How to Use DVFilm Maker with Final Cut Pro 5


1. Using FCP 5, capture clips from the Sony HDR-FX1/Z1 using the standard
settings for 1080i60 or 1080i50 HDV.

4. Start up DVFilm Maker, and then drag the clips
into Maker's batch processsing pop-up. You can play around with various options
in Maker's advanced options, but be sure to always turn OFF the YUV processing option.
The prerelease version of DVFilm Maker can be downloaded here.
(requires OSX 10.3+). The version you need for FCP 5
will only run with Quicktime 7 and OS 10.4 (Tiger).

5. In DVFilm Maker select the options for 60i->24P conversion if you have
60i video. Also select "Use 23.976 excact" If you have 50i video, then the
24P Edit options are not used and you instead simply select "Deinterlace".
On the batch popup, hit start to start the batch.

6. The clips are converted and each clip now has a 24P or 25P version stored
in the same folder with the prefix of "New". If you playback the clips with
the Quicktime viewer you will notice they are now displayed at 1440 x 1080,
their native frame size, instead of 1920 x 1080.

6. In FCP 5, the sequence must be set with the following options:
1440 x 1080 frame size, 4:3, square pixels, non-anamorphic, 23.98 frames
per second or 25 frames per second as appropriate. Other settings: Field
Dominance = None, compressor = HDV, audio 48000 Hz stereo 16 bits.

For FCP 5 you can use the HDV 1080-60i preset but 23.98 frames/sec and "no fields".

7. The clips can now be imported and dropped into the sequence.

8. After you have a rough edit you can switch the movie over to 16:9
viewing by checking the "16:9" button on sequence settings, and all the
clips in the sequence will be mass converted to 16:9 viewing as well.
This easier than starting out at 16:9, because each clip you bring in will
then have to have it's 16:9 property set by hand (using Edit->Item Properties->Format).

9. If it's all done correctly there should not be a red line at the top of the
timeline when you drop in a clip. With no red line, no rendering is
required when you play back from the canvas.


The project frame size is 1440 x 1080 because that is the actual captured frame size,
and it's better to edit at this native frame size than change it, since changing it entails
unnecessary image processing and will also slow down playback.

Nevertheless if you do need to show the processed clips in Quicktime at 1920 x 1080,
use this procedure:

1. Make sure you have the Quicktime pro license (comes with FCP) registration
key entered and restart the quicktime player.

2. Open the clip. Click Movie->Get Movie Properties. Select Video Track on left side of popup.
Select Size on right-hand side. Click "Change". Drag the lower-right corner of the video
until the size reads 1920 x 1080. Click "Done", then File->Save to save the new size permanently.

3. If you ever import the clip into FCP for editing in a 1440 x 1080 sequence (which is the optimal
frame size for editing HDV), the clip size will have to reset to normal in Quicktime Pro.

Known Bugs and workarounds

Use the version of DVFilm Maker 2.12 that is is in the
DVFilm Maker - QT7 folder. This will read Quicktimes with the HDV codec directly,
and produce HDV codec Quicktimes on output. However the output movie is made
with I-frames only for highest quality output. I-frames only format may be more difficult
to play back in real time. Also it uses 5x more drive space and takes longer to "conform"
when FCP5 prepares the cut for export to HDV tape.

Problems with Real-Time playback

The Mac architecture is great for playing back high-data-rate movie files, but you will still have some problems playing HDV movies at both full resolution and in real time. The solutions for this are to get SATA hard drive arrays and a PCIX hard disk controller to boost disk speed, get the faster G5 and preferrably dual-G5's. The memory and video display card are also a factor.

Realistically you will probably find yourself previewing at 50% frame size.

Processing Time

Assuming you have a 1.8GHz G5 workstation and you're doing 60i to 24P-HD conversion, it takes about 30 min to process 1 min of video. You can process 48 min of clips per day. A 90-min film with 5:1 ratio of captured video to final cut, would take 6 days to convert. If you're in a real hurry to cut your movie it might be best to have 2 workstations, one to capture and edit and the other to convert clips to 24P.

More Technical Details

4:2:0 sampling

Observant ones will notice that raw clips show a coarse pattern of interlacing in the chroma when brightly colored objects are moving around. DVFilm Maker attempts to clear this up as best as possible. To turn on this special processing, turn off the YUV process option in the DVFilm Maker Advanced Options Popup.

The special 4:2:0 processing is performed by Maker only when the HDV codec is detected so it does not affect conventional HD (e.g uncompressed HD or DVCPRO-HD) material.

Join the discussion group on DVFilm transfers and DVFilm software, click here.

People often misspell the name of this product DVFilmmaker -- so here it is for the search engines.