iMovie to Final Cut

I am downloading HD files from my camera to iMovie, how do I get them to Final Cut?

Also is the transferring process as long as getting the files from the camera to my Mac?

What camera and codec does it use? What version of Final Cut? Is it Pro or Express? Why are you using iMovie? Again, which version? Why do people who ask for help give so little information?

I know from using my son- hd-sr5, which is in the avchd format. I use iMovie 08 to extract the file off my camcorder and put them into little thumbnails. From there i give my project a name. I open up Final Cut, click import clips, browse for that project name, and then select all of the clips that i want to use. Bada-bing bada-bam, im now ready to edit in FC by dropping what i need into the time line.

Also is the transferring process as long as getting the files from the camera to my Mac?

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nah its not too bad

I did some testing this weekend, I got the same avchd format.I must try the way you did it MRCjr cuz I basically downloaded it to iMovie08 then made it a mv? or quicktime format & then tried to bring it into Final Cut Express but when I do that it says it is unrendered.

xstep, maybe because I am so new to this I don't know the correct question to ask. Thanks for your reply, you make me want to stay & ask questions even more.


Moving the files from my camera to my iMac took over an hour for about 45 minutes of stuff.

Thanks for your help MRCjr.

Np
Yah, depending on the length of the video you shot , it can take a while to capture. Just last night i was capturing for about an hour off my cam (8gigs of photage).

tried to bring it into Final Cut Express but when I do that it says it is unrendered.

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I recently switched from FCE 3.5 to FCS2, but when I imported those clips from iMovie08 to FCE, i had to render my time line before being able to edit.
Although FCE gives you that message, u should be able to hit command+R, and it should allow you to render the photage in your time line.

If you are still having problems and have an aim id. Message me your info and ill reinstall fce and try to help you out to the best of my ability.

Thanks, you are a world of knowledge.

Reps!

If you are using FC Express 4 (again, versions are important here) it can import the same AVCHD content that iMovie 08 can. So you are taking an extra step through iM08 that isn't needed.

In iMovie 08, you can export a XML file that Final Cut can use. I believe that includes Express 4. You'll have to try it as I don't have Express. So if I recall right. You can do some basic cuts to a project in iM08, create the XML file from the project, and open that up in FCE which will allow you to edit those cuts.

Another way is to export your footage from iMovie 08 as Apple Intermediate Codec with the audio set to Linear PCM (I'm not sure of the sample size). I think this will create a file that FC can edit without pre-rendering. I'm not currently set up to test this, so give it a try with a small sample.

That definitely helps alot more cuz I didn't know what those XML files were.

Thank you.

The XML file describes where a source file is and the in and out points to use. There might be more to it than that, but those seem the important points.