client can't open fcp movie

I exported self contained quicktime movie sequences with existing settings, no compression.
Client (does not have fcp) says he can't open the quicktime files? does client need a plug in to open these fcp quicktime files? thanks so much

What codec? What is the client using to open the file? Did you put an extension on the file, and was the extension preserved on the client's side? Did you make sure to check "self-contained"?


www.derekmok.com

The codec is very important. Usually we'd send our offlines to the client in mpeg4 or h.264 and in some cases wmv.



www.strypesinpost.com

when i exported the sequence i just pulled down export - quicktime movie- used current settings and the make movie self contained was checked.
so the file should be a .mov and i burned the movie directly onto a dvd as .mov file?

So what exactly are the current settings? We can't see your computer from here. Help us out here. What are the item properties of the sequence you exported?

All the best,

Tom

Compress that to mpeg4.

If you're new to FCP, you should pick up a good tutorial book so you don't make a mess of the workflow.

[www.lafcpug.org]



www.strypesinpost.com

sure, thank you
i exported in hdv 1080i60
included both audio and video
no markers
and checked make self contain movie

i'm actually not that new to fcp, but i thought if you exported footage in quicktime, than anyone with a quicktime player could open it? no?

Native HDV is a proprietary Apple codec and only available with Final Cut Pro or some pro apps. You need to convert the material to a format your client can use. What would the client like to get? If it's only for viewing purposes QuickTime H.264 has a good chance of being viewable.

All the best,

Tom

Thank you!! This was very helpful!

What I do is export like you did to your desktop THEN open that movie in QT Pro, export out an H264 (which anyone with Quicktime can see).

Peace

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

Joe,

Why not compressor?

> Why not compressor?

Well, sure he can...I think Joe is just suggesting the most bone-head simple method to avoid confusion. I export my screeners with MPEG Streamclip.

Since the original poster doesn't seem to be too compression-savvy, QuickTime Player is the simplest method. The interface of Compressor and MPEG Streamclip have been called somewhat daunting by newer users.


www.derekmok.com

thank you so much for the continued support ....

I deliver the h264 videos all the time and they look great, but in this particular case, the client wanted some raw footage sequences to do additional editing with the material. So i was trying not to compress... hence the export quicktime current setting, etc.... but if HDV is indeed a propriety apple codec, then I can see how this could cause problems on their end unless the use fcp?

>but in this particular case, the client wanted some raw footage sequences to do additional editing
>with the material.

Convert to ProRes. Editing is not exactly family fun. They need to have the right equipment to work with the footage, and if they don't know that, they really shouldn't be doing further cuts to it.



www.strypesinpost.com

A clarification:

HDV is not a proprietary Apple codec. It's a particular flavor of MPEG-2. What Final Cut gives you when you didge HDV is the MPEG-2 video/MPEG-1 Layer 2 audio right off the camera, encapsulated in a Quicktime container file.

But Apple has to pay a licensing fee for each MPEG-2 decoder they ship. That's why Quicktime does not include MPEG-2 playback. Instead, Apple ships various format-specific MPEG-2 decoders ? for MPEG-2 elementary and program streams, for HDV, for XDCAM and so forth ? with Final Cut Studio, so they don't have to pay licensing fees on every copy of Quicktime they ship.

When you send material off to another editor, the first thing you must do is to ask that other editor what format he wants the material in. Don't try to guess, because the plethora of formats in common use means the odds of guessing wrong are ? as you found ? overwhelming.

AMEN!

thanks so much!

That's technically all correct of course. However, the MPEG-2 long GOP format in a QuickTime wrapper can only be read on a computer that has the correct HDV QuickTime component, which is only legal available with recent versions of Final Cut Pro.

All the best,

Tom