Final Cut Pro 7 - video clips are shortened/accelerated upon import into browser

Question

Level 1

8 points

Final Cut Pro 7 - video clips are shortened/accelerated upon import into browser

I am not a pro, but I'll try to explain my situation. Before importing video clips into the browser or inserting the clip into a sequence, I ensured my FCP 7 settings were correct for my video: 23.98 (23.976) etc. My video clip was verified to be a certain time length by the apple finder info, VLCplayer and Quicktime. But when it is when imported into the FCP browser, it is significantly shortened/accelerated in time, which destroys the sync to the already separate audio tracks. The audio tracks are then imported into the FCP browser, but retain their correct time lengths. I've transcoded the video to Prores 422 LT and Prores 422 HQ files in Quicktime Pro and Mpegstreamclip and the shortening/acceleration upon import happens in all cases. This problem has arisen for various users and situations over several years as described in the numerous threads below. The only potential workarounds by "Benny Krown" and “Thomas Davis” in the first thread below appear to require the double or triple transcoding of files that often are already in Prores, which is obviously a sub-optimal solution. Has anyone solved this or found any new workarounds?

https://forums.creativecow.net/thread/8/1084387

https://forums.creativecow.net/thread/8/1160685

https://forums.creativecow.net/thread/8/1132569

https://forums.creativecow.net/thread/8/1167772

https://forums.creativecow.net/thread/8/1151482

https://forums.creativecow.net/thread/8/1106140

http://originaltrilogy.com/topic/Fan-Edit-Sync-Issue-Please-Help/id/16548

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7319047

Posted on Oct 22, 2016 12:04 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Oct 24, 2016 7:37 AM in response to belloqr

I haven't used FCP7 for many years but IRRC, these mismatches were usually easily solved by some simple math. You should only need to change the speed of the video clip once to match it to the audio clip.

You note the precise length of the audio clip. You not the precise length of the video clip. You use speed change to alter the length of the video clip to match precisely the length of the audio clip.

This weird behavior of FCP7 was often tracked back to improper camera settings that messed up the metadata that tells FCP the frame rate or to the use of a codec that FCP and QT simply did not support at that time five years ago.

I hope you get this fixed to your satisfaction and that someone here can offer more helpful advice.

If you must continue to produce work using your existing tools, FCP7 may not be an appropriate editor for you any longer. Have you tried the trials of Premiere or FCPX?

Reply

Answer 2

belloqr Author

Level 1

8 points

Oct 24, 2016 7:33 PM in response to David Bogie Chq-1

Thanks David. I figured it was caused by a bug in some automatic processing in FCP. I was just wondering if anyone had found a more recent workaround. Thus far, the suggestions are: use cinematools to conform the frame rate, use pavtube to transcode to prores, re-transcode with compressor, and convert to mp4 then transcode to prores. I'll try each and see which retains the correct length/sync and least damage to video quality.

Reply

Answer 3

Oct 25, 2016 10:48 AM in response to belloqr

Bugs in Ye Olde FCP7 are no longer bugs, they are "legacy features".

" The audio tracks are imported into the FCP browser but retain their correct time lengths. I've tried transcoding the video to LT and HQ 422 prores files in quicktime and mpegstreamclip and the shortening happens in all cases. "

this statement indicates it's not FCP's problem but your camera's problem. All of those different routes handle the chore of parsing out individual frames a bit differently, although they all use the same QT engine.

I read though some of those ancient threads but didn't see anything that suggested to me that any were better than applying a simple change-to-fit speed change. The resulting clip will lock to your audio source and let you get back to work.

If you absolutely must have pixel-perfect and frame-accurate importing of the original media, which I am assuming is coming from some DSLR, FCP7 is not where you want to be working.

Again, wishing you the best of luck with FCP7. Also hope you will return with a workable solution no one else was able to offer.

Reply