[Khashyar Darvich]

Thank you, Adam.

[Khashyar Darvich]

Sound advice, Sascha.

Thanks for your recommendation of FX Factory Pro. It is listed at $399. Not bad for 170+ plugins.

I remember reading that one or more of the plugin packages claim to also work with FCP X, but I will not be purchasing or investing in FCP X until it is tested, editor-approved, and ready for professional editing.

I will purchase plugins as needed for a project.

If Apple dumps its professional editing format, I have no qualms about jumping the Apple ship and using Adobe Premiere. Because of Apple’s pattern of disregarding their customers, I feel no loyalty to Apple whatsoever.

It is a shame that because FCP and Mac systems are used so widely in the Entertainment Industry, it provided good marketing for Apple since those who work in and control media helped to promote Apple products to the masses. It is similar to what Apple used to do in schools: put Mac products in the hands of school children so that they wold grow up knowing and supporting Apple and Mac products. But, Apple’s hubris and disregard for customers will be their downfall eventually. (For example, the Conan spoof of the mess of FCP X reaches customers and impacts Apple’s public relations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxKYuF9pENQ ).

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[Khashyar Darvich]

Thank you, Rafael, Adam and Sascha, for your thoughts and feedback.

Yea, I’ve been reading the forum and internet posts about how Apple dumped professional editors.

Actually, I have always told my Apple-devoted friends that although I like Final Cut Pro as software, I did not like Apple as a company and their business practices and how they treated their customers.

For me, my trust with Apple was broken when they stopped supporting the PowerPC format with future software (they could have taken a little bit of time and made their new software work on both platforms, just as Windows was made to work on AMD and Intel processors, and Adobe makes their software work on Macs and PCs). Apple were thinking of the bottom line at the expense of their customers who invested thousands of dollars on their MAC equipment, and wanted PowerPC users to spend the more money to buy the new Intel Macs.

I have read several editors describe Apple’s behavior as ‘hubris,’ and that label feels appropriate.

Anyway…. back to the topic…

The reason why I am considering purchasing additional FCP plugins is because we are working on 3 film and DVD projects that we already started on Final Cut Pro, and it makes sense to me to stay with FCP to finish these, and I would like to have some additional effects to add some interesting looks.

I have heard several editors who are planning on continuing to use FCP Studio 3 until it doesn’t become practical for them to use it anymore, and I think that I will take this approach, and use FCP until it doesn’t serve my needs and I will have to purchase and use something else.

Perhaps Apple will listen to FCP editors, and revise FCP X to meet our needs, so patience with FCP might be best until we can’t wait anymore.

Regarding FCP Plugins, I know that the Red Giant software also supports CS5 and AE (as well as FCP), and as Adam mentioned, Sapphire also supports AE and Avid, as well as Motion.

So, perhaps the prudent and middle approach might be to purchase the least expensive plugins of the ones listed (that offer useful effects), perhaps the “Big Box of Tricks” and “FX Factory Pro”?

I also know that I could invest in After Effects, and although I have friends who work in AE, I want to try to add effects within the FCP framework for now, and give AE work to my friends in there are AE effects that we absolutely want to include in our projects that we can’t create in FCP.

So, does purchasing middle priced plugins under this circumstance make sense?

Thank you again for your thoughts and recommendations.

[Khashyar Darvich]

Thank you for your feedback, Shane.

I think that I will take your advice and stay with FCP 6 on both machines for now, since it will make my workflow easiest.

Is it possible to install both FCP 6 and 7, as separate and distinct software, on the same Mac?

Regarding upgrading FCP, I believe that I will wait to purchase an upgraded version of FCP when the completely redesigned FCP X is released, which as I understand from what I’m reading, may be in the Fall.

At that time, I may also purchase a new MacPro desktop as well, so that I can run the latest software on both desktop and laptop.

Thank you again.

[Khashyar Darvich]

Hi Again,

I also found an older thread ( https://forums.creativecow.net/thread/8/1045814 ) where Shane mentions:

“I have successfully exported a project…full project…from FCP 7 to FCP 6 just fine…via XML. Easy as pie…or is that cake?

and he also says:

“none of the new ProRes codecs that come with FCP 7 will be backwards compatible….ProRes Proxy, ProRes LT, ProRes 4444”

and…

“so I can see them in the browser and QT, and play them..BUT…I cannot have a sequence with those settings. When I add them to the sequence I have a big RED render bar. This is apparently because QT contains the ProRes DECODER for all the ProRes flavors (I just played them on the reception iMac and they play too), but you cannot ENCODE to those formats…nor have timeline settings.”

(So, does this means that nothing digitized/converted into FCP7 will work in FCP 6)? Or, just the Prores formats that do not exist in FCP 6?

[Khashyar Darvich]

Hello Everyone,

I was searching through some older Creative Cow posts, and I found this suggestion from Andy:

“If you need to log or edit in FCP 7 and then mail back something that will work just as seamlessly for your co-editor using FCP 6 then be sure to export your project as an XML v4 file (File menu > Export > XML… then choose Format: Apple XML Interchange Format, version 4). A project file in that format should open right up in FCP 6 (File menu > Import > XML…) and your colleague will be good to go.”

If I do edit in FCP 7, would it be the best way of working between both versions to export a FCP 7 project as an XML v4 file?

How would that open in FCP 6? As an entire project, or as a sequence?

Thank you again for your thoughts and feedback.

Khashyar

[Khashyar Darvich]

Hello Everyone,

I just wanted to share the resolution to my question.

David Weiss was kind enough to look at a sample of our interlaced ACVHD footage, and he confirmed that the interlaced ACVHD footage looked absolutely fine on his 42″ production monitor, and he mentioned that he has worked successfully on many projects that combined interlaced and progressive DSLR.

I think that our uncertainty came from looking at the combined progressive and interlaced footage (where they were both integrated on an interlaced FCP timeline) on a computer monitor, and not on a production monitor.

I had not worked on a project that combined progressive and interlaced footage on the same timeline, and I was worried that they wouldn’t match well.

Thank you, David, for your help and for sharing your expertise.

[Khashyar Darvich]

That’s kind of you David, thank you.

[Khashyar Darvich]

Thank you, David.

The settings are how you suggested, but with shots that have camera motion, I do see fine interlaced lines in the ACVHD footage, and no lines in the DSLR progressive.

The lines are not thick lines, but they are there, especially where there is motion.

It reminds me of the interlaced lines in DV footage, but my main concern is matching the interlaced and progressive within the same timeline.

I want to understand whether I am missing something in the transcoding settings, before transcoding the 200+ hours of footage that we have 🙂

I thought it might be the Clipwrap software, but I did a test with the same ACVHD clip via Clipwrap on our G5, and then with Log and Transfer on a MacBook pro with FCP 7, and the interlaced lines were the same using CLipwrap and Log & Transfer, and the clips looked about the same. The end encoding was ProRes 422 in both cases.

I appreciate any other suggestions or thoughts.

[Khashyar Darvich]

Thank you, David, for the thoughtful advice, as well as the good wishes.