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How to compress a FCP file?
Hi, I am new at all of this. I just spent 8 months editing a 2-hour video in FCP and now I am ready to put it on vimeo. I have bought Compressor but it doesn´t seem to import FCP files. When I am in FCP itself, I always get an error when I try to export the file into Quicktime, also when I try to export with Quicktime Conversion. Can anyone tell me what the process is of turning this FCP file into something I can put on Vimeo? I would appreciate any and all advice. Thanks!
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13 Replies
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The best method is FILE>EXPORT>QUICKTIME MOVIE. Self Contained, no recompression, use sequence settings. This gets you a full res file. I tend to archive this.
You take that result into Compressor and use the H.264 presets…choose the highest quality one. Take the resulting file and upload to Vimeo.
[Elizabeth Kueneke] “I have bought Compressor but it doesn´t seem to import FCP files.”
What do you mean? The FCP PROJECT file? no, you need to export a file from FCP.
[Elizabeth Kueneke] “When I am in FCP itself, I always get an error when I try to export the file into Quicktime, also when I try to export with Quicktime Conversion”
What is the error?
What format is the footage you are working with? And by that I mean what codec/compressor?
Shane
Little Frog Post
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hey there. thanks for the quick response. I have now succeeded in exporting into Quicktime movie, and importing that file into Compressor.
In Compressor, where do I find the H.264 presets? I am looking at a few choices in the Settings window. I don´t know if this is correct, but I am choosing the Broadband High H.264 choice under HTTP Live Streaming, as my setting, and then a place on my computer as the destination, and I have dragged them both up to the top.When I try to submit, I get the following error message:
One or more targets are incomplete.
Each target assigned to a job must have a setting and a destination.This seems strange since I have applied both a setting and a destination.
Any ideas? -
[Elizabeth Kueneke] ” When I am in FCP itself, I always get an error when I try to export the file into Quicktime, also when I try to export with Quicktime Conversion”
If its a “General Error”, she probably has a very large still frame somewhere on the timeline, or a non-conventional resolution. FCP doesn’t have the vocabulary that would enable it to communicate this back to a user in a comprehensible way. And its something that a new-ish user wouldn’t understand to be a deal-breaker.
I know a lot of people export Quicktimes out of FCP to use as archives and master-donors, which is generally a very good idea. Call me crazy, I like sending the sequence to Compressor — and if there’s something illegal about the sequence then I deal with the violation, and if not, then one of the hidden secrets of that workflow is that Compressor treats the event boundaries as compression markers, which helps with quality. Otherwise it needs to figure out where the cuts are if its dealing with a single, continuous file…
jPo
“I always pass on free advice — its never of any use to me” Oscar Wilde.
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YOu drag your video clip to the upper left area…the drop zone. Then you find the H.264 LAN STREAMING in the FORMATS>OTHER WORKFLOWS>WEB>QT7 Streaming folder. Then just drag that setting onto the clip. That’s it. Then press SUBMIT.
Shane
Little Frog Post
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Hmmmm. Well my video clip has been dragged to the drop zone. I am certain of that. However I am not finding any H.264 LAN Streaming as a choice, nor am I finding the other folders you mentioned, such as Other Workflows, web, or QT7. There are many H.264 choices under the HTTP Live Streaming Folder which is in Settings. Otherwise I see no other place to choose H.264. Am I missing something ? Possible this is because it is a new version of Compressor?
By the way, I recognize you from helping me a few years ago on something else. Thanks! -
What version of Compressor are you running? The one that came as part of Final Cut Studio…or one that you buy from the app store?
Shane
Little Frog Post
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
I just bought it from the App store today
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Ah. Well, it might have different settings and all that. I’m not familiar with the new version to assist properly. All the stuff I suggested come as a part of Compressor that comes with FCP.
Shane
Little Frog Post
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AH, well I didn´t even know it came with FCP! How do I go about doing that? So I still export to Quicktime Movie first, then open it up in FCP, and then?
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[Elizabeth Kueneke] “AH, well I didn´t even know it came with FCP! How do I go about doing that?”
FCP 5 is only sold as part of Final Cut Studio 1
FCP 6 is only sold as part of Final Cut Studio 2
FCP 7 is only sold as part of Final Cut Studio 3The installer for Compressor…all the apps really, is on that first installer disc. There are other installer discs that have supplimentary stuff, like Soundtrack Pro files, DVD Studio pro files, Motion files. All the apps are on that first disc.
BUT…I don’t think that matters now. YOu have the latest Compressor so you can’t install an earlier one…but I might be wrong.
[Elizabeth Kueneke] “So I still export to Quicktime Movie first, then open it up in FCP, and then?”
No…you export that QT from FCP, open that into Compressor…and then export out a high res H.264 file. As I don’t have that version of Compressor, I don’t know what options are available (I’d think they’d have VIMEO settings, as later Compressor options include YouTube settings)…as to WHERE they are, Sorry, no idea. I don’t have that version of Compressor.
Shane
Little Frog Post
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def
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