[Hilleke Doevendans]

Okay, so we’ve just emptied our render folders. Deleted 800Gb from one computer and 150Gb on the other. Maybe that’s the problem? Could the two systems be overlapping on naming render files? Or could FCP be struggling to access them?? Any ideas?

[Hilleke Doevendans]

Sorry, I’ve just checked with the editor and I’ve got the workflow slightly wrong (it’s even more complicated than I thought).

1. Export compile from HD timeline to HD quicktime (straight export – sequence settings: 1080i, prores)
2. Import the HD QT and place in new sequence (SD, PAL, prores).
3. Export SD sequence as a SD quicktime.
4. Import SD QT into new SD sequence and run this through Color.
5. Send Color-ed sequence back to FCP and export QT with sequence settings (SD, PAL)
(At this point there have been no drop outs/glitches)
6. Place SD/Color-ed QT into SD sequence with bars/tone, leaderboard, etc. Export from this sequence to SD quicktime (sequence settings). THIS is where we get the drop out.

This workflow worked for 21 episodes last year, but this year, all 4 episodes so far have had just the one glitch at about the same time in the sequence.

We’ve just noted that the leaderboard is HD – we’ll try a version with an SD leaderboard to see if that helps, but any other ideas welcome!

[Hilleke Doevendans]

Thanks. I gave it another go, using jpgs from Photoshop instead of the original PDFs and that seems to work fine. Must be a problem with the orignal PDFs.

Still a shame Photoshop doesn’t do this anymore.

2.5GHz PowerPC G5 | Mac OS X (10.3.9) | 4.5Gb DDR SDRAM

Final Cut Pro HD 4.5 | DVD Studio Pro 3.0.2 | Compressor 1.2.1

Adobe Photoshop CS | Adobe After Effects 6.5

——————————-
Mac Pro: Two 2.66 GHz Dual-Core Intel Xeon | 4GB RAM | ATI Radeon X1900 XT 512MB (2 x dual-link DVI)

Studio 2 | Adobe Photoshop CS | Adobe After Effects 6.5

[Hilleke Doevendans]

In the past I’ve used a little app called ‘Title Exchange Pro’ to convert subtitle files to XML for FCP and STL for DVD Studio. Might be worth checking their site to see if they can do what you need.

This article is also quite helpful:
https://library.creativecow.net/articles/gaton_jiggy/SubtitlerRoundup.php

[Hilleke Doevendans]

I had a similar problem converting PAL to NTSC. My first suggestion is email Graeme at Nattress. He’s very helpful and responds quite quickly.

Here’s what he suggested I check (can’t remember which one worked but something did. Keep in mind this is for PAL to NTSC not NTSC to PAL):

Things to check:

1) that the NTSC sequence really is NTSC – that it’s 29.97fps

2) that you drop the same PAL clip into the source well as you dropped on the timeline and they have the same in point.

3) Filter is set to PAL to NTSC. Nesting should be off, rest of settings are probably ok.

4) Don’t export direct to compressor from FCP. Export a movie out first by File -> Export -> Quicktime Movie, keep current settings, make self contained.

Hope that helps,

Graeme

[Hilleke Doevendans]

Hi Dave,

I’ve found that exporting a quicktime with ‘make movie self-contained’ sometimes helps. Then compress from the QT.
If you can estimate where in the sequence it gets stuck on, check for any unusual frames. One time, getting rid of a camera flash in shot helped. but that may have been pure coincidence…
Or you can try re-render, then export a full QT. This has sometimes helped.

good luck!

[Hilleke Doevendans]

Well, almost a year later, the same problem has cropped up again, and I still have no solution.

Again, restarting won’t stop compressor from trying to compress this clip and the batch monitor keeps ticking away. I can get away with shutting down the computer and restarting it once or twice, but after 2 times that doesn’t help either. I’ve tried tricking compressor by changing the source folders name – this worked once, but now it seems to find the clip where-ever it is.

Surely someone else must have come across this problem and have some kind of solution??? Please????

I have now deleted the source file and the batch monitor is still stuck on this clip – preventing me from starting any new compressions.

It does seem to get stuck at the same point in each file. I have 9 different language versions of the same sequence with minor changes. Most have compressed without any problems but 2 keep getting stuck. Any suggestions for preventing this once I finally get rid of the ‘stuck’ clip, would also be appreciated.

Any help or suggestions welcome. Thanks and have a lovely weekend!

Running:
Mac OSX v10.4.11
FInal Cut Studio 2 (i.e. Compressor 3.0.3, Final Cut Pro 6.0.4, etc.)

[Hilleke Doevendans]

Sorry I should have been clear about which system this problem is occurring on.

The OS is 10.4.11, bought earlier this year. And the version of Compressor is 3.0.3.

But thanks for your helpful tip anyway.

[Hilleke Doevendans]

Months later and the problem has arisen again.

I’ve exported some QT refs from FCP. Taken these into compressor. Left them going over night, only to come in in the morning and it’s still trying to compress the first clip and has been for 15 hours.

I’ve compressed these same clips last week and only changed a few minor things (titles and such) and they only took about 20-30 minutes that time.

I’ve tried closing Compressor and Batch Monitor. That doesn’t stop it. Restarting the Mac doesn’t stop it. And it seems to get stuck each time it tries to compress this clip.

ANY HELP will be very much appreciated as this seems to keep popping up, and I can’t be re-installing the entire system every month!

Thanks

(The system this is happening on is running FC Studio 2, all with latest updates)

2.5GHz PowerPC G5 | Mac OS X (10.3.9) | 4.5Gb DDR SDRAM

Final Cut Pro HD 4.5 | DVD Studio Pro 3.0.2 | Compressor 1.2.1

Adobe Photoshop CS | Adobe After Effects 6.5

——————————-
Mac Pro: Two 2.66 GHz Dual-Core Intel Xeon | 4GB RAM | ATI Radeon X1900 XT 512MB (2 x dual-link DVI)

Studio 2 | Adobe Photoshop CS | Adobe After Effects 6.5

[Hilleke Doevendans]

Never mind. I’ve done a complete re-install and the clip finally seems to be gone.

Lets hope the rogue clip doesn’t come back…