Generated Media Budget Manager
Keep Final Cut libraries from ballooning via render, proxy, and optimized files
Final Cut libraries can balloon to hundreds of gigabytes due to generated media — render files, proxy media, optimized media, and analysis files. This recipe monitors library sizes, tracks growth, and provides safe cleanup steps so you never run out of space mid-project.
INGREDIENTS
PROMPT
Create a skill called "Generated Media Budget Manager" for Final Cut Pro libraries. Inputs: - libraries_root - warn_threshold_gb - daily_growth_threshold_gb Behavior: - Scan for .fcpbundle libraries, measure size, track growth. - Notify me when a library exceeds thresholds and provide safe cleanup playbook (delete generated files, not originals).
How It Works
This skill scans your Final Cut Pro `.fcpbundle` libraries, measures their size, tracks
daily growth, and notifies you when thresholds are exceeded. It provides guided cleanup
playbooks that distinguish generated media (safe to delete and regenerate) from originals
(never touch).
What You Get
- Daily library size scans with top-5 largest libraries ranked
- Growth tracking and alerts when a library exceeds thresholds or grows too fast
- Guided cleanup playbook: which generated files to delete, and how to verify originals remain
- Storage-location hygiene recommendations (generated media inside vs outside the library)
- A `LIBRARY_BUDGETS.yaml` tracking library name, max size, status, and last cleanup date
Setup Steps
- Point to your libraries root folder (e.g., `/Projects`)
- Set a warning threshold (e.g., 500GB) and daily growth threshold (e.g., 50GB/day)
- Run as a daily scan, on-demand command, or pre-travel checklist
Tips
- Generated media can always be regenerated — originals cannot. When in doubt, don't delete it
- Run this before travel or offline work to trim libraries to portable size
- Mark libraries as "active" or "archival" so cleanup rules can differ
- If a library suddenly jumps in size, check whether optimized media generation is running