Background Rendering workflow with GoPro footage FCPX

Hey everyone!

Had a quick question for you guys, I am trying to improve my workflow in fcpx but having issues with the crazy time it takes to "background render" - i've tried working with proxy media, but would like to use original (or maybe you guys recommend going back to proxy. If i turn off background render the playback is real choppy. Anyways if you guys have any tips let me know, i'm using go pro footage, some 1080 and some 4K. Also with Go Pro stuff, do you guys recommend using their Go Pro studio app to convert footage or just bring it straight into fcpx? thank you!

Jimbo

Depends on your hardware. On my MP (tube) I've no issues with using native GoPro footage, and never turn on background rendering (rarely need it). On my MBP, I always Optimize, only way it will handle it, and I don't like proxies if I'm not forced to use them.

Is there a reason, besides drives space, that you'd not optimize the clips?

Hey Ben!

Thanks for the quick reply. I do optimize the media from the GoPro, but when i use effects on some of the clips, such as Red Giant effects or BCC's with background render off, it plays back really choppy, just over the part that i am using the effects on. So what if i am editing and want to see how the effects will look on a certain clip? Do you have any workflow suggestions with that? Thanks Ben!

Have you tried rendering just the clip you want to check? To do that select the clip and then CNTRL R. That way you can get a smooth playback of the clip with the effect without having to wait for the entire project to render.

And also ... remember that you can select "Better performance" instead of "Better Quality" by toggling that setting in the viewer drop down menu. This works good for rough cut edits and simple previews of effects. You may need to toggle it back to "Better Quality" to do a fine review of a color grade or effect, but it may help you get through the overall editing process easier, depending on your system specs, when set to "Better Performance".

ALSO ... be sure to toggle it back to "Better Quality" prior to exporting your master file. There is no need to render out your master file prior to export as FCPX renders it automatically, and actually faster upon export than if done manually.

DGW!

Thank you for that reply! Good tip on setting it back to Better Quality! i just forgot to do that on an instagram video i uploaded LOL WOOPS!

Thanks for all the tips guys

There is no need to switch to Better Quality before exporting. Just make sure you switch to original and don't export proxy.

HardNox wrote: ...having issues with the crazy time it takes to "background render" - i've tried working with proxy media, but would like to use original...If i turn off background render the playback is real choppy...

My group has 10 GoPros so I've edited lots of material. I generally have no problem editing 1080p camera native GoPro files on my 2013 iMac 27 with 32GB, i7 @ 3.5Ghz and GTX-780m, without optimization and often with background render on. It is a little sluggish but I don't wait for background render to finish, and sometimes just turn it off.

It's faster with optimized media but when you're sifting through lots of material why optimize all that when only a little will be selected?

Effect-related slowdown sometimes happens but this varies widely. But you normally edit for content first, then apply effects. So it's not like effects would usually slow down the assembly phase.

If you could be more specific about exactly what effects do and don't cause slowdown and whether it is uniquely on unoptimized GoPro material, that might help isolate it. E.g, what if the same effects are applied to unoptimized material from other cameras?

Tom Wolsky wrote: There is no need to switch to Better Quality before exporting. Just make sure you switch to original and don't export proxy.

There was a thread on this forum ( perhaps under 10.0.9) where someone tested this and claimed indeed there was a softening issue with exports done when the viewer was set to better performance. I never tried the comparison, but since then have always set to quality mode for exports. Maybe worth another test.