Knowledge base

Final Cut Pro/Express: Ingested AVCHD clips are sometimes distorted

Posted in Final Cut Pro

Resolution

AVCHD clips that you transcode to ProRes from the Log and Transfer window may become jumpy or distorted if you installed the Perian QuickTime component. To temporarily disable Perian while using Final Cut Pro:

  1. Open System Preferences.
  2. Click the Perian icon at the bottom of the System Preferences window.
  3. Select the General tab in the Perian preference pane.
  4. Click Remove Perian.

If you would like to enable Perian after you finish working with your AVCHD clips, repeat steps 1-3, then click Install Perian to enable it.

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Final Cut Pro: How to maintain aspect ratio when exporting high definition formats to standard definition

Posted in Final Cut Pro

Export a QuickTime reference movie

  1. Choose File > Export > QuickTime Movie. An export window will open:
  2. Deselect the option to Make Movie Self-Contained.
  3. Use the Settings pop-up menu to select a format for the exported movie.
  4. To maintain a 16:9 aspect ratio when exporting to a standard definition format, you must use an anamorphic setting. If you want to export to DV, you will see an existing preset:

  5. Click Save.

If you wish to export to IMX, then you will have to create a preset. The QuickTime export settings menu uses the Sequence presets.

Create an anamorphic IMX preset

  1. Choose Final Cut Pro > Audio/Video Settings:
  2. The Audio/Video Settings window will open:

  3. Click the Sequence Presets tab.
  4. Scroll down the list of presets and highlight one of the existing IMX settings.
  5. Click Duplicate.
  6. The Sequence Preset Editor will open:

  7. Enable the Anamorphic 16:9 check box.
  8. Highlight the Name and give it a new name such as "IMX NTSC (30 Mb/s) anamorphic".
  9. Click OK.
  10. The new preset is now available in the QuickTime export settings:

When you bring reference movies exported with the anamorphic setting back into Final Cut Pro, they will maintain the correct aspect ratio.

Follow the same procedure to create anamorphic presets for any other standard definition formats you may wish to export to from high definition media.

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Final Cut Studio: Best practices when naming projects and assets

Posted in Final Cut Pro

Resolution

Tried and true

In audio, video and multimedia workflows on Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, and most Linux distributions, the vast majority of applications will work ideally with files and paths named with characters limited to the following set:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0
- _ (These last two are often called "minus," and "underscore".)

Best to Avoid

The following list of characters may cause issues if used in file or path names. In many cases these characters are OK to use, or the operating system will prevent you from using them in file or path names. But it's still a good general rule of thumb to avoid these if you plan on using the named file in a workflow that includes multiple applications, people, operating systems, or file systems. Issues may range from unexpected behaviors in applications, to applications or systems failing to recognize files and folders:

/ \\ * & @ # $ % ? < > : ; ( )

All the rest:

Characters not listed in the two lists above will generally work OK in most cases on Mac OS X. Keep in mind, this article isn't intended to address any specific issues or surefire solutions. Rather, these are general guidelines, intended for robust results in complicated workflows. If you're creating a file or a project that you intend to send to people who are using other applications, or are using other operating systems, or, if you're not sure of what your workflow will be, using file names comprised of characters in the Tried and true set will produce the most robust results.

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Final Cut Pro 7.0: Exporting with QuickTime Conversion to ProRes 4444 imports with Alpha Type set to Straight

Posted in Final Cut Pro

Symptoms

When you export a QuickTime movie from Final Cut Pro and then import into back into Final Cut Pro, the resulting movie's Alpha Type is set to Straight by default when you export by choosing File > Export > Using QuickTime Conversion, and you export to ProRes 4444 with an Alpha Channel (Millions of Colors +).

Note: To check the Alpha Type of a clip in Final Cut Pro, select the clip in the Browser and choose Modify > Alpha Type.

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Final Cut Pro: Log and capture with DV50 sometimes does not work in French or Japanese

Posted in Final Cut Pro

Resolution

This happens if Mac OS X was not installed in the respective language in which you're using Final Cut Pro. If you plan to use Final Cut Pro in Japanese, then Mac OS X should be installed in Japanese. Likewise, if you plan to use Final Cut Pro in French, Mac OS X should be installed in French. For example, If Mac OS X is installed in English, and you switch to French or Japanese from the International preference pane, log and capture from a DV50 deck will not work.

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