Apple Final Cut Pro X 10.1.2 User Guide

							 Chapter 3    Import media 31
 •To add folders of frequently used media to the Favorites section: Drag them from list view.
To remove a folder from the Favorites section, Control-click the folder and choose Remove 
from Sidebar in the shortcut menu.
 •To automatically close the Media Import window when the import begins:  Select  the “Close 
window after starting import” checkbox.
 •To add a folder to the list view by dragging: Drag the folder from the Finder to the list view and 
browse its contents in list view.
 4 Do one of the following:
 •To import all clips: Click Import All.
 •To import only some of the clips: Select each clip you want to import by Command-clicking each 
clip, and click Import Selected (the Import button changes its name).
Tip:  To select several clips located together, you can drag around the clips to enclose them 
with the selection rectangle.
 •To import portions of clips: Drag inside the filmstrip to select the range that you want, and click 
Import Selected. You can also select multiple ranges in each clip. For more information, see 
Select a range
 on page 94 .
Tip:  You can also select a clip, press the Space bar to play the clip, and press either I to set a 
start point or O to set an end point.
 5 In the window tha t appears, choose how you want to organize the imported media in your library:
 •To add the imported clips to an existing event: Select “Add to existing event,” and choose the 
event from the pop-up menu.
 •To create a new event: Select “Create new event in,” use the pop-up menu to choose the library 
in which you want to create the event, and then type a name (for example, “Chris and Kim 
Wedding”) in the text field.
To learn more about events, see Organizing libraries overview
 on page 56.
Note:  You can set storage locations for each of your libraries using the Library Properties 
inspector. For more information, see Manage storage locations
 on page 434.
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							 Chapter 3    Import media 32
 6 If you want to create optimized or proxy media, analyze the video, or analyze the audio, select 
the relevant checkboxes in the Transcoding, Keywords, Video, and Audio sections.
If you don’t set Final Cut Pro to analyze your media during the import process, you can analyze it 
later (if necessary) in the Browser.
Note:  Some import options are available only when you import files from a storage device. For 
more information, see Organize files while importing
 on page 42 and Import from a hard disk on 
page 38 .
 7 Click Import.
By default, the Media Import window closes when you click Import. You can begin working with 
your clips in the Browser. Final Cut Pro imports your media in the background.
If you selected any options in the previous step, Final Cut Pro transcodes and optimizes the 
files after the import process is complete. You can view the progress of the import and other 
background tasks in the Background Tasks window. 
 8 When background tasks are completed, disconnect the iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
Import from a digital still camera
You can import video and still images from digital still cameras. The steps below describe how 
to import video and still images directly into Final Cut Pro. You can also import your photos into 
Aperture or iPhoto and access them through the Photos Browser in Final Cut Pro.
To check whether your camera is compatible with Final Cut Pro, go to the Final Cut Pro X 
Supported Cameras webpage at http://help.apple.com/finalcutpro/cameras .
Import still-image clips and video clips from a digital still camera
 1 Connect your camera to your computer using the cable that came with the camera, and turn 
it on.
If your camera doesn’t appear on the left side of the Media Import window (either in the 
Cameras or Devices section), remove the camera’s memory card and insert it into the card slot on 
your Mac (if it has one) or into an external card reader.
 2 In the Finder, locate the DCIM folder inside the camera folder, and then locate the still-image or 
video files. The files may be in the DCIM folder, or in a folder one or two levels down. Devices and 
file structures vary by model and manufacturer.
 3 In Final Cut P ro, do one of the following:
 •Choose File > Import > Media (or press Command-I) and follow the instructions in Import 
from a hard disk
 on page 38 .
 •Drag the files from the Finder into an event or Timeline in Final Cut Pro. The files will be 
imported using the import settings you configured in Import preferences. See  Import from a 
hard disk
 on page 38 .
After import, you may have separate audio files that you want to use to replace the video’s audio 
track. To do this, you can automatically synchronize the video and audio clips.
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							 Chapter 3    Import media 33
Import from tape-based cameras
You can import media from a tape-based camcorder or tape-based device. To determine 
which clips you want to import (rather than importing all of them), you can view them using 
Final Cut Pro before you import them.
Final Cut Pro supports tape-based import of the following formats: DV (including DVCAM, 
DVCPRO, and DVCPRO50), DVCPRO HD, and HDV.
To check whether your camera is compatible with Final Cut Pro, go to the Final Cut Pro X 
Supported Cameras webpage at http://help.apple.com/finalcutpro/cameras .
Import media from a tape-based camcorder or device
 1 Connect the camcorder to your computer using the cable that came with it, and configure your 
device for remote control over FireWire, if necessary. 
