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Export many fcpx clips to separate mp4 files
I have a friend/client who gave me about 30-40 hi8 tapes that they would like to have converted to mp4 files.
Since the camera I’m using has a DV output, I thought “hey, I’ll just copy it all into my Final Cut Pro and export out the clips”. I’ve done 7 tapes which have produced 54 separate clips. But before going any further, I’m wondering if it’s even possible to do what I want to do. What I want is an mp4 file of each of those clips. Is there any way to do that? (Other than producing hundreds of projects out of all these files.)
I do have a Roxio VHS to USB converter that I can use, but there are a couple small issues (and one major issue) with that. The major issue is that my computer doesn’t seem to recognize the capture hardware I’ve hooked up. But I’m going to ignore that problem for now. As for the minor issues – one is that I’m not sure that the quality would be as good as it would be using the DV output and a firewire cable. The second is that using the DV and importing it into FCPX gives me the metadata of the time and dates of the clips. The third issue is that I believe it would have the entire tape as one file, and ideally it would be nice to have all the clips as separate files.
I might continue on with the plan of importing to FCPX and just making files that are each about 2 hours long, ready for going onto a DVD.
Any thoughts on this? Especially with that first question about exporting clips as individual files?
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6 Replies
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Compressor could be used to batch convert if that’s what you’re looking for. FCPX itself doesn’t have a batch export function.
Noah
FCPWORKS – FCPX Workflow
FCP Exchange – FCPX Workshops
XinTwo – FCPX Training -
You can’t export individual clips from FCPX but as Noah said, you can open the library in the finder and get compressor or some other conversion app to batch process the individual clips.
I personally find I need to trim the imported clips a little so I tend to use Resolve for this sort of work. Either capturing and trimming in FCPX and then exporting via to XML to Resolve to render out the individual clips or just doing it all in Resolve. I usually do the FCPX option as that’s my preferred app.
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Jeff Kirkland | Video Producer & Cinematographer
Hobart, Tasmania | Twitter: @jeffkirkland -
I’ll second Jeff’s suggestion. I shoot football games where I have to upload each play as an individual clip. I send a stringout from FCPX to Resolve via XML, do a little color correction in Resolve if needed, and then export the whole thing as individual clips. It works like a charm.
Mark Landman
PM Productions
Champaign, IL -
Hey Jeff, saw an old post about batch export, your method FCPX to fcpxml to Resolve, then batch export all clips from Resolve as individual .mp4 – are you still using this trick?
Doug D
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Yes, it’s still one of my workflows, although since then, there’s also the option of using the Worx4x app to process the XML and create the clips rather than messing around in Resolve.
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Jeff Kirkland | Video Producer & Cinematographer
Hobart, Tasmania | Twitter: @jeffkirkland -
Thanks, Jeff, that was my followup – any fav apps.
Doug D
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