lots of places easily.

Look at using Go Pro's cineform if you want to keep those beautiful 50/ 60 fps that you bought the camera for

imovie just chucks out the frames to give you 25p / 30 p - which is disingenuous.
Then , when - and if - you go to slo mo your footage it will look like a chimpanzee has been doing the editing.

Keep your edits short. Be brutal.

"Vine " 7 second videos are the new hero of internet video right now- crew are terrified when they click on the video and it says 7, 8 or 12 minutes long.
rambooc1
rambooc1
QLD
326 posts
QLD, 326 posts
13 Apr 2013 6:08pm
Reflex Films said...

"Vine " 7 second videos are the new hero of internet video right now- crew are terrified when they click on the video and it says 7, 8 or 12 minutes long.


Argh.. Don't say that, I just put a 59:30 Doco online today, that's mins not secs. ...lol
Piros
Piros
QLD
7303 posts
QLD, 7303 posts
13 Apr 2013 6:18pm
iMovie is great but spend the extra $325 and download final cut pro X , it's been dumbed up as before it was very hard to use , now it's a very advanced version of iMovie , plus you can buy plugins from places like FCPeffects which give incredible effects. Plus it will keep your slomo nice and silky smooth.

HD is brutal on your computer especially if you aren't a clean shooter just leaving the camera filming everything. Be selective with your shots stopping the camera after every wave or sequence. All your iMovie memory is stored on your start up disk so it doesn't take long to choke your computer , thats why I used to run seperate 1TB hard drives to store all my info , I know have a new iMac with a built in 3TB Solid State hard drive to deal with all my HD footage and files.

Stay away from the protune setting in your go pro black it's a memory killer , you don't need to use. Matt said (Reflex) :- Good light , framing / composition and how you move the camera are the factors that will win brownie points. So true and great advice.


rambooc1
rambooc1
QLD
326 posts
QLD, 326 posts
13 Apr 2013 6:35pm
Piros said...
- Good light , framing / composition and how you move the camera are the factors that will win brownie points. So true and great advice.


Yep, but with a GoPro, those 3 things you rarely have control over :-)
Scott79
Scott79
QLD
209 posts
QLD, 209 posts
13 Apr 2013 8:13pm
Reflex Films said...
imovie just chucks out the frames to give you 25p / 30 p - which is disingenuous.


Any recommendations for alternate software - with a low price tag?

Thanks,
Scott.
gregc
gregc
VIC
1299 posts
VIC, 1299 posts
13 Apr 2013 8:17pm
I have final cut pro X and I am still using Imovie after final cut decided that it just wanted to crash every time I try to load stuff into it.

I reckon, at this stage, imovie has more than enough functionality for me.
Reflex Films
Reflex Films
WA
1462 posts
WA, 1462 posts
13 Apr 2013 8:45pm
rambooc1 said...
Piros said...
- Good light , framing / composition and how you move the camera are the factors that will win brownie points. So true and great advice.


Yep, but with a GoPro, those 3 things you rarely have control over :-)





at least the wide angle smoothes out the moves nicely. you get used to shooting blind after a while. you work out the general sort of shots that work. and if you arent sure and are in a controlled situation you can bang out 2 or 3 safeties.

CMC
CMC
QLD
3954 posts
CMC CMC
QLD, 3954 posts
13 Apr 2013 10:54pm
rambooc1 said...
Reflex Films said...

"Vine " 7 second videos are the new hero of internet video right now- crew are terrified when they click on the video and it says 7, 8 or 12 minutes long.


Argh.. Don't say that, I just put a 59:30 Doco online today, that's mins not secs. ...lol


Is it up?? Been hanging to see this doco only the Moololaba blokes.
CMC
CMC
QLD
3954 posts
CMC CMC
QLD, 3954 posts
14 Apr 2013 12:02am
CMC said...
rambooc1 said...
Reflex Films said...

"Vine " 7 second videos are the new hero of internet video right now- crew are terrified when they click on the video and it says 7, 8 or 12 minutes long.


Argh.. Don't say that, I just put a 59:30 Doco online today, that's mins not secs. ...lol


Is it up?? Been hanging to see this doco only the Moololaba blokes.


Just went to Rambos Locker and watched the Mooloolaba Molokai documentary. Highly recommended. Well done Rambo!!
rambooc1
rambooc1
QLD
326 posts
QLD, 326 posts
14 Apr 2013 12:39pm
CMC said...

