Dvx/fcp 4.1/pbg4

H

HDZ

New member
First,

I'm new to the world of dvx, my set-up is FCP 4.1 running on a PB G4 1Ghz with 1Gig of RAM. I work with footage shot mainly on minidv or dvcam, digitized from a sony dsr40 via firewire to lacie external hds. This has been working great for years, no issues at all, ever. A client, producer/shooter upgrades his camera and now... how do I work with his footage. Here are some of my issues:
1. I imported the quicktime files he provided, and the audio came in mono, I need separate channels, how do I accomplish this?
2. What settings are appropriate for this type of footage?
3. If all I need is a small piece of a 15 minute clip, how do I delete what I don't need to free up disk space?
4. The clips won't play unless they're rendered, is this normal? And then, when I shorten a clip that has been rendered, I need to rerender it.

Any help and advice given is greatly appreciated.

HDZ
 
1. Copy the audio track to a second track. If you need the original two tracks seperated, you're going to have to make him give you properly formated QT files.

2. What type of footage is it? NTSC-DV, HDV, DVCam?

3. If he sent you a QT file, open it in the Veiwer, set in and out points, save it out as a self-contained QT movie.

4. Your Sequence settings don't match your clips. Righ click the clips in the Browser, go to Item Properties, check all the clip's settings. Then go to the Sequence menu, to Sequence Settings, check to make sure they match. I bet you anything they don't.
 
Ben

1. The producer is reformatting the QT files with the proper audio.

2. The footage is NTSC DVCPRO50 and in the same project there will also be NTSC DV footage from minidv tape.

3. I'll give it shot, can I get rid of the unused footsage to free up disc space?

4. The sequence is set at NTSC DV/DVCPRO so I'm guessing either way there's going to be rendering since I'm mixing footage, right?

HDZ
 
It should only be the DVCPRO50 that may need rendering. Do you have your RT settings set for Dynamic? If not, they should be.

Yes, once you export the clip between the in and out points, import it back in. Then right click the original, select Show in Finder, then delete from Browser and Finder. That's be just fine. But delete it from the FCP Browser first, or FCP will throw up all sorts of warnings and have a hissy, so to speak.

One question I have is, if the producer is formating QT files for you, why doesn't he just format NTSC-DV files to start with? That'd save you from having the mixed footage render deal. Just a thought. I mean, exporting is exporting, right?
 
That's exactly what's happening, I'm having to render all of the DVCPRO50 footage.

About the RT settings, I am not given a Dynamic option, I can choose either Safe RT or Unlimited RT. That could be since I'm using FCP 4.1. I've been told that since I'm on a PB G4, that's as high as I can go with FCP upgrades.

I'll bring up the exporting in NTSC-DV format to the producer, that is a good point.

HDZ
 
No, I have a 17" Powerbook running FCP 5.1.2, the latest. Much better RT performance. What Powerbook do you have?
 
I'm on a 15" PowerPC G4 Powerbook running FCP 4.1, OSX 10.2.8. I have 3 external Lacies daisy-chained for media storge and a 23" Apple Cinema display connected to the Powerbook so I can see what I'm doing.

HDZ
 
You should update all your software, especially to get the great new benifits of FCP 5.1.2. Much nicer since the version you're on.
 
I was told that on my system I was "upgraded" as high as I could go, is that not true? I'd need to upgrade the OS first and then the applications correct?

HDZ
 
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