Apple Final Cut Pro X 10.1.2 User Guide

							 Chapter 3    Import media 41
Access media on an archive or disk image
If you’ve created a camera archive, you can use the media in the archive in two ways:
 •You can connect to the camera archive, making the media available to Final Cut Pro.
 •You can import the media from the archive, or import media from disk images previously 
archived with the Final Cut Pro Log and Transfer window in Final Cut Pro 7 or earlier. When you 
do this, copies of the media are created on your local disk.
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 (or to 
import from disk images previously archived with the Final Cut Pro Log and Transfer window in 
Final Cut Pro 7 or earlier) follow the instructions in “Import media from a disk image,” below.
Import media from a camera archive
 1 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.
 2 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, and then use the list at the bottom of the window to navigate to the camera archive.
The archive is connected to Final Cut Pro, and its media is displayed in the Media Import window.
 3 Click the disclosure triangle to the left of the camera archive icon to reveal the list of clips in the 
archive, or double click the camera archive to open it.
 4 To import the media, see Import from file-based cameras on page 24 .
Import media from a disk image
 1 In the Finder, double-click the disk image (.dmg) file to open it.
 2 To open the Media Import window in Final C ut 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.
 3 Select the disk image in the Cameras section on the left side of the Media Import window.
Note:  If the disk image doesn’t have a file structure typical of a video camera, it appears in the 
Devices section instead.
The open disk image is connected to Final Cut Pro, and its media is displayed in the Media 
Import window.
 4 To import the media, see Import from file-based cameras on page 24 .
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							 Chapter 3    Import media 42
Organize files while importing
You can choose how to organize your media when you import it into Final Cut Pro.
You can copy the source files into the library or link to them at their current location. If your 
source files have Finder tags or the folders containing the files have meaningful names, you can 
choose to have the tags and folder names applied to the files as keywords during import.
If your source footage contains shots of people, you can have Final Cut Pro analyze the footage 
during import and apply keywords for the number of people in each shot and the shot type.
A Keyword Collection is created for each keyword added to your clips during import. Select a 
Keyword Collection in the Libraries list to see all the clips with that keyword applied.
Organize your files during import
 1 To import a file, choose File > Imp ort > M edia, navigate to the file you want to import, select the 
file, and click Import.
For more information, see Importing overview
 on page 23.
 2 In the window tha t appears, choose how you want to organize the imported media in your library:
 •To add the imported media 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.
 3 In the Files section, select a file storage option:
 •Copy to library: This option duplicates the media files and places the copies in the current 
library storage location. 
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.
You can set the storage location for a library using the Library Properties inspector. For more 
information, see Manage storage locations
 on page 434.
 •Leave files in place: This option links to the source media files at their current location. If you 
import files with this option selected, Final Cut Pro creates symbolic links (also known as 
symlinks), which are special files that point to the media files without copying them. When you 
move, copy, or back up events and projects that use these files, Final Cut Pro moves or copies 
the symbolic links only (not the source media files). If, after you move or copy your project 
or event, you want 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 .
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							 Chapter 3    Import media 43
 4 In the Keywords section, select any of the following options:
 •From Finder tags: Creates a keyword for each Finder tag in the files you’re importing. 
Additionally, a Keyword Collection is created for each keyword. For more information about 
Finder tags, see the help for OS X (available from the Help menu when the Finder is active).
 •From folders: Creates a keyword for each folder name and applies the keyword to all the files in 
the folder during import. Additionally, a Keyword Collection is created for each keyword. 
After import, these clips 
will have “B-roll” and 
“Callaway” keywords.
After import, these clips 
will have “Interviews” and 
“Callaway” keywords.
 •Find people: Analyzes video clips and still images for the number of people present and 
shot types. After analysis, any of the following keywords are added to the clip: One Person, 
Two Persons, Group, Close Up Shot, Medium Shot, and Wide Shot. Additionally, a Keyword 
Collection is created for each keyword. The “Consolidate find people results” checkbox 
simplifies and summarizes all of the “find people” analysis keywords. If you’re analyzing to find 
people, it’s recommended that you also select the “Create Smart Collections after analysis” 
checkbox. For more information, see Analyzing media overview
 on page 50.
 5 If you want to create optimized or proxy media, analyze the video, or analyze the audio, select 
the relevant checkboxes in the Transcoding, 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.
 6 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. 
Import while recording
You can record video directly into Final Cut Pro using your computer’s built-in camera or an 
external iSight camera.
Record live video and audio into Final Cut Pro
 1 Do one of the following:
 •To record using the built-in camera: Click the Import Media button in the toolbar.
 •To record using an external iSight camera: Connect the iSight camera to your computer with a 
FireWire cable, and click the Import Media button in the toolbar.
 2 In the Cameras list on the left side of the Media Import window, select the camera you want to 
import from.
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							 Chapter 3    Import media 44
A live video image from the camera appears in the Media Import window.
