Import Powerpoint into Final Cut Pro

[Laura Coffey]

Hi Everyone,

You all have given such great advice and I am hoping someone will know the answer to this question.

Is it possible to import a powerpoint presentation into final cut pro?

I will be filming a speaker who will be showing a powerpoint behind him, but he would like it shown full screen in the finished video.

Thanks,

Laura

[William Hohauser]

Two methods

1) In Powerpoint, export a QuickTime file of the presentation and import that into FCP.

2) If you have the ability, convert to monitor output of a computer running the presentation to S-Video and record the presentation directly to digital tape via a DV camera or VTR.

[Mark Sloan]

You can also export the slides as JPG if you want a different level of control.

[Grant Harrington]

Originally Posted by William Hohauser

Two methods

1) In Powerpoint, export a QuickTime file of the presentation and import that into FCP.

2) If you have the ability, convert to monitor output of a computer running the presentation to S-Video and record the presentation directly to digital tape via a DV camera or VTR.

I have never had luck exporting to QT from PPT, just because it seemed to produce such poor, stuttering playback.

The method of capturing the screen out of the computer's analog port works great and I've done this several times (iBook playing PPT slideshow out to S-Video, into DV cam (S-Video), out to FCP, which is on a second computer of course, using non-controllable device and capture now).

A third option is to use screen capture software. I've captured streaming QT movies with no problems using a shareware program called, iShowU, http://www.shinywhitebox.com/home/screens/ss.html, and you can save that QT as a file FCP can read. AmbrosiaSW also makes a program called SnapZPro X, http://www.ambrosiasw.com/utilities/snapzprox/

Grant

[Laura Coffey]

Thanks. I figured it out. I appreciate your help!


Laura

[Troy Teuscher]

If you save the PPT slides as stills you will loose all of the PPT animation. But, here's how to save your PPT as JPEG or PICT.

Just open the PPT file. Do a SAVE AS and change the FORMAT to JPEG or PICT. Click on OPTIONS. That will bring up another box. You can choose to "save current slide only" or "save every slide" Choose every slide and now all of your PPT slides are still images.

[William Hohauser]

Originally Posted by Grant Harrington

I have never had luck exporting to QT from PPT, just because it seemed to produce such poor, stuttering playback.

It hasn't work for me either lately. Back in the ancient times of OS9, it worked decently.

Originally Posted by Grant Harrington

The method of capturing the screen out of the computer's analog port works great and I've done this several times (iBook playing PPT slideshow out to S-Video, into DV cam (S-Video), out to FCP, which is on a second computer of course, using non-controllable device and capture now).

The last Powerpoint job I had come thru the facility was so garish and awful, I advised the client to dump the file and create something new in video. Powerpoint looks about the same as it did 10 years ago. An interesting job just arrived today for a revival film house. Projecting emergency subtitles on a movie print that showed up without translation. I'd rather use Keynote since the text is much cleaner but the translation arrived in a Word file and apparently that's easy to import into Powerpoint. I don't know, POwerpoint is one of those programs I decided to never learn.

[Glenn Davidson]

I just purchased Data Video PPT 100. Now I can capture from the desktop directly to DV over firewire. Opens up lots of options like capturing the desktop while video taping the presenter and then syncing the whole mess up in post.

[Grant Harrington]

Originally Posted by Glenn Davidson

I just purchased Data Video PPT 100. Now I can capture from the desktop directly to DV over firewire. Opens up lots of options like capturing the desktop while video taping the presenter and then syncing the whole mess up in post.

That looks cool, but it's only for XP. Since this is the Mac thread, does anyone know of a similar software tool for Macintosh? I've had several situations where I've had to go analog out to capture the desktop and it would be nice to go out in DV rather than analog.

Thanks,
Grant

[Glenn Davidson]

I will be using the Data Video to bridge the two platforms. I will use my Sony Vaio with the Data Video software to capture the PowerPoint to DV, then I will transfer the tape to FCP. Since the presentation world I deal with is all PC, a PC based capture solution works for me. Then I will edit in FCP.

[Grant Harrington]

Originally Posted by Glenn Davidson

I will be using the Data Video to bridge the two platforms. I will use my Sony Vaio with the Data Video software to capture the PowerPoint to DV, then I will transfer the tape to FCP. Since the presentation world I deal with is all PC, a PC based capture solution works for me. Then I will edit in FCP.

Same here, most PPT's I film are presented on PC's but I end up bringing them to my office to edit on my Mac. I was just wondering if there was a program like the one you mentioned for the Mac, that could be useful for so many other applications.

Grant