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Activity Forums Apple Final Cut Pro Legacy Problem with timeline editing/export with Final Cut Pro

  • Problem with timeline editing/export with Final Cut Pro

    Posted by Golda Criddle on April 24, 2014 at 11:48 pm

    I have mp4 files that Webex makes when I record screenshots from my computer. I am trying to make a tutorial video with these files using Final Cut Pro. When I play the video in the Viewer, it looks fine but when I edit it in the timeline and when I export it, the image quality is distorted. I tried converting the files to Apple ProRes 422 HQ, with the same results. Please help!

    Mark Suszko replied 12 years, 4 months ago 4 Members · 6 Replies
  • 6 Replies
  • Shane Ross

    April 25, 2014 at 12:23 am

    FCP is designed to work with broadcast formats…frame sizes and frame rates. So 720×480, 720×486 in standard def…1280×720 and 1920×1080 in high def. There are a couple anamorphic formats in there…and PAL SD has a different frame size, but I won’t go into that. Computer screenshots don’t match those dimensions, so they are troublesome to edit in FCP.

    FCP is not the application to use for this. Best to use Adobe Premiere Pro if you are going to use your current screen capture software. Or, what I do, is use Screenflow to both record and edit my tutorials. It does it all. It will also, as a matter of fact, edit your current screen grab footage as well…no conversion.

    it’s all about the right tool for the right job. FCP is not the right tool for the task at hand.

    Shane
    Little Frog Post
    Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def

  • Andrew Kimery

    April 25, 2014 at 1:32 am

    When you add the first clip to the timeline line does FCP ask you something like “Do you want your sequence settings to match your clip?” If it does, do you say yes?

  • Shane Ross

    April 25, 2014 at 1:36 am

    “Ray…if someone asks if you are a god you say YES!!”

    Shane
    Little Frog Post
    Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def

  • Golda Criddle

    April 25, 2014 at 3:25 am

    Re: Andrew No, FCP doesn’t say anything like that…Playback is fine in the viewer but distorted on the timeline.

    Re: Shane Unfortunately I doubt my company will want to pay for another program so I may have to edit with iMovie 🙁

  • Shane Ross

    April 25, 2014 at 4:11 am

    The Viewer shows you what you have…shows your source. The Canvas shows you the footage with the sequence settings. The sequence settings don’t match your clip settings, that’s why it’s distorted. And FCP doesn’t work with non-standard frame sizes well.

    Shane
    Little Frog Post
    Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def

  • Mark Suszko

    April 25, 2014 at 2:02 pm

    Convert the mp4 files to pro res first, using compressor or the free mpeg streamclip program. Then make sure your timeline and sequence settings and footage are all set to the same codec: prores.

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