 3 Click Import.
 4 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 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.
 5 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 .
 6 When you’re ready to begin recording, click Import.
The camera begins recording immediately.
 7 When you want to stop recording, click Stop Import.
A new video clip is created. You can click Import to begin recording again. You can repeat this 
process as many times as necessary.
Tip:  You can also capture live video from some video camcorders over a FireWire cable using 
QuickTime X. For more information, see QuickTime Player Help (available from the Help menu 
when QuickTime Player is open).
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							 Chapter 3    Import media 45
About memory cards and cables
To import media from your recording device to your computer, you need to remove the memory 
card from your device and insert it into either your computer or a memory card reader. You can 
also connect your device directly to your computer using the appropriate cable. Then you can 
import the media on the memory card or device using the Media Import window. For more 
information, see Import from a hard disk
 on page 38 and Import from file-based cameras on 
page 24.
 •Memory cards: Many file-based camcorders and devices record media on a removable memory 
card. You can connect a card reader to your computer and use that to transfer the contents of 
your memory card onto your computer. Some Mac computers feature an SD (Secure Digital) 
or SDXC (SD extended capacity) card slot that allows these computers to read and write data 
to SD media inserted in the slot. If your Mac has a card slot, you can remove the card from the 
camera, insert the card into your Mac, and then import the files.
For more information, go to http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3553 .
You can also connect your device to the computer using a FireWire or USB cable. The kind of 
cable you need depends on the kind of device you’re using:
 •USB device: You use a USB cable for file-based camcorders, digital still cameras that record video, 
and iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. The USB cable should have at least one connector that plugs 
into your Mac (at the top in the illustration below). The other end of the USB cable, which plugs 
into your recording device, might look different (on the bottom in the illustration below).
 •FireWire device: For most camcorders that record to tape, you use a FireWire cable with a 6-pin 
connector on one end that plugs into your Mac (at the top in the illustration below) and 
a 4-pin connector on the other end that plugs into your camcorder (on the bottom in the 
illustration below).
Or you might have a FireWire 800 cable, with a different end that plugs into your camcorder 
or computer.
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							 Chapter 3    Import media 46
 •Thunderbolt device: Devices that use  Thunderbolt I/O technology use a connector that plugs 
into the mini display port on your Mac and looks like the connector below.
If your device didn’t come with a cable and you’re not sure what kind of device you have, you 
can check the logo near the cable ports on your device to see if it matches the USB or FireWire 
logo, both shown above. Otherwise, check the documentation that came with your device.
Note:  Not all Mac computers include a FireWire port. Check your system configuration to confirm 
that your Mac includes FireWire support before attempting to connect a standard (DV ) or 
HDV camcorder.
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 .
Supported media formats
You can import and work with the following video, audio, and still-image formats in Final Cut Pro:
Video formats
 •Apple Animation codec
 •Apple Intermediate codec
 •Apple ProRes (all versions)
 •AVC-Intra
 •AVCHD (including AVCCAM, AVCHD Lite, and NXCAM)
 •DV (including DVCAM, DVCPRO, and DVCPRO50)
 •DVCPRO HD
 •H.264
 •HDV
 •iFrame
 •Motion JPEG (OpenDML only)
 •MPEG IMX (D-10)
 •REDCODE RAW (R3D)
 •Uncompressed 10-bit 4:2:2
 •Uncompressed 8-bit 4:2:2
 •XAVC
 •XDCAM HD/EX/HD422
 •QuickTime formats
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							 Chapter 3    Import media 47
Audio formats
 •AAC
 •AIFF
 •BWF
 •CAF
 •MP3
 •MP4
 •WAV
Still-image formats
 •BMP
 •GIF
 •JPEG
 •PNG
 •PSD (static and layered)
 •R AW
 •TGA
 •TIFF
Container formats
 •3GP
 •AV I
 •MP4
 •MTS/M2TS
 •MXF (requires third-party plug-in)
 •QuickTime
For information about formats you can export your movie to, see Supported export formats
 on 
page 402.
Import and adjust REDCODE RAW video files
You can import and work with REDCODE RAW (R3D) files in Final Cut Pro.
RAW format video files require some additional steps before and after import.
After the R3D RAW files are imported, you can make nondestructive color correction adjustments 
directly within Final Cut Pro.
Import REDCODE RAW (R3D) files
 1 Install the appropr iate plug-in.
In order for Final Cut Pro to recognize the R3D RAW files, you must download and install the 
corresponding plug-in. For more information, go to http://www.red.com.
 2 Import the media.
Important:  When you import the media, make sure to deselect the “Create optimized media” 
and “Create proxy media” options, because any transcoding work done during import will be 
discarded if you adjust the RAW settings in the next step.
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							 Chapter 3    Import media 48
For more information about importing media, see Import from file-based cameras on page 24 
and Import from a hard disk
 on page 38 . For more information about transcoding media, see 
Manage optimized and proxy media files
 on page 425 .
