Clips distorting on the timeline?

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Level 1

110 points

Clips distorting on the timeline?

A film shot on HDV a long while back. Now being, finally, edited. Weird stuff happening. The clips will suddenly distort and flicker all over the map. I go to the actual clip where it is stored, and it's just fine. Come back to the timeline, wham, crazy, flickering. If I replace the clip on the timeline (from the Browser) it works fine for a bit, then is suddenly distorting like crazy.

This is an important (to me) film, long overdue for completion. I'm terrified the clips have corrupted over time. Only, in the media folder, the clip itself seems fine.

And here's another weird thing. I just zoomed out on that timeline where the clips were distorting, and suddenly they are all playing fine. No distortion.

See attached screenshot. Anything look familiar? Anyone seen anything like this?

All ears, Ben

Has anyone seen this kind of distortion before? Half the film was shot in full HD, no issues. Do I need to convert all the HDV to HD perhaps?

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 15.0

Posted on Nov 15, 2024 6:14 PM

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Answer 1

Alchroma

Level 7

23,827 points

Nov 22, 2024 9:19 PM in response to Ben Low

Hello Ben,

Have you transcoded the clips?

HDV is Long GOP. I suspect a quirk in the structure.

I'd try transcoding to ProRes LT and give it a shot.

From what you describe the final export may be OK.

Have you tried a test Export for confirmation?

Al

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Answer 2

Ben Low Author

Level 1

110 points

Nov 23, 2024 12:26 AM in response to Alchroma

Hi Alchroma,

I tried a bunch of times and ways to convert the HDV to ProRes. The bug was still in the ProRes.

So far I’ve only found those weird distortions in a few clips, in a certain POINT in the clip. If I cut the clip BEFORE the distortion I can use it.

It seems, touch wood, it’s only happening with a few clips. Not critical clips, touch wood.

The thing that’s most weird is if I play through that point on the clip that’s distorting, the distorting point, it suddenly distorts most or all of the clips on that timeline. If I reboot FCPX the clips are fine, as long as I don’t play through that POINT on the distorting clip. But I can use the clip if I cut out the distorting point.

Fingers crossed I’ve brought most of the film (90 minute film) forward from FCP7, using an old computer and operating system and my original FCP7 and SendToX.

Though here is another thing about the HDV to watch out for. When I originally captured the HDV footage FCP7 didn’t

append the .mov. Meaning there was a name and number for each clip but no .mov.

When I made an XML of the project (one for each timeline/sequence) and then converted it using SendToX, the video clips would show up in FCPX without the attached audio.

The work around was going back to the original HDV files, adding (using NameChanger, brilliant app) the .mov to ALL the HDV clips. Then exporting the XML file. THEN using the text editor to add .mov to each of the clips in the XML - using the finder function not as laborious as it sounds. THEN making the SendToX and moving the project/timeline into FCPX. And the audio shows up attached to the video as it is supposed to.

The reason for adding the .mov to the clips in the XML file (with Text Editor) is that the FCP7 timelines were originally created without the .mov.

Aha! Another thing helped enormously. Once I added the .mov to all the original clips, I then relinked everything IN FCP7 before exporting the XML.

How’s that? Clear? Ouch.

I’m going to check in the morning to see if adding the .mov to the original clips had any effect on the distortion. Will report back.

Alchroma, if you feel like rescuing an old FCP7 project files, don’t hesitate to question me all you want. It’s a full 90 minute documentary, and I’ve converted something like 50 project/timelines over successfully. Some I had to do twice, coz the XML/SendToX got corrupted through the process.

All the best …

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