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Humbly requesting 3 minutes from a maestro
Hi. I am fairly fluid on a basic level with FCP(6). Using macbook Pro and an external scratch.
I’m beating out a script and have been abusing the built-in camera with QT for some video ‘notes.’ Recently I dumped them into FCP so I could take advantage of the timeline, etc. At this point the clips aren’t for anything other than reference, but I’m referencing them quite often. And they continue to grow.
I’m recording them under Best H.264. I understand that is not a codec for editing in FCP. I’ve compressed them to DV before, but there was some funny business (probably didn’t have all the settings right). Then I found I could just import the .mov files and drag them into the timeline, render them, and they’re fine. Aspect ratio solid, audio in sync. Happy. Only (and this is true with DV transfer too), as you all well know, the file sizes are now about, umm, 100 times larger than they were before rendering.
I’m wondering if there’s a solution for getting small somewhere. FCP referencing the QTs without making monster files?, importing smaller transcoded FCP-friendly files?, etc. Eventually I may do something with them, and so am belatedly considering recording future notes uncompressed. The files then seem about the same size as they are after a DV transcode, but with the plus that I don’t have to render them to scrub around in FCP. So maybe I’ll just work that way and use the dwindling GBs to curb my note taking?
But if anyone has something elegant to offer, I’m appreciatively all ears.
Thanks
ML
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7 Replies
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If you get your clips into any small size codec, place them in your timeline, render for smooth playback, they we be big again. You are pissing into the wind (sorry to be crude but it is the best picture of what you are doing)
The easiest thing to do is to capture the QT with the same settings as your timeline. Then just deal with the file size, it will end up that size anyway but it is a long process because you are rendering.
What are your sequence settings? If you are using ProRes you may try ProRes Proxy to see if they playback okay without rendering.
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Thanks. I’ll play around some more (ProRes, etc), but I think it’s either recording QT with H.264 or native, which is JPEG codec. My settings were set for DV; I’ll try to match better, but it looks like they’re going to grow significantly any way I go…into the wind…
ML
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Hi Michael,
I think that with your computer camera, the best option you have is “Device Native”.
Is a PhotoJPEG, what mans that will work OK in FC, and the data-rate is half of the DV.
Rafael -
Thank you very much…
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Actually there is an audio problem I’m encountering exporting from QT with “Device Native” quality level. Sequence settings in FCP attempted to match QT — Photo JPEG — but FCP prompts me with the window saying settings don’t match, and would I like to make them so. I click Yes and move along. I dump right into the timeline, no rendering required, but audio loses sync quickly. When I check the settings of the clip against the sequence in the browser, they’re all lined up and same, except for “Aud Format” — FCP is 32-bit Floating Point, QT clips are 24-bit Integer. Wonder if that’s it. I don’t know how to make sequence match that, though.
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Don’t conform.
The time base of these files is 14.5 fps.
Build asequence qith the same codec and size than the clips, but with the time base that you need and 48Khz audio (the camera clips are 44.1Khz).
Rafael -
Very good. Thanks again.
ML
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