Just went to Rambos Locker and watched the Mooloolaba Molokai documentary. Highly recommended. Well done Rambo!!


Thanks CMC, it's probably relevant more to team sports as it was all about "unity/team discipline and preparation, but then again, even single paddlers have "teams" around them in support that make winning a team effort.
skebstebamal
skebstebamal
QLD
579 posts
QLD, 579 posts
14 Apr 2013 2:01pm
what do u mean "format" dont u just delete the old files and stick the card back in ?
DavidJohn
DavidJohn
VIC
17570 posts
VIC, 17570 posts
14 Apr 2013 2:39pm
skebstebamal said...
what do u mean "format" dont u just delete the old files and stick the card back in ?



I'm not sure how it all works but I think when you just delete the original files are still there (somewhere in the background) and with the necessary software the files can be retrieved (even after it's been deleted).. I think the more you just delete the total max of free space gets less and less.. Formatting deletes everything forever and leaves the max amount of free space.... Something t
Like that..

I also find that when I delete files on my digital camera it takes a few seconds to do. When formting its done in about one or two seconds... Much quicker.

DJ
rambooc1
rambooc1
QLD
326 posts
QLD, 326 posts
14 Apr 2013 5:47pm
The simplest explanation, is Delete ALL on a GoPro just means the current files are removed and the card is "prepared"/formatted to suit the GoPro. It's especially important if you do happen to delete files on a Mac, you must also empty the Trash bin BEFORE removing the card/camera or they will still be there. PC is different, but best practice is to only delete files after transferring them to your Hard drive using the cameras Delete All function, PC or Mac.

One other tip that can save file corruption and garbage being transferred to your SD card is to switch the WRITE LOCK button on when transferring files, it can still READ and transfer, but the computer is prevented from WRITING. ( on a micro SD card engage the LOCK on the adapter)
aus301
aus301
QLD
2039 posts
QLD, 2039 posts
14 Apr 2013 10:48pm
DavidJohn said...
skebstebamal said...
what do u mean "format" dont u just delete the old files and stick the card back in ?



I'm not sure how it all works but I think when you just delete the original files are still there (somewhere in the background) and with the necessary software the files can be retrieved (even after it's been deleted).. I think the more you just delete the total max of free space gets less and less.. Formatting deletes everything forever and leaves the max amount of free space.... Something t
Like that..

I also find that when I delete files on my digital camera it takes a few seconds to do. When formting its done in about one or two seconds... Much quicker.

DJ



Delete and format both actually leave the files on the card. Delete allows you to delete individual files from the file system of the card. Format deletes the entire file system on the card.

Think of the file system like the index of a book, when you remove the entry from the index you are telling the device it can use that space to write new data. Both deleted files and formatted cards can be recovered as after both delete and format the data is still there. I recovered some very important accounting files from a formatted hard drive a few years back, was actually a pretty easy process.
NNSUP
NNSUP
NSW
1263 posts
NSW, 1263 posts
14 Apr 2013 10:55pm
Piros said...
iMovie is great but spend the extra $325 and download final cut pro X , it's been dumbed up as before it was very hard to use , now it's a very advanced version of iMovie , plus you can buy plugins from places like FCPeffects which give incredible effects. Plus it will keep your slomo nice and silky smooth.

HD is brutal on your computer especially if you aren't a clean shooter just leaving the camera filming everything. Be selective with your shots stopping the camera after every wave or sequence. All your iMovie memory is stored on your start up disk so it doesn't take long to choke your computer , thats why I used to run seperate 1TB hard drives to store all my info , I know have a new iMac with a built in 3TB Solid State hard drive to deal with all my HD footage and files.

Stay away from the protune setting in your go pro black it's a memory killer , you don't need to use. Matt said (Reflex) :- Good light , framing / composition and how you move the camera are the factors that will win brownie points. So true and great advice.





Thanks Rob, I seem to be using heaps of computer memory so I'll pick your brain over a beer next time we catch up. Or whatever it was you were drinking excessively at Merimbula.
Gorgo
Gorgo
VIC
5124 posts
VIC, 5124 posts
15 Apr 2013 12:47am
skebstebamal said...
what do u mean "format" dont u just delete the old files and stick the card back in ?


If you delete the files from the SD card on your Mac then you have to empty trash to reclaim the space on the card.
lydia622520
lydia622520
1 posts
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