How to change a 25fps file to 18fps in FCP

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Level 1

4 points

How to change a 25fps file to 18fps in FCP

I received super8 telecine which is set to 25fps but the film was shot in 18fps so the speed is not right. How can I change the frame rate to 18fps?

In case you ask, the telecine was done frame by frame so in order for the movie to display right it has to be 18fps. I say that because some labs do telecine at 25fps but the speed is correct because of pulldown and such conversions.

iMac, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Sep 5, 2009 12:57 AM

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Answer 1

Andy Mees

Level 6

12,610 points

Sep 5, 2009 1:47 AM in response to riotshield

18 fps is a bit off standard for FCP so you'll not find an easy preset for it, but you can make it happen using a simple XML based trick:

First create a new empty sequence and save it as an XML file (using File menu > Export > XML...)
Next you need to edit that XML file in a text editor and change sequence's rate >> timebase property and timecode >> rate >> timebase property to 18
Finally you then have to import that XML back into FCP (using File menu > Import > XML... and ignoring the errors)

... and the new sequence created will be the one you need.

Its described a little more clearly here:
http://forums.creativecow.net/thread/8/1007928#1007983

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