“General Error” during FCP export to Quick Time

[Karl Alexander]

most likely the problem is a corrupted render file. it happens to us a lot with using the desaturation filter, but it could be one of a million things.

steps:

1) render your timeline using the same export settings you want for the final output
2) export using “quicktime movie, current settings” – but only export small sections at a time, 2 minutes or so
3) when you reach a “general error” during the export look thru your timeline at that export section and drill down until you find the corrupted render
4) the fix is usually as simple as turning the clip filter off and then back on again, rerendering, then goto step 2, repeat

-karl

[Nate Mcneil]

Hey All,

Something that just snagged me, and gave me the exact same error was FCP’s time remapping. We just upgraded to the new FCP, I opened a job from a couple months ago that need changing. All of my timelines but one would export, the odd man out kept giving me a general error.

I took the steps above, rendering clip by clip to find the culprit, and sure enough it was on a clip that had its speed changed. I brought a fresh instance of the clip down, and tried to put the same speed settings on (I think the previous editor to this piece was using 20463%). FCP gave me an error, saying it capped out at 10000%. I set the new clip to this max, and all was well.

I’m guessing that the previous FCP let you go hog wild with your speed changes and the new one’s a bit more careful with the new speed controls.

[Sekahng Oh]

Nate you pointed me in the right direction in solving my “General Error” problem. So I rendered segments and isolated the problematic clip.

It was on a clip that had speed ramp to 13000+%. The huge number didn’t seem to cause the problem (FCP6) it was the clip’s audio track which was also affected by the speed ramp.

When I deleted the audio track the clip played back fine and rendering/export was successful. I didn’t mind losing the audio because it wasn’t needed (at 13000 people sound like cheering mice)

General Error is so general, but hopes this helps someone else.