Footage Manager
Repair Missing Media after a drive change
Use Auto Relink to compare candidate paths and repair broken symlinks after an external SSD is renamed or a folder moves.
Footage Manager
Not an editing app. An operations tool for editing projects.
Library analysis, Auto Relink, Reverse Tracking, and Media Transfer — connected into one safe workflow for projects spread across external SSDs and NAS.
Editing happens in the timeline.
Problems happen in storage.
Operations
From restore to transfer, five stages
01
Restore work state
Reload saved libraries, media folders, analysis caches, and snapshots so large projects do not need to be added again.
02
Analyze the library
Inspect events, projects, original media, external media, render cache, preview, and metadata in one screen.
03
Clean up link state
Use Auto Relink to review link status, externalize original media, change media locations, and fix broken links.
04
Reverse track folders
See which libraries use files in external SSD or NAS folders, then separate duplicates and unused candidates.
05
Run the right transfer
Export from the library, embed external media into the library, or move media between external folders and verify the result.
Three tabs separate state inspection, usage tracking, and actual movement
01
Library Analysis
The starting point for every operation. Inspect library size, events, projects, original media, external media, render/proxy/analysis caches, preview, and metadata together.
- Add .fcpbundle files directly or with Quick Scan
- Separate original media from external media states
- Use cache checks, preview, and Auto Relink entry points
02
Reverse Tracking
Start from external folders and files instead of a library. See which libraries reference each item, then separate duplicates and unused files before cleanup.
- Trace library usage by folder or file
- Visualize duplicate and unused files
- Mark missing files/folders and reanalyze parents
03
Media Transfer
The execution screen for real file movement. Export internal original media, embed external media into a library, or move external media between storage locations.
- Export, embed, and external-to-external flows
- Copy or move-and-delete transfer options
- Affected-library review and result sheets
Auto Relink
Auto Relink divides external-media link work into four focused modes
Review link state, externalize internal original media, change media locations, and repair broken links from one window so Missing Media and storage migration follow the same rules.
01
Link Status
Read whether each symbolic link is normal, broken, on an unmounted volume, or ready for repair before taking action.
02
Externalize
Replace library original media with a verified external duplicate and leave a symbolic link behind to reduce library size.
03
Media Change
When the same media exists in another external location, repoint the link to the new volume or folder.
04
Fix Broken
Repair links broken by drive renames or folder moves by comparing candidate paths before relinking.
Where does it fit into real work?
Audit footage stored on a NAS
Register shared media folders and separate used files, unused files, and duplicates before deleting or archiving.
Archive internal original media after delivery
Export original media from the library to an external SSD or NAS, and in move mode leave symlinks behind so references stay intact.
Make a self-contained delivery library
Embed external media back into the .fcpbundle so the library can be opened without the original external drive.
Designed for repeated work on large projects
Startup restore and cache-based re-entry
Saved libraries, media folders, analysis results, and snapshots are restored after login so repeated work starts quickly.
File change and missing-state visibility
FSEvents, volume state, and missing file/folder prompts help distinguish deleted paths from offline external storage.
macOS permissions and external volumes
Security-scoped bookmarks restore access to approved folders, while SSD and NAS availability is reflected in the workflow.
Transfer progress and recovery routines
Byte-level progress, per-file status, cancellation handling, result sheets, full cache clearing, and factory reset support long-running work.
How it differs from manual cleanup
Manual
Guess deletion candidates from file names and dates in Finder
Footage Manager
Use Reverse Tracking to confirm library usage, duplicates, and unused state
Manual
Move files first, then relink Missing Media one item at a time in FCP
Footage Manager
Use Auto Relink and Media Transfer to validate candidates, change links, and review results together
Manual
Guess how moving external files affects other libraries
Footage Manager
Review affected libraries and external-to-external transfer results before treating the job as done
Start before the next Missing Media
As libraries grow, what matters is finding files faster, moving them safely, and keeping projects openable afterward.