Final Cut Pro and Wedding videos at DVinfo.net

Ryan Borrego · March 28th, 2009, 03:40 PM

I have just started learning my new Final Cut Pro6 software and have run into a big hump. I was trying to figure out how to import music, which I still have now idea how to do even with the music ive made up, but i found out that I can't import copyrighted songs inot the app. Is this correct? and if so, how do you other wedding videographers do your music and where do you find it? Im running out of time here!! Stressful!!

Noah Kadner · March 28th, 2009, 07:49 PM

Sounds like you are trying to drop perhaps iTunes Songs into FCP? Sorry but that can't be done. Well at least not until iTunes Plus. Now it can. But it's still completely 100% illegal to put music you don't have the rights to onto a wedding video- even if it's 'just for the bride.' Fair use doesn't apply at all. Many wedding videographers do it anyway but if you ever get nailed, you'll be on the hook and so will your client for violating a copyright.

If you want to stay legal, use a rights-cleared stock music library. Boring, but that's the way it goes.

Noah

Jonathan Jones · March 30th, 2009, 01:54 PM

Hi Ryan,
What Noah offered is accurate, but since what you are asking pertains to a technical perspective, I am not going to go into the questionable rights aspect of the wedding video industry. (There are hundreds of posts in these threads that already chew on that fat - and adding more to them is an exercise in futility.)

FCP prefers to handle audio that is encoded as 16-bit, 48k AIFF files. If you are running FCP on your system, it is more than likely that you have a number of options available to you that can handle the conversion quite easily. Converting it using Quicktime Pro is a logical choice, since the Pro key is typically included with the Final Cut Pro purchase.

A quick and un-intrusive process can also be found using Final Cut Assistant, a toolset add-on that can be found at
http://www.peakeprofessional.com

Certainly there are also many, many other applications or widgets that can convert your audio to those specifications quite easily.

On the other hand, if your audio is encoded with DRM, such as what would be found in files sourced from a music download service, such simple conversion techniques may not be successful. But there are workarounds to this situation as well, although I won't go so far as to outline them. It may be a practice that is not prudent to endorse.

Ryan Borrego · March 30th, 2009, 02:23 PM

Thanks for the help. Im obviously still learning the new system and am probably thinking to hard to resolve an easy problem!

Jonathan Levin · March 31st, 2009, 09:47 AM

Assuming that when you say that "music I've made up", if this is truly your composition done in something like Garageband or something simular, then yes, this is a simple matter.

However, if you are trying to import copy-written material that you have not licensed don't do the following:

Note to moderators: please feel free to edit or delete this post if it falls under some gray area.

For your custom written, composed music, or stuff you have cleared with the authorities, do this:

Assuming said song/sound is in Itunes (8.1), go to Preferences>General>Import settings>Import using select AIFF encoder. Click OK.

Select/highlight song in Itunes, go to Advanced> Create AIFF version. This will make a 16bit AIFF version of your composition. This file will then import nicely into FC.

Again, this will only work for your own music compositions, or stuff that is licensed to you. If you use copyright stuff, someone will find out and spank you or worse.

Jonathan

Mitchell Lewis · March 31st, 2009, 08:40 PM

Can you get the music to play in Quicktime Pro Player? If so, then you're golden.

FROM A CD
1) Put the CD in your computer drive
2) Open the disc using the Finder (so you can see the files on the disc)
3) Drag the song file you want from the disc window on to the Quicktime Pro Player icon in the Dock
4) The file will open in Quicktime Pro Player
5) Choose File>Export
6) Select AIFF
7) Click the Options button
8) Set it for a bit rate of 16-bits and a sample rate of 48khz
9) Click Save (or Export...I can't remember exactly what it's called)

FROM iTUNES (this is technically illegal)
1) Make a playlist of the songs you want to use
2) Put a blank CD-R in your drive
3) Right click on your playlist and choose Burn Playlist to Disc
4) Choose Disc Format>Audio CD
5) Burn the disc
6) Follow steps 1-6 for importing from a CD above

When you burn DRM files to an Audio CD it strips off the DRM. You'll take a slight quality hit doing this, but it probably won't be noticeable.

Jonathan Jones · April 3rd, 2009, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonathan Jones

Hi Ryan,
I am not going to go into the questionable rights aspect of the wedding video industry. (There are hundreds of posts in these threads that already chew on that fat - and adding more to them is an exercise in futility.)

