final cut pro 5, prores, 7d. help.

[Tra]

im running OSX 10.4.11, using Final Cut Pro 5.1.4, and using 1080p HD footage from a Canon 7D.

when editing in Final Cut, with proper sequence settings, i get a "codec error" message whenever i try to render any kind of filter, motion, etc. on any clip.
i can change the sequence settings and use effects, but then im forced to render every clip in the timeline even if it doesnt have any effects on it.
after some research, ive found that i need Final Cut Pro 7 for it's ProRes 422 codec. however, when attempting to update Final Cut via the Mac website, my serial number doesn't work, probably because i got Final Cut Studio from a friend and used SerialBox to get it up and running.

So, any ideas on what I can do to avoid rendering every clip in the timeline, and still have proper sequence settings and be able to render effects?

[kmediavideo]

Do you convert any footage before you edit in FCP? Because FCP doesn't edit well with the h.264 codec that the 7D records into.

You should be using compressor or MPEG Streamclip to convert all your footage to Prores422 before doing anything in final cut. It takes up alot of space, but you will be able to edit smoothly.

[Tra]

damn it i deleted compressor a long time ago before i switched to hd cause i had no use for it. dont have the 422 codec anyway though.

[brandon giffen]

download mpeg stream clip its free and you can batch process your clips into propres422

[Tra]

download mpeg stream clip its free and you can batch process your clips into propres422

i downloaded this program but i dont see anything about prores in the conversion settings. do i just convert to mp4?

[kmediavideo]

the "compression" menu should have Prores422 as an option. Just make sure frame size is "unscaled" and quality is 100% when you're converting 7d footage for edit.

http://wiki.smugmug.net/download/attachments/4128780/MPEG+Streamclip+-+Movie+Exporter.jpg

[Tra]

yeah there's no prores 422 option on mine, pretty sure you can only get that codec with final cut 7
orrr... should i just use the setting shown in that screen cap?

[brandon giffen]

go to save as .avi, once there you'll see some codec options, scroll all the way to the bottom and there's a setting called xdcam. Next to each one of those is a prores option with your frame rates next to it

[Tra]

excellent ive gotten past the rendering issues, but playback in final cut is extremely choppy now.
the sequence settings and the clip settings match perfectly, im quite confused. playback was fine before, so i dont think its a ram issue, ive got 2gb anyway.
im also not sure why the export frame size settings from streamclip are 1920x1080, but then in final cut it shows up as 1440x1080.

thanks a lot for helping me with this, btw.

[brandon giffen]

have you tried downloading the plugin in for final cut for the canon 7d?

[Tra]

you cant get that plugin for final cut pro 5, only 7 and later

[cj miller]

You need to learn how to offline your edit. And you're getting choppy playback because your vid card is probably the one that came with your mac and unless you're running a mac tower your not going to have smooth 1920 X 1080 playback for the most part. Even with the mac tower it can have issues ( but that's more rare )

Offline editing is how people can cut massive amounts of footage on laptops or slower computers, or even a fast comp but a shit load of seq / layers. And still deliver stunning final cuts. When Mac first released the Powerbook it claimed, you could cut an entire feature length film on it. True indeed, but not without some workflow knowledge.

1. You convert all your "raw" media to low res clips without changing the file names ( very fucking important ), in a resolution and codec that your computer is happy with and plays smooth ( if you shot 7D 1920X1080 h.264 is your "raw" and a nice conversion would be 1280 X 720 pro res 422 HQ ). You do your edit in this format WITHOUT effects and don't change the name of ANY of the clips. This is where planning and concept are key because you must edit knowing an effect will be placed here or here. Sometimes I just place a simple effects that communicates the idea of what I want to do. but looks like dog shit. This helps me sell my offline cuts to directors who need to see the "final" before they can say yes or no.

2. Once your "offline" edit is completed you re-link your FCP seq back to the "raw" clips and bam. Now you have a completed edit with all your high res footage... this is the ONLINE edit.

3. Lay in effects, color correction etc.... Render one final time

4. Your done.

I know this doesn't explain the process like you press this button and then this one, but it gives you an idea of how most pros do it when they don't have beefy systems that can handle online editing with effects and tons of layers, which even if they do sometimes it's just smoother for everyone involved in the process to have a offline edit while everyone is putting their .02 in and making the editor dream about the apocalypse while working with version 25 of the cut.

[THE_OMEN]

theres a plug in for FCP they released a lil while back for 5d markII and 7d users

think thats the link

http://www.usa.canon.com/dlc/controller?act=GetArticleAct&articleID=3249

[darkdeshijedi]

vlc can do some converting

http://createdigitalmotion.com/2009/07/vlc-10-now-one-stop-video-conversion-on-mac-windows-linux/