PSD files in FCP 5.0
 

Hi,
I have FCP 5.0

I heard that when you import a PSD file with layers, it comes in as a Sequence instead of a graphic file.
I have tried importing a PSD file with 3 layers and it always comes in as a graphic file, not sequence.
I am just wondering if I have to have certain settings for that to happen, or what is the reason it doesn't come in as a sequence. By the way, Photoshop is not on the same Mac that my FCP is on...could that be the reason? I have Photoshop on my other computer. Please help...

Hmm, that is odd. On FCP 4.5 I can drag a photoshop file to the browser. It is identified with the icon of a sequence. If I double click on that icon it opens up as a sequence on the timeline with each layer in the .psd file as a video track.

I haven't used FCP 5 so I don't know what's different. Try doing what I did though:

1. choose a photoshop file with more than one layer for a test
2. make sure it has the .psd file extension
3. drag it from the finder window to the FCP browser window
4. double-click in the browser to open on the timeline

When you try this, what happens? Does it open as a clip instead of a sequence?

It opens as a clip not a sequence. I right click on my mouse to see what options I have with the graphic file and it doesn't say anything about sequence.

Do you think it has to do with Photoshop not being installed on the same computer as the FCP program? Any other thoughts? Thank you for your response.

I wouldn't think it needs photoshop, but who knows? I don't have photoshop on my machine, but I do have Photoshop Elements. Perhaps something is different in FCP 5?

One thing to check - does the photoshop file have more than one layer in it? If there's only one layer then it will open as a clip and not a sequence.

yeah.
it has 3 layers. i tried another one with 10 layers and the same thing happened. No sequence...only graphic file.

Any other settings that have to be set for this to happen?

Jay, I am using FCP 5 and when I import a photoshop file it imports with a sequence icon. are you double clicking the file? because if you just drag and drop to the timeline is shows up as a clip but when you double click on it, it opens up in a new sequence with each layer a separate track. I do have photoshop on my computer so maybe you do, I got photoshop and FCP about the same time so I never tried one without the other

Thanks for your response.
I did both...drag it and double click it...then also bring it to the viewer then back to the browser...still same thing...only a graphic file.
I am thinking I need some sort of Photoshop on the computer to have this ability. Is there somewhere I can go to find out this question? I tried to search google for this question as well.
I am guessing it is something right under my nose and I can't see it.

In my FCP 4.5 manual it says that only Photoshop 3 files are supported. This might have changed in FCP 5, so you should RTFM :-) What version of Photoshop are you using? That might be the problem....

I have Photoshop 5.0

And FCP 5.02

Does your manual say it doesn't support any Photoshop LATER than 3.0 or EARLIER?

Jay: I'm happy to help, but I don't have FCP 5. Why not just have a look in your manual and see what it says? You should also be able to access the full manual in PDF format using the FCP help menu.

Just checked my FCP 5 manual. It states what Boyd said. Any version can be imported, but only Photoshop 3.0 multilayer files are supported for composite, opacity, layer order, and layer name. So apparently, nothing has changed in 5.0 in this regard.

See section III, page 369 in the FCP 5 manual.

Jay, I guess you need to try to locate Photoshop 3.0 to do what you are wanting to do.

-gb-

Thanks for your help Boyd and Greg. I appreciate it very much!

I read the same thing in my manual and have looked everywhere in the manual to see why this doesn't come up as a sequence. I first went to the manual before asking on this site. It's just that I don't understand.

Greg...When YOU import a PSD file with layers into FCP 5.0, does it come in as a graphic file or sequence?

I am really sorry for my confusion here...but everyone I have talked to says when they import a PSD file with layers into FCP it comes in as a sequence. Even the manual says this, unless the file is flattened. So are you saying that only PSD files created in version 3.0 will import as sequences? The people I have talked to are using all different versions of Photoshop, and they get sequences. So, just wondering why I don't. Once again, forgive me for my ignorance...just trying to figure this out.

No, we aren't saying that, Apple says that very clearly but you seem reluctant to accept it... I don't have Photoshop 5, but I assume it will let you save as a version 3 file which could then be imported.

Beyond that, it seems like a rather trivial problem. Save the individual layers of your photoshop file into separate clips, drag them into FCP, make a new sequence, and put each clip on its own track. Same results, might take two or three minutes longer at most.

Hi Boyd,
I do realize this may be trivial to you and everyone else, but personally, I am just trying to understand it. To me...it made me think something wasn't set right with my FCP settings or something.
Basically, I have only been using FCP for about 6 weeks now and I am doing this online tutorial that says to import this PSD file and it should show up as a sequence.
Well, when it didn't do that...I tried figuring it out (FCP manual, search online). Then I found this message board and went to you guys.
I didn't mean to keep bringing this question up...I just really wanted to figure out why it did this with other's FCPs and not with mine.

Thanks for the tip on bringing in each layer seperately...I guess that will be the way i need to do it.

I do appreciate your responses and thanks for your help.

It's no problem Jay. If other people are getting this to work with newer versions of photoshop then my guess is that they're saving their files in version 3 format. I don't have photoshop 5... but maybe there's a preference setting for default file format or something.

It just seems that Apple has specifically said you must use version 3, and your experience seems to bear that out. Have one of your friends send you a .psd file which imports correctly on their system and see what happens on yours. Without having either of the software versions that you use, it just isn't something I can test.

Also see Apple's FCP support forum where you can ask others about this:

http://discussions.info.apple.com/we...ZG6.0@.ee6bcd7