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Activity Forums Adobe After Effects Why can’t AE users just buy the FCP ProRes Codec?!

  • Why can’t AE users just buy the FCP ProRes Codec?!

    Posted by Greg Neumayer on September 30, 2009 at 1:39 am

    Again, my clients are giving me .mov footage that they edited in Final Cut, and again, they keep saying that “It’s just a .mov file. We’re both on Macs, you know.” And again, I can’t use it because I use AE but not Final Cut. Am I missing something? (other than that blasted codec)

    I’m understanding that it’s the ProRes codec that I’m needing (true?), can I purchase this somewhere? Is there more to it than that?

    My clients moan because I keep making them render all their footage out to another more universal codec. Is there a friendly (mac) transfer codec out there that isn’t a huge burden on them to use? (in lieu of a better solution)

    I’ve scoured the forums trying to make heads or tails out the solution, but can’t really find the golden workflow. I’d love to hear from an AE user who DOES NOT have Final Cut installed but works with people’s footage who are editing in FCP.

    Thanks for your workflow solutions.

    Antifreeze Design
    https://www.antifreezedesign.com

    Tom Brooks replied 16 years, 10 months ago 6 Members · 9 Replies
  • 9 Replies
  • David Bogie

    September 30, 2009 at 2:24 pm

    Apple’s fabulous new codecs only come with the purchase of Final Cut Studio v3.0. You buy it or you convince your clients to use the more conventionally available codec Animation. It’s too bad they regard this as a tedious task, folks in this bidness been using Animation as the least common denominator for a l-o-n-g time because it works, it’s lossless, and it’s totally portable that it is large is a ridiculous quibble.

    bogiesan

  • Kevin Camp

    September 30, 2009 at 5:29 pm

    it really shouldn’t be any trouble to choose a different codec when they export an mov from fcp… if they are already choosing export, they just need to choose the codec you ask them for. or they could provide you with the prores quicktime component (note: i’m not sure how legal it is, but the components are easy to find, transfer and install).

    i like lossless, but i’ve been using quicktime png more and more (not to be confused with png sequences). quicktime photo-jpeg at 75% will maintain the 422 color. also, avid’s dnxhd codec is free and is nearly the same as prores — actually, it has slightly better bit-rates and supports alpha, so it can be a good way to go.

    Kevin Camp
    Senior Designer
    KCPQ, KMYQ & KRCW

  • Owain Elidir

    October 23, 2009 at 1:32 pm

    ProRes seems to work now without FCP if you have the latest version of quicktime

  • Jason Brown

    October 23, 2009 at 2:50 pm

    Doesn’t the AppleQmasterNode.mpkg file included on the FCP install disk include the ProRes codecs? I was told it did and to provide that install file to anyone who needed to interpret ProRes files. I believe I read that here on the Cow.

    -Jason

  • Greg Neumayer

    October 23, 2009 at 4:05 pm

    Uh, maybe. But since I’m not a FCP user, that would mean I don’t have the disk.

    I haven’t yet seen it posted anywhere (official or otherwise) which leads me to believe that FCP is not really trying to help any third parties that assist FCP users. Otherwise, they’d make the codec easy to come by.

    Antifreeze Design
    https://www.antifreezedesign.com

  • Greg Neumayer

    October 23, 2009 at 4:08 pm

    What version is that you’re using?

    That’d be great if it were true. I’ve learned my lesson in being the first kid on the block to upgrade my quicktime minor version, so I’m usually an update or two behind, while I wait to see who yelps at the latest updates.
    -Greg

    Antifreeze Design
    https://www.antifreezedesign.com

  • Jason Brown

    October 23, 2009 at 6:30 pm

    I’m in FCP7…the Qmaster file I have is from that install disk for version 7. I have the file, if it’s not an issue to share it, I’d gladly share it with you, there aren’t any install codes or anything…so I believe it is *shareable*.

    I posted in the FCP forum here on the cow and here’s a link to what Shane Ross wrote…he’s amazing, very knowledgeable about FCP…

    https://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/8/1059335

  • Greg Neumayer

    October 23, 2009 at 7:34 pm

    Hmmm. Now I’m really confused.
    I followed the link, started the install, and it told me that I already have a more recent version of the decoder on my machine. ?! I wonder why I get all these black-with-audio FCP quicktimes from people?!

    Antifreeze Design
    https://www.antifreezedesign.com

  • Tom Brooks

    October 26, 2009 at 12:17 pm

    Apple now includes a DEcoder for ProRes in Quicktime 7. But I do not think you can ENcode to ProRes without Final Cut Studio. Which makes ProRes OK for transporting a file to AE, but not back again to Final Cut unless you have FC Studio installed. I’d like to know if I’m wrong on this. – Tom

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