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importing FCP simple project…multiple crashes…
I’ve just done the standard process of XML transfer in of a project done in FCP to Premiere 5.5, based on watching Larry Jordan’s video training on moving FCP projects to Premiere. . While the 16 minute project seems to come in fine, Adobe is continuously crashing on the project. The problem appears to be audio related, as when I attempt to reestablish an audio fade, the program crashes, hard. This project of mine is very simple, no SFX, just a couple of tracks of clips, 8 tracks of audio, and really not much of any kind of clips.
My initial experience with this transfer process is terrible. While I watched a few videos on ‘how simple’ this should all be, my experience so far is really that it is not worth trying to import projects done in FCP.
Additionally, audio tracks have unuseable volume changes, still photos that looked fine in FCP are washed out in Premiere, though they look fine in the color correction on some of the clips is gone, some clips that were properly exposed (and look that way in the left hand window) are washed out. And don’t get me started on the notion of audio fades being called “Constant Power” and “Constant Gain” WTF?
I know I am new to this program, but I have successfully used Fcp and Sony Vegas (on Windows 7 of course) with no problems in migrating my skills between the two. Certainly skills transfer is different than converting files, but the claim of being able to convert these files is pretty far from the reality of getting a working project from the process.
This supposed conversion is just turning out modified video clips, bizarre audio effects, crashes, it seems like it would be better to just start all over again, as I can’t even imagine what is the problem that Adobe is choking on.
What I see after importing the project. The right hand side is washed out, and the left hand preview screen is fine…I’ve not touched the video other than to run a render on it to get the timeline to go green rather than be red. Is that the problem? Why would rendering the footage screw it up????did I not set some basic project setting correct?I’m more than willing to share this entire project with Adobe Tech support, both FCP files and the imported Adobe files if they think that this is something ‘special’. But I must say, I’m not going to assume that I can import anything from FCP based on my first pass.
Alf
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9 Replies
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Let us know if you’re still getting the crashes after installing the Premiere Pro CS5.5 (5.5.1) update.
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Todd Kopriva, Adobe Systems Incorporated
Technical Support for professional video software
After Effects Help & Support
Premiere Pro Help & Support
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Thanks Todd. Ok, I updated the product to 5.5.1 (to be clear, there did not appear to be anything in the update docs that would lead me to believe that it would help in this situation). I then relaunched all the various projects that I was doing on this last night. (this included crash recoverys). While I haven’t yet had a crash this morning (maybe that’s what was fixed???) it did not alter the affects of importing the video. I deleted the render files that I created last night. No change to what you see in my screen shot. The footage on the right side is dramatically different than the footage in the clip previews on the left. Also, audio tracks are significantly degraded (sound levels extremely low for example). This is all based on a totally working and finished product, done in FCP 7.0.3 which you can view at:
https://www.vimeo.com/12452315I reimported the project again this morning, with various changes, mainly not importing the master clips. Same results but no crashes.
- export FCP project to XML Version 5
Options Include Master clips outside the sequence,etc. tried both ways.
imported to PremiereThe log says that as far as audio goes, there was clamping added because some of the tracks had audio above 6+db, but on FCP it never seems to go above -12db. Also there is no peaking on the FCP footage. The track is composed of a voice track that, if anything was low to begin with, and a sound track that was professional done in one of the best studios in the Northwest (it was my band’s professional CD recording). I can’t tell in the audio preview what the levels actually are. Is there a way to turn on some way of seeing the db levels in the preview screen (left side window). Perhaps I can remove the clamping on the audio in Premiere? I can’t seem to find a way in the menus to do that.
ALso, it shows that the clip you see in my example, had the three way color correction was approximated and should be removed. Other clips of her are better than that, which is odd… It appears that I will have to redo the color correction on her, as well as some, but not all, of the other clips.
Also, there is a still photo of a log grader about 56 seconds into the video, and it is totally washed out (overexposed) on the Premiere right side viewer (but it is *blue* in the left side viewer!). There was color correction added to this still, but the overexposure is odd.
To be clear, Larry warned us about titles not coming across right, and yes, my titles will need to be redone (they all are left aligned upper left of screen).
I put this all out here to both get feedback on my problems and to help others that may be thinking of moving their FCP projects to Premiere.
