Workflow/Utility Software and Plugins

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Links to downloads for software components, drivers and applications for various workflows when working in Final Cut Pro or other Studio applications. Includes plugins for working with the RED camera or XDCAM EX; software for converting a Final Cut sequence to After Effects, Avid or Pro Tools; calculators for determining bit rates for DVDs and video storage for various compression formats; color management and more.

RED Camera Plugins for Final Cut Studio: From RED. Includes links to download the REDCODE codec for playing back RED RAW image data on a Mac, plugins for ingesting RED footage through Final Cut's Log and Transfer window, and for accessing RED camera data in Apple's Color: http://www.red.com/support

Clipfinder: Software for working with RED camera footage and Final Cut Pro. Has the ability to save batches, batch render clips with many options including dynamic debayering (allowing for the processing of 4K, 3K and 2K in the same batch without unnecessary lowering the resolution of 3K and 2K), distributed rendering, edit look settings, copy/paste look settings between clips, generate QuickTime proxies, conform FCP edits from one resolution to another and more: http://www.daun.ch/software/

ShotPut Pro: by Imagine Products. This software is great for archiving the contents of different file-based media- such as P2 cards, SxS cards for XDCAM EX, RED media and more. Simplifies the task of copying the data properly to up to 3 different hard drives simultaneously. Includes ability to verify that the data is copied correctly: http://www.imagineproducts.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=2

Ken Stone's DVD Bit Budget: This is a great, free, simple spreadsheet calculator to find out what you need to set for bit rate settings for DVD authoring from kenstone.net. You enter things like amount of video, audio and type of audio, subtitle streams, etc and the Bit Budget calculator will give you the average and maximum bit rate settings. You can find this (and more) at kenstone.net: http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/bit_budget.html

Panasonic AVC-Intra Software Decoder (for Mac): For Final Cut Pro 6.0.2 to 6.0.5. Enables users to preview and import AVC-Intra format clips into Final Cut Pro. This plugin is not needed for Final Cut Pro 7 as AVC-Intra support is natively built in: https://eww.pavc.panasonic.co.jp/pro-av/support/desk/e/download.htm#quicktime

XDCAM Transfer Software: This Sony software is needed to convert XDCAM HD or XDCAM EX material from the original acquisition discs or memory cards into QuickTime files for Final Cut Pro. It is a standalone logging/ingest tool (and is free): https://servicesplus.us.sony.biz/sony-software-model-PDZKP1.aspx

XDCAM EX Log And Transfer Plugin: This Sony supplied plugin allows you to use Final Cut Pro's standard Log and Transfer window to ingest XDCAM EX media. Click Here for the download page. Minimum requirements for this plugin is OS X 10.4.11 or higher and Final Cut Pro 6.0.3 or higher (including Final Cut Pro 7): http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/micro-xdcamexsite/resource.downloads.bbsccms-assets-micro-xdcamex-downloads-LogTransferUtilityAppleFCP.shtml

If you are trying to determine whether or not to use the plugin for the Log and Transfer window vs. the XDCAM Transfer software, there are a couple differences between them. The Log and Transfer plugin is only for XDCAM EX. The XDCAM Transfer software is for XDCAM HD and XDCAM EX.

Easy Setups for capturing HDV into ProRes during capture via FireWire. These settings were created at Moviola by Andrew Balis and the file can be downloaded from: http://edu.moviola.com/UserFiles/downloads/resource_center/HDV_ProRes.zip  Install in the following location Macintosh HD > Application Support > Final Cut Pro System Support > Custom Settings. Place entire folder in this location. For more detailed information about this workflow, check out our FCP Workflow article: Capturing HDV Into ProRes Via FireWire.

Automatic Duck: Conversion products to simplify what used to be very laborious processes. Convert FCP projects into Avid; Avid to FCP; Avid, FCP and Motion into After Effects; FCP to Pro Tools with more info than a Final Cut OMF export; Avid, FCP or Premiere into Combustion and more: http://www.automaticduck.com/

DH_Guides and DH_Grid from Digital Heaven: Two FREE plug-ins to overlay customized grids and guidelines in Final Cut for help with compositing split screens, titles, etc: http://www.digital-heaven.co.uk/freeware/dh_grid.php

VideoSpace from Digital Heaven: Free Dashboard widget to quickly determine media storage needs for Final Cut by entering codec, frame rate, frame size and media duration: http://www.digital-heaven.co.uk/videospace/index.php

cineSpace: Color management system for precision finishing and consistency. Profiles, custom LUTS for monitors, digital projectors, film: http://cinespace.risingsunresearch.com/