Close all gaps in Final Cut Pro 7

    I always forget this one, so there it is:
- Move the last clip in the timeline to the upper empty video track.
- Select the gap into that upper track + hit and hold "delete".
It will effectively delete all gaps in the tracks below.

Adobe After Effects - Replace Source in Layer

    This is so useful!  Replace layer sources with references to another footage item in After Effects:
- Select one or more layers in the Timeline panel
- Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) a footage item from the Project panel onto the selected layer in the Timeline panel.
http://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/using/creating-layers.html

Un-trim (revert trim) a Quicktime file

I just Trimmed and Saved a QT file with QT Player Pro 7 - But I did it wrong!
How to un-trim???  I don't want to have to export a 2 hour long video again!

Well here is the solution:
https://discussions.apple.com/message/1332201?messageID=1332201&amp%3b#1332201?messageID=1332201&amp%3b

1) Get the app Hex Fiend here:
http://www.ridiculousfish.com/hexfiend/
2) Open your mistakenly trimmed QT file
3) Search for the text string "free" (like free...lmvhd)
4) Manually replace "free" with "moov"
5) Save

Hop! The trimming is gone! Yeah!  Thank you juliejuliejulie, thank you!

Shooting for post, a checklist (work in progress)

A few notes for my fellow directors, cameramen and other camera and sound operators out there.  Can you please take into consideration your fellow editor needs, who is working hard with your wonderful footage.
Below is a non-exclusive check list to make our film better.  It will look and sound better and we will achieve a higher level of quality, making you look better.  And I know that it's not always possible to do it that way nor desirable, still, it makes my job easier.

1- Roll camera and sound with synced time code. Check and jump sync regularly to avoid drifting.

2- For cameras that cannot be jam-synced, run Time Of Day separately, but as close as possible. So each device is in the same ballpark. That helps a lot, searching for elements is much faster. Watch out for am/pm discrepancy.

3- If possible, slate every take with SC/TK info and rolling time code and make the announce for sound, and please frame and focus on the board so I can read it.

4- Let it roll for a second before calling Rolling, another second before calling Set and another second before calling Action. Or even more if you dare! Each one of you take 3 deep breaths, that will give me wonderful handles.

5- Similarly, let it roll for a few seconds before calling Cut. Heck let it roll for a few seconds AFTER Cut is asked. Hmm! More handles.

6- Brief your actors on the necessity to not overlap dialog with their fellow actors. Tough one, I know, try it anyway. Overlapping dialog, especially with actors improvising their lines is a big limitation in editing. I can always overlap them in post.  It's easier to condense time with editing than it is to expand.

7- Always record reaction shots - make sure that the director and actors know you MUST record them in addition to the scripted talking shots.  Actors listening, looking at someone/something, nodding, standing there, noticing something, sitting, standing, hands, cutaways... the list is endless - Use your judgement! I need these shots constantly and they are a huge asset to make the cut better, richer and more natural.  Ironic, yes I know, well we are manipulators.

FCPX non-magnetic timeline

FCPX 10.1.1 non-magnetic timeline
You don't like the magnetic timeline in FCPX? No worries, just "Connect" your clips to the Primary Storyline - using "Q", instead of using Insert ("W".)
All clips brought into the Timeline with "Connect" stay relative to their position. The vertical line at the beginning of each clip represents the "anchor" or connection.
Neat. Less aggravation.

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Update (May):
I now use the Magnetic Timeline more and more and I like it. Combined with Secondary Storylines, it works great.
I also use the Position Tool ("P") in the Primary Storyline in order to move clips without the magnetic behavior. That too works great.
I would like to be able to connect clips to Secondary Storylines though, not just the Primary as is only possible at this time.  Apple?

Photoshop Smart Object

    How to create Smart Objects in Photoshop:
Right-Click onto a Layer into the Layer window, Select: Convert to Smart Object.
Any Filter applied to the Smart Object Layer is added as an Effect and can be turned on/off.
Yeah! This saves me having to duplicate Layers ad-finitum just in case something goes wrong... 

Save file as Tiff with layers, it will relink into FCP, with the Effect(s) turned on/off reflecting the status in Photoshop.  Combined with a set of actions, that can be a fast way to automate stills treatment.  Non-permanent, very useful.

DVD StudioPro Multi-Angle requirements

- DVD SP has specific requirements for the prep of Multi-Angle tracks:
Mpeg-2 assets must have the same length and the same frame rate.

