NLE Mac / Final Cut questions from 2004

Nicholi Brossia · April 3rd, 2004, 01:29 AM

Forgive my ignorance, but I'm currently using Final Cut Express 1 and know very little about Final Cut Pro 4. I have an upside down video recorded (via homemade 35mm adapter) that needs to be flipped in post. Considering I have a fast G4, would a 180 degree rotation be accessible as a real-time effect and not require rendering?
I'm figuring this is the case and that I don't need to pursue any custom configurations for FCE because they'll be available after upgrading to Pro.

Ted Springer · April 3rd, 2004, 04:50 AM

Have you tried capturing the MiniDisc audio via analog input? Try it and also try the same track capturing digitally and then listen to both closely to see if you can hear the difference. I totally understand wanting to get absolutely the purest sound possible, though.

Justin Morgan · April 4th, 2004, 03:35 AM

Is it possible to capture just the audio from a clip in Final Cut (Express). I have recorded some dialogue onto my XM-2 - so I don't need the video at all and I'm trying to keep my file sizes down.

Thanks

Scott Sullivan · April 4th, 2004, 09:31 AM

Does the stopwatch have to be a "photo-realistic" one? If not, you could easily make one using After Effects using a circle on one track and a "second hand" on another track. Use the rotate feature for the track with the anchor point set at the one end of the line (and in the center of the circle).

This will give a nice "stopwatch" effect. Of course, you could use Photoshop to make a better looking watch. Do the entire sequence on a black or white background and mask it (or alpha it) once you bring it into FCP.

Can't help you with any 3D CG stuff. Out of my league. Only thing I can think of is what you guys have already suggested... film a real stopwatch on a greenscreen.

Hope this helps.
Scott

Gary Walter · April 4th, 2004, 09:59 AM

I am not familiar with Express but in FCP2 you choose (Clip Settings- Audio only) in the Log and Capture dialoge box. Hope this helps.

Justin Morgan · April 4th, 2004, 11:17 AM

Thanks Gary, but I can't seem to see anything like that in Express... Does anyone know about Express?

Gary Walter · April 4th, 2004, 03:04 PM

Justin

I do'nt want to steer you from the wealth of knowledge on this sight but try this sight- http://finalcutproplanet.com

It is a sight dedicated to FCP. I'm shure someone there Knows the answer to your question.

Good Luck

Gdog

Murad Toor · April 4th, 2004, 07:15 PM

It's entirely possible FCP is mixing up media files, if the original files were left at FCP's defaults instead of having been given unique names.

You might try Tools > Render Manager, delete all render files, and re-render everything. That might help.

If the original media files have similar or identical names and the render file flushing doesn't help, it should hopefully not be too difficult to manually reconnect the correct clips in your timeline just based on timecode.

Grant McClintock · April 5th, 2004, 07:01 AM

I have just started my first project in FCE. When I try to place a cross dissolve between cuts (by various methods), I get an "Insufficient content to complete edit message." Both cuts are long enough (around 30 sec.). Any idea what the problem is?

Also... I have put scratch disks on a Maxtor 200. The program occasionally says it can find these when it wants to auto-save. I go to the preferences and everything looks right. I want to use this outboard drive because I have limited space on my hard drive. Again, any ideas.

Thanks, Grant McClintock

PS- I am able to insert a cross edit at the beginning of the sequence, but then I cannot adjust its duration.

Grant McClintock · April 5th, 2004, 09:02 AM

I just spoke with Apple support and the fellow said I need to munually overlap the cuts to insert the transition. Can this be right? There is nothing in the FCE Training Series book about this.

Grant McClintock

Tyler Spiers · April 5th, 2004, 01:02 PM

I am new to FCP 3 and am confused about audio. All the clips I import are placed at 0db. Is this the best level for the audio. How much should I raise and lower the audio to get what I want. I am worried I will make clips too loud or too soft. I tried to read the manual but it's very confusing. Can someone give me a brief explanation of how audio works. Very basic just to get me started. Thank You.

