How can i work with the original date and time of my video clips that were not imported directly from the SD card to FCP

Yes, annoyingly FCP 11.1.1 uses the fragile MacOS:FileCreateDate as the "Content Created" date while IMHO it should use QuickTime:CreateDate for that.

Some workarounds:

a) Copy QuickTime:CreateDate to MacOS:FileCreateDate joema already suggested doing via exiftool.

Also GraphicConverter 12 can do that via:

GC Browser > Filesystem Attributes > File Date > Set File Creation to Exif Date

b) iOS/iPadOS devices insert Keys:CreationDate to movies and Apple's apps currently prefer it over all other dates and time zones.

So copying QuickTime:CreateDate to Keys:CreationDate forces FCP to use it so the fragile FileCreateDate is ignored in the future (confusingly the import dialog displays FileCreateDate as "Content Created" date but the imported movie displays the correct Keys:CreationDate as "Content Created" date).

exiftool -m -overwrite_original -api QuickTimeUTC=1 '-Keys:CreationDate<QuickTime:CreateDate' '-FileCreateDate<QuickTime:CreateDate' '-FileModifyDate<QuickTime:CreateDate' .

Also GraphicConverter can do that via:

GC Browser > General Metadata > Metadata Specifics > Copy Date to Keys:Creation Date (only Movies)

c) I routinely rename all input files to have the metadata date in the filename with GraphicConverter (via File > Rename...) or exiftool (I also set file dates accordingly). Then the input movie dates are visible in FCP.

Optionally it is possible to save the date and original filename to the filename. Or save original filename to XMP-xmpMM:PreservedFileName:

exiftool -m -overwrite_original -fileOrder5 FileName -api QuickTimeUTC=1 '-PreservedFileName<FileName' '-FileName<QuickTime:CreateDate' '-FileCreateDate<QuickTime:CreateDate' '-FileModifyDate<QuickTime:CreateDate' -d '%Y-%m%d-%H%M-%S%%+2nc.%%e' .

...optionally revert to the original FileName:

exiftool '-FileName<PreservedFileName' .

https://exiftool.org/forum/index.php?topic=17284.msg92639#msg92639

The command-line free ExifTool can read the "encode date" from a video file and update the file creation date to match that. It can do a single file or a batch of files. You can Google ExifTool to obtain that.

Be very careful when doing this. A syntax error could update the dates of unintended files. I suggest testing it on one file at a time in a separate folder, then on 5 files at a time, etc. Check the results each time. You can inspect the internal encoded dates by using the free MediaInfo tool. Note that there are many video file formats, so this might not work on all files. It also might not work if the camera's clock was not set correctly when recording.

Example syntax:

# For a single file

 exiftool "-FileCreateDate<CreateDate" video.mp4 

# For multiple files 

exiftool "-FileCreateDate<CreateDate" *.mp4

If you shoot and transfer your media on the same day, then you are already close to the Date/Time you want (as long as the files transfer in chronological order.)

If you connect your memory card from your camera to the Mac to transfer files, you should be able to see a better time for the Date/Time the files were created in your camera.

My recommendation is to move your files to the Mac, load them into Final Cut, then go through the Finder to your memory card and **manually** type in the date time data in the Notes metadata. It's probably much less work than running your clips through a third party app to get the creation time from the original files. (By adding to the Notes metadata from the Event Browser will make that data available every time a clip is added to the storyline.) If keeping your files on a memory card with enough time to move this data, take notes (date/time of first and last clips will probably be enough.)

If you don't like to do all that typing, you can right click the files (on your memory card) in the Finder and Get Info and select and copy the Created data there and paste it into the Notes metadata field.

The best approach is to select the clips in the Event browser and use the Info Inspector set to Basic or General.

BTW, you can make the editable metadata fields multi-line by using Control-Return to create newlines. This allows you to add more data like location/exposures/camera angle, or other camera information... whatever (although there are *other* editable metadata fields available for that information if you care [like: Reel, Scene, Take, Camera Angle, Camera Name, and Location].)

There are templates available capable of reading/displaying the editable metadata fields in Final Cut that make spending the time adding metadata worthwhile, and one in particular that is an effect that can be added to clips that will display the clip's Notes metadata (also, timing is customizable — it can be shown briefly at the beginning then disappear).

I usually create a new FCP project with the desired date in the filename (2025-0617-0836-00, for example), and then use 3rd party utilities like GraphicConverter or exiftool to copy that filename date to movie metadata date and file dates in the FCP output movie.

If I understand you correctly you are making a copy of the original uploaded on a second drive to use a a remote source files. There in lies the problem. The files are new copies not originals hence the date changed to the date they were created.

There are a number of utilities that can batch change creation and modified dates. One is A Better Finder Attributes. It can also be done via the terminal.

If you Get Info on one of the files copied onto OneDrive or SYNC, are the Created and Modified entries the same or different? How do they compare to the original media file? Is the media file a single .mp4 or .mov file, or part of a file/folder hierarchy (like from a Sony camera)?

Glad you got it solved! Thank you for reporting back with your sleuthing and solution.