From the DVDSP User Manual:

Requirements for MPEG Streams in Multi- and Mixed-Angle Video

The integrated MPEG encoder produces streams that meet the criteria for multi- and mixed-angle use:

With multi-angle tracks, all streams must be the same length. With mixed-angle tracks, all alternate streams in each mixed-angle section must be the same length.

All streams must have the same resolution and frame rate. The length and pattern of GOPs (Group of Pictures) must be the same for all streams (angles). If you are not using the integrated MPEG encoder, use an encoder that allows you to turn scene detection off. 

All GOPs should be closed. You will not be able to cleanly switch between the streams if you use open GOPs

- In addition, the DVD specs stipulate a max bitate of 8Mbit/s per angle:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVD-Video

DVD StudioPro palette elements "Relink"

    I have all my content libraries (DVD SP, Motion, LiveType, Soundtrack) onto a second drive, so the normal location on my system drive (/Library/Application Support/Final Cut Studio/DVD Studio Pro) is empty.  DVDSP did not load any element but a few default items in the palette widow at first.

To populate the palette window, go to: DVDSP/Preferences/Destinations/
In the "Show" pull-down menu, select: Palette Elements.
In the "Stock" path windows, click choose and select the path to your DVD Studio Pro library.
Click Apply.

The palette will populate, except for the Shape window.

That's OK, restart DVD SP, and voilà... even the Shape window is properly populated.

Codecs and Bit Depth (as a reminder)

COLOR SCIENCE
RGB Codecs sample each base color, with no Chroma subsampling.
Ex. ProRes4444, HDCAM SR Dual Link.
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Y'CbCr Codecs use Luma sampling + Chroma subsampling.

Vertical and Horizontal resolution is indicated by the last two numerals:

4.4.4 use uncompressed Chroma subsampling 

4.2.2 use compressed, (1/2 vertical and 1/2 horizontal resolution) Chroma subsampling (Ex. ProResHQ, ProRes422, ProResLT, ProResProxy, ACV-Intra 100, XDCam422, Canon MXF422, DVCProHD and DVCPro50, DBeta)

Prosumer also use 4.2.0 (HDV, AVCHD, AVC-Intra 50, DVCam PAL, Mpeg2-DVD) or 4.1.1 variants (DV, DVCPro, DVCam NTSC)

Reduced Chroma subsampling makes smaller file sizes = More storage efficiency, but creates image artifacts (halo, color bleeding/smudging on edges.)

BIT DEPTH
---
8 bit Codecs are 24 bits image files.
RGB 8 bits for each base color, intensity range: [0-255].
A pixel that's [0,0,0] is black, a pixel that's [255, 255, 255] is white.

Y',Cb,Cr has a different intensity range [16-235] to allow for super white/black.
Limited range problematic especially for gradients (stepping.)

Ex. 8 bit Codecs:
Uncompressed 8bit, HDV, DBeta, ProResProxy, DV, DVCPro, DVCam, Mpeg2. 

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10 bit Codecs are 32 bits image files = 10 bits for each base color (RGB) +2 spare bits. Intensity range: [0-1023]

Y',Cb,Cr has a different intensity range [64-940] to allow for super white/black.

Ex. 10bit Codecs:
Uncompressed 10bit, ProRes4444, ProResHQ, ProRes422, ProResLT, AVC-Intra 100, Canon MXF422.

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10 bit LOG (Cineon, DPX) is equivalent to 12 bit Linear, but values are Log-curve compressed to match the film emulsion sensitivity to light which is logarithmic. This allows for a wider dynamic range by rolling-off the highlights that would be otherwise clipped in 8, 10, even 16 bit linear capture. Film print density range higher than 1080 values
Intensity range: [0-?] for each color. (Eq. 12 ƒ-stops.) Ex. Film scans.

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12 bit Codecs

Intensity range: [0-?] for each color. Ex. RED One.

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16 bit Codec are 48 bits image files. 
Intensity range: [0-65535] for each color.

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Floating point is only for processing images, not storage. Better, more precise maths for calculation = higher quality results. Intensity range: [?-?] (Eq. 25 ƒ-stops.)

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ACES "unlimited" (Eq. 30 ƒ-stops.)

Canon 5D MarkIII funky TimeCode

I believe the Canon 5D MarkIII has a funky TimeCode track, which wreaks havoc in FCP7 Log & Capture.  L&C wrongly shows clips with a duration of 23h+, or does not transcode some clips, what the heck?

