??? Snapz Pro to Quicktime Movie to final cut - Still get red line in time line...

I'm using Snapz Pro (A program that allows me to record mouse movement n the desktop and then create a QT mvie from my demonstration.

The Quicktime movie settings (required by the employer) is Animation Compression, 6fps, 1024x768 and a few other settings.

I want to bring this file into my Final Cut Sequence. I've sett the setting IDENTICAL to the QT file. The only thing that isn't identical is the Frame Rate. It makes sense that it's set at 29.97 and I understand that.

However, when I drag the QT into the timeline the red line shows up indicating that the sequence settings and the file settings don't match.

Any ideas as to how I can do this without having to rerender the file in the timeline. There must be a way to make the settings the same.

Thanks in advance.

Geno

as far as i know if you bring an animation codec clip into fcp youre simply going to have to render.

Was hoping for a different answer.

The truth is you can create a sequence and make its settings to match your footage. That way you don't have to render.

Thanks for your thoughts.

g-

as far as i've always understood, simply matching the settings is not enough to kill the render need with ALL codecs - i could be totally wrong here...

Any time you have different frame rates, a render is inevitable.


www.derekmok.com

Then Riddle me this...

I'm bringing in the file that because of of many factors the frame rate is 10 fps.

Why can't I cahnge the frame rate of the sequence in FC? I've tried with no luck.

If I could make the frame rate of the sequence 10 fps (matching the QT) then, in theory, should I have to render?

g-

I use SNAPZ for allmy tutorials, and to edit it I do this:

www.proapptips.com/shane NON STANDARD CODECS IN FCP

The only thing I have to render then is the audio.


www.shanerosseditor.com

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Shane... WOW to say the very least.

I can't wait to try this at the office tomorrow. You may have saved me some hours. Or should I say Christine may have saved me some hours.

Can't wait to check it out. I'm assuming this still works in 4.5?

Very cool. I'm assuming that once I edit my stuff, I can output to an Mpeg 4 and everything will still sinc up?

Great website, by the way. I'll do some more snooping around. Big thanks for the tip. I hope it works.

g-

I am sorry to say that this only works in FCP 5.0 and higher. Need the Multiclip function and that only came available with FCP 5.0.

Won't work with FCP 4.5. Sorry man.


www.shanerosseditor.com

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That is a great tip.
I use Snapz Pro every day and I have this problem as well.
It is very weird.

I even convert the clip from Snapz in Quicktime Pro to DV PAL at 25fps.
It still does not work cause FCP thinks the footage is 10fps for some reason.

Anyhow - great tip.
You still have to render the damn thing if you want to put the footage on DVD or Tape.

Johan Polhem
Motion Graphics
www.johanpolhem.com

OK Johan, ready for another tip? Because I would record my SNAPZ movies at 30fps, yet they still come out 10fps when I do my little trick. Odd, but true.

SO...open up Cinema Tools, open the clip and conform it to 29.97. Then when you do this trick it will make a 29.97 sequence.

Booyah!


www.shanerosseditor.com

Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
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Shane,

A bit off topic - but how are you getting SnapzPro clips to look sharp - every way I try, it comes out fuzzy no matter the resolution setting etc... Thanks Andy

PhotoJPEG at 75% produces excellent results. Doesn't help the render problem, but the material is clean, until you crunch it to DV of course. Then it falls apart big time. That's when you really need to be able to selectively show portions of the screen.

Remember, when it is in your timeline and canvas, it doesn't look good. But the final rendered version should look good. I render out H.264 when I am done.


I should toy with saving it as PhotoJPEG...good tip Tom.


www.shanerosseditor.com

Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
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Thanks guys!

Should add to this that it helps to take the Snapz render into Cinema Tools and conform the frame rate to whatever you're working in FCP. Makes it easier than that silly 10fps that FCP sees for some reason.

Okay Brother... as you asked.

Got 5.1 and I'm excited and ready to try this.

HOWEVER, the project I was using, is giving me NO SOUND in the audio tab. I was expecting to have to render sound, but not there's no sound. It's like 5.1 wiped out the sound portion of these Snapz Pro files.

Did you have this problem?

I did try reimporting into the bin. Same problem. Double click the file in the asset bin. Clicked on the audio tab. No adudio. Just a straight line with no wave from.

The QT movies have audio, so what I need to know now is why, in 5.1, the audio is no longer there.

Waiting for your thoughts.

g-

I've encountered this problem before when going from an FCP4.5 project file to an FCP5 project file. Try disconnecting the file from your project, modifying the Clip Settings to 1V 2A, then reconnecting.

If that doesn't work, try opening the clip in QuickTime Player and resaving it under a different name.


www.derekmok.com

Two good thoughts. As far as thought 2, the QT file is fine. In QT it plays perfect... sound and all.

As far as the first thought... disconnecting the file from your project???? How abuot just creating a brand new project and importing the file? I did that... still no audio in the audio tab.

However, other files that didn't come from Snapz Pro are fine and normal. It seems to be just these Snapz Pro files.

Any more thoughts? I can't imagine resaving them in QT is going to make any difference if reimporting into a new project and new sequence still has the same problem.

g-

More headaches...

This time I tried going back to the QT and re outputing the audio as an AIF. Good thinking. Then I imported that, got rid of the sound track (with missing sound) and substituted the new audio. It plays for a few seconds and stops giving the DROPPED FRAMED ERROR - either close opened sequences (there are none) or "Turn Off Unlimted RTF" don't even know where to find that... then more stuff that isn't at all cool.

SO, back to first question. Is there something about 5.1 that should be wiping out the sound in the Snapz Pro files (which at least 4.5 never did) that I should know about and/or change?

Thanks

g-

I have not seen this before. You created a new project, imported the SNAPZ media and there is NO AUDIO? Does it show up in the bin info?

What format of audio did you choose when you exported from SNAPZ?


www.shanerosseditor.com

Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
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That's a good question.

No compression.

44.1

16 bit

Mono

These are the settings that came from the school I'm teaching for. And YES, NO AUDIO at all. Just wiped out. Gone. Kaput.

Shane,

This is great info if you're only editing with SnapZ clips but if you want to use these clips in your 29.97 timeline then it doesn't work.

I've found the only reliable way to use these clips is to convert using MPEG Streamclip. Quicktime Pro and Compressor both will not convert to a locked in 29.97 frame rate. Once these clips are converted I can use them to edit with standard clips. MPEG Streamclip is also very good at maintaining frame size as my SnapZ captures are typical of non-standard sizes also.

One last thing...this convesion process also helps with headaches when using Media Manager to copy or consolidate a sequence or project. Without making these conversions, MM can't copy clips that are of a different frame rate than the sequence rate.

Bottom line... MPEG Streamclip is a must have for anyone in this type of workflow and the best part is it is completely free. I'd happily pay money for it too. Hope this helps someone out there.

Philip

Well, if I wanted a Snapz clip to use in my DV timeline, I'd make sure I set the dimensions to 4:3, and then after I output from Snapz, I'd use Compressor's Advanced Settings to convert it to DV. Or If I was going to use it in a DVCPRO HD sequence, then I'd record 16:9 and again use compressor to convert.

But your way works too.


www.shanerosseditor.com

Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
[itunes.apple.com]

I guess my point is this...

Often times when using SnapZ, 4:3 frame size isn't practicle or desired. Also, whenever I've used QT Pro or Compressor to convert a SnapZ 10fps clip I can't get a locked consistent 29.97fps file.

MPEG Streamclip has been the only way to achieve this fps and maintain my "unscaled" frame size.