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Converting FCP files to give to client
Client is asking for hours and hours of raw footage going back over years. I have a lot of that footage I had captured off tape in FCP as hd stored on drives.
I need to send that footage to client but my understanding is unless client has FCP installed, they cannot handle the codec my stored footage uses. How would you handle converting footage? I suppose I could export out raw footage using QuickTime conversion but hate to think of the time involved with the sheer amount of footage….I will also probably have to capture off minidv tape as well. Can I capture in format client can immediately use w/out FCP installed? Greatly appreciate any suggestions!!
Thanks,Mark
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10 Replies
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What format and codec did you capture with? Many NLEs can handle standard quicktime codecs.
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You could clone the files “as-is” to a portable hard drive, and give them a copy of the free app MPEG Streamclip, which they can use as a player. It can see a remarkable number of formats. Which codec did you store these files with? You can download MPEG Streamclip and test it out for yourself.
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If the footage is DVCPRO HD, HDV or XDCAM…then yes, they are in codecs only FCP has. You could always media manage them to ProRes.
Shane
Little Frog Post
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
ProRes does require both that the client has a Mac and they have FCP or Compressor installed. If on a PC it is possible to read ProRes in NLEs like Premiere and Resolve but not write ProRes so if transcoding it may not be the best choice.
If the source was only DV then quicktimes in DV codec should be OK on most computers with quicktime player or other edit systems.
Without knowing what you have in the way of codecs and what the client has we are just making guesses that could be unhelpful.
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[Michael Gissing] “ProRes does require both that the client has a Mac and they have FCP or Compressor installed.”
Incorrect. ProRes is a universal codec available on PCs or Macs…all they need is Quicktime 7. This is a deliverable. Given to networks and clients who don’t have FCP nor Compressor nor ANY Apple Pro App installed. You cannot ENCODE to it on a PC without special software, but any computer with Quicktime 7 can open and view the files.
Shane
Little Frog Post
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Thanks for your response(s) – Capture codec for footage was Apple ProRes 422. Clients have Macs.
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Not to play but to record so not actually incorrect if you read my whole comment.
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You said this:
“ProRes does require both that the client has a Mac and they have FCP or Compressor installed.”
That doesn’t say “to encode to ProRes” or “to write to ProRes.” Simply states that ProRes requires a Mac and some Pro App. And it can be assumed you mean to even read the format, which is what the question was.
But then you did follow up with:
“If on a PC it is possible to read ProRes in NLEs like Premiere and Resolve but not write ProRes so if transcoding it may not be the best choice.”
So you say it’s possible to read the files…but only with an NLE like Premiere or Resolve. And I’m saying no, you don’t need them. You only need Quicktime 7 in order to read ProRes files. or even QTX.
Shane
Little Frog Post
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Uh…BOYS! BOYS! – Stop arguing! FOCUS!
Any other thoughts on if my ProRes 422 files can be read on Macs w/out FCP or Compressor installed?
Thanks in advance.
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[Mark Wieser] “Any other thoughts on if my ProRes 422 files can be read on Macs w/out FCP or Compressor installed?”
I’ve said rather plainly that they can be read just fine on Macs without FCP. This is a deliverable format…end deliverable. And you don’t need special software installed to read them. I deliver this format to networks that are all PCs. and who are Mac based, but don’t have FCP in the house at all
Shane
Little Frog Post
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def
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