I guess I should have clarified more fully - these forums are overflowing with contentions on both sides, engaging in "discussions" using pre-disposed opinions, and then exiting them with those opinions unchanged. But naturally, it didn't take long for this thread to follow suit, and attract posters looking for a brawl.

Folks wanting to take this one outside are welcome to go to this section:
Taking Care of Business - The Digital Video Information Network
and take your pick of any one of the countless threads inviting discourse on copyright policies.

The foundation for this thread was asked and answered early on. I respectfully implore the moderator to close this one out.

Thanks.

-Jon

Jonathan Levin · April 3rd, 2009, 11:05 AM

This Jonathan totally agrees with the other Jonathan. Original question answered.

The subject of copyright and usage as it stands now is quite controversial and issues do need to be addressed by the industry.

Also, please keep the tone civil in this and other forums. Name calling is just dumb. So let's just stop with that, please. When something hits a nerve, cool heads should prevail. We're all here to learn something.

Chris Hurd · April 3rd, 2009, 11:51 AM

Many thanks to the reader who sent me an email bringing this thread to my attention -- profanity, flames and abusive language has never been tolerated here at DV Info Net, and civility on this site is not just a good idea, it's a *requirement.*

So, you're looking at an edited thread: I have removed one person's bizarre statement condoning copyright infringement, and with that post gone, several replies that referenced it are gone as well (my apologies to those posters, but since I remove anything that promotes copyright infringement, therefore those responses have to go as well, despite how well intentioned they are -- I truly appreciate it, but they can't survive the surgery as they no longer have context in this discussion).

Finally, I removed a post containing some awfully nasty language, which really surprises me, because anyone remotely familiar with DV Info Net knows that such profanity never flies around here... in fact, it's usually a matter of account suicide. Why anyone would do that, I have no idea.

Last but not least: while I appreciate the email that alerted me to this, there's a much better way to handle it... if you see this sort of thing again, please just use the Report Post button, it's the little "!" to the left of any post -- that way it gets the immediate attention of any moderator working the site. Thanks in advance.

I think the original poster's question has been answered, so we're done with this thread.

March 28th, 2009, 03:40 PM	#1
Ryan Borrego New Boot Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Gillette, Wyoming Posts: 14	Final Cut Pro and Wedding videos I have just started learning my new Final Cut Pro6 software and have run into a big hump. I was trying to figure out how to import music, which I still have now idea how to do even with the music ive made up, but i found out that I can't import copyrighted songs inot the app. Is this correct? and if so, how do you other wedding videographers do your music and where do you find it? Im running out of time here!! Stressful!!

March 30th, 2009, 01:54 PM	#3
Jonathan Jones Trustee Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Healdsburg, California Posts: 1,138	Hi Ryan, What Noah offered is accurate, but since what you are asking pertains to a technical perspective, I am not going to go into the questionable rights aspect of the wedding video industry. (There are hundreds of posts in these threads that already chew on that fat - and adding more to them is an exercise in futility.) FCP prefers to handle audio that is encoded as 16-bit, 48k AIFF files. If you are running FCP on your system, it is more than likely that you have a number of options available to you that can handle the conversion quite easily. Converting it using Quicktime Pro is a logical choice, since the Pro key is typically included with the Final Cut Pro purchase. A quick and un-intrusive process can also be found using Final Cut Assistant, a toolset add-on that can be found at http://www.peakeprofessional.com Certainly there are also many, many other applications or widgets that can convert your audio to those specifications quite easily. On the other hand, if your audio is encoded with DRM, such as what would be found in files sourced from a music download service, such simple conversion techniques may not be successful. But there are workarounds to this situation as well, although I won't go so far as to outline them. It may be a practice that is not prudent to endorse. __________________ "Are we to go on record, sir, with our assertion that the 'pink hearts, yellow moons, orange stars, and green clovers' are, in point of fact', magically delicious?" - Walter Hollarhan before the House Subcommittee on Integrity in Advertising - May, 1974

