Glitches in Export - Using Color Finale

Hey guys, 

I'm having some digital glitches show up in my exports on a couple projects with fcpx. I'm on fcpx 10.4.9. I've been using the plug-in color finale for a few years. I noticed that some of the "shape masks" I've used are having weird glitches in the final file. This has never happened with other projects. 

Example: I put a circular mask over an actor's black shirt to lighten it up a smidge. In the exported file the circular shape will pop in and out of the image manically. Usually it's some saturated color like pink or purple, or sometimes solid black. I'm also having some digital strobe type issue where the whole screen will go black or green for a split second here and there. It isn't consistent throughout the film, just sporadic. 

I read that it could be corrupted render files, so I deleted all of those and rendered the film again. It helped in some spots but some are still there or replaced by new variations of the glitches. Do I just keep deleting the render files for the project and render over and over until I hopefully get a flawless one? Seems like a bad plan. lol. It's an 80 minute film so there's lots of time for one tiny glitch to ruin the whole thing. 

Sometimes these glitches happen in the actual timeline of fcpx but that's a new development. I originally noticed these as I was making a blu-ray to watch. I then made a small MP4 and had the same problem, but the glitches seems to be in different spots each time. 

Is there some remedy I'm missing? Please let me know what other info you might need and thanks for any advice! 

iMac Late 2013 
Mojave 10.14.6
3.5 GHz Intel Core i7
32 GB SSD (footage on external)
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M 4 GB

Turn off background rendering, delete render files, don't render the Timeline, just export.

Be sure you have the latest version of Color Finale.

I'd also contact Color Finale tech support about it. I used to use it and never had this issue.

Personally, I stopped using that and other third party color grading plugins when we got color wheels and curves. But that's just me.

Thanks for the speedy response, Ben. I tried turning off background rendering, deleting render files, and exporting without rendering the timeline. I had to let it work on the export overnight and it failed at some point. After that I tried rendering the timeline and then exporting. 

I'll check on the latest version of CF. I touched base with their customer service earlier so hopefully they'll have additional thoughts. Thanks again!

If exporting without rendering fails, then you have a bigger problem, that I hope is not caused by CF.

So the export fails at some point, do you get an error message or what? Details please.

How long does rendering the Timeline take, and how long is the project's timeline?

The time that it failed I was making a file for a blu-ray, not sure if that matters. I haven't tried that method yet for a full viewable file (H.264, MP4, etc).

I don't recall a specific error message. I believe it just asked if I wanted to send a report to apple. I can try again and see what it says. I can also try to make a master file from a non-rendered timeline just to see if it'll get all the way through it. 

The timeline is around 80 minutes. The blu-ray export that failed went for several hours. I left it on overnight and woke up to the message so I'm not sure on total hours. Actually, I believe I got the "final cut has unexpectedly closed" message, which asks if you want to send a report. 

When I exported just a few seconds as a test it still had some of the same issues. 

Thanks again. 

Ben, 

I spoke with someone at Color Finale and they suggested that I switch back from fcpx 10.4.9 to 10.4.8, citing the age of my graphics card.

"Apple added more Metal 2 code into lates versions of
Final Cut. Your GPU is quite old. best for you is to rollback to FCP 10.4.8 which is great and stable
version release before Apple started porting to M1. We and our users
didn't have problems with it for almost a year before 10.4.9+ has
been released."

I suppose he feels this could be causing the glitches. Using the fcpx version I have now, I tried another export of the blu-ray .img file and final cut shut down again during the night. It asked if I wanted to send a report to apple. I copied the report to a pdf and attached here in case that's helpful. 

Sounds like reverting back to 10.4.9 might be my best bet. If I do that will I lose elements I've added like transitions, audio library additions, LUTs, etc.? I assume I will and should make backups first, then paste them back in after I uninstall 10.4.9 and download 10.4.8. Also, will my project files open okay with the step back to the slightly older version? 

Sorry for the info dump. Thanks a ton for any thoughts!

I'm not sure I really buy their solution. Remove CF from the clips, try it, see if it works without their plugin. I'd do that first. You can even duplicate the Project and test on that, so you don't disturb your original. I'm running an rMBP 2013, Big Sur, FCP 10.5.1 with no issues, thus I don't buy the "your GPU is too old for Metal 2" excuse.

First, if you do roll back to another FCP version, no, your Libraries and Projects won't change or lose anything. Second, I'm not sure they'll open in an earlier version of FCP. Joema or someone may know if we had to update Libraries between those two versions. If that was when Metal 2 was introduced in FCP, then no, you won't be able to open your Libraries. At least not without some XML hoop jumping.

No, you can't open a 10.4.9 library in 10.4.8.

Ladies and gentleman! Now, for your entertainment, in the center ring, an editor, jumping through flaming hoops! While three dozen clowns exit a tiny toy car!

Sorry, couldn't resist saying that...

