Final Cut Pro movie metadata

FYI: FCP (I have tested v10.5.1-10.6.5) inserts some metadata tags to the exported movies.

But sadly movie metadata is still a mess and a moving target. For some strange reason FCP uses different tags for the same info in .m4v (Format: Apple Devices), .mp4 (Format: Computer) and .mov (Format: Video and audio). It grabs some info while importing and some info can be edited in the Share dialog etc like this:

exiftool -a -G1 -s -ItemList:All Project_Name.m4v
[ItemList]      Title                           : Project_Name
[ItemList]      Author                          : Creator [Share dialog]
[ItemList]      Description                     : Description [Share dialog]
[ItemList]      Keyword                         : Event name,Imported movie's Finder Tags,Import folder,[Share dialog]

exiftool -a -G1 -s -UserData:All Project_Name.mp4
[UserData]      Title                           : Project_Name
[UserData]      ClipFileName                    : Project_Name
[UserData]      Author                          : Creator [Share dialog]
[UserData]      Description                     : Description [Share dialog]
[UserData]      Keywords                        : Event name,Imported movie's Finder Tags,Import folder,[Share dialog]

exiftool -a -G1 -s -Keys:All Project_Name.mov
[Keys]          Title                           : Project_Name
[Keys]          DisplayName                     : Project_Name
[Keys]          Author                          : Creator [Share dialog]
[Keys]          Description                     : Description [Share dialog]
[Keys]          Keywords                        : Event name,Imported movie's Finder Tags,Import folder,[Share dialog]

macOS 13 Ventura QuickTime Player and Photos.app display those tags in an unpredictable manner. The Keys tags are currently most widely supported and Keys tags also override any existing similar UserData or ItemList tags.

Additionally GraphicConverter 12.0.2 now supports editing the following .mp4, .m4v and .mov tags:

MacOS:FileCreateDate

System:FileModifyDate

QuickTime:CreateDate

Keys:CreationDate

Keys:GPSCoordinates

Keys:DisplayName

Keys:Title

Keys:Author

Keys:Keywords

Keys:Description

Keys:LocationName

Keys:UserRating

Usually QuickTime:CreateDate is all that is really needed for movies after 1970, although I like that GC can set all other QuickTime date tags and also the file dates the same. Keys:CreationDate is needed for old movies (year 1-1904-1970 supported in Photos.app and year 1904-1970 in Google Photos) where QuickTime:CreateDate does not work.

macOS 13 Ventura QuickTime Player show date, GPSCoordinates, DisplayName (Headline), Title, Author (Writer), Keywords and Description.

macOS 13 Ventura Photos.app show date, GPSCoordinates, DisplayName (Headline), Title, Keywords and Description.

In both Apple's apps DisplayName (Headline) overrides Title if both are present. I decided use Title in movies because I use the same GC field to edit IPTC:ObjectName and XMP-dc:Title in .jpg.

I have synced those movies from Photos.app library via USB to an iPad. iPadOS 16.4.1 Photos displays date, GPSCoordinates and Description.

I am starting to transfer my old spreadsheet movie metadata memo's data to those movie metadata tags so they travel nicely within the files, just like in images. If the movie metadata is more standardized in the future it should be a simple and fast task to copy existing tags with exiftool or some other 3rd party app to the new standard metadata tags.

macOS 13 Ventura Spotlight can search those Keys tags in .mp4 and .mov. But for some strange reason Spotlight search does not work in .m4v (Spotlight search finds only 'ItemList:Title' tag in .m4v.). BUT if I just change the .m4v suffix to .mp4, THEN Spotlight can search also that movie's Keys Keywords and most other Keys tags. Photos.app can search DisplayName, Keywords and Description in .m4v, .mp4 and .mov.