FCP Video is dark

Hello,
I imported footage from my camera, into Final Cut Studio, and while it looks fine on the tv monitor (I know, it's not a calibrated NTSC montior), but in the Viewer and Canvas, it is extremely dark. So much so, that the night scenes are barely seen. To what can account for such a drastic difference? I know that I am to go by the tv monitor, but, I just want to make sure that after all is 'said and done' w/compressing/authouring/burning, that the final product is not going to show up with this 'darkness'. Also, is there any way I can adjust my settings, so that the footage doesn't come in so dark?
In addition, the sound is very low too, but, it may have been a product of the original recording, and may have to raise the levels in Soundtrack Pro, as raising them in FCP doesn't help much... Many thanks for anyone who can help!!!
Message was edited by: Kristina Latour

Go into your DISPLAY prefs and choose a setting that lightens your computer monitor so you can see what you are doing.
And trust the image on the TV. It is a truer representation than what you have on the computer screen. Doesn't need to be a calibrated NTSC monitor if you aren't going for broadcast...just decently balanced the best you can...to color bars if you can. Whites looking white, and blacks dark...with you barely able to see the middle PLUGE (black bar) on the bottom left.
If it looks good on the TV, then it will look good on other TVs...generally speaking.
Shane

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Whenever I playback video using Quicktime, or in Final Cut Pro, just video playback period, videos are always very dark, and details hard to see. When I playback the exact same video (trailer from apple) then it plays back fine and with brightness and detail on a Cinema Display. Is that natural? I have a MBP with Glossy Screen.

Ron, this is slightly confusing to me:
+Whenever I playback video using Quicktime, or in Final Cut Pro, just video playback period, videos are always very dark, and details hard to see.+
So for the above, I assume (from what you say in the second sentence) we are talking about video trailers from Apple, correct? Here is your second sentence:
+When I playback the exact same video (trailer from apple) then it plays back fine and with brightness and detail on a Cinema Display.+
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