Project File Empty

Report · Jun 28, 2024

I've been editing a video the past week. I saved it. Then opened it a few days later. Now the contents within the project file are all gone. The box in the lower left corner uesed to contain bins for my sequences, music, video, and images. There are now NO bins or folders. It looks like a brand new project file that hasn't imported anything yet. I opened the auto save project file and same thing - nothing. The only thing that looks wierd is that there was only one single auto save project file. Usually there is much more... I searched my trash and the rest of the computer for other project files, but no other project files exist. How is it that the project file seemed to save correctly, but the content within the project are empty? How do I restore an old project file when there is only one auto save file and the contents are blank? Please help! Thank you.

Mac 12.6.2 Was using Premiere 24.1 when I originally created project. Now updated to 24.5. Attached is the screenshot of the empty project.

Report · Jun 28, 2024

That is a drag. How were you opening the project and PP. IE: Clicking a PP desktop icon, and then opening the project from the Home screen? Or double-clicking the project file to open PP with that project?

Did you search your hard-drive for *.prproj files to see / open other files you have created. It would be good to make copies of the files before opening. Do you have a backup available on a different drive.

Report · Jun 28, 2024

Thanks for the help. I opened it two different ways (restarting my computer after each time). First, double clicking the project file. Second, opening PP desktop icon then opening the project within the app. Both didn't work. Also took your adivce and searched drive for ".prproj" and nothing came up other than projects that were obviously different project files. My only guess is that I accidently "Command A" (select all) all the media/bins/sequences within PP then deleted them, then saved it, then shut it down. But the probability of that happening is so incredibly rare. Such a bummer!

Report · Jun 29, 2024

Check your other drives also. Make sure your autosave is as you want it. I always try to save my project onto another drive. At least once a day, and more often if I do anything I never want to do again! 🙂

Report · Sep 10, 2024

Okay - SAME problem here! And I'm so confused because I went out of my way to make sure my autosave was on and working as I was working through my project. I got all the way done with the first two drafts of a music video and when I came back in after another day of pick up shots to splice in, the entire project is empty as well as any auto save files. Not quite sure how to move forward and I'm PRAYING that this doesn't mean that I have to start over from scratch.

Report · Oct 29, 2024

I just experienced the same issue -- TWO of my recent projects are completely empty. I have evidence to show my boss that I exported some rough cuts, but all of the edits are gone and I will have to start over. Feeling paranoid, too, since I don't have a reason for this. I will likely spend more time backing up and copying project files than I do editing now!

Report · Oct 29, 2024

Hey trs, that's really rough, I've not experienced something like that. Someone on 'idea' thread mentioned Version Raptor, as a current tool which does what the poster wanted. It's really cool, and free, and would help you easily have multiple saves: https://aescripts.com/version-raptor/