The FCP X Ken Burns freeze frame bug is KILLING ME!

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The FCP X Ken Burns freeze frame bug is KILLING ME!

I've got a 40- minute slideshow of roughly 300 still images. I've applied a custom ken burns zoom to almost every one. now I'm combing through and adding some freeze frames to end of each one that ends a little too abruptly. after the first few, every single freeze frame generated is from the WRONG CLIP OR RENDER FILE! Sometimes I can change the view, switch between windows, lots of little stupid voodoo things that occasionally will work, but mostly it continues to fail every time, with a different WRONG FRAME in place of my desired freeze frame every time

if I could actually ease or control transform keyframes I would, but there's no control and they don't stop smooth enough. If I could control the timing of the KB effect within the clip bounds, that would work, but that would just be too easy. I've deleted generated clip files, render files, app prefs... Primary storyline, secondary storyline, lifted from storyline... What should take minutes is not only taking hours, but is completely impossible.

Posted on May 8, 2024 6:23 AM

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Answer 1

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Max Average Author

Level 5

4,560 points

May 8, 2024 8:39 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

Thanks Tom - I went into the Library package and manually removed all the render files there. I also found a lot of "original media" files there, even though I had been in "leave files in place" mode in my import settings. After that and disabling background rendering, I seem to get fresh, correct freeze frames each time so far (I've done about 10 or 15).

You've come to my rescue once again! And in the nick of time!

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Answer 2

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,949 points

May 8, 2024 8:20 AM in response to Max Average

Delete the generated render files, switch off background rendering and don’t render. It’s probably not necessary on any recent computer.

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Answer 3

May 8, 2024 9:07 AM in response to Max Average

I hope everything works now, but directly accessing the internals of a library in the Finder is risky.

Instead, you should use FCP to delete the render files: select the library itself in the browser sidebar, and do File->Delete Generated Library Files..., then check All Render Files.

As to original media: were these actual mov files, or just aliases pointing to the location of the media files? The latter is what you should get when using Leave in Place. In any case, it is a bit surprising that deleting the files would not cause a "missing file" error, and force you to relink to the desired file locations.

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Answer 4

May 8, 2024 8:10 AM in response to Max Average

I guess it is too late for the current project, but I am a big fan of using the Crop->Crop tool instead of the Crop->Ken Burns tool.

The very issue of needing to add freeze frames becomes moot, as you simply apply keyframes to the Crop as needed, you no longer have to be at the first and last frame. Plus, you can do more than two keyframes if you like.

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Answer 5

Max Average Author

Level 5

4,560 points

May 8, 2024 8:14 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

Hi Tom! I'm on FCP 10.7.1, Mac OS Sonoma 14.2.1. 2023 MBP

Each still image is starting with a default duration of 6 seconds. I've got the KB effect (a little zoom) applied to most of them, and am trying to add some freeze frames at the ends of the ones that move or zoom enough that the endings seem abrupt. For this particular workflow, hold frames are not an option.

I've found various workarounds, such as deleting generated media, renders, app prefs, stepping the playhead back further, switching the timeline zoom level, showing and hiding the transform handles in the viewer. Each workaround works one single time, then each new freeze frame displays the wrong freeze frame from the last instance that worked correctly (or some other random previously-generated freeze frame), and I have to fiddle around in the interface until I find a new workaround.

One interesting one has been to create a new (wrong) freeze frame, then option-drag it out of the storyline, making a copy. This forces FCP to create a fresh render instance of the freeze frame and the lifted copy displays correctly. However if I hide or remove the underlying original, the new correct copy reverts back to the wrong still.

It's apparent that some confusion about render file metadata is occurring here. I just can't find a way to consistently force a fresh freeze frame render.

My bigger concern is that my timeline will finally seem to have gotten all the bugs out, then they all come back when I export.

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Answer 6

May 8, 2024 8:29 AM in response to Max Average

In addition to the tips from Tom and Luis, you might want to look at this from Ripple Training. I've found it to be quite useful.

Next Level Ken Burns Effect -- Ripple Training

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Answer 7

Max Average Author

Level 5

4,560 points

May 8, 2024 8:23 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Thanks Luis - This solves the freeze frame issue, but I hate the abrupt stops that occur when I can't ease the keyframes. Just have to weigh the benefits of using one or the other as needed. Sure do miss that good old keyframe editor in FCP7!

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Answer 8

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,949 points

May 8, 2024 7:17 AM in response to Max Average

What version of FCP and what OS is this? Roughly how long are the animations?

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The FCP X Ken Burns freeze frame bug is KILLING ME!

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