Ted Springer · April 5th, 2004, 01:18 PM

Well the meters should only be used as a guide (in the lower right corner of the screen). The 0db level on your sound clips means nothing other than they can be raised +12db and lowered to infinity FROM THAT POINT. It has nothing to do with how loud it actually is. Anyway back to the meters in the corner of the screen... I try to get an average of -12 to -6db with the dialog. It bounces all over the place, but if the dialog is *fairly* steady, you can design the other sounds around it, as you should know if you want a particular sound to be more loud or more quiet than the dialog.

Ted Springer · April 5th, 2004, 01:21 PM

I am not familiar with FCE, but I think maybe the Apple guy might be sippin' some of the crazy juice, or he just isn't quite explaining it the best way. When you do a cross dissolve, make sure that you have at least 15 frames on EACH SIDE OF THE CUT for each clip. It sounds like you have no farmes, otherwise you should get at least a one or two frame dissolve.

Grant McClintock · April 5th, 2004, 05:45 PM

Thanks for the help. That was exactly the problem. I finally got through to the right person and got the info. Grant

Jaz Garewal · April 6th, 2004, 05:25 PM

Hey all,

I've searched the forums far and wide and have tried almost everything.

Here's the situation: I have some PAL, 50I footage I shot with a Canon XL 1S that I want to de-interlace and convert to NTSC using Magic Bullet.
I captured it via Vegas, and then took it to work with me on a firewire drive so I could edit it with FCP 4.
I brought it into FCP 4 and edited it, then exported it as an uncompressed clip.
I took the clip and brough it into AE and ran MB on it, lower field order, last pulldown method (as recommended in the MB manual).
However, when I watch the finished product, there are these horizontal lines that appear whenever there is any amount of motion (a door opening, someone walking across the room, etc).

Anyone have any ideas on what might be going on?

I posted a pic of the problem here:
http://www.sw26management.com/mbproblems.jpg

Thanks!

April 3rd, 2004, 01:29 AM	#421
Nicholi Brossia Major Player Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 389	real-time image flip Forgive my ignorance, but I'm currently using Final Cut Express 1 and know very little about Final Cut Pro 4. I have an upside down video recorded (via homemade 35mm adapter) that needs to be flipped in post. Considering I have a fast G4, would a 180 degree rotation be accessible as a real-time effect and not require rendering? I'm figuring this is the case and that I don't need to pursue any custom configurations for FCE because they'll be available after upgrading to Pro. __________________ Nicholi Brossia

April 4th, 2004, 03:35 AM	#423
Justin Morgan Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: London Posts: 189	Capturing audio only Is it possible to capture just the audio from a clip in Final Cut (Express). I have recorded some dialogue onto my XM-2 - so I don't need the video at all and I'm trying to keep my file sizes down. Thanks

April 4th, 2004, 09:59 AM	#425
Gary Walter New Boot Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Owatonna, Mn. U.S.A. Posts: 24	I am not familiar with Express but in FCP2 you choose (Clip Settings- Audio only) in the Log and Capture dialoge box. Hope this helps. __________________ Misspelled? Hey, I'm just a truck driver.

April 4th, 2004, 03:04 PM	#427
Gary Walter New Boot Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Owatonna, Mn. U.S.A. Posts: 24	Justin I do'nt want to steer you from the wealth of knowledge on this sight but try this sight- http://finalcutproplanet.com It is a sight dedicated to FCP. I'm shure someone there Knows the answer to your question. Good Luck Gdog __________________ Misspelled? Hey, I'm just a truck driver.

April 5th, 2004, 07:01 AM	#429
Grant McClintock Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Tulsa, OK, United States Posts: 28	Transition Problem, FCE I have just started my first project in FCE. When I try to place a cross dissolve between cuts (by various methods), I get an "Insufficient content to complete edit message." Both cuts are long enough (around 30 sec.). Any idea what the problem is? Also... I have put scratch disks on a Maxtor 200. The program occasionally says it can find these when it wants to auto-save. I go to the preferences and everything looks right. I want to use this outboard drive because I have limited space on my hard drive. Again, any ideas. Thanks, Grant McClintock PS- I am able to insert a cross edit at the beginning of the sequence, but then I cannot adjust its duration.

April 3rd, 2004, 04:50 AM	#422
Ted Springer Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Glendale CA Posts: 328	Have you tried capturing the MiniDisc audio via analog input? Try it and also try the same track capturing digitally and then listen to both closely to see if you can hear the difference. I totally understand wanting to get absolutely the purest sound possible, though.

