Export layered PSD's from Pixelmator Pro into Final Cut X?

Question

Export layered PSD's from Pixelmator Pro into Final Cut X?

I just bought Pixelmator Pro, after trying it out and using it to create some titles that I imported into Final Cut X.

I also thought it was going to be able to create layered Photoshop files for import into Final Cut X, but FCPX doesn't like the files PP creates - they get flattened into a single image instead of coming in as a layered Photoshop file!

I tried setting my image to various RGB formats (sRGB, Adobe RGB, and Apple RGB) and kept them at 8 bit (which is what Final Cut requires)... but none of my images work.

I have opened the exported PSD's into GIMP just to see how they look, and there's all the layers, just like they should be.

The alternative solution of exporting the layers individually from Pixelmator and then importing those to FCP doesn't work, because I lose my layer settings, and the sizing of each element gets lost as well... so I have to redesign the whole image in FCPX again.

Anyone know how to solve this?

MacBook Pro 15”, macOS 10.13

Posted on Jun 11, 2020 5:34 PM

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Answer 1

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,777 points

Jun 11, 2020 5:41 PM in response to flick harrison

It works for me. You do realize it's imported as a layered file, and you have to access the layers like a compound clip? Double the file in the browser, and you should see the layers.

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Answer 2

Jun 11, 2020 5:47 PM in response to Tom Wolsky

Hmmm nope! Thanks Tim, but double-clicking the file in the FCP browser fails to open it.

I'm on FCPX 10.4.6, and OS 10.13.6

Haven't updated my OS lately because of a few programs that will die in the new OS.

Hmmm opening the PSD into GIMP, then exporting from GIMP as PSD again makes a file that works. But boy is that export interface goofy and time consuming.

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Answer 3

fox_m

Level 6

13,244 points

Jun 11, 2020 9:46 PM in response to flick harrison

Affinity Photo (~$25) has an export option for PSDs destined for FCPX:

Drag the PSD into the storyline and double click on it to open it in its own timeline. You can animate the individual layers from there:

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Answer 4

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,777 points

Jun 12, 2020 4:51 AM in response to flick harrison

The difference is the Text layer is not rasterized in the Pixelmator export file. That way you can take it into Photoshop and still edit it. If in Pixelmator you select the layer and use Layer convert to pixels, or something like that, it will work in FCP as a bitmapped, layered Photoshop file.

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Answer 5

Jun 12, 2020 11:18 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

Oooh! Lookit that! Nice work, Tom.

Deleting the empty layer after rasterizing all other layers worked. Maybe I will test and see if I can even skip the rasterizing now that I found the point of failure.

Not sure why the process of Export PSD -> Open in GIMP -> Export PSD solved that, but it did. GIMP seemed to export the layers as pixels automatically, without me telling it to (the PSD text layers were still editable in GIMP until I exported).

Thanks, mister.

AHA! Without the empty layer, I can export a PSD straight out of Pixelmator Pro without rasterizing all the layers, even text, and FCPX opens it up easily. This is great!

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Answer 6

Jun 11, 2020 7:29 PM in response to Tom Wolsky

Thanks again Tom,

Here's the file that doesn't work:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/eqe0oqnzn519q8b/survival%20srgb%208.psd?dl=0

And here's the one that works:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/t7zcxxvoewzh4r7/survival%20gimp.psd?dl=0

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Answer 7

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,777 points

Jun 12, 2020 11:23 AM in response to flick harrison

In the first file you sent I was able to rasterize the Text later and that was enough. Not sure what else you did, but basically that’s the process.

If you export from Pixelmator without rasterizing you can reimport the PSD to Pix and still edit the text.

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Answer 8

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,777 points

Jun 11, 2020 5:49 PM in response to flick harrison

could you upload the original problem file somewhere that we could have a look at it. Dropbox or WeTransfer. Thanks very much.

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Answer 9

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,777 points

Jun 12, 2020 11:11 AM in response to flick harrison

In this case the problem is the empty layer. It's at not a bitmapped layer because there are no pixels on it. The layer called could they save the planet.

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Answer 10

Jun 12, 2020 11:05 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

Thanks again Tom. I see what you mean.

But, I tried rasterizing all the layers into pixels, like you suggested, but it still doesn't work.

Here's the file with all layers converted to pixels (which is also convoluted, as I'd like to be able to keep editing the file in future): It won't come into FCPX as layers.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/klksuurey9jgffs/survival%20all%20all%20all.psd?dl=0

And here's a fresh file I created by doing a brush stroke and then exporting from Pixelmator Pro, which works fine in FCPX:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4cvutn4zzirl69d/testing%202.psd?dl=0

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Answer 11

Jun 12, 2020 10:58 AM in response to fox_m

Sure, but I already bought Pixelmator Pro haha.

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Export layered PSD's from Pixelmator Pro into Final Cut X?

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