(I have numerous other FCP projects I would like to transfer in, but now I have to weigh the cost effectiveness of doing this).My needs are pretty simple. Documentaries shot with a single camera, still photo imports, minor color corrections, and relatively well done audio imports make up the bulk of the work I am trying to save.
I do want to commend Adobe technical support. That I got an answer on a Friday night to my question posed on Friday night, and the fact that we see you folks on here regularly, makes me all the more happy to have made the switch. Now to learn the differences in the tools. But thanks for making the investment in your tech support.
Alf
- export FCP project to XML Version 5
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> to be clear, there did not appear to be anything in the update docs that would lead me to believe that it would help in this situation
There’s a line about fixes for various crashes. That includes some related to FCP XML interchange.
Regarding the fidelity of the conversion from an FCP XML project:
The conversion of effects in many cases is far from perfect, and it’s just meant to be a starting point. I think that for the color correction effects especially, you’ll need to start over in many cases.We are improving the conversion with each version, and I think that you’ll be really pleased with what you see in the near future.
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Todd Kopriva, Adobe Systems Incorporated
Technical Support for professional video software
After Effects Help & Support
Premiere Pro Help & Support
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Thanks Todd. I’ll have to weigh each project’s pay back, given that, but so far, I like what I see in Premiere, so it seems like a worthwhile switch. My original thinking was to get everything migrated to Premiere, but given the lack of some of the basics, like audio and color correction, I might just start new projects in it and wait for some future better conversion ability.
I think it will really help Adobe to make sure that audio works, and if possible, color. But I assume that is gated by Apple willing to share some of their APIs.
Alf
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Update on this issue: It appears that the crashes have indeed vanished with the update to 5.5.1. Also, on the issue of color correction being radically off, it appears that the three way color corrector was applied to all the clips,and in some cases, this appears to have been automated oddly (which means wrong to me – grin). I removed the 3WCC from all the affected clips and spent time re-correcting them. I would say that *assume* you will be color correcting your clips when you bring them across (or is my experience an anomoly?). Perhaps, in lieu of getting it right, a variable can be set by the user to simply strip all color corrections? Or some other option? It points out that bringing across finished work is still dicey.
On the positive sides, I love the shadow/highlight Video affect (under Adjust) menu. It has improved a few of my interviews that were, unfortunately, shot in less than perfect lighting sites.
I’m also happy with the color correction tools, as to me the tools in FCP were really wonderful to work with. Adobe seems to have done it right here too. The video by Jeff Sengstack, on Streamlining Color Correction in P.Pro (recommended by Adobe in the help files) is really worth the read.
https://provideocoalition.com/index.php/editingpost/story/streamlining_color_correction_in_premiere_pro/P1/Anyway, hope that this thread helps others that are considering migrating their stuff. There’s already a number of good sites on this conversion process, including Walter Biscodi (?), all with specific issues that they raise.
So make sure you have upgraded to 5.5.1 (which apparently does not automatically alert you when you install from disk), and expect to color correct and do some audio re-work.
Alf
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Here are some more resources that should help with the transition from FCP to Premiere Pro.
I especially highly recommend the Editor’s Guide to Adobe Premiere Pro. (Full disclosure: I may be biased because I was the technical editor for that book.)
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Todd Kopriva, Adobe Systems Incorporated
Technical Support for professional video software
After Effects Help & Support
Premiere Pro Help & Support
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Todd,
When you say things like ” wait until you see what’s coming soon”. You might get confused for being an Apple employee, or Owner! ;))
Seriously, I have aked Premiere Pro 5.5 to look for updates, and to no results. Any idea when this might be fixed?
Otherwise, how’s it done.
I am pleased with my move to CS 5.5, and ( gulp) even my more to Windows 7
(typed on my iPad 2)DBK
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> When you say things like ” wait until you see what’s coming soon”…
My point was simply that we’ve been making improvements in this area for the past few versions and updates, and we’ve got more improvements in the works.
> Seriously, I have aked Premiere Pro 5.5 to look for updates, and to no results. Any idea when this might be fixed?
See this page. It has the current information and will be updated when anything changes.
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Todd Kopriva, Adobe Systems Incorporated
Technical Support for professional video software
After Effects Help & Support
Premiere Pro Help & Support
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Darren, are you familiar with W7 disk imaging tools? Identical to what i would use in Apple.Also make sure you understand restore points. Good backup stuff there.
As to checking on updates, my copy of 5.5 checked just fine.
Alf
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