If your computer does not have a FireWire port but does have a Thunderbolt port, you can 
connect the FireWire cable using an Apple Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter or an Apple 
ThunderBolt Display (which also has a FireWire port).
Note:  For best results when importing from a tape-based camcorder, it is recommended that you 
import the video using the same camcorder that you used to record it.
 2 Turn on the camcorder and set it to VTR or VCR mode. ( This mode may have a different name on 
your camera. For more information, see the documentation that came with your camcorder.)
 3 In Final Cut P ro, do one of the following:
 •Choose File > Import > Media (or press Command-I).
 •Click the Import Media button on the left end of the toolbar.
The Media Import window appears.
 4 If you have multiple devices connected to your computer, choose the device you want to import 
from in the list of cameras on the left.
The Media Import window displays the image from the current position of the tape.
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							 Chapter 3    Import media 34
 5 Use the playback controls (or use the J, K, and L keys) to set your tape to the point where you 
want to begin importing, and click Import.
 6 In the window that appears, choose how you want to organize the imported media in your library:
 •To add the imported clips to an existing event: Select “Add to existing event,” and choose the 
event from the pop-up menu.
 •To create a new event: Select “Create new event in,” use the pop-up menu to choose the library 
in which you want to create the event, and then type a name (for example, “Chris and Kim 
Wedding”) in the text field.
To learn more about events, see Organizing libraries overview
 on page 56.
Note:  You can set storage locations for each of your libraries using the Library Properties 
inspector. For more information, see Manage storage locations
 on page 434.
 7 If you want to create optimized or proxy media, analyze the video, or analyze the audio, select 
the relevant checkboxes in the Transcoding, Keywords, Video, and Audio sections.
If you don’t set Final Cut Pro to analyze your media during the import process, you can analyze it 
later (if necessary) in the Browser.
Note:  Some import options are available only when you import files from a storage device. For 
more information, see Organize files while importing
 on page 42 and Import from a hard disk on 
page 38 .
 8 Click Import.
Final Cut Pro begins importing immediately from the current location on the tape. It will 
continue to import (and save the resulting media file to the event you specified) until one of the 
following occurs:
 •It reaches the end of the tape.
 •The hard disk you are importing to is full.
 •You stop the import session by clicking Stop Import or Close (to close the Media Import 
window) or by pressing Escape.
The video plays as it’s being imported. It takes as long to import the video as it takes to watch it 
at normal speed.
 9 When the section of video you want to import has been imported, click Stop Import (or press Escape). 
If you selected any options in step 8, Final Cut Pro transcodes and optimizes the files after 
the import process is complete. You can view the progress of the background tasks in the 
Background Tasks window.
 10 Use the import controls to set your video to a point where you want to begin importing again, 
and repeat steps 5 through 10. 
 11 When you’re done importing, click Close to close the Media Import window.
You can also create an archive from your tape-based device, recording everything on the tape 
from beginning to end and saving the captured clips as an archive. For more information, see 
Create and manage camera archives
 on page 435.
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							 Chapter 3    Import media 35
If your camera or device isn’t recognized
If you’ve connected your camera or device to your computer but the Media Import window 
doesn’t open, or Final Cut Pro can’t control your device, there are several things you can do to try 
to establish the connection.
Check your equipment and system
 1 Make sure that you’re using the correct equipment configuration:
 •Your camcorder or camera must be compatible with Final Cut Pro. For a list of 
compatible devices, go to the Final Cut Pro X Supported Cameras webpage at 
http://help.apple.com/finalcutpro/cameras .
 •Your device must be connected properly to your computer.
 •Your camcorder must be set to the correct output mode. On some camcorders, this is called VTR 
or VCR mode, but not all camcorders use the same terminology, so check the documentation 
that came with your device. On some camcorders you must set the output to DV mode or HDV 
mode, depending on whether the content is standard (DV ) or high definition (HDV ).
 •If you’re connecting a tape-based camcorder to your computer, you should be using a FireWire 
cable (also called IEEE 1394, or i.LINK), not a USB cable.
See About memory cards and cables
 on page 45 for more information.
 •If you’re importing video clips from a still camera or other flash memory device, make sure 
the file format of your video is MPEG-2, MPEG-4, or AVCHD, all of which are compatible with 
Final Cut Pro.
 •If your still camera is not supported by Final Cut Pro, try importing the media as files, using a 
card slot on your Mac computer or an external card reader. 
See Import from a hard disk
 on page 38 for more information.
 •If you’ve enabled Fast User Switching, make sure no one else is trying to use the camcorder 
from a different account at the same time.
 2 If you still can’t import media after checking the items above, try the following:
 •Turn the device off and on again.
