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MP4 from Sony not supported
A film shot on a Sony HVR Z1 desperately needs editing on final cut for a deadline next week. trouble is the MP4 format the camera spat out is unsupported in Final Cut.
I’ve been reading around online and it looks as if this is a common problem, but I can’t seem to find a definite solution anywhere.
I have over 4 hours of footage so converting isn’t going to be ideal (nor would it be ideal anyway), but if that is the only way…
Is there any kind of plug-in I could install to final cut?
Or something as simple as changing the file extension?
Any help is appreciated
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11 Replies
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That’s not correct Greg. The Z1 shoots HDV, which is either captured native or as ProRes on the fly in FCP.
There are many MP4 cameras that require transcoding of footage before editing in FCP, but the Z1 is not one of them.
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor/Colorist
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los Angeles
https://www.drwfilms.comPOST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™
A forum host of Creative COW’s Business & Marketing and Apple Final Cut Pro forums. Formerly host of the Apple Final Cut Basics, Indie Film & Documentary, and Film History & Appreciations forums.
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2 cameras were used on this project, a Z1 and panasonic HD camera (need to check which model).
The footage on the P2 cards for both camera has an MP4 extension and none of it will open in final cut.
How would I go about transcoding these MP4s for use in final cut? capturing from the camera is no longer a possibility.
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The Sony Z1 shoots tape. How would it get to a P2 card?
Something is wrong with your info Greg. The .MP4 designation might indicate something like a Flipcam, but definitely not a Sony Z1.
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor/Colorist
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los Angeles
https://www.drwfilms.comPOST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™
A forum host of Creative COW’s Business & Marketing and Apple Final Cut Pro forums. Formerly host of the Apple Final Cut Basics, Indie Film & Documentary, and Film History & Appreciations forums.
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If only someone would have posted an exhaustive step-by-step tutorial on the Cow about workflow for tapeless formats…
Oh, the humanity!
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Well, taking a wild guess here –
Supposition 1 – its an EX1 and not a Z1 (as David stated, Z1 shoots HDV on tape)
Supposition 2 (assuming 1 is correct) is that you’ve copied the shots over but not the whole BPAV file structure. You’re now entering a whole world of hurt, trust me I’ve been there. The director paid.
If those are correct, my advice would be to stump up the readies for this:
https://www.calibratedsoftware.com/MP4EXImport_Mac.asp
which I’ve used and is excellent, or:
which I haven’t used. But may be equally excellent.
Don’t try any other freeware, workarounds or hacks. I did, and still ended up buying the first one. I must’ve spent a day trying, so the software cost me about 4 times it’s price in time faffing!
Jason
_________________________________
Before you criticise a man, walk a mile in his shoes.
Then when you do criticise him, you’ll be a mile away. And have his shoes.*the artist formally known as Jaymags*
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[Jason Porthouse] “Well, taking a wild guess here”
So Jason, do you have an oil well, a water well, or just a well-th of insight? 🙂
It’s a shame we have to guess — it takes up so much bandwidth and time.
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor/Colorist
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los Angeles
https://www.drwfilms.comPOST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™
A forum host of Creative COW’s Business & Marketing and Apple Final Cut Pro forums. Formerly host of the Apple Final Cut Basics, Indie Film & Documentary, and Film History & Appreciations forums.
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[Alan Okey] “If only someone would have posted an exhaustive step-by-step tutorial on the Cow about workflow for tapeless formats…”
But Alan, seamless workflows take all the fun and excitement out of post-production. Not to mention the fact that the volume of traffic here on the Cow totally depends upon people winging everything and leaving shooting and editing completely to chance.
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor/Colorist
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los Angeles
https://www.drwfilms.comPOST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™
A forum host of Creative COW’s Business & Marketing and Apple Final Cut Pro forums. Formerly host of the Apple Final Cut Basics, Indie Film & Documentary, and Film History & Appreciations forums.
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thanks Jason, I’ve investigated further and thats exactly whats happening. I’m guessing that the BPAV files are in a folder on the P2 card separate to the footage? In that case it is gone. BPAV is a file format that final cut uses to capture the footage, yes? The footage is accompanied by a few other files (.SMI, .PPN, .XML and .BIM), but they’re nothing to do with the BPAV files?
I’ll give the MP4-EX software a go. If not I guess I’m stuck with editing on premier…
And yes the camera would have been a EX1 in that case.
Thanks for the help
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[David Roth Weiss] “seamless workflows take all the fun and excitement out of post-production. Not to mention the fact that the volume of traffic here on the Cow totally depends upon people winging everything and leaving shooting and editing completely to chance.”
To be fair, it’s far too often that editors find themselves in the position of having to to decipher and clean up somebody else’s mess. As evidenced by many posts in this forum, it’s alarming how frequently editors are given incomplete or incorrect assets from file-based cameras due to the ignorance of the producer or videographer involved. For editors who have prior experience working with tapeless formats, this is an annoying and completely avoidable waste of time. For those who don’t, it can be an extremely confusing and frustrating experience. Producers and videographers share the burden of responsibility along with editors to research tools and proper workflows prior to beginning a project. Haphazardly dumping incomplete assets in the laps of editors and expecting everything to magically sort itself out is inexcusable.
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[Alan Okey] “If only someone would have posted an exhaustive step-by-step tutorial on the Cow about workflow for tapeless formats…
Oh, the humanity!”
https://library.creativecow.net/ross_shane/tapeless-workflow_fcp-7/1[Alan Okey] “To be fair, it’s far too often that editors find themselves in the position of having to to decipher and clean up somebody else’s mess. As evidenced by many posts in this forum, it’s alarming how frequently editors are given incomplete or incorrect assets from file-based cameras due to the ignorance of the producer or videographer involved. For editors who have prior experience working with tapeless formats, this is an annoying and completely avoidable waste of time. For those who don’t, it can be an extremely confusing and frustrating experience. Producers and videographers share the burden of responsibility along with editors to research tools and proper workflows prior to beginning a project. Haphazardly dumping incomplete assets in the laps of editors and expecting everything to magically sort itself out is inexcusable.”
Digital has brought a generation of Video Editors that do not bother much on learning what they have on their hands.
How will you master any skill if you are unable or unwilling to learn the more basic of your tools?
What about if Video Editors start by learning how to use manuals (and read them)?
rafael
PS: I’m sure monkeys can be easily trained to make basic editing.
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