I movie V's Final cut express

My question is, if you have mastered Imovie fairly well and would like some more features, would final cut express be the step in next evolution?
Can anyone send me to a review explaining the pro's and con's of final cut express.
Thank you
Scotty

look at the UserInterface metaphor, which is in use with iMovie:
"sorting slides"
iM imports a tape, splits it up automatically into "slides"/clips, you arrange them, edit'em, add some/few "presets" of titles, effects, add music - done.
FCE has a totally different concept..-
it offers the workflow of professional movie making; very little tasks are automated, has a very different file management (you sort your material in bins, sequences, you can nest sequences, etc...)
FCE forces you to think first, no editing by doing as in iM...- and you need at last brainmatter vers. 2.2
e.g. you have to KNOW, what is the concept of a title-effect as "farfaraway" (= perspective distortion, perspective blurr/disolve) - you do it then "manually" with the zillions of knobs and sliders, FCE offers...- you are a 100% in control... but, no idea, no result... no "magic" ...
even basic functions as editing are very different to iM; after years of iM usage, I dared to start a 60min wedding video as my first FCE project... after weeks, I trashed the whole thing unfinished into the trash bin...- got lost, with my iM knowledge... :-/
get a good book, read the 1400pgs manual, get another good book, start with the basics, start with a 5min project.... => FCE is a wonderful tool for moviemaking, e.g. 99 audio layers offer superb control for adding sound effects, elaborated audio mixing etc...-
I use them both - iM for doing quick ('n dirty) editing; FCE for special effects, layer effects (e.g. pic-in-pic), audio ... you can exchange your QT.movs without lost of quality... so, I go back'n forth between both apps ...-

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Camcorder Campatibility with I Movie O8 and Final Cut Express HD

I am trying to decide between the Canon HV20 and the Sony HDR-HCR camcorders, does anyone have experience editing with either using I Movie 08 or Final Cut Express HD 4

I chose the Sony because of the overall build quality: it seems like it can withstand more wear and tear from lots of use better than the Canon, and the video quality is amazing. Its only negative point would be dark indoor lighting. However I'm not sure how the Canon does in low light.
Hope this helps

Converting FCP .mov files for Final Cut Express

Working in FCP 6, I've transferred P2 footage (720p30) into an edit, via the Prores 422 (HQ) codec. No problems, edit done. But now my client would like the source clips to manipulate in her copy of Final Cut Express (version 4).
FCE doesn't recognize Prores, it seems, so I've tried converting a sample clip via "Apple Intermediate Codec," which does produce a recognizable file, but requires a render. From what I can see of FCE, the AIC codec is the way to go, but obviously I'm missing some setting, because whenI asked her to render, export as .mov, then re-import, and that new clip shows without having to render.
That tells me it's probably some specific codec consideration, but I'm not really familiar enough with FCE to troubleshoot it.
Any ideas about the proper export settings for getting 720p30 HD footage into FCE?
Thanks in advance!

The problem is a little more complicated with DVCPRO HD media because it uses its own anamorphic frame size for 720p media. Open the file you need to convert into the QT player and give the exact specifications from the movie inspector.

I Movie vs. Final Cut /express

Is it worth it to start doing movie editing in Final cut vs i movie. What are the differences?

FCP does indeed have a steep learning curve, and for most (consumer) needs, iMovie is much better suited. That being said, FC (Pro and Express) have features that make movie-editing much, much easier (once you have overcome the initial learning curve, and taking into account the fact that your requirements are higher). FCP's advanced features come really into play when your movie exceeds 45 minutes of total time.
Final Cut has (for us) one true killer feature: multiple video tracks. This is usually very useful when filming the same sequence with multiple cameras (here you can see why most consumers do not need Final Cut), but it also comes in handy when assembling documentaries, as you can trackone the documentary, and tracktwo your actor.
Another very important feature (one that iMovie HD tries hard to emulate) are the live positioning and non-destructive editing/scrolling. FCP is heads and shoulders above iMovie in this regard.
For consumers also nice is the fact that transitions between clips do not shorten either clip in the time line (unlike iMovie).
There are other features that are less important to consumer-level productions (integration with Soundtrack, color correction), except one feature that I would like to see in iMovie: (nearly) arbitrary screen formats.
One really annoying fact we just found out is that if you have a new G5 (with PCI-Express slot) you need to upgrade to the new version (so be careful when you purchase an old version).
Hope this helps,
-ch
Please Note:
I work for cf/x, and may profit from posting here.

