Import .mov from aperture to FCPX

It depends on the exact file type not just the codec, the complete video and audio format. In my view it's better not to put video into Aperture in the first place, but there is no need to export if your import preference is to copy to the event.

Proxy media is low quality to allow slower system including hard drives to do more complex operations in real time than might be possible with high resolution media.

You can import by drag and drop from the Photo browser if you have copy set in prefs.

The file format is extremely important because it will determine whether the files need to be optimized or not. Many files types if imported from a camera directly into FCP will be properly handled and will not require optimization. Files imported from Aperture will not be handled in the same way and may need to be optimized. The DSLR footage should be fine.

I'm in the same boat, just beginning to work with Final Cut Pro X with many movie files in Aperture.

With some movie files, it works fine to merely drag from the FCPX Photos browser into an event. But for some older movie files, FCPX says there's no movie file there. (All of these play fine in Aperture.) I think this is because the files are referenced movies and FCPX needs self-contained movies.

Here are two ways to deal with this, in my experience:

This is the simplest:

1. Select the file in Aperture and choose File > Export Original.

2. Import into FCPX

(You can't use the Edit in External Editor command, and there's no option to export a movie directly to FCPX, but you might be able to automate this process with Keyboard Maestro or Automator.)

Another method:

1. Drag the movie from Aperture to the Desktop.

2. Open the movie in QuickTime Player 7 Pro. (QuickTime Player X won't work.)

3. Save As Self-contained movie.

4. Import to FCPX.

http://store.apple.com/us/product/D3380Z/A/quicktime-7-pro-for-mac-os-x

File size example:

In Aperture, the file is listed as 11 MB.

After dragging to the desktop, the file is 4K. After exporting original from Aperture, the file is 11MB.

QuickTime Player X shows the dragged file as 4K and shows only a black screen, though it acts as if the movie is playing.

FCPX also shows the dragged file as 4K.

QuickTime Player 7 Pro very briefly puts up a dialog "Searching for movie data in file "DSCN1234.MOV" then opens the file fine. (I don't know if this will work with the basic QTP 7 without the Pro registration.)

After saving as self-contained movie, the file size is 11 MB.

It's odd that Aperture can handle these files and FCPX can't. I've posted an enhancement request to Apple.

Dan,

A workflow I recently used to get a lot of movies from Aperture, which had bees shot on a Canon Mark II was as follows:-

1. Create a Folder on your desktop. I called it Aperture Movies. Create subfolders if you like for subjects etc. This will help create keywords
2. Find your Aperture Library in Finder
3. Right click on the file and choose "Show Package Contents"
4. Open the Masters folder
5. Navigate through the various folders which are arrange by date, year, month & day in that hierachy
6. Arrange the files by type, this way all the videos are grouped together
7. Select all the videos you want to import and create and alias for them. Easy if you are doing all the vids in each folder as you can choose all of them and create aliases in one operation.
8. As you go, drag all the alisases into the appropriate folder in the Aperture Movies folder on your desktop
9. Once finished go to import in FCPX and import the entire Aperture Folder from the desktop.
10. In the import settings use optimised video but don't import the original files, not much point as they can stay in the Apertrure library.
11. The videos will be imported with the keywords equal to the folders you created in your Aperture Movie folder on your desktop.

Looks like a lot of steps but it is a lot faster than doing anything that involves exporting from Aperture and once you have the aliases in the Folder you can import the whole folder in one click.