FCPX and GoPro HERO3 workflow

Anyone here using FCPX to edit/grade GoPro footage?

Just got myself a Hero3 Black Edition. What are the best workflow options? Do I need to use Cineform Studio to convert everything to MOVS before importing to FCPX? Or it it better to work with the original mp4?

Not use the MPEG-4 media. Optimize when you import to make ProRes QT files.

Should I skip Cineform Studio and just do that process directly in FCPX?

Just wondering whether there is any benefit at all to using Cineform Studio.

I don't know what Cineform Studio could do that optimizing couldn't. I don't know that app.

You probably leave the GoPro running for long periods of time, but only want to work with a small section of the clip? I could see using CineForm to pre-edit the clips so you were just bringing in the good stuff to FCPX. Otherwise, I would just bring everything into FCPX and bypass the extra step in CineForm.

Tom, any reason to conform on the way into FCPX? With GoPro footage there seems to be so much extra stuff that never gets used. Would there be any problem with just creating proxies on the way into FCPX and then conforming when the edit is done?

Thanks,

JT

I’ve been bringing the original footage into fcpx and then creating optimized media, seems to be working great so far. I’ve done this with pretty much all the different types of media the Hero 3 shoots i.e 1080/60, 4k, 720/120, etc.

If you can trim in CineForm it may be worth doing there, if it's going to save you a bunch of space. You could wait to make high quality video after the fact, but you will have to make whole clips. There is no option to optimize just the media in a project.

Why use proxies at all with GoPro footage?

Older laptop with different source video has me using proxies. Seems to run smoother when I do that. Not sure if the GoPro needs it, but as my workflow is with proxies it's just part of the process. If you are running an older machine that has trouble with video, why not use proxies? FCPX makes it so simple.

Proxies are better than working with MPEG-4s in FCP, which really should be avoided in my view.

True, and I have a 2007 MBP I run RED clips on, and am aware of how proxies can help. I'm just questioning why you need them with GoPro video. I can see with REDCODE. Just asking. I've not had any GoPro clips to work with.

Wait. I'm an idiot. You don't need CineForm, you can trim clips, make selections and import only the selections into FCP. Optimize just the imports. You don't have to import entire GoPro clip runs.

RED is easy if your drives can do it. MPEG-4 is horrible. Really needs to be converted to some kind of QuickTime.

Tom Wolsky wrote: Wait. I'm an idiot. You don't need CineForm, you can trim clips, make selections and import only the selections into FCP. Optimize just the imports. You don't have to import entire GoPro clip runs.

That would be great. What is the workflow? What do you trim the clips with? Is this part of the import process with FCPX? Do the clips come in as 422? You would then delete the originals?

JT

I'm making some assumptions here about the GoPro and how it records and how its media is accessed. Normally you can access camera media using the import window and select portions of a clip.

www.fcpxbook.com/10.0.6import.html

It should work as described here. Only the selected sections will import. Generally it's not considered good practice to dump the original media, though once it's optimized there's really nothing to prevent you from doing it.

Just a follow up to this in case anyone searches the archives. Tom's solution works great:

"Wait. I'm an idiot. You don't need CineForm, you can trim clips, make selections and import only the selections into FCP. Optimize just the imports. You don't have to import entire GoPro clip runs."

I had some GoPro footage from a recent family vacation. If I imported all the original footage it would have been a little over 6 gigs. Used FCPX to trim the clips on the way in. Looking at the Original Media folder, after I imported the clips I wanted, it was around 2.5 gigs. And I didn't need to work around all the clips I didn't want. FCPX makes it so easy!

There are a couple of possible issues. Those are address in this tutorial from Ripple Training:



JT

Really all you need to do is optimize the media as you import and it's ProRes and good to go.

Here is my workflow witht he GoPro Hero 3:

-Mount MicroSD card on desktop however you need to do so.
-Open FCPX.
-Import window opens (or you can open it yourself)
-Import. Everything is automatically copied AND transcoded to ProRes422 (make sure Copy to Events Folder) is checked in prefs.
-Edit.

THE END.

I to have just gotten the same camera. BenB and I have been conversing about this as well.

Mind you I just got the camera the other day. I've been importing it into the GoPro Studio free app. Apply fisheye remover, set it to best quality, then convert. The footage I get out of it is VERY saturated and really nothing I want to play around with. This after setting the camera to the Protune setting which is tailored to the video professional so that it can be graded.

Just a few minutes ago i imported into FCPX from camera and i get a MUCH nicer and usable piece of footage that is definitely in Protune flat mode. However I will now have to use something to remove the fisheye...which i do have tools to do so. However I've read that the GoPro Studio app is the way to go for the fisheye removal...well...because they would know exactly how to get rid of it. that the software will adjust the removal from the individual settings the footage was shot with.

Sooooooo.... Has anyone used the GoPro Studio App? Any luck? Are the fisheye removal tools available elsewhere just as good? Magic Bullet Look, Lock and Load?

The fisheye remover works really well in Cineform Studio. The only other option that works well that I've used is Optics Compensation within After Effects. Personally I shoot medium POV with the camera as it has far less fisheye, is plenty wide enough and means I don't have to crop in later.

Whats more looks like the updated version of Cineform will ingest your Protune clips and spit them back out in a new propriety format with a grade ready for editing!