Apple Final Cut Pro 5 - Manual (Page 311)

310 Part IV Logging, Capturing, and Importing
About Importing Video Files
You can import any QuickTime-compatible media files into Final Cut Pro, but to avoid
rendering, your media files need to match your sequence settings. For example, if you
create a motion graphics title sequence in another application and then export to a
QuickTime movie for use in Final Cut Pro, make sure you export using the same
settings as the sequence into which you plan to edit the title sequence.
Tips When Importing
When you import media files, keep the following in mind:
 If you want to import media files from removable storage media, such as a CD, do
not import the files directly. Instead, copy the files to the folder on your scratch disk
where your other project media is stored. Clips that refer to removable media
become offline when you eject the disc.
 When importing QuickTime reference movies, the only file that will be recognized
by Final Cut Pro is the main file that contains the references (to the other associated
files). You may see error messages, such as “file unknown,” if you try to import these
referenced files.
 While not necessary, it’s a good idea to keep all of the media files used for any
given project together, for organizational purposes. When you back up or archive
your project file, you’ll also want to back up or archive any graphics, audio, or
QuickTime files that weren’t captured from tape, so they don’t get lost.
 You can use clips compressed with different codecs in your sequence, but only clips
with settings that match your sequence play back without rendering or using real-
time processing. Unless it’s necessary to combine clips with different codecs in your
sequence, you will get the best editing performance by using clips with settings
that match your sequence.
 Final Cut Pro supports both RGB and Y´C
B
C
R
(YUV) color spaces, depending on the
video codec used. When using the Y´C
B
C
R
color space, Final Cut Pro supports either
8- or 10-bit resolution.