Haha. I definitely feel the heat from those flames, as usual. 

To clarify my own wording, when I mentioned "If I do that will I lose elements I've added like transitions, audio library additions, LUTs, etc.?" I was r...I was referring to those items that I've added to fcpx itself, not the specific project/library. If I uninstall one version and reinstall another I'm guessing anything I've added to the fcpx folders for future use on all projects will be lost if they weren't factory standard. Maybe I'm wrong about that though. 

I'll go duplicate the project and try what you mentioned about rendering out sections without the CF added. I assume they'll render fine. Of course, I've already fully color graded then entire feature film at this point, so hopefully I can figure out some workaround. 

It looks like I started the project/library in May 2020 and 10.4.9 (which I'm on) was released in August of 2020, which makes sense. Funny thing is I think I updated so that it would work better with Color Finale, if I recall correctly. Bleeeeeeeeeehhhhhh. 

When you add third-party elements, they do not install in the app itself, they do not install in the Library, they are independent of the app and the Library, so no, you would not lose them. If you moved the FCP app to the trash, and reinstalled it, all your third-party stuff would still be there.

Oh great, that's good news at least. Thanks! I ran a few tests on a 57 second segment of the film.

1. Exported with CF completely removed:
No glitches at all.

2. Exported with CF applied, but with all render files deleted prior to exporting:
Several glitches, specifically when I used shape masks.

3. Exported with CF applied, render files deleted then that selection of the timeline rendered prior to exporting:
Shape mask glitches and general flickers.

I'm sure you guys are tired of hearing from me but I'm trying to nail down what's best to do at this point. Here's a little timeline of event.
May - Upgraded to Color Finale 2.0
May - Started this feature film project I'm having trouble with
August - 10.4.9 fcpx was released. I don't recall upgrading but I obviously must have
August-December- Edited/Color graded 15 different commercials with my system with zero issues
January - Suddenly started having glitches show up as I render out the feature and another short.

I'm at CF 2.2.15 now and not sure when I updated between 2.0 and now, other than yesterday. I guess my options are to...
1. Try and roll back on either fcpx or CF and see if some combinations works correctly without causing new problems (but according to Tom, I won't be able to open my 10.4.9 library in 10.4..
OR
2. Get a newer iMac that's more compatible in general.

Follow up to my post above...

The Color Finale tech did suggest I update to the current fcpx, which would take me from 10.4.9 to 10.5.1 (if I'm correct). HOWEVER, I think that would require me to update my OS from 10.14.6 to 10.15.6. Not sure if that will jive well with my iMac or not. Of course, that doesn't seem to go with his previous thought that my graphics card was too old.

I'm too old, and I work fine with macOS Big Sur!  🤣

FCP 10.5 requires MacOS 10.15.6 or later. Do it. In fact, my 2013 rMBP is running FCP 10.5.1 on Big Sur just fine.   BUT not sure what that will do to CF.  Did their tech support mention running CF in Big Sur.  Your iMac will handle 10.15 just fine.  Your iMac will run Big Sur just fine.

Waiting to hear back from him but their site claims CF works with Catalina and Big Sur. 

Thanks for confirming that my late 2013 model will work with those operating systems. That would definitely be my main concern, given it's over 7 years old now. 

Sounds like the best option at this point. I'll just backup my current fcpx app and my hard drive and try one of those two OS. Then copy my library/project before opening in the newer version. Does it sound like I'm missing anything obvious? 

Thanks so much for your advice! You've been a huge help. 

As long as you have a bootable backup you can restore from, and backups of your Libraries, you're safe. And yes, open copies of your Libraries to be safe, also.

Thanks! I'll let you know how it goes. 

Sorry for the delay. Finished up some projects then got back to this. 

I've updated to Catalina 10.15.7, with the intent of stepping up from it to Big Sur. Actually, it didn't give me the option for Big Sur, so I went that method. But now it's telling me that my mac is up to date, which it isn't.

I looked around online and found these suggestions.  macreports.com/update-not-found-the-requ...s-not-available-fix/  

I tried 1-5, but haven't done 6 yet. Not sure if I need to undo 5 for any reason. I'm going to keep digging but curious if you guys had any suggestions. 

Thanks! 

I believe you were given some incorrect information. According to Apple's document, iMacs earlier than 2014 will not run Big Sur. This is likely why you do not see the availability of an update.
support.apple.com/kb/sp833?locale=en_US

I see what you mean... Well, if the rest of my info is correct, I believe fcpx 10.5.1 should be able to run on either Big Sur or Catalina. So even if I'm stuck on Catalina (after today's upgrade from Mojave) I suppose I should be okay to run it all smoothly. Does that seem accurate? 

I updated and opened a tiny project earlier and it seemed to work fine, at a glance. I'll use a copied library of a feature I'm working on and see if the export works any better. God willing it'll finally solve my issues and I'll stick with Catalina until I get a new iMac.