March 31st, 2009, 08:40 PM	#6
Mitchell Lewis Trustee Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Kennewick, WA Posts: 1,124	Can you get the music to play in Quicktime Pro Player? If so, then you're golden. FROM A CD 1) Put the CD in your computer drive 2) Open the disc using the Finder (so you can see the files on the disc) 3) Drag the song file you want from the disc window on to the Quicktime Pro Player icon in the Dock 4) The file will open in Quicktime Pro Player 5) Choose File>Export 6) Select AIFF 7) Click the Options button 8) Set it for a bit rate of 16-bits and a sample rate of 48khz 9) Click Save (or Export...I can't remember exactly what it's called) FROM iTUNES (this is technically illegal) 1) Make a playlist of the songs you want to use 2) Put a blank CD-R in your drive 3) Right click on your playlist and choose Burn Playlist to Disc 4) Choose Disc Format>Audio CD 5) Burn the disc 6) Follow steps 1-6 for importing from a CD above When you burn DRM files to an Audio CD it strips off the DRM. You'll take a slight quality hit doing this, but it probably won't be noticeable. __________________ Sony EX3, Canon 5D MkII, Chrosziel Matte Box, Sachtler tripod, Steadicam Flyer, Mac Pro, Apple/Adobe software - 20 years as a local videographer/editor

April 3rd, 2009, 11:51 AM	#9
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	Many thanks to the reader who sent me an email bringing this thread to my attention -- profanity, flames and abusive language has never been tolerated here at DV Info Net, and civility on this site is not just a good idea, it's a requirement. So, you're looking at an edited thread: I have removed one person's bizarre statement condoning copyright infringement, and with that post gone, several replies that referenced it are gone as well (my apologies to those posters, but since I remove anything that promotes copyright infringement, therefore those responses have to go as well, despite how well intentioned they are -- I truly appreciate it, but they can't survive the surgery as they no longer have context in this discussion). Finally, I removed a post containing some awfully nasty language, which really surprises me, because anyone remotely familiar with DV Info Net knows that such profanity never flies around here... in fact, it's usually a matter of account suicide. Why anyone would do that, I have no idea. Last but not least: while I appreciate the email that alerted me to this, there's a much better way to handle it... if you see this sort of thing again, please just use the Report Post button, it's the little "!" to the left of any post -- that way it gets the immediate attention of any moderator working the site. Thanks in advance. I think the original poster's question has been answered, so we're done with this thread. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

March 28th, 2009, 07:49 PM	#2
Noah Kadner Better than Halle Berry Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 435	Sounds like you are trying to drop perhaps iTunes Songs into FCP? Sorry but that can't be done. Well at least not until iTunes Plus. Now it can. But it's still completely 100% illegal to put music you don't have the rights to onto a wedding video- even if it's 'just for the bride.' Fair use doesn't apply at all. Many wedding videographers do it anyway but if you ever get nailed, you'll be on the hook and so will your client for violating a copyright. If you want to stay legal, use a rights-cleared stock music library. Boring, but that's the way it goes. Noah

March 30th, 2009, 02:23 PM	#4
Ryan Borrego New Boot Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Gillette, Wyoming Posts: 14	Thanks for the help. Im obviously still learning the new system and am probably thinking to hard to resolve an easy problem!

March 31st, 2009, 09:47 AM	#5
Jonathan Levin Major Player Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Chicago, Illinois USA Posts: 692	Assuming that when you say that "music I've made up", if this is truly your composition done in something like Garageband or something simular, then yes, this is a simple matter. However, if you are trying to import copy-written material that you have not licensed don't do the following: Note to moderators: please feel free to edit or delete this post if it falls under some gray area. For your custom written, composed music, or stuff you have cleared with the authorities, do this: Assuming said song/sound is in Itunes (8.1), go to Preferences>General>Import settings>Import using select AIFF encoder. Click OK. Select/highlight song in Itunes, go to Advanced> Create AIFF version. This will make a 16bit AIFF version of your composition. This file will then import nicely into FC. Again, this will only work for your own music compositions, or stuff that is licensed to you. If you use copyright stuff, someone will find out and spank you or worse. Jonathan

April 3rd, 2009, 11:05 AM	#8
Jonathan Levin Major Player Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Chicago, Illinois USA Posts: 692	This Jonathan totally agrees with the other Jonathan. Original question answered. The subject of copyright and usage as it stands now is quite controversial and issues do need to be addressed by the industry. Also, please keep the tone civil in this and other forums. Name calling is just dumb. So let's just stop with that, please. When something hits a nerve, cool heads should prevail. We're all here to learn something.