Black Holes in Project at DVinfo.net

Reed Gidez · October 24th, 2009, 08:40 AM

I have a rather large project for a client that includes A LOT of scanned photos and home movie clips. My client did not want to address changes for MONTHS and finally I at the point of sending this to Compressor for DVD creation. Problem is that for some reason, RANDOM photos are not showing up in the final output from compressor. They are playing in the timeline and I have no error messages for missing footage or elements. Time line plays through fine but in the review in DVD Studio, there are black holes where some of these elements should be. I go back into FCP and reconnect the missing pieces and all seems fine.

Any ideas as to why this could be happening and is there a way to wholesale reconnect the media? My wife believes the project is evil and corrupt because it includes some photos of a not-so-popular well known figure. I used to laugh that comment off but given the random nature of missing elements, I am now not so sure!

Thanks

Mike Barber · October 24th, 2009, 01:35 PM

Hm, odd.

There's the usual stand-by "trash the preferences" suggestion, which sometimes cures those oddities.

Are you sending directly to Compressor from the FCP timeline? Try exporting the sequence to a self contained QT file (Export > QuickTime Movie... not Export > Using QuickTime Conversion) and then running through Compressor.

If that fails, try using Media Manager to make a new project copying the used media and go from there.

Best of luck!

Paul Shapiro · October 24th, 2009, 04:52 PM

It could be there's something iffy about the original scanned images, especially if they've come from outside sources (read: the client). If you have Photoshop, open up the offending images and double-check their file type, file size, image mode, bits etc. and correct and re-save as necessary. Sometimes, supplied jpegs and the like have come from goodness-knows-where and just have hidden gremlins.

Or, you could just cut out the pics of Dubya.

Reed Gidez · October 24th, 2009, 05:16 PM

Just after I posted my note, I did export a QT file and ran that through compressor. I also exported through compressor as well. The QT file went through Compressor just fine and quickly (58 minute video - 10 mins to compress) and came through clean. The file that came from the timeline right into compressor had issues - again. I suspect something is corrupt with compressor.

I did trash my preferences and that did not seem to make any difference. At least I am able to deliver now!

As far as Dubya, I don't think the pics of client with HIM are causing havoc....

If all else fails, there's always my parish priest!

Thanks.

Reed

Paul Shapiro · October 25th, 2009, 08:30 AM

Reed,
Glad you got it sorted!

William Hohauser · October 25th, 2009, 06:24 PM

Force render everything that presently has the dark green real-time playback. That should make Compressing from the timeline work. Some JPEGs work but have hidden corruption, I've experienced this. Making the QT movie forced FCP to render everything that wasn't in the native codec of your sequence.

Mitchell Lewis · October 26th, 2009, 05:57 PM

Either do what William suggests, or use the Render Tool to delete all your Renders and then re-render the sequence.

My "theory" is that after you render something in FCP, then go back a make an adjustment to a small clip within that render area, then render, then make another adjustment, then render again,etc..... After a while FCP get's confused as to when to "point" to the render file and when to point to the file in the timeline. You end up with old renders and other weird stuff. That's why when I'm finished with a project I normally delete all the renders (using the Tools>Render Manager) and then re-render.

Works for me. :)

Reed Gidez · October 30th, 2009, 12:16 PM

In the end, I exported a QT movie and brought that into Compressor. After I got a clean copy, I played with the Render manager and did some housekeeping on the render drive. Discs have been sent to my client and when I hear all is OK, I will remove the drive from my system and shelve it.