April 4th, 2004, 09:31 AM	#424
Scott Sullivan New Boot Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 6	Does the stopwatch have to be a "photo-realistic" one? If not, you could easily make one using After Effects using a circle on one track and a "second hand" on another track. Use the rotate feature for the track with the anchor point set at the one end of the line (and in the center of the circle). This will give a nice "stopwatch" effect. Of course, you could use Photoshop to make a better looking watch. Do the entire sequence on a black or white background and mask it (or alpha it) once you bring it into FCP. Can't help you with any 3D CG stuff. Out of my league. Only thing I can think of is what you guys have already suggested... film a real stopwatch on a greenscreen. Hope this helps. Scott

April 4th, 2004, 11:17 AM	#426
Justin Morgan Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: London Posts: 189	Thanks Gary, but I can't seem to see anything like that in Express... Does anyone know about Express?

April 4th, 2004, 07:15 PM	#428
Murad Toor Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 125	It's entirely possible FCP is mixing up media files, if the original files were left at FCP's defaults instead of having been given unique names. You might try Tools > Render Manager, delete all render files, and re-render everything. That might help. If the original media files have similar or identical names and the render file flushing doesn't help, it should hopefully not be too difficult to manually reconnect the correct clips in your timeline just based on timecode.

April 5th, 2004, 09:02 AM	#430
Grant McClintock Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Tulsa, OK, United States Posts: 28	I just spoke with Apple support and the fellow said I need to munually overlap the cuts to insert the transition. Can this be right? There is nothing in the FCE Training Series book about this. Grant McClintock

April 5th, 2004, 01:02 PM	#431
Tyler Spiers New Boot Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 19	Sound Capture I am new to FCP 3 and am confused about audio. All the clips I import are placed at 0db. Is this the best level for the audio. How much should I raise and lower the audio to get what I want. I am worried I will make clips too loud or too soft. I tried to read the manual but it's very confusing. Can someone give me a brief explanation of how audio works. Very basic just to get me started. Thank You.

April 5th, 2004, 01:18 PM	#432
Ted Springer Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Glendale CA Posts: 328	Well the meters should only be used as a guide (in the lower right corner of the screen). The 0db level on your sound clips means nothing other than they can be raised +12db and lowered to infinity FROM THAT POINT. It has nothing to do with how loud it actually is. Anyway back to the meters in the corner of the screen... I try to get an average of -12 to -6db with the dialog. It bounces all over the place, but if the dialog is fairly steady, you can design the other sounds around it, as you should know if you want a particular sound to be more loud or more quiet than the dialog.

April 5th, 2004, 01:21 PM	#433
Ted Springer Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Glendale CA Posts: 328	I am not familiar with FCE, but I think maybe the Apple guy might be sippin' some of the crazy juice, or he just isn't quite explaining it the best way. When you do a cross dissolve, make sure that you have at least 15 frames on EACH SIDE OF THE CUT for each clip. It sounds like you have no farmes, otherwise you should get at least a one or two frame dissolve.

April 5th, 2004, 05:45 PM	#434
Grant McClintock Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Tulsa, OK, United States Posts: 28	Thanks for the help. That was exactly the problem. I finally got through to the right person and got the info. Grant

April 6th, 2004, 05:25 PM	#435
Jaz Garewal New Boot Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 10	Magic Bullet PAL to NTSC problem Hey all, I've searched the forums far and wide and have tried almost everything. Here's the situation: I have some PAL, 50I footage I shot with a Canon XL 1S that I want to de-interlace and convert to NTSC using Magic Bullet. I captured it via Vegas, and then took it to work with me on a firewire drive so I could edit it with FCP 4. I brought it into FCP 4 and edited it, then exported it as an uncompressed clip. I took the clip and brough it into AE and ran MB on it, lower field order, last pulldown method (as recommended in the MB manual). However, when I watch the finished product, there are these horizontal lines that appear whenever there is any amount of motion (a door opening, someone walking across the room, etc). Anyone have any ideas on what might be going on? I posted a pic of the problem here: http://www.sw26management.com/mbproblems.jpg Thanks!