Final Cut Pro 7 and After Effects round trip issue.

[Brent Hannigan]

Forgot to mention that when I do the exact same round trip using Motion 4 it updates Final Cut 7 perfectly with no problems. I prefer to use AE so I’d like to figure this out. Thanks.

Final Cut Pro and Avid Editor

Mac Pro 6 Core (Mid 2012)
20GB Ram
Final Cut Studio 3
Avid Media Composer 5.5
Adobe CS5

[Brent Hannigan]

Thanks for the suggestion Dave. This method works but is not the solution I am looking for because I do not want to have to continuously open and close FCP and AE.

The weird thing is that when I am working with Motion 4 output, FCP automatically updates the clip when i command-tab back to FCP.

I am hoping to be able to quickly make changes in AE and have it update but there’s some weirdness going on that I have never seen before. For example if i use the “make offline” command and select “delete them from the disk” – nothing happens. I tried re creating this in a brand new project and the same thing happened.

Any one else seen something like this…

Final Cut Pro and Avid Editor

Mac Pro 6 Core (Mid 2012)
20GB Ram
Final Cut Studio 3
Avid Media Composer 5.5
Adobe CS5

[Brent Hannigan]

Yes, I am fully versed in all manner of weirdness from 7 years with FCP and 10 years with Avid but this has me really stumped. First thing I did is go the “trash preferences” route.

In a nutshell this is what I’m doing and the problem.

FCP and AE are both open.
I render an animation in AE and edit it into FCP.
I want to change the AE animation so I delete the corresponding FCP clip in the finder – it goes offline and in the trash.
I fix my AE comp and re-render with the same name as the old file (now in the trash)
I reconnect the offline clip to the “new” animation and it still shows me the one that’s in the trash.

I can not empty the trash unless I exit FCP.
I do not want to have to continuously exit and re-opn these large projects to do constant revisions.

If I go to Motion 4 and render something out in the same way I can do this process no problem.

I’ve been using Motion for years but prefer AE now and was hoping to have an easier round trip experience, but maybe I am missing something….?

Final Cut Pro and Avid Editor

Mac Pro 6 Core (Mid 2012)
20GB Ram
Final Cut Studio 3
Avid Media Composer 5.5
Adobe CS5

[John Kaley]

Brent, I know exactly what you’re saying. Here’s fix:
1. Select the AE clip in FCP
2. Shift+D brings up the “Make Offline” dialog box
3. Select “Delete from Disk”
4. Hide FCP
5. Command+Empty Trash (Secure Empty Trash)
*This may take a few moments, but you can proceed to the next step while this is happening.
6. Render new file in AE
7. Unhide FCP and relink to new file.

Another tip: Normally empty the trash before step 1 saves some delete time.

[Brent Hannigan]

Thanks John I think the command-empty trash trick was what I needed.

Final Cut Pro and Avid Editor

Mac Pro 6 Core (Mid 2012)
20GB Ram
Final Cut Studio 3
Avid Media Composer 5.5
Adobe CS5

[Jake Abramson]

I wanted to add to this as I found what you posted very helpful, but too many steps.

I used to be able to do a true “round trip” when I used Nucleo pro for rendering.

I figured out, instead of unlinking, deleting, rendering, and relinking the media, you can just delete it in finder and re-render. It will automatically relink in FCP.

The issue appears to be that AFX will not render over an open file. FCP will hold it as open as long as the program is running (Even if you close the project, but not the program).