Newby alert. Some basic questions about process.

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I have the new MBP 15" with SSD, max RAM, hi-res screen.

1. Do I need to view footage on an external display to see colour, exposure etc properly? Or is the MBP's screen enough?

2. If not I have the old 23" and 20" Cinema Displays. Do I need to use the 23"?

3. It's a fast computer so what file format should I work in?

4. And what should I export to for best archival purposes?

I know they are simple questions but I could spend 10 hours searching the net and still not have a clue.

Thanks for any replies
 
Ideally, if you're editing... a secondary monitor can free up your main window, and you can place your preview, audio controls etc on the second window (at least, on Windows... I don't know about mac). It's all about personal preference.

If you shoot 1080p, edit in 1080p for every project... even those going to DVD. The format you edit in should be the format you shoot in. If you shoot a 720-60p project, edit as such... etc etc.

Personally, I prefer MPEG2 for archival purposes... Transport streams, 1080-25p. This is just a throwback from by use of the Canon HV30, and capturing in M2T format. I'd edit, render out an M2t and colour correct/grade.

You're in Australia, as am I... so anything you work in should be 25p or 50i. Anything else is pointless.
Hope this helps somewhat. It generally is rule of thumb to create your own workflow... whatever works best for you. Everyone does it differently!
 
Unfortunately you're not going to see a proper image in FCPX, as you are not able to get a true accurate high resolution image out of it.
You're only able to use a second monitor for extra space. And while you can view your preview window large in your second display, you won;t be able to get a true image out of it for color correcting and such.

Apple has announced that there will be an update sometime next year for eternal display support from others such as Matrox, Black Magic Design etc.
But unfortunately you're not able to use any professional monitor, or even a TV properly calibrated with a Matrox MXO2 at this time.
 
Thanks for the response guys. I did some more digging around the net and started to realise just how many different workflows there are. I guess the answer is that having a monitor hooked up is better than no monitor but it's not as good as a properly calibrated professional monitor. It's probably enough for now though... I knew that I should edit in 1080 25p I was referring to whether I should edit in the AVCHD which I shoot in or whether I should edit in ProRes etc . Anyway I realise now there is no single answers to these questions so I will do the hard yards and work it our for myself which was I need to go. It seems that just when you get a handle on one aspect of filmmaking there's another mountain of information in another area of the process to climb... I want to write, direct, shoot and edit my films. (I'm a control freak). At least I don't want to do the sound....
 
Check "optimize media" on import. Then Fcpx will decide if it needs to render to ProRes depending on your machine.
 
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