Compatible HD movie camera for final cut express

I am in the unenviable position of having a ten year old who is savvy in Final Cut (has used it on a friends computer) and has now begged for the program for his birthday (this week). So I bought the program but now his camera has broken - can someone please please recommend a relatively cheap HD recorder that would work with final cut express (something under 500 pounds would be awesome ie under 700 USD) - finding the info online not all that helpful and have been to Apple store in London and NY! to ask which camera they would rec. but they cant recommend one (brand favourite). Be so grateful if you could help.

Hi and welcome to the forum!
The only HD formats FCE supports are HDV and AVCHD. You should be able to find middle-end models of both for under 500 pounds. I'd recommend asking your son whether he prefers the idea of the traditional tape based camcorder (in this case HDV) or wants a hard drive based camera (AVCHD). Both will work fine with FCE, and you could then do a quick and easy search on the website of your preferred manufacturer (Canon, Sony, Panasonic, etc.) or visit a local store to pick out one that works with your budget.
I could arbitrarily choose a camera for you to purchase, but without knowing your needs it really would be better for you to use this information to pick out one that you like. Just be careful - if you do go for AVCHD make sure the camcorder is actually AVCHD, and not a variant like AVCHD Lite or AVCCAM. Only pure DV, HDV, and AVCHD will work with FCE.

Iphone footage into Final Cut Express

I left a question earlier in this forum and would like to update (hopefully that's proper process!). I'll repeat the question, in case:
I'm trying to get footage from iPhone 4 to Final Cut Express. I'm using MPEG Streamclip 1.9.2. In the tutorial I found, they did an export to Quicktime, selecting the Apple Intermediate Codec as the compression, 29.97 as the Frame, and "1280 x 720 (unscaled)" as the frame size option (I'm also selecting frame blending and better downscaling, and turning off interlaced scaling; the rest are Streamclip defaults). My version of Streamclip doesn't have a 1280x720 (unscaled), so I've been forced to select 1280x720 (HDTV 720P). Not sure if this is my problem.
On recent attempts, I've managed to get the clip into a QuickTime format (using the settings above) in a way that doesn't look stretched (can't tell whether it is or not). When I import the clip into FCE, it comes in without having to be rendered, and looks as if it's not stretched there either. But as soon as I drop the clip into the sequence and try to play it, I get the "Dropped Frames" warning. I'm already operating in RT Safe mode, and rarely/never have problems w/ dropped frames with clips that were captured from my Sony camera/tape. Is the AIC codec more demanding of faster drives? (I'm using a 200Gig external Apple drive at the moment). Or is it because I have been forced to export as a 1280x720 HDTV 720p as opposed to unscaled?
In FCE I've set easy set up to:
Apple Intermediate Codec, 29.97, and HDV AIC 720 p30; Is this a match with the Export QT version?
And if so, would the clip be coming into my sequence without having to be rendered? Since I haven't had to upgrade my hardware for my other camera, I'd be reluctant to go out and buy more external disk power, in the event it doesn't do me any good.
I know there are several posts on people trying to get iphone footage into FCE already, but they don't seem to apply and, after hours on the internet looking for a solution, I'm at my wits end. PLEASE HELP
Thanks in advance!!

The 4s records video as MPEG4/AVC (H.264)/1080p/30fps in a .mov filetype. Final Cut Express is NOT designed to edit this kind of video. You need to convert the 4s video clips to QuickTime/Apple Intermediate Codec/1080i before importing them into FCE. You can use MPEG Streamclip to do the conversion. In FCE you also need to select a matching Easy Setup (should be AVCHD Apple Intermediate Codec 1920x1080i60 for converted 4s clips) and create a new Sequence to edit your video. This should eliminate the constant re-rendering problem.
ps. Final Cut Express was discontinued in 2011 even before OS X Lion was released. It is no longer supported by Apple and there is no guarantee it will run properly on Yosemite. Just so you know. Final Cut Pro X is the currently supported app.

Final Cut Express not opening, error says final FCE disks are missing.

