No Importable Files message on .MXF Files

[Don Smith]

It sounds like you got the bare MXF files and not the full folder structure created by the camera. Get the whole folder structure and FCPX will import the media in a heartbeat. No folder structure, no import.

I have Adobe Creative Cloud so I have access to Premiere (blechhh!). I use Premiere to import all the MXF files, select them all, paste into a timeline and export as a long single movie in Prores. Or, break them up if you want.

There are other programs that will convert for a price.

As a side note, before Premier Pro fans start cheering how PP can do this and FCPX can’t, please remember that even PP owners don’t want the bare files. The folder structure will ‘reassemble’ shots that go over the file limit of the FAT 32 file format used by the cameras. The folder structure adds very little file size. It’s only the ignorant who think they don’t want that folder structure.

But, for some reason, I can’t get people to listen to me. I still get them ‘helping’ me by just giving me the bare MXF files.

A friend who uses PP called Adobe with the problem that PP sometimes goes into a rendering loop that never ends. Adobe said that that is sometimes caused by using MXF and MTS files without the folder structure. He was advised by Adobe to always use the entire folder structure.

Don Smith

NewsVideo.com

[Russ Haskell]

Is the top level of your folder structure named CONTENTS?

Russ

[Shelley O’neil]

Ah fantastic thank you both, problem is now solved.

Yes there was a link missing in the chain of folders. Although I did have the CONTENTS folder, I did not have the CLIPS001 folder.

I didn’t see the wood for the trees! Even though I spent ages looking at those that worked and those that didn’t to to compare and check that all Journal Folders, Index files, .CIF, .XML were all present and accounted for, I MISSED the fact that a folder was missing in the middle.

Thanks again.

[Dan Coplan]

I’m also having this problem. Just recorded a test using the Canon C300. Copied everything straight off the card to maintain the folder structure but FCPX will not import it. If I import straight from the card then I’m good, but not from the hard drive.

Using VLC I can play it back no problem but that doesn’t help me import it into FCPX. The top level of my folder structure is CONTENTS, unless you’re suggesting it literally has to be the very top level because I have that in a folder dated with today’s date in another folder called ‘TESTS’.

Dan

Dan Coplan
Cinematographer / DIT
http://www.dancoplan.com

[Shelley O’neil]

Dan I had a folder missing after CONTENTS. There should have been a folder named CLIPS001. Doesn’t sound like that is your problem though right?

Only other thing I can think of is whether you have the relevant plugin for Canon C300? I guess you must have to come off the camera…anyway these are just ideas to throw into the mix, may have to hear from the big boys : )

[Dan Coplan]

Yeah, I’ve got the CLIPS001 folder there. I wonder if there are invisible files that don’t copy over or something like that. If so, there must be some copy utility that allows you to copy everything over to FCPX can read it.

Dan Coplan
Cinematographer / DIT
http://www.dancoplan.com

[Dan Coplan]

Ok problem solved. I didn’t have the C300 plugin installed. It was driving me nuts because this all worked fine on my Macbook Air which did have it installed but I didn’t realize that my home machine didn’t have it.

Dan Coplan
Cinematographer / DIT
http://www.dancoplan.com

[Abi Puthukode]

thank you

[Jon Waters]

Thanks so much for this info Don, didn’t have the full folder structure so nothing else to do. I came across this post from last year.
Horrible going into premiere though, like going back to an os 9 app, so clunky.

Swoon Video Production Auckland NZ
http://www.swoon.co.nz

[Don Smith]

Just yesterday FCPX was updated along with video components and MXF in all its forms is importable now.

NewsVideo.com