FCP Output Question

[GruvDOne]

Due to some weirdness on the part of my college, I am unable to get access to 3D software on college workstations. However, they do have dual 2.3 g5's with FCP 5 on them. It's been a while since I had a lisense of FCP, and I can't experiment fast with it (have to walk 20 minutes to get to FCP from my dorm). So can anyone tell me what size or format I should render in, so that when I import to FCP, I don't have to render. Right now I think my files are in "quicktime big" at 720x480, however they have to render before I can touch them with C4D, meaning that when I apply any filter or effect that SHOULD be realtime, it isn't.

Can anyone help me out with this or suggest a few settings, I used to know this but eh, I am old, I forget things :-), well 20 but it feels old.

Thanks,

-J3

It's not necessarily an issue of resolution. There are a couple of things to check. First, make sure that your sequence settings match your source footage. Otherwise, FCP will have to render to re-interpolate your footage. Before importing your footage, go to Final Cut Pro -> Easy Set-Up, and choose the correct settings for you render.

Next, in the upper left section of the Timeline Window, there is a pull down menu caller RT. For maximum RT effects, set to Unlimited RT, set Play Back Video Quality to Dynamic, and Playback Frame Rate to Dynamic. This will ensure that as many effects will play in real-time as possible, even if it means adjusting the frame rate in certain sections dynamically to allow for it.

Now, it is also possible that these machines may not have sufficient RAM to do a great deal of Realtime. If all else fails, you can (in the Timeline) press Option P to to "Play Every Frame". This is a slow playback, but will let you get a feel for the effectiveness of a travel matte, or transition.

HTH,
Cheers!

[plotz]

It will all depend on what kind of presets the FCP station has. You can always choose your own flavor and just set your sequence to that QT specification.

Here's a list of the most common stuff (for us at least)

EDIT: Make sure you're working at 29.97 fps for NTSC or you'll have to render anyway.

[JIII]

Thanks y'all, I am not used to FCP 5, haven't really used FCP heavily since v.3, all that RT shit was still new. I did play around with the quad 2.5 at the apple store the other day, 4.5 gigs of ram, shit that thing was doing it ALL in real time, and HD as well. But anyways, these machines are running 2 gigs of ram, should be plenty for my limited uses.

-John

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