Hi there,
Recently I got a WD Fire Wire 800 Hard drive for christmas so I could move all of my final cut projects over to the HD.
When I moved my final cut express documents including all of the folders it now says this error.
To preserve the integrity of the data used by final cut express, it is necessary to ensure the existence of the following paths;
- My HDD Chris is missing
Then it gives me the option to reset scratch disks, check again or quit.
So I'm not sure what I do.
Should I simply move back all the folders and documents that I moved to my hard drive (btw I tried this but it still gave the same error message). I have deleted final cut express 4.1 and re installed 4.0 to see if it works but it didn't and has the same error message.
Any tips would be helpful.
Chees, Chris.

Tom Wolsky wrote:
I can't even open FCE any more because I have moved everything onto the external hard drive including software 'everything'.
You moved the software? You can't do that. That's fatal. The software must be on the system drive as it requires system resources. Move the application called Final Cut Express back into the top level of the Applications folder. Do it move it, rename it, or put it inside a folder.
Do not assign the scratch disk to a folder anywhere. If you want the scratch disk to be on your external drive select the top level of the external drive. FCE will create the folders it needs in that location.
Hi,
When you say move the application final cut express into the application folder.
Do you mean move my folder of final cut express that I moved onto my HDD?
If so it's copying the 20GB folder as I speak. Hopefully fixes this frustrating problem..
Cheers, Chris.

What setting is the best for exporting Final Cut Express HD

I am new to final cut express HD. I have worked with iMovie and it was very easy to work with and exporting the movie was not too difficult.
I am curious as to what setting should I set to to export a movie file from final cut express HD. I've exported a short quicktime movie clip but it doesn't look as sharp. Could someone help me.

For DVD, export as Quicktime Movie NOT Quicktime Conversion.
You can drop the resulting QT file into iDVD or into Compressor if you are using DVD Studio Pro.
If you have chapter markers, make sure to select Chapter Markers in the export submenu.
Bear in mind that iDVD has a limitation of two hours; even if your movie is exactly two hours you will run into probs cause iDVD counts its menus, themes etc as part of that total running time.

Convert MTS files for use in Final Cut Express

Having just bought a Canon Legria HF R16 (which in America would be the Vixia) I was struggling the past hours to get my video files from the camera to my mac. Canon doesn't provide much help in this. But I finally got the files in iMovie. Is there a site somewhere where I can find more information about organizing those videos and how best to transfer them from camera with this setup?
So far the procedure seems to be: import in iMovie then import the mov files into Final Cut Express. But maybe there is a more efficient way.
Thanks.

Yes, it's an AVCHD camcorder. Just tried the log & transfer and it imported in Final Cut Express alright. I checked the info about the imported video clips and it looks fine too, at least it says that it's Apple Intermediate Codec. So that would allow me to import my stuff into FCE directly without converting anything. Touch wood.
I am right now trying everything out on my camera, got it today. The size is 1440x1080 if I saw correctly in FCE. Have to check on that om my camcorder. Yes, I had it on SP (standard), changed that to FXP (full size).
I guess I'll manage from here on. Thanks, Martin.
The first moments can be so confusing.
So I guess there is no need to convert the movies in iMovie first, unless I wanted to use iMovie for editing.
I'm still studying the FCE manual as well.

TS2179 import files from final cut express to idvd

Import files from final cut express to idvd. When we are making a dvd in iDVD importing the files (widescreen mov files ) from final cut express they automatically change to 4x3. They look correct when played in the quicktime player. Has anyone had this problem.

Generally, I just drag the DV file from the finder to the iDVD menu window. Make sure you don't drag it to any Drop Zones, I think that might be your problem with the DV file showing up as the background. If you have default settings in iDVD, this drag and drop should then create submenus based on your chapter markers.
I'm not sure if you have any issues with the Chapters not showing up in QT. If you're expecting them to show up, then make sure that when you do the Export to QT that the option to include Chapter Markers is set. Upon conversion, you should see the Chapters within QT as well as when imported into iDVD.
Hope this helps!

Will my camcorder work if I buy Final Cut Express HD 3.5?

