Black Box in green screen out of NOWHERE after it's already working? Please help!

Question

Black Box in green screen out of NOWHERE after it's already working? Please help!

Hello, I am using Final Cut Pro X. I am keying and it goes great. Then while I'm editing, a black box covers part of my screen when I haven't done anything to cause that in my mind. Just normal editing. Then I click "undo", even if it's just a simple cut, and it fixes it. It even happens if I don't touch anything and just allow the computer to sit. If I simply adjust any parameter, it fixes itself, but then seems to go back in just a few minutes or seconds. Everything is up to date. I have watched numerous videos on green screen and follow them to a tee. I also have not found anyone with a similar issue! It very much seems like a bug. I'm on the m1 iMac first gen. It's just happening out of nowhere! Please help!

iMac

Posted on Oct 6, 2022 7:06 PM

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Answer 1

Oct 7, 2022 12:28 PM in response to Tom Wolsky

It fixes it temporarily like most of the other parameter changes, only to randomly happen again after a short amount of time. I even deleted the effects and reapplied the key to no avail. I've stripped it down to bare bones in effects and it still keeps happening. I have no idea what to do and appreciate the help. Thank you for your reply!

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Answer 2

Oct 7, 2022 12:30 PM in response to EveryoneisCanceled

Did you try deleting FCP preferences? Always a good idea when the application behaves unexpectedly.

To delete preferences, hold down command and option while starting FCP X and click Delete Preferences.

The application will start in a default state, and open an "Untitled" library. Reopen the library you were working on, set the preferences the way you like them, and try again.

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Answer 3

Oct 7, 2022 12:31 PM in response to EveryoneisCanceled

If the issue persists after deleting the preferences, there may be other issues, and to try and troubleshoot we need more information. Please run Etrecheck and post its full report here. Use the "additional text" button and paste the report into the text box.

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Answer 4

fox_m

Level 6

12,541 points

Oct 7, 2022 1:27 PM in response to EveryoneisCanceled

Break apart that Compound Clip and show us what you have inside (Command-Shift-G). You probably have something covering (or masking) that section of your clip. If you don't have any other objects on top, make sure we can still see the Effects Inspector with the Green Screen clip selected.

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Answer 5

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

151,971 points

Oct 7, 2022 1:46 PM in response to EveryoneisCanceled

Open the clip in the QuickTime Player and show what’s in the Inspector window. Select the project in the browser and press Cmd-J. Click the Modify button. This brings up the properties dialog.

Fox might well have spotted a cause of the problem.

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Answer 6

Oct 7, 2022 1:58 PM in response to Tom Wolsky

I opened the original clip in QuickTime player, can't find a inspector button or tab. I also hit CMD J on the clip in the browser and it just makes a beep noise and doesn't do anything. Same with the clip in the timeline. I also can't export the video, it just ends up being a paper symbol and won't play the format it says, no matter which format I choose. I recorded this on my iPhone 12 Pro Max in HDR.

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Answer 7

terryb

Level 4

2,620 points

Oct 7, 2022 2:09 PM in response to EveryoneisCanceled

When the clip is opened in QuickTime Player, under the Movie menu, choose Show Movie Inspector (Cmd I)

Select the *project" not the clip in the FCP browser and hit Cmd J, then click the Modify button and report what it says the project settings are.

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Answer 8

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

151,971 points

Oct 7, 2022 2:12 PM in response to EveryoneisCanceled

What’s in video details? Looks like it might have shot on an iPhone, maybe in HDR and the project is in SDR. If this is correct you should watch Mark Spencer’s videos on working with Dolby Vision HDR in FCP.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rp3zXcyYyuo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4RSS8g5HLU

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Answer 9

Oct 7, 2022 2:41 PM in response to EveryoneisCanceled

The report indicated FCP was using some 500% CPU.

When doing normal editing this much use of CPU is quite excessive.

Were you doing some exporting or rendering at the time?

Speaking about rendering, that may have something to do with the problem.

Turn off Background render in Preferences->Playback.

Delete all render files. Any change?

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Answer 10

Oct 9, 2022 9:20 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

This helped my CPU, as I was wondering why the fan was going. Have never heard the fan before, thank you and everyone for the help! It turns out it WAS in fact the HDR. I just ended up re-recording in normal h.264 format with my phones HDR turned off. The green screen and everything else now works. I just didn’t know my phone was recording in HDR! Lol, thanks again.

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