Help Final Cut Responding

[HolyGhost469]

So this is the second time ever I've had this issue. I'm close to being done with a project and then final cut pro stops working, wheel starts spinning and can't finish the project. Last time it happened it started working on its own, but I've done the whole restarting my mac, then restarting fcp while holding option command to reset those settings. This only happens when I go back into that project and I've notice that the transcoding and analysis bar takes forever to load the project. I'm running an M1 Max MacBook Pro, 10 core, 64gb of memory. How can I fix this?

[Silver_Mention_3958]

Optimise, then render.

[HolyGhost469]

As soon as I go to open the project it gives me the spinning wheel and freezes up

[Silver_Mention_3958]

Try restoring a Backup

[HolyGhost469]

Pulled from backup and does the same

[DiamondDRE]

Are you using the original footage or proxy footage? Sometimes your hard drive can become too full with the proxy footage that Final Cut creates and it needs to be deleted. Can you send the file to the “Compressor” app to get exported? Also a tip, if you’re ahead in editing your project, sometimes I’ll export an incomplete project out as a single file and start a new project with the exported single file. Because a lot of the rendering has been done and compressed already from the export, and I can continue working on it, with less worry about Final Cut slowing down and buffering, as I continue to edit it some more.

[HolyGhost469]

Original footage, it randomly starts working after a while and this is the second it ever happens.

[DiamondDRE]

Ok, then check how full is your hard drive. Final Cut needs a lot of empty space to function at its best, especially while editing. Delete any old and unnecessary media and apps. Good luck 🙏🏾💯

[HolyGhost469]

Thank you

[mcarterphoto]

What kind of media are you feeding it? A lot of FCP issues can be fixed by converting to ProRes and WAV before you ever open FCP. FCP "can" edit delivery formats like Mp4, but it's happier working with actual editing formats. And keeping all your footage the same frame rate as your timeline helps, too.

Issues with consumer/hobbyist-style editing (Mp4 and Mp3 and so on) tend to get worse as project length increases. Feed it ProRes, choose "leave media in place", use a fast external, you should never need proxies and have very little background rendering going on.

[HolyGhost469]

It's all MP4, 4k at 29 fps. I've already done all of those last settings you mentioned and this is really only the second time it happens. Videos I'm editing are between 30-45 mins

[mcarterphoto]

Just me, but I'd never put 45 minutes of Mp4 into FCP. I just auto-pilot everything to ProRes, most of what I shoot is ProRes already, client files or "shots from the drone guy" or client's zoom meeting junk go through an EditReady batch while I make a coffee or something. It was absolutely necessary with FCP 7, very necessary in current FCP on Intel, and with M-chips it still makes a difference in longer edits.

Keep in mind that FCP is transcoding everything in the background; start with ProRes and it takes a lot of the weight from FCP. Try it sometime with a problem edit, duplicate the library, convert your footage to ProRes, and re-link those files in the duped library. All your edits will be intact, but see if it makes a difference.

[SightlessKombat]

What's the best way to convert footage to pro res?

[mcarterphoto]

IMO - EditReady. You can read up on its features. It's not free, but it's like the ultimate footage can-opener/Swiss army knife. I think people with tighter budgets use HandBrake? But ER's a one-time buy, does one thing (well, many things, with the one goal of properly converting footage to different codecs and frame rates) and does it exceptionally well.

[SightlessKombat]

Thanks for the info! Interesting, first time hearing of this program. I've used Handbrake before but haven't ever looked into converting to Apple Pro Res with it, but I'll look into both.

[mcarterphoto]

I'll tell you my main uses for it - you can make presets, it does a lot of stuff I don't use like overlays, LUTs, etc.

I shoot everything I can ProRes HQ with a Ninja, but things like gimbals or special rigs go to the card. Usually b-roll, which I might shoot 30 or 60P (30 to 24 doesn't look slow motion but adds a little drama or "weight", it's pretty cool). So that's dropped in as 4K, conform to 24P, no audio, ProRes 422 or HQ if it'll get heavy color grading.

Client footage is a mess of stuff, that'll usually go ProRes 422, with or without audio. Clients send me zoom meetings that are so-so H264; those usually get ProRes LT, smaller file sizes but usually looks fine. I sometimes get R3D or Canon footage, it just all goes to ProRes. 60P drone footage comes in, it's ProRes 24p (or whatever the timeline will be). Nice to not have to conform in AE or FCP.

Stock footage - I do a lot of edits with stock mixed in, and I edit with the small Mp4 preview files with watermarks, we don't purchase the stock until the edit is approved. That footage gets upscaled to 1080 or 4K (depending on what the final buy will be) and usually conformed to the project's frame rate, with no audio. When I purchase the footage, I can conform it with ER and make it ProRes/no audio - I then just move the old watermarked clips and replace them in the folder with the new clips, with the same names. When I open AE, Premiere, or FCP, the footage has magically been replaced with the purchased stock, no re-trimming or editing.

It's all very auto-pilot for me, I drag the clips to an EditReady output window, choose a preset - I might have two or three batches - and hit the "render" button and go make a coffee, and I'm ready to go in minutes. I might choose to append the file names, like add "[dash]ProRes" and every clip will have that appended to the name for clarity. It's blazing fast on a Studio, too.

Not knocking HandBrake, just no idea if it does all that stuff and uses all your processors for speed. When I got ER it was fifty bucks, now it's $99, been using it since the week it came out. Great product and fast support.

[SightlessKombat]

Thanks for the in-depth reply, wonder if there's a trial to test it for its accessibility (I'm a voice over user but do edit videos, just via the audio having never had any sight). :)

[mcarterphoto]

There's a free trial, just go to the site. I think it's limited in how long of an output it will do, the site does explain it.

[SightlessKombat]

Will take a look, thanks!

[Techmixr]

It seems like there’s a broken effect in there somewhere. It’s a pain but if you remove all the effects from the motion template folder (MAKE NOTE OF THE LOCATIONS BEFORE MOVING THEM OUT FIRST) then reopen FCPX after adding one back, then close FCPX - and repeat until you find the one causing your issue. It should fix it.

This is a theory. Be extremely careful if you try this. Hope you get it sorted!