Some people use an 3rd party app to convert the h264 to ProRes. But some apps loose TC (Compressor, Mpeg Streamclip), read it wrong (Brorsoft Video Converter), or have the user insert TC by hand (Grinder). I don't like it. 5DtoRgb works fine, but for an online/offline workflow, multicam situation, a 3rd party app is not ideal - I prefer Log&Transfer and to stay within FCP.

After reading Oliver Peters' blog I had the idea that Canon's TC track was to blame.
http://digitalfilms.wordpress.com/2010/10/09/easy-canon-5d-post-–-round-iii/

So I made a copy of the files, ran them through VideoToolShed's QTChange and the Refresh TC Track tool.  http://www.videotoolshed.com/product/42/qtchange

Bingo! The new set of file is perfectly recognized and transfers smoothly with Log&Capture, including TC.  Thank you Oliver, thank you Bouke.

Panasonic AF100 Post

Macs can read SD cards, so no driver required. Same as with P2 cards.
This camera uses AVCHD, so it's already populated by default in the FCP7 Log & Transfer.
Panasonic white paper here:
ftp://ftp.panasonic.com/pub/panasonic/Drivers/PBTS/papers/Editing%20AVCHD%20with%20Final%20Cut%20Pro%207.pdf

I prefer ProRes 422. But I'll use LT for some projects. Or Proxy for offline/online.

Sony EX3, EX1 XDCAM Post

Sony software for working with XDCAM footage:
https://www.servicesplus.sel.sony.com/sony-software.aspx

You need to create a pro account in order to download some of it.  There are plug-ins for Avid and FCP7 (via Log&Transfer), a clip browser and a SXS card driver.
Someone had listed the steps on his own blog/website (links do not work anymore though, so go direct to Sony Service Plus link above.)
http://www.pauljoy.com/2009/03/2230/

AME Settings

AME Settings
Adobe Media Encoder is rather fast at transcoding. Results seem decent. So why not use it more.  The Export Settings is not very intuitive  though.

1- Check "Render at Maximum Depth" box if you want 10bit processing, else it's limited to 8bit.
2- Don't bother converting between frame rates, it's crap.
3-The "Aspect" drop-down menu selections are for the OUTPUT. Can't see how to force the Source AR.  Do you?  Someone?  Adobe?
3- Don't forget to set the Audio properly in the Audio tab - I use 24bit but it's 16bit by default.

Apple Cinema Tools Inverse TK

For the life of me I can not get proper inverse TK on this clip. I tried several times, I selected a few different A frames, no luck.

Wait a minute... That little check box that you're supposed to leave selected...

Well, since my result is crap, I fall into the category "does not produce the correct result" don't I?

Let's try to uncheck the bugger...

And you know what? That was it! It works! Done clean, beautiful!

Why the misleading? Why oh, why?

Apple Motion Retiming

In Apple Motion, to properly retime footage, import Media, drop into the timeline. Click+Option at the end of the clip and extend to the desired length. (Trim bracket turns into stopwatch.)
Select the Media, open Properties tab. Expand Timing property.  In Frame Blending select: Optical Flow.

When rendering the .mov, don't forget to check Frame Blending.

Adobe Encore Error 11 on BDR Build

Got this dreaded error today building the BD image in Adobe Encore:

Blu-ray Error: "internal error 11 (software internal error: ..\..\Private\GraphicsEncoders\PGProcessor.cpp, line 236)", Code: "11", Note: "subtitle set too close".

The fix is to make sure subtitles have 5 frames or more space between them.  Darn, I thought the belgium sub people had that covered...   Back to Annotation Edit.

Reinhard explained it to me in an email:
Set Gaps to at least 5 frames in "General Preferences".
Use the "Fix gaps" or "Fix gaps end" function for all selected subtitles.
And... It's working! Thank you Reinhard!

- By the way, I like to add a dummy sub entry at the beginning of each reel. That helps with merging tracks and making sure subs are keeping sync - peace of mind if u will. BUT I need to remember to trash them dummies before building. So 5 reels = 5 dummies to delete.

Adobe Encore Specify Link

In Adobe Encore, to select which audio track gets played, right-click on the Menu Button, Specify Link.  Select the Audio and Subtitle track targets from the drop-down menus.

Apple Compressor "3x crash service down" error message

Got several Apple Compressor "3x crash service down" error message while encoding Mpeg2 for DVD.

There are several posts on the subject, but what worked for me was to lower the max VBR to 8.5 (instead of 9)  and check + uncheck the Adaptative Details box.  I also moved the Anti-Alias cursor to 100 then back to 0.  I then re-submitted the batch, and the encode went through.

Does this workaround work for you?