Dvx100a 24p FCE -> FCP question (Music Video)

A

Adam N

New member
Hey, I'm new here and new to the DVX100a. I shot a music video with it in normal 24p mode, and edited it in Final Cut Express. I have since read that they are not perfectly compatible, which explains the blurred footage I receive upon export (http://www.vimeo.com/6180335 Password is "dvx"). The footage for some reason looks perfectly fine in the FCE playback, but this is the best I could get it to look exporting, and when exported to bigger dimensions it looks even worse.

So, I made a mistake in editing in Final Cut Express, the only software I have at my house, however I have access to Final Cut Pro (6 I think) at my school, so I was wondering what I would have to go through to make this transfer.

Will FCP recognize the Express file?

Can I keep my timeline or do I have to reedit the footage after altering each clip (something about a adjusting pulldown)?

Thank you, I am new to the camera but I see a lot of potential for quality!
Adam
 
A few things to know:

1) Final Cut Express and 24p "normal" are perfectly compatible. When you shoot in either 24p mode (24p or 24pA) it still goes to tape at 29.97. The difference is in the pulldown cadence, which is easier to remove in 24pA for editing at 23.976. The cadence in 24p "normal" is designed so that the material can be edited at 29.97.

2) Final Cut Express cannot remove the pulldown or edit at 23.976... only 29.97. But since you shot in 24p "normal," no worries there.

3) The drawback to shooting 24p "normal" and editing at 29.97 is that you will have to deal with interlaced frames. That what causes your "motion blur" when you upload to Vimeo, since computer displays are progressive and will reveal those interlaced frames.

4) Final Cut Pro cannot open FCE project files, so you are back to square one if you move to the Pro app.

Since you are working with Final Cut Express and cannot handle 24pA, you might consider shooting at 30P for better motion quality after the upload. If you have access to FCS, I'd start shooting in 24pA and using the better system. Or get FCS for yourself... the new release has a major price drop from earlier versions.

By the way, how are you exporting from FCE? You might want to export a QuickTime at DV NTSC 48kHz and take that file to your school where you can use Compressor to get a better conversion for upload.
 
Thank you, that is very helpful, I have tried mpeg 4, h264, divx, those kinds of things, I will try what you suggested, that sounds like a good idea. Do you think i may have similar problems with the same codecs?

Also, since i shot in 24p normal, will it not matter whether or not I am in FCE or FCP since it is 29.97 in both?

What kind of settings should i be looking out for in compressor?
 
With 24p normal, it does not matter between FCE and FCP. They'll edit the same in either at 29.97.

As for Compressor, h.264 is best. For Vimeo, I usually set it to a data rate limit of 6000kbps with the audio stereo AAC 44.1kHz at 128kbps. Full-frame (720x480 for 4:3 or 854x480 for 16:9). You can try deinterlacing in Compressor, but that isn't always as helpful with the 24p cadence.
 
I agree. I take projects that I edited at home in FCE to our FCP editing bench at work and it's all good. I just have to remember that I bring all the relevant clip files. Or, I have exported my FCE editing as a .mov file and done additional work to it in FCP.
 
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