[Rob Grauert]

It means FCP can’t read the footage on your hard drive fast enough to play back the footage in real time without skipping frames. This is not damaging to your media, but can be annoying when you’re trying to work.

A few basic things to keep in mind:

Your media should not live on you computer’s system drive. Your footage (in fact, all media for your projects) should live on its own hard drive, but a RAID is ideal. Even a G-RAID is sufficient for compressed formats.

Change your RT settings to Unlimited if you have to.

It’s good practice to match all your media and timeline settings. If you have to convert things in Compressor before editing, do it. And don’t work with H.264 files. Convert them to ProRes

Rob Grauert, Jr.
http://www.robgrauert.com
command-r.tumblr.com

[Rob Grauert]

Yes. You want to use the Media Manager. It’s simple and a quick read in the Manual

Rob Grauert, Jr.
http://www.robgrauert.com
command-r.tumblr.com

[Rob Grauert]

Still images always need rendering. So work in a ProRes timeline to ensure top quality. If you need real-time playback, changing your RT setting to Unlimited may allow for it.

Rob Grauert, Jr.
http://www.robgrauert.com
command-r.tumblr.com

[Rob Grauert]

If the client wanted an NTSC product, then the footage should have been shot at 29.97fps. Convert those files to ProRes using MPEG Streamclip and maintain a the frame rate of 29.97fps. Then bring the ProRes clips into FCP and work in a timeline set to 29.97fps. Edit, then export your Master out of FCP by going to File > Export > Quicktime Conversion, and be sure to maintain Current Settings. Once your Master is exported, bring it into Compressor for DVD encoding, ensuring the frame rate remains 29.97fps.

Rob Grauert, Jr.
http://www.robgrauert.com
command-r.tumblr.com

[Rob Grauert]

Thanks Mark. Renting the DVD is a good idea.

Rob Grauert, Jr.
http://www.robgrauert.com
command-r.tumblr.com

[Rob Grauert]

I wouldn’t recommend editing in one timeline for a 90-minute project. Not because it isn’t doable, but it is easier to manage and visualize the over arching story if you divide the project into segments/sequences. In my experience, the point at which you’d cut to commercial would mark the end of a segment/sequence. Make sense?

I wouldn’t ever work in a timeline that is 12-hours long either, haha. The only time I have scene that is when I was an assistant and editors were pulling selects into a timeline.

Anyway, glad I could help you and your friend.

Rob Grauert, Jr.
http://www.robgrauert.com
command-r.tumblr.com

[Rob Grauert]

You mean how many hours of footage can fit in the timeline? I believe it’s 12 hours.

Rob Grauert, Jr.
http://www.robgrauert.com
command-r.tumblr.com

[Rob Grauert]

Good find! I use Control + B a lot, so I remapped Control + S to Control + V, allowing me to work with these two commands quickly.

Thanks

Rob Grauert, Jr.
http://www.robgrauert.com
command-r.tumblr.com

[Rob Grauert]

Yes. When you have a video clip laid in the timeline and a separate audio clip synced with it, highlight the two and press Command + L.

Rob Grauert, Jr.
http://www.robgrauert.com
command-r.tumblr.com

[Rob Grauert]

Raf,

The Pixel Aspect in the Browser says “HD (960X720)

“Always Scale Clips…” IS checked in Preferences.

And I’m still getting that upscaling to 133%

Thanks 🙂

Rob Grauert, Jr.
http://www.robgrauert.com
command-r.tumblr.com