Reed

October 24th, 2009, 08:40 AM	#1
Reed Gidez Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Oradell, New Jersey Posts: 283	Black Holes in Project I have a rather large project for a client that includes A LOT of scanned photos and home movie clips. My client did not want to address changes for MONTHS and finally I at the point of sending this to Compressor for DVD creation. Problem is that for some reason, RANDOM photos are not showing up in the final output from compressor. They are playing in the timeline and I have no error messages for missing footage or elements. Time line plays through fine but in the review in DVD Studio, there are black holes where some of these elements should be. I go back into FCP and reconnect the missing pieces and all seems fine. Any ideas as to why this could be happening and is there a way to wholesale reconnect the media? My wife believes the project is evil and corrupt because it includes some photos of a not-so-popular well known figure. I used to laugh that comment off but given the random nature of missing elements, I am now not so sure! Thanks __________________ Reed Gidez

October 24th, 2009, 01:35 PM	#2
Mike Barber Major Player Join Date: May 2006 Location: Toronto ON Canada Posts: 731	Hm, odd. There's the usual stand-by "trash the preferences" suggestion, which sometimes cures those oddities. Are you sending directly to Compressor from the FCP timeline? Try exporting the sequence to a self contained QT file (Export > QuickTime Movie... not Export > Using QuickTime Conversion) and then running through Compressor. If that fails, try using Media Manager to make a new project copying the used media and go from there. Best of luck! __________________ Mike Barber "I'm laughing to stop myself from screaming."

October 24th, 2009, 05:16 PM	#4
Reed Gidez Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Oradell, New Jersey Posts: 283	Thanks Mike and Paul Just after I posted my note, I did export a QT file and ran that through compressor. I also exported through compressor as well. The QT file went through Compressor just fine and quickly (58 minute video - 10 mins to compress) and came through clean. The file that came from the timeline right into compressor had issues - again. I suspect something is corrupt with compressor. I did trash my preferences and that did not seem to make any difference. At least I am able to deliver now! As far as Dubya, I don't think the pics of client with HIM are causing havoc.... If all else fails, there's always my parish priest! Thanks. Reed __________________ Reed Gidez

October 25th, 2009, 06:24 PM	#6
William Hohauser Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: New York City Posts: 2,650	Force render everything that presently has the dark green real-time playback. That should make Compressing from the timeline work. Some JPEGs work but have hidden corruption, I've experienced this. Making the QT movie forced FCP to render everything that wasn't in the native codec of your sequence. __________________ William Hohauser - New York City Producer/Edit/Camera/Animation

October 26th, 2009, 05:57 PM	#7
Mitchell Lewis Trustee Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Kennewick, WA Posts: 1,124	Either do what William suggests, or use the Render Tool to delete all your Renders and then re-render the sequence. My "theory" is that after you render something in FCP, then go back a make an adjustment to a small clip within that render area, then render, then make another adjustment, then render again,etc..... After a while FCP get's confused as to when to "point" to the render file and when to point to the file in the timeline. You end up with old renders and other weird stuff. That's why when I'm finished with a project I normally delete all the renders (using the Tools>Render Manager) and then re-render. Works for me. :) __________________ Sony EX3, Canon 5D MkII, Chrosziel Matte Box, Sachtler tripod, Steadicam Flyer, Mac Pro, Apple/Adobe software - 20 years as a local videographer/editor

October 24th, 2009, 04:52 PM	#3
Paul Shapiro Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Paget, Bermuda Posts: 52	It could be there's something iffy about the original scanned images, especially if they've come from outside sources (read: the client). If you have Photoshop, open up the offending images and double-check their file type, file size, image mode, bits etc. and correct and re-save as necessary. Sometimes, supplied jpegs and the like have come from goodness-knows-where and just have hidden gremlins. Or, you could just cut out the pics of Dubya.

October 25th, 2009, 08:30 AM	#5
Paul Shapiro Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Paget, Bermuda Posts: 52	Reed, Glad you got it sorted!

October 30th, 2009, 12:16 PM	#8
Reed Gidez Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Oradell, New Jersey Posts: 283	Thank you all for your suggestions In the end, I exported a QT movie and brought that into Compressor. After I got a clean copy, I played with the Render manager and did some housekeeping on the render drive. Discs have been sent to my client and when I hear all is OK, I will remove the drive from my system and shelve it. Reed __________________ Reed Gidez