 •Disconnect the cable from both the device and the computer, and then reconnect it.
 •Quit and then reopen Final Cut Pro.
 •Restart your computer.
 •Try using a different cable.
 •Try using a different computer with Final Cut Pro installed.
 •If you’re using a file-based camcorder, use the Finder to copy the mounted volume to a local 
disk. Then open the files in Final Cut Pro in the same way that you open an archive.
Note:  When you see red frames and a yellow alert triangle in a Timeline or event, Final Cut Pro is 
alerting you that part of your project or event is missing. For more information, see  Alert icons on 
page 438.
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							 Chapter 3    Import media 36
Import from other applications
Import from iMovie
You can send an iMovie project to Final Cut Pro. You initiate the process from within iMovie. The 
project file and the media used in the project are copied to your Final Cut Pro library.
For more information, see iMovie Help at http://help.apple.com/imovie .
Note:  If you want to send an iMovie trailer project, you first need to convert it to a movie project. 
For more information, see iMovie Help.
Note:  If you send a movie project from iMovie to Final Cut Pro and it contains a clip with the 
“Lower volume of other clips” audio adjustment, that adjustment appears in Final Cut Pro as 
the Gain filter. For information about adjusting audio effects in Final Cut Pro, see Adjust audio 
effects
 on page 19 2 .
Import from iPhoto and Aperture
When you import photos and video clips from iPhoto or Aperture into Final Cut Pro, the media is 
imported using the import settings you defined in Import preferences. For more information, see 
Import from a hard disk
 on page 38.
Import photos and video clips from iPhoto or Aperture
 1 In Final Cut P ro, do one of the following:
 •Choose Window > Media Browser > Photos.
 •Click the Photos button in the toolbar.
 2 If necessary, navigate to the iPhoto or Aperture section of the Photos Browser.
 3 To use one or more photos or video clips in your project, drag the items from the Photos Browser 
to an event icon in the Libraries list or a project in the Timeline. To select multiple clips, you can 
Command-click them or drag a selection rectangle around them.
You can also drag photos and video clips from iPhoto or Aperture directly to an event in the 
Libraries list or a project in the Timeline, without using the Photos Browser.
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							 Chapter 3    Import media 37
Import from iTunes
You can import music and sound from your existing iTunes library into Final Cut Pro.
Import music and sound from iTunes
 1 In Final Cut Pro, do one of the following:
 •Choose Window > Media Browser > Music and Sound.
 •Click the Music and Sound button in the toolbar.
 2 In the Music and Sound Browser, choose iTunes from the pop-up menu at the top.
Tip:  If the folder you’re looking for doesn’t appear, you can add it to the source list by dragging it 
from the Finder or desktop to the Music and Sound Browser.
 3 In the list that app ears, find the music or sound you want:
 •To search for an item: Type text in the search field. To filter your search, click the Filter button 
 and choose a filter.
 •To preview an item: Double-click the item, or select the item and click the Play button .
 •To select more than one item: Command-click each item.
 4 Drag the sound file or files to the Timeline.
Note:  For better import and playback performance, Final Cut Pro automatically transcodes 
all MP3 audio files to WAV audio files and retains the original MP3 files for future use. For 
information about where to find original and transcoded media files, see Locate source media 
files
 on page 4 21.
Import from Motion
You can build and modify video effects, titles, transitions, and generators in Motion 5 for use in 
Final Cut Pro. When you save a template in Motion, it is “published” and becomes available in its 
respective media browser in Final Cut Pro. 
See the information about Final Cut Pro X templates in Motion Help at 
http://help.apple.com/motion.
For more information, see the following: 
 •Create specialized versions of transitions in Motion on page 220
 •Create specialized versions of the video effects in Motion on page 248
 •Create specialized versions of the generators in Motion on page 252
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							 Chapter 3    Import media 38
Import from devices
Import from a hard disk
You can import media—video, audio, still images, and graphics files—from your computer’s hard 
disk, a connected external storage device, a memory card inserted in your computer’s card slot 
or a card reader, or a network attached volume. You can import media using the Media Import 
window or by dragging files from the Finder.
When you drag media from the Finder into Final Cut Pro, the media is imported using the import 
settings in Final Cut Pro preferences. If you don’t want to use the Media Import window to 
manage your import, and if you want to always use the same file storage, transcoding, keyword, 
and analysis settings, importing by dragging files into Final Cut Pro is a good option. For more 
information, see Import preferences on page 444.
Note:  Some file-based devices allow you to copy the recorded media (with its original directory 
structure) to a folder on your computer’s hard disk via the Finder. To import media copied in this 
way, see Access media on an archive or disk image
 on page 41 .