Note:  If you are importing files from the RED ONE camera, it is recommended that you import 
the R3D RAW files only. The RED ONE camera typically generates a set of up to four QuickTime 
reference movie (.mov) files for each R3D RAW file. If you select both the R3D file and the 
reference movies during the import process, Final Cut Pro imports the R3D file only. If you need 
to import a reference movie, select only the reference movie, not the R3D file. 
 3 Adjust the RAW settings (with Final C ut P ro or with an external application such as 
REDCINE–X PRO).
You can apply a nondestructive “one-light” color correction to the R3D RAW clips immediately 
after import, to give your footage a more finished look for editing and review. 
If you have a professional production with sophisticated color correction needs, you can revisit 
these RAW settings during the finishing stage. For more information, see “Adjust RED RAW 
settings,” below.
 4 If you like, generate optimized or proxy media from the R3D RAW files.
For more information, see “Transcode clips after import” in Manage optimized and proxy media 
files
 on page 425.
To control whether Final Cut Pro displays optimized, proxy, or original media in the Viewer, and 
whether video playback is optimized for quality or performance, choose the corresponding 
options from the Viewer Options pop-up menu in the upper-right corner of the Viewer. For more 
information, see Control playback quality and performance
 on page 85.
 5 Add the R3D RAW clips to your project and edit them as you would any other clips.
Adjust RED RAW settings
You can adjust REDCODE RAW (R3D) files using the RED RAW Settings window.
Metadata about REDCODE RAW (R3D) files can be stored in two locations:
 •Internal (embedded) settings: This is metadata information recorded by the camera and 
embedded in the R3D RAW file. It always remains with the file. These camera settings can be 
superseded by settings in the external RMD file, but they are never overwritten. You can revert 
to these camera settings by deleting any existing RMD file or by choosing Original Camera 
Settings from the Revert To pop-up menu in the RED RAW Settings window.
 •External RMD file: This is an external metadata file with the file extension .RMD. This file is 
created by Final Cut Pro, REDCINE-X PRO, or similar software applications. If you adjust RED 
RAW settings in Final Cut Pro and an RMD file already exists, the existing file is overwritten 
when the changes are saved. The embedded camera settings remain intact.
 1 Install the appropr iate plug-in.
In order for Final Cut Pro to recognize the R3D RAW files, you must download and install the 
corresponding plug-in. For more information, go to http://www.red.com.
 2 In the Browser or the Timeline, select the clip or clips you want to adjust. 
Note:  Compound clips cannot be adjusted.
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							 Chapter 3    Import media 49
 3 Do one of the following:
 •Choose Window > Show Inspector (or press Command-4).
 •Click the Inspector button in the toolbar.
 4 Click the Info button at the top of the pane that appears.
 5 In the Info inspector, click the Modify RED RAW Settings button.
 6 In the RED RAW Settings window, adjust the settings.
Your changes are saved nondestructively to an external metadata file with the file extension 
.RMD, overwriting any existing RMD metadata file. Unlike video effects that are applied to a clip, 
these adjustments are associated with the file (via the RMD metadata file). Any changes you 
make to these settings are applied to all copies of the selected clip or clips.
Note:  Final Cut Pro supports the RED ROCKET card, a PCI card that provides a significant boost 
in performance.
For more information about REDCODE RAW (R3D) files and the RED ROCKET card, go to 
http://www.red.com.
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							  50
Analyzing media overview
You can have Final Cut Pro analyze your media and automatically correct common problems it 
may find in your video, still images, and audio. For example, you can balance color and remove 
excess hum or loudness.
You can also analyze clips to identify their contents. Analysis can detect the number of people in 
a shot and identify if the shot is a close-up, medium, or wide shot. This is helpful if you need to 
quickly find a certain type of clip while viewing footage or editing a project. For complete lists of 
the video and audio analysis options, see Video and still-image analysis options
 on page 51 and 
Audio analysis options
 on page 51 .
You can analyze media during the import process or after you import the media into 
Final Cut Pro. You can also set Final Cut Pro to automatically analyze clips you drag directly to the 
Final Cut Pro Timeline from the Finder.
After certain types of analysis, keywords are automatically added to clips or clip ranges based on 
the results of the analysis. For example, a clip showing several people might have the Group and 
Medium Shot keywords assigned. In the Browser, clips with analysis keywords have a purple line at 
the top. (Clips with keywords you add manually or keywords imported from Finder tags or folder 
names have a blue line at the top. For more information, see Add keywords to clips
 on page 67 .)
A blue line indicates manually applied keywords or keywords 
imported with the media files.
A purple line indicates 
analysis keywords.
Keyword 
Collection
Note:  This section covers analysis and automatic correction options for event clips only. For 
information about correcting shaky video and rolling shutter distortion in clips in the Timeline, 
see Correct excessive shake and rolling shutter issues
 on page 15 4 .
Analyze media
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