Wasn't quite sure if this is the right place, but since I use FCPX and it's an editing issue it seems right.

Common corporate video problem: you're editing a presentation...cutting between shot of person at lectern or wherever, and powerpoint slides. But they didn't create their slides in perfect 16:9. It's either 4:3 or somewhere in between. Sure you could stretch them in Powerpoint, probably, which looks hideous. Sometimes just scaling up works, but can make everything feel cramped or cut things off. I'm wondering if there's a quick way to add a background to a slide or group of slides, either in Powerpoint, automator, or FCPX. Basically, filling the "hole" and making each slide cover the screen.

So far I'm creating a solid color layer, turning it white (slides are usually on white bg), putting it under slide layer (forgot all the weird terminology in FCPX), making compound clip out of the two layers, add my dissolves between footage and slide. It works, looks ok, but it's a very clumsy process, and a bit time consuming when presentations go on for hours.

Wondering if there's a faster way. Thanks.

Basically this is the procedure I use. Export all the images from the Power Point as hi-res files in whatever flavor you want. On Windows there is a simple REGEDIT hack to achieve this. On a Mac see below.

On a separate project I do as you are doing. I create a background. Then I drag it out to the length required and then import all the PP slides and string them along on a track above the background and then export each image as a new image including its background. Don't know how you can do it with FCPX but on Windows I can run a script to place markers between each slide and then run a second script to run a batch export of all the images as JPGs or PNGs or whatever. During the edit I then apply cuts or transitions of some kind between slides if required.

For Mac maybe the following workflow may work for you:

https://www.slidemagic.com/blog/2017/11/27/how-to-export-powerpoint-slides-as-high-res-images-on-a-mac

When doing these long drawn out presentations I use a second camera for PP slide timing. Only needs to be a little handycam or similar.. This camera is locked off and shoots nothing but the screen. In post after syncing up the audio between the cameras I know exactly where the slides and their transitions take place and where to drop them in on the master timeline. Makes life so much easier.

Chris Young

Ill take a look at your link. Second cam is a good tip but unfortunately my client doesnt like the edits that simple...he likes to cut back to speaker when theyre on a tangent or expounding on one of the slide items, so knowing the transitions doesnt save a lot of time, plus I have to watch the whole thing to find unreasonably long pauses, coughs, random audience questions in the middle etc. and deal with or cut those things out.

When doing these long drawn out presentations I use a second camera for PP slide timing. Only needs to be a little handycam or similar.. This camera is locked off and shoots nothing but the screen. In post after syncing up the audio between the cameras I know exactly where the slides and their transitions take place and where to drop them in on the master timeline. Makes life so much easier.
Chris Young

Yes, this is absolutely necessary. It saves to much time trying to guess where slide changes came. You think you'll remember or that it will be obvious where the changes came, but then you find out how foolish you were.

Its really not an issue...often you can see the corner of the screen in the shot, you can often see them click the remote, you can often hear the remote, and we typically zoom out for a few seconds from an MCU to show the screen for every change.