User profile for user: PenguinSix
PenguinSix Author
User level: Level 1
20 points

Rotating video in FCPx (2017) without using the Timeline?

I know this has been discussed in the past but there are so many answers over the years relating to various versions of the software I thought I'd start a 2017 thread.


Is there a simple (i.e. iMovie-like) way to rotate a video 90 degrees in Final Cut Pro X WITHOUT using the timeline? Something that can be done in the Browser/Clips window? I've seen solutions that say drop it into the Timeline and then use Transform, which works easy enough, but the clip seems to still appear in the Browser window in the original orientation. If I make a compound clip using that original clip even if I rotated in the timeline it will come back as the original orientation (I think, can't remember).


I've seen solutions that say select the clip and then Command-4 for the Inspector to get that clip in the Video window, but my transform functionality at that stage does nothing. I can see the option for Transform - Crop - Distort appear below the video in the inspector window, but there is no option to use any of those commands on the video above. Selecting them does nothing.


iMovie has an idiot proof option to flip videos in the clip window with a one touch right / left rotate. Just wondering if something similar exists in FCP?


Thanks


FCPx 10.3.3

OSX 10.12.1

MBP 3.3 Core I7 (Late 2016) 16gb RAM

Posted on Apr 8, 2017 5:53 PM

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6 replies
User profile for user: Alchroma
Alchroma
User level: Level 7
23,918 points

Apr 8, 2017 9:28 PM in response to PenguinSix

FCP X is non-destructive so that's why you cannot change things other than in the Timeline.

The Browser clips relate to wherever the original clip is located.

Select a clip in the Browser then right click and choose Reveal in Finder.

This is where the clip or still needs to set up.


Personally, I'd just alter stuff in the Timeline.

Select a clip and in the Inspector choose Transform and enter 90, 180 or 270 into the Rotation field, hit enter.


Al

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User profile for user: PenguinSix
PenguinSix Author
User level: Level 1
20 points

Apr 8, 2017 10:19 PM in response to Alchroma

Thanks. Will it alter the clip if the clip is imported and saved in FCP rather than a symbolic link to the original?


I don't really shoot much on my phone in portrait, but the app Periscope saves videos in portrait mode, even if they are filmed in landscape which makes it rather annoying to have to flip and edit whenever I want to do something with that video. Sometimes I just use iMovie for that as it's so much easier to manage. Also looks nicer in the browser window not having portrait mode thumbnails (a bit OCD but yeah...)

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User profile for user: Luis Sequeira1
Luis Sequeira1
User level: Level 9
75,270 points

Apr 9, 2017 4:01 AM in response to PenguinSix

Changing the orientation will always require recompression. You could use MPEG Streamclip to export all the movies with a 90 degrees rotation, and then import these rotated movies to FCP X.

But unless you want to use these recorded clips by themselves, I'd skip that step and just rotate them for use in a FCP X timeline.


NOTE: even if you have managed media, open a clip, and rotate it, you are NOT changing the original file.

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Rotating video in FCPx (2017) without using the Timeline?

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