How would you import footage taken from a phone or camcorder?
 

I am returning a favor to a close friend by editing a bunch of home movie footage she shot on a cheap camcorder with internal drive.

The files are MOD which all have an (unreadable) MOI counterpart. The MOD files I can use in FCP7 providing I convert them into MP4, QT etc... However, which is the best way to setup FCP to avoid having red render lines when the footage is in the timeline? And what should I be converting the MOD files to?

It's only occasionally that I have the pleasure of seeing a thin green render line as opposed to a red one and I still don't fully understand how it works.

I also want the viewer window to fit the amateur dimensions of the footage without having to change the aspect ratio of the whole lot.

Help much appreciated as always.

Re: How would you import footage taken from a phone or camcorder?
 

Check out this link, I've found it useful. Also check out the link within the link to freeware SDCopy, which solves some issues with header information that is stored in the MOI file and not accessable to FCP....

http://www.masternewmedia.org/how_to...ideo_files_to/

Re: How would you import footage taken from a phone or camcorder?
 

Thanks, I just finished reading the link. It also had a useful download for keeping the aspect ration but alas it was for Windows.

Still, it's a very useful article but the solution seems almost as much hassle as the rendering!

Once the MOD file has been renamed to MPG, any ideas which option should I be choosing in the Easy Setup? All I know is that I am in a PAL country.

Re: How would you import footage taken from a phone or camcorder?
 

Hmm, I'd think it would be a setup that matches the original footage --- regular or anamorphic, and the original frame rate, but I am now gone from FCP and can't test this out for you....try the most logical setup and see how it works....the one that matches the original footage should require the least conversion.

Problem is mpg is a highly compressed form with full frames then a group of intermediate frames that only record the difference from the first frame, so that editing in mpg requires that all the intermediate frames have to be decoded. Basically, you can't edit mpg without rendering.

You might try rendering it in prores, which will make bigger files (by far!) but will edit directly on your timeline. Best wishes!

Re: How would you import footage taken from a phone or camcorder?
 

If it's junky little SD video, then converting it using Compressor to DV-PAL is probably an uprez anyway. If you select All Formats instead of PAL formats, Prores 422 will be available in the menu.

So the idea is to convert all your various formats into prores and create a prores timeline. The files will be big but editing will be snappy and you will have only red render lines in transitions and the usual places.

Re: How would you import footage taken from a phone or camcorder?
 

Thanks Les, but when 'All formats' is selected, I have a drop down list that is longer than my screen from top to bottom. Which one would you recommend I choose?

By default it goes to HDV-Apple ProRes 422 1080p24 - I assume this is the auto setting for my pro camera as I was working on some stock footage I shot yesterday which I logged and transferred, but which for the junky little camcorder belonging to my friend? I hope I don't need to ask her for the specs, she's less technical than I am.

Re: How would you import footage taken from a phone or camcorder?
 

Create a timeline of any old type then drop one of the clips from her camera on it. At the popup that asks "Hey, you want me to make the timeline match the footage or do you want red render lines for the rest of the project every time you even breathe on the footage?", say you want FCP to change the timeline. Now look at the properties of the timeline (command-zero). That will tell you what you are dealing with. If it's not an HD format, then DV-pal should do the trick. If it's an HDV format, the frame width will be 1440 and the clip will be anamorphic. Choose Prores HDV if it is. Otherwise, assuming it's full frame HD 1920x1080, then choose Prores 422.

Re: How would you import footage taken from a phone or camcorder?
 

Moving forward already, thanks again for the nudge. :)

Re: How would you import footage taken from a phone or camcorder?
 

Almost there, almost. There's no render lines and no black bars but the footage looks corrugated. The footage is interlaced as far as I know and I don't know if this is a setting I have missed.

Zig Zaggy footage
 

It's only like this in the viewer - once compressed into a Quicktime file it's fine.

Still, i'd prefer to view it as it will end up.