Import media from a hard disk using the Media Import window
 1 If the media you want to import is on an external storage device or memory card, connect the 
device to your computer and turn it on.
 2 To open the Media Import window, do one of the following:
 •Choose File > Import > Media (or press Command-I).
 •Click the Import Media button on the left end of the toolbar.
 3 In the Devices section on the left side of the Media Import window, select your computer’s 
hard disk or the connected external storage device or memory card from which you want to 
import media.
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							 Chapter 3    Import media 39
 4 Use the list view at the bottom of the window to navigate to a file or folder and select it. ( When 
you import from a hard disk, filmstrips are visible for individual selected clips only.)
Tip:  Command-click to select multiple files or folders to import.
Add favorite import folders.
Navigate to the files and folders.
Play back the 
selected clip.
Skim the 
selected clip.
Click a column 
heading to sort 
items by that 
category.
 5 Do any of the following:
 •To preview the selected clip: Play it using the playback controls or skim it by moving the pointer 
forward or backward over the filmstrip.
 •To change which hard disk to import from: Select the hard disk in the Devices section or select 
the location in the Favorites section.
 •To sort clips in list view by data such as duration, creation date, rating, keyword, and so on:  Click 
the column headings at the top of list view.
 •To add folders of frequently used media to the Favorites section: Drag a folder from the list on the 
right to the Favorites section on the left.
To remove a folder from the Favorites section, Control-click the folder and choose Remove 
from Sidebar in the shortcut menu.
 •To automatically close the Media Import window when the import begins:  Select  the “Close 
window after starting import” checkbox.
 •To add a folder to the list view by dragging: Drag the folder from the Finder to the list view and 
browse its contents in list view.
 6 When you’re ready to import, click Import Selected.
 7 In the window tha t appears, choose how you want to organize the imported media in your library:
 •To add the imported clips to an existing event: Select “Add to existing event,” and choose the 
event from the pop-up menu.
 •To create a new event: Select “Create new event in” and use the pop-up menu to choose the 
library in which you want to create the event; then type a name (for example, “Chris and Kim 
Wedding”) in the text field.
To learn more about events, see Organizing libraries overview
 on page 56.
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							 Chapter 3    Import media 40
 8 Choose a storage location for the media files:
 •To copy the files to the current library: Select “Copy to library” to duplicate the files and place 
the copies in the current library storage location. You can set the storage location for a library 
using the Library Properties inspector. For more information, see Manage storage locations
 on 
page 434.
Note:  The name of this option changes to “Copy to library storage location: location name“ 
when the current library is set to an external storage location.
 •To link to the files at their current location: Select “Leave files in place.”
Note:  If you select this option, Final Cut Pro creates symbolic links (also known as symlinks), 
which are special files that point to the media files. If you later copy or move clips between 
events, Final Cut Pro copies or moves the symbolic links only (not the source media files). To 
replace the symbolic links with the actual source media files, select the events and choose 
File > Consolidate Event Files. For more information about files and clips, see Media files and 
clips
 on page 22 .
 9 If you want to organize your media, create optimized or proxy media, analyze the video, or 
analyze the audio, select the relevant checkboxes in the Transcoding, Keywords, Video, and 
Audio sections.
If you don’t set Final Cut Pro to analyze your media during the import process, you can analyze it 
later (if necessary) in the Browser.
 10 Click Import.
By default, the Media Import window closes when you click Import. You can begin working with 
your clips in the Browser. Final Cut Pro imports your media in the background.
If you selected any options in the previous step, Final Cut Pro starts to transcode and optimize 
the files after the import process is complete. You can view the progress of the import and other 
background tasks in the Background Tasks window. 
If you imported media from an external device and you chose to have Final Cut Pro copy the 
media files to the library file (rather than just link to them in their original location), you can 
disconnect the device when the background tasks are completed. 
Import media by dragging from the Finder
Do one of the following:
 m Select a file, Command-click to select multiple files, or select a folder of files, and drag the file or 
files from the Finder to the event.
The clip or clips appear in the event.
 mSelect a file, Command-click to select multiple files, or select a folder of files and drag the file or 
files from the Finder to a Keyword Collection.
The clip or clips appear in the event, and the keyword is automatically added to the clip or clips.
Important:  If you selected “From Finder tags” and “From folders” in the Keywords section of 
Final Cut Pro Import preferences, a Keyword Collection is created for each folder name and each 
tag, and the corresponding files are assigned that keyword.
 mSelect a file or Command-click to select multiple files, and drag the file or files to a project in 
the Timeline.
The clip or clips appear in the Timeline, and in the corresponding event.
The file or files are imported using your default import settings.
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