Re: FCP X & Resolve

Hi Ken,

I just shot some test footage from the Panasonic DVX 200, some in 4K (4096?×?2160), some in 1920 X1080, both Mp4 and Quicktime Movie files, both h.264 codec. When I tried to import the files into FCP X, it would not allow me to "leave the files in
place" on the external drive. I had to copy them into the library. Although I did not have to optimize them, they played beautifully.
Then, I imported the same scenes without copying into DaVinci Resolve 12, created a timeline, graded it and then, imported an XML from Resolve into FCP X. The timeline opened and played beautifully utilizing the original scenes from my external drive, not the scenes that I had to copy into the library when I imported them into FCP X.
My question: why did FCP X require me to copy the media when the same original scenes work fine as part of the XML loaded from Resolve into FCP X without having to copy them?

Thanks,
Phil

Hi Phil,

FCP X will not let you import clips from a camera card using "leave files in place". And that's a good thing because you really don't want your project media to reside on a removable camera card that can fail any time. Unfortunately, at this time, FCP X does not make a difference between clips on a physical camera card and clips inside a copy of the camera card on your hard drive. That's why it also won't let you import clips from a copy on your hard drive using "leave files in place". That needs to be changed. But this has nothing to do with what you see happening in the Resolve roundtrip.

When you create an XML in Resolve as part of an FCP X roundtrip, Resolve creates new files with the color corrections baked in. Depending on your settings, the new files will be created on the same drive as your original clips. When you import the XML from Resolve, FCP X will connect to the new color corrected clips and not the original files from your camera.

Best wishes,

Ronny

Ah, thank you, Ronny. Beautifully explained. It makes perfect sense now.