Move a project from Final Cut Pro X to FCP 7

Project X₂7 (10 to 7), translates a FCP X Project XML export

and converts it through a simple drag and drop applet to Final Cut Pro 7.

A Final Cut Pro 7 sequence XML is generated and loaded directly into FCP 7. This allows you to take your FCP X timeline (Project) to FCP 7 or directly to Color, Adobe Premiere (and After Effects) or any other FCP 7 XML workflow. once the project is in FCP 7 you can then link to Soundtrack Pro, to Motion 4, or to OMF output for ProTools, even Print to tape and Edit to tape.

Images courtesy Intelligent Assistance

One of the first things that comes to mind when you think about this convertor is why??

If FCP X is a professional application!! – let’s not go into the old argument – then FCP X does miss the ability to link with the other legacy apps that FCP 7 did.

 

We recommend Final Cut Library Manager as a Must have Application:

FC Library manager 2

 

I have found Final Cut X to be a much more capable application than I thought on the initial release. Unfortunately it still has many bugs to be sorted – I call them bugs ‘cos that is what they are to my workflow.

I am now starting to get the hang of the FCP X way of doing things. It has taken the 5 months since release (of erratic use) for me to really train myself to think in X’s editing paradigm but now that I’m getting the feel of it, things are beginning to come together. It does not work well for every job, but for most of what I do it fits and I am increasingly not wanting to use FCP 7 because I miss the way that X does it. Wow! I never thought that would happen when I started 5 months ago.

The application will sometimes not respond the way you are expecting it to (i.e. the storyline [timeline] does not update as the skimmer/playhead moves to a new position or you’ll randomly lose the ability to ‘undo’.)  The way that audio is selected is fiddly (I hate the solid wave forms and yearn for the open lines of FCP 7) and the curser makes it hard to differentiate between shortening a clip and dragging the fader for audio. FCP X also slows down significantly – for no apparent reason, even though the render and transcode indicators say complete. Finally in my way of thinking, there has to be a quicker way to fade the opacity of the video clips. – You may have to trash your preferences in FCP X as we used to have to do frequently in FCP 6.FCP Tutorials from 1.99

It is also buggy in the traditional sense as well. It will crash. It sometimes crashes and does not save your work from the last few minutes. Since there is no save independent of the application’s autosave feature, this can be a problem.

I will say that for basic editing – (non feature movie making) you should at least look at it and SPEND some time. FCP 7 is going to be history at some stage – you will have to move and from my short experience, FCP X does many things quicker and slicker. I suggest getting Compressor 4 and Motion 5. FCP X works without them, but they enhance the experience.

Anyway back to the subject on hand, once you convert your project from FCPXML to XML, you have access to all of the “Legacy” Final Cut tools! That means you can send it to Color for colour grading, export OMF to mix audio in software such as Pro Tools, and more! Those who are using tape formats can access Print to Tape.

Project X₂7 can convert Final Cut X′s non FCP 7 features – to-do markers, roles, synchronized clips, auditions, compound clips, inactive clips, titles, transitions, and more – to ones legacy Final Cut can understand.

We recommend the plug-in collection
from FCPEffects:

Editingwhizmarchemail001

 

Images courtesy Intelligent Assistance

This is a $50 translation tool that comes from Intelligent Assistance. The company is no stranger to XML and has produced many helpful workflow tools for Final Cut Pro 7 (as well as Premiere Pro). Project X27 moves Final Cut Pro X timelines into Final Cut Pro 7.

Project X27’s operation is simple: export an FCPX XML, run it through Project X27 and you get the FCP7 compliant XML.

The list of things that are translated in the process:

Titles at the start and end;
a mixture of primary storyline and connected clips;
a mix of active and inactive clips;
large numbers of J and L cuts;
to-do markers and regular markers;
spot audio effects; and
cross-dissolve transitions.

The Final Cut Pro Sequence XML is then ready for:

Color
Final Cut Server
Premiere Pro and then dynamic link to
After Effects
Soundbooth
Encore (for real Blu-ray authoring)
FInal Cut Pro 7 and then to
Soundtrack Pro
Motion 4
OMF output for ProTools, etc.
EDL export
Print to tape and Edit to tape

Project X₂7 is available on the Apple App store and works with Snow Leopard and Lion

Click for the developers site

Tutorials:  Final Cut Pro X from $1.99

47 individual lessons over 8 hours of tutorials,
Separate Basic and Advanced sections.

VEO shop

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