dv export settings / final cut pro hd

[Kiko Mera]

I captured dv footage thru final cut pro hd and created subclips that I want to batch export as separate dv files. I've done tests with different export settings (dv stream, quicktime) but I notice a slight shift in color from the original clip. what export settings I should use that will retain the quality and color of my source file?

thanks

[Dave Perry]

Go to File>Export and select "QuickTime Movie", NOT "Using QuickTime Conversion".

Make sure "Make Movie Self Contained" is checked. This will export what I call a Final Cut Master. It's a file that is the same codec as your project settings and captured files with no change in color, or anything else for that matter, and will retain the quality and color of your source file.

I'm not sure what you want to do, but if you want to have sub clips in your FCP project, it's very simple to do.

Let's say you have a master clip that's 30 min long and you want to take sub clips from it for use in the time line. Open up the master clip in the viewer. Scrub to where you want an in point and hit "I" on the keyboard to mark it. Scrub to your out point and hit "O" to mark it. Next, hit command "U" on the keyboard to make a sub clip. It will show up in the browser with the name of the master clip plus "sub clip" all highlighted so that you can rename it. All subclips are identified in the browser with a jagged edge film strip icon.

I typically put all master clips in one bin and subclips in another bin.

[Kiko Mera]

thanks for the reply, dave.
it worked perfectly.

may i ask you something else?

i want to use final cut to mix audio. when i place an audio file (AIFF) on the timeline and play it, i get no audio other than a beep. when i play it in the viewer, no prob, i get audio. what gives?

also, is there a way to have the audio scrub smoothly and not snap to frames. in vegas video that is a setting called "quantize to frames". when doing audio, it's helpful to mark in and out points with sub-frame accuracy.

thanks, man
:)

[Boyd Ostroff]

The beeps indicate that your audio needs rendering (from AIFF to DV). Just highlight the audio track and press Apple-R. Sometimes it makes things easier to take the AIFF file you imported, drop it into an empty sequence, then export the audio track as DV. Then you can use this new file as your audio clip and it won't ever ask you to render.

I don't think there's any way to get sub-frame audio in FCP, but maybe someone else can tell you more about that.

Also, just another thought on your original question: You can simply select File > Export > Final Cut Pro Movie which will retain all its settings. Final Cut Pro movies are the same thing as Quicktime movies.

[Dave Perry]

Hi Boyd,

I know from your posts in the past that you are using FCP 3. FCP 4 and on don't have the Export > Final Cut Pro Movie option. It's now called Export > QuickTime Movie.

Kiko, another way to process audio before bringing it into FCP is to open the file in QT Pro and export it as aiff @ 48khz which is DV audio. Then you can import it into FCP as normal but it will not need to be rendered.

[Kiko Mera]

thanks guys, really appreciate the help.

take care :)

[Boyd Ostroff]

Thanks Dave, I didn't know that. Someday I will catch up.... but not much point in doing that until I get a G5 :-)

[Dave Perry]

Boyd,

I've been editing on a G3 and FCE up until I got a Mac Mini 2 weeks ago. I use a G5 at work and the only thing I miss using the Mini is the ability to use Motion. :)