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Migration path
Migrate from Kyno to Focus with a clear local-first path
Keep your existing folder structure, rebuild search quality with modern local AI, and continue exporting to your NLE workflow.
Start with 30 videos, test search quality, then expand to larger folders.
Product preview
Import ready72%
Make searchable48%
Review and verify36%
Done82%
Watch folder synced
34 new files mapped
People queue
6 identities need review
Workspace status
Library healthy, export ready
Short answer
Can you migrate from Kyno to Focus?
Yes. The practical path is to keep your existing folders, add the same media roots to Focus, index a small validation set locally, and then expand once search quality and export workflow are proven.
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Native Kyno sidecars are unsupported. CSV shot-list import supports filenames, paths, ranges, tags, ratings, and notes; verify the imported values on a small project.
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Use one active project or representative folder first before moving the whole archive.
01
Reuse your folder roots
Point Focus at the same drives and project folders you already organized.
02
Index for speech and scene retrieval
Build searchable context across dialogue, visuals, and people without uploading footage.
03
Keep NLE handoff moving
Export a short selection and compare its original media paths and source ranges in your NLE.
The friction
Check what your Kyno project depends on
Keep your existing folder structure, rebuild search quality with modern local AI, and continue exporting to your NLE workflow.
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A folder scan does not migrate Kyno-specific metadata. Keep a backup of the original sidecars.
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Manual metadata and limited search increase retrieval time as archives grow.
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Teams need modern export and sequencing without cloud lock-in.
How Focus helps
Focus keeps your workflow local and updates your retrieval stack
Move from Kyno to Focus by reusing existing media folders, indexing locally, and shifting to content-aware search and sequence export.
01
Reuse your folder roots
Point Focus at the same drives and project folders you already organized.
02
Index for speech and scene retrieval
Build searchable context across dialogue, visuals, and people without uploading footage.
03
Keep NLE handoff moving
Export a short selection and compare its original media paths and source ranges in your NLE.
Migration compatibility: Focus macOS 1.19.5 / Windows 1.18.1
Status
Focus- Keep originals and sidecars backed up.
- Import one project first.
- Check each imported range.
What to verify
- Keep Kyno for unsupported operations.
- Check your OS and camera formats.
- Do not treat a parser test as a full migration test.
| Feature | Status | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Existing media folders | Supported: index in place | Connect each source drive. A scan rebuilds Focus analysis; it does not import Kyno analysis. |
| Native Kyno sidecars | Unsupported | Keep the sidecars and Kyno available. There is no automatic native metadata migration. |
| CSV tags, ratings, notes and ranges | Partial: supported CSV columns | Kyno-style column parsing has an automated test. A complete Kyno-to-Focus migration on both released platforms remains untested. |
| File paths and moved media | Partial: paths must resolve | Verify every imported match against its original. A matching basename alone is insufficient when folders contain duplicate names. |
| Camera formats, including BRAW | Untested for your camera and OS | BRAW discovery does not establish native playback or analysis support. Test a real camera sample, or retain your existing proxy workflow. |
| Batch operations and proxies | Partial; no Kyno parity claim | Test the specific transcode, rename, and proxy operations you use. Preserve the original-to-proxy relationship. |
| Final Cut / Premiere / Resolve handoff | Export available; validate each NLE | Check clip order, source in/out, timecode, audio, and relinking. An FCPXML source-range correction is under validation and is not in the releases listed above. |
How it works
How to migrate from Kyno
A shorter path from footage to the next useful action.
01
Map existing sources
Add the same Kyno source folders and verify media paths in Focus.
02
Run local indexing
Index your active archive set first to validate retrieval quality quickly.
03
Switch retrieval and export habits
Compare imported tags, ratings, notes, and ranges with Kyno. Open the original source and test one NLE export before expanding.
FAQ
FAQ
Do I need to move files before migrating?
No. Focus indexes media in place, so your existing folder structure stays valid.
Can I migrate gradually by project?
Yes. Start with active folders, validate search quality, then expand to older archives.
Will this force cloud uploads?
No. The migration workflow stays local-first.
Ready
Stop donating nights to footage hunting.
Focus gives editors and wedding filmmakers faster retrieval, verified selects, and calmer delivery weeks.