Dropping .gif into timeline crashes FCPX / converted videos black on import

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Dropping .gif into timeline crashes FCPX / converted videos black on import

Hi, trying to import in FCPX massive .gif files exported from Universe Sandbox. Not big resolution, 1400-ishx900, but 5 minutes long which means .gif files of several thousands pictures each.

So step 1, when importing the .gif into FCPX they show up fine, but crash FCPX when dropped into the timeline, and crash FCPX when you delete them and try to quit because "canceling background tasks".

So step 2, I decided to convert the .gif using ffmpeg into .mp4 and .mov. This turns a 400mb .gif into a 16mb .mov or .mp4, so some quality loss there, but at this point I'm just trying to make this work. The resulting video can be seen in mpv, but not in Quicktime player. On import in FCPX, the videos are all black.

How to import these massive .gif files? I'm using FCPX 10.4.6 on a Mac mini with 16gb ram.

Mac mini, macOS 10.13

Posted on Sep 10, 2021 1:09 AM

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Answer 1

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EditenFest Author

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Sep 10, 2021 2:13 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

So after I copied the uncrashing project elements into a new project AND reset FCPX, I noticed I could now see inside the original .gif files (those that were left in place at import, on the same USB drive as the event files) and FCPX could process them after I dropped them into the timeline. So I'll work with that because I don't want degraded quality.

In ffmpeg I didn't use any special settings, just ffmpeg -i original.gif output.mp4 or .mov. I have ffmpeg built so it includes the commercial codecs.

I had imported 100+mb .gif files before but this project has .gif of 300 to 770mb. They are all now imported successfully and I dropped them into the timeline.

As for testing you just need Universe Sandbox and export animations to .gif of increasing size untit your computer crashes. Pity Universe Sandbox doesn't offer any other export option than archaic .gif.

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Answer 2

EditenFest Author

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Sep 10, 2021 1:29 AM in response to EditenFest

Going from bad to worse, after resetting FCPX and re-importing the original .gif into another library, copying the files, the copied files are all black as well. In the original library where I imported them the first time, I just realised though a thumbnails shows up, displaying a middle image by pressing space and again immediately to stop hangs the program for a while. So only the gif "left in place" at import can be seen from the browser, but the copied gif to another library show up all black.

If the gif can be browsed from the FCPX browser somehow means the images can be seen. So how do I drop one into the timeline without crashing FCPX? I already made optimised and proxy media on import.

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Answer 3

Sep 10, 2021 1:38 AM in response to EditenFest

I have never used such gigantic gif files.

I think that converting to mov or mp4 is the right solution.

Please tell us exactly the settings you used in ffmpeg.

Also, if you could post a sample gif file that exhibits the problem I would not mind testing. You could send it to yourself using wetransfer and post a link here.

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Answer 4

Sep 10, 2021 2:18 AM in response to EditenFest

As for testing you just need Universe Sandbox and export animations to .gif of increasing size untit your computer crashes. Pity Universe Sandbox doesn't offer any other export option than archaic .gif.

This is a $30 program, I would test if there were a demo, but apparently there isn't.

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Answer 5

Sep 10, 2021 2:53 AM in response to EditenFest

Just checking but when you say you reset FCP X do you mean that you deleted the preferences?

If you haven't deleted them do it now.

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Dropping .gif into timeline crashes FCPX / converted videos black on import

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