How to ensure a smooth 4K workflow in FCP 7/X? Check this short tutorial to learn how to convert 4K footage to ProRes 422 for an effective 4K workflow in FCP 7/X.
As more and more video productions adopt 4K, particularly for larger commercial work, the need to have a solid video editing workflow to handle the demands of 4K footage is an absolute must. Even though many video producers and indie filmmakers are using Premiere Pro in their pipeline, Final Cut Pro 7/X persists as the editing app of choice for many professional editors.
If for whatever reason you can not work with 4K media in FCP 7/X fluidly, you may follow the tutorial below to learn how to transcode 4K media to ProRes 422 for use in FCP 7/X with optimum performance.
[Guide] How to encode 4K media for editing in FCP 7 and FCP X fluidly?
Here’s what you need
HD Video Converter for Mac
With HD Video Converter for Mac installed, you are able to convert 4K footage to ProRes .mov for working with FCP 7/X smoothly. More than 4K media, it also supports converting P2 MXF, XAVC MXF, XDCAM/XDCAM HD MXF, IMX MXF, AVCHD (.m2t, .m2ts, .mts), H.264 MOV, XAVC S MP4, XDCAM EX MP4, MKV, AVI, M2V and more for your different final targets, such as editing, playing, sharing, and burning.
The steps
Step 1: Run HD Video Converter for Mac as a professional 4K video to FCP Converter. When its main interface comes up, click ‘Add File’ to load source video to it.
Step 2: Select ‘Apple ProRes 422 (*.mov)’ as output format for opening with FCP 7/X
From the ‘Profile’ list, move to ‘Final Cut Pro’ catalogue, and select ‘Apple ProRes 422 (*.mov)’ as target format. Apple ProRes is the best suited editing codec for FCP 7 and its former version FCP 6 and the most recent version FCPX. When loading them into FCP (X), you needn’t wait for a long time for rendering. To create smaller files, transcode your source files to Apple ProRes 422 (LT).
Apple ProRes 422 – Higher quality than Apple ProRes 422 (LT);
Apple ProRes 422 (HQ) – Keep original video quality for editing in FCP;
Apple ProRes 422 (LT) – Get a smaller file sizes than Apple ProRes 422;
Apple ProRes 422 (Proxy) – SD levels – 480i/p and 576i/p. Used in offline workflows.
Apple ProRes 4444 – Edit and finish 4:4:4 material.
Important: If you’ve loaded a number of video clips to do batch conversion, please do remember ticking off ‘Apply to All’ option before you start.
Step 3: Adjust video and audio settings (for advanced users)
If necessary, you can click ‘Settings’ button and go to ‘Profiles Settings’ panel to modify video and audio settings like video encoder, resolution, video bit rate, frame rate, aspect ratio, audio encoder, sample rate, audio bit rate, and audio channels. 3D settings are also available.
Step 4: Click ‘Convert’ to start 4K files to ProRes MOV conversion.
Step 5: Click ‘Open Folder’ to get generated ProRes QuickTime files for transferring and editing in Final Cut Pro 7/X with optimum performance.
Hopefully this tutorial gets you on your way to an effective 4K workflow in FCP 7/X.
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