I have been enjoying iMovie for a long time and thought I would move on to Final Cut Express, but before I do I want to make sure my camcorder will work with it. My computer is one of the intel iMacs so I know it's not a problem. My camcorder is a Sony DCR-HC32. It uses miniDV tapes. I have an ominous feeling that Final Cut Express won't work with cameras that use miniDV tapes, but I'm not sure. Please let me know if you have any knowledge in this area. I don't want to buy the product if my camcorder can't work with it. Thanks in advance!

Hi Scott.
FCE is designed for cameras that use DV and Mini-DV tapes.
What it is not designed for are DVD and HDD cameras.
So long as your Sony has a Firewire (iLink) connection it should be OK - but nobody can guarantee that every camera in the world will be compatible.
To double-check you should take your camera along to an Apple store that has FCE loaded on a Mac and check that it will capture some footage.
Ian.

Final Cut Express changes the video aspect

Hello.
I imported some videoes from m Sony-sr32 HandyCam with iMovie 08. The videos were captured in a wide screen format, and iMovie shows them in wide screen.
However, when I import the movie files to Final Cut Express it plays them in a normal 4:3 aspect. The video seems o be distorted (narrowed).
Why is that, and how can i Change that?
Thanks!

You have to check the anamorphic column in the Browser or in item properties to tell FCE the material is anamorphic.

I'm running Final Cut Express 2. How can I move entire project and application from one internal hard drive to another? Ran out of space on one drive. Thanks.

I'm running Final Cut Express 2. My video project is 95% done and I've run out of space on my 500g internal hard drive. How can I (1) move the complete FCE program and video to my unused 250g internal hard drive and operate it from there and (2) how do I then purge all the FCE info from the 500g drive without losing anything from the 250 drive?
Also, is it possible to change the aspect ratio from 4:3 to 16:9 when the project is finished? If so, how? I now know this all should have been done before I started. Thanks for the help.

1. You can't move the application. It must remain on the system drive. Move your capture scratch folder to the external FireWire drive and use the reconnect function in the project.
2. What's the media 16:9 or 4:3?

My current os x is 10.9.5, using final cut express vers. 4.0.1. I have imported .mov clips created with a older mac os x (lion) and converted them to import into fce. after doing this as well as putting clips on the fce timeline when playing back t.h

My current os x is 10.9.5, using final cut express vers. 4.0.1. I have imported .mov clips created on a older mac os x (lion) and when I wanted to import them into fce, a quicktime conversion window opened up and converted them (I haven't experienced this in the past). I then imported the converted quicktime clips into my fce project. After doing this I took selected clips and put those edited clips on the fce timeline. When playing the video back in the fce timeline,I noticed
1) the video wasn't playing back smoothly like the original content
2) when looking at the timecode reading of the timeline, the timecode was sputtering as well as the video and audio. I exported to quicktime just to see if that was consistent, it was.
When I play the converted quicktime content independently of fce, it plays normally (no sputtering of timecode, video and audio. Need help to resolve the sputtering playback of converted video content in the fce timeline. I've never experienced this before. Any suggestions?

When you say you converted the clips before importing them into FCE, did you convert to AIC or DV and do the converted clips match your FCE Sequence settings exactly? If not, go back and convert the original files again, using the intended Sequence settings as a guide.
-DH

Final Cut Express wont make make a self contained movie

Until recently I have always been able to export my movies from final cut express HD without any problems. They save as final cut express movie files. Now when I come to export a movie, I click on " make self contained movie" and what I get is a quicktime movie that is split into 3 parts, one named whatever I had told it to save as and the other 2 with the same name but -av1 or -av2 after it. If either of these is deleted the original wont play but they wont open on their own. There is sufficient hard drive space and they are all saved in the same folder. There appears to be a 2GB maximum file size as the first movie is 2 GB the second is 2 GB and the third is whatever is left over. Anything smaller than 4 GB just saves as a 2GB plus whatever is lreft over! They will play if original video clips are deleted so they are independent but wont play if one of the 3 is missing. Please help this is driving me scatty
Powermac G4/466 (upgraded to dual 1.4GHz), Macbook pro Mac OS X (10.4.6)

Is the drive you aresaving to formatted to Mac OS Extended?
Sounds like it could be Mac Standard.
Also check in Prefernces that the file size export limit is not set to 2 gig.
Al

I movie V's Final cut express

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