The Popcorn Island Final Cut 2 After Effects Script is a simple way to move sequences in Final Cut into Compositions in After Effects. Not only does it allow you to work faster, it also saves storage space. The normal work flow of rendering out from Final Cut and opening in After Effects causes one to create temporary files to pass back and forth between the programs. The Final Cut 2 After Effects script will allow you to bypass that and simply use the footage that has already been imported into Final Cut.
NEWS: Gerard over at strypesinpost.com has put up a tutorial on using this script to move over project to windows! check it out
Links:
- Tutorial: Final Cut 2 After Effects Tutorial
- Download:
Features 1.1.2
- Auto-Truncate Long Filenames
- Marker Import
- Cross Dissolve Transitions (v1.05)
- Basic Editing Translation
- Segmented Clips
- Basic Keyframes
- Time Remapping
- Nested Sequences
- Multiple Frame Rates and Aspect Ratios
- Audio Channels
- Name Length Error Checking
- Support for PAL25 and 60
Version Info
- Version 1.12 Update
- Re-Work of the Cross dissolve importer
- Dialog for Auto Truncate all Long filenames Option
- Fix to All Transition detection
- Fix for center aligned Cross Dissolve
- Stopped work on Legacy Support (older then Cs4)
- Version 1.09 Update
- Center Point bug Fix, footage of different sizes using center point effects now import properly
- setValueAtTime bug Fix, Rounding errors in speed changes addressed.
- NOTE: I could use any community help debugging
this problem, though I now have a fix in place, I cannot be sure of the 1:1 frame matching between FCP and After Effects when using speed changes,
if anyone can run tests it would be extremely helpful. thx!
- NOTE: I could use any community help debugging
- Version 1.07 Update
- Markers are now imported into a marker layer in after effects. Name is used for flash events, comment for comment (thanks @Guillaume)
- Version 1.06 Update
- Updated Frame Rate bug for 50fps (and other unknowns) thanks @daniel
- CS3 Version 1.05 Update
- There is an issue with scripts compiled for CS4 using Extendscript toolkit CS4 that causes problems in CS3, the script will fail instantly. So I have had to split this project into 2 scripts. You will now see a script built for CS4 and one for CS3, these have been been confirmed working. Thanks to Kevin Brock for going back and forth with us on a couple scripts as we don’t have a good CS3 work flow here. We hope this helps everyone out! Thanks!
- Version 1.05
- FIX: Rounding Error on 23.976 footage causing Single Frame difference from original.
- UPDATE: Top Level Folder will now follow XML Filename, and not “FCP_Import”.
Wow your an error machine. Can you make a small demo of that one? send me an email contact [at] popcornisland [dot] com thanks!
Hello! I see your scritp is very usefull, tnx very much! but when i’m working with RED ONEs footages, edit proxies in FCP and then post R3D files in AE. After use your script i must reconeckt all proxies to R3D files, it take a lot of time. please add this function in next version of your script!!
Thanks a lot!! best reggards!
Hi there,
I’m getting the following error:
Unable to execute script at line 171.
After Effects Error: Unable to call “addComp” because of parameter 6.NaN is not a number.
Any solutions to this error? I’d love to be able to use this script!
Best regards
it seems that if importing from FCP that uses multipliclibs (only 2 say).. this script wont work at all.. shame ehh
best
cv21
Nevermind, found a way — exported my Final Cut XML, imported into Premiere Pro CS4 and saved as a premiere project, then imported that new project into AE CS4. Worked flawlessly, now I have my full timeline in AE…
Shame your script didn’t work for me! Would love to find out if you ever have a ‘fix’
I just wanted to say thanks for such a useful tool. I’ll need to use this a few times in the near future, and you’ve saved me hours of ****ing around.
I will do my best to sort out a small donation for you shortly, as I’m really quite impressed. Do you have the means to accept donations?
Thanks.
–Ian
Hello.
I just wanted to point out an issue that I’ve come across on my sequence import with this script. It was something I seemed able to fix manually, but it would’ve tripped me up had I not spotted it.
When my FCP7 sequence XML (V5) was imported into AECS4, on any transition where a dissolve had been applied, the layer was placed 1 frame early in the timeline. The clips did not require extending at the tail, but the whole layer needed moving to the right by one frame. The actual length of the visible part of the video file was correct. No cuts before or after this were affected.
There was also a 60p (59.94) clip on the timeline, which got a bit confused in terms of position (probably due to the footage being interpreted incorrectly in AE). This was easily moved in the timeline also.
The dissolve transfer seems so close to working well, and I am more than willing to send you stills/video demonstrating the problem if it will help. Email me, or I’ll try and respond on here if I see your response.
Thanks very much.
–Ian
Hi there,
I’m getting the following error:
Unable to execute script at line 208.
After Effects Error: Unable to find (-43) file.
This is the first time I have such an error importing xml with this script. I also use it for Canon 5D workflow between FCP and AE…
Wierd
Any solutions to this error?
Thanx!
Best regards
Nice script and huge thanks for the effort of putting it together and letting the public at it.
I’m having problems with entire clips missing from the AE timeline after import — black holes in my timeline. In FCP I’ve taken off all transitions and dropped all clips onto 1 track, this helped.. a bit. But still missing about 10 clips of 47.
Deadline is looming & director is panicking… any help is hugely appreciated.
Using FCP6 & AECS3.
btw: do you have a primer of how to best prep timelines in FCP. (And yup, I watched yr video, but it talks of features, not methodology)
Again, awesome script. Praying that it starts to work ;)
Are you guys going to have 24P support anytime soon? I think atm it converts to 23.98?
Great stuff! Are there any plans to support FCP Studio 3 to AE CS5?
ok so i got it working
I’m in AE
I’ve made my color corrections
how do I go back to FCP keeping my new color corrections that I’ve made in AE CS3?
Any chance of supporting XMLs that points to image sequnces?
Very cool script. It is working well for me, EXCEPT…
Going from FCP to AE CS3 the script imports the entire XML project, but only the first two layers. I have 9 layers stacked up on top of each other in FCP, but I only get two. I have tried multiple “flavors” of XML output, but that doesn’t seem to make any difference.
The XML DOES have the other layers in it, because importing it back to FCP reveals all the layers again.
Does this script support more than two layers? Any plans to add this feature?
Wonderful script. Good Job.
Are there any responses from PI to the issues that have been raised re: clips out of order + gaps between clips showing up in the AE timeline? Just found this product, and thought it’d be a godsend, but it’s just got some really wacky issues that render it useless for now. All my timelines come through out of sequence.
Would love to see an update!!!
@matthew
Definitely a response, and an update. It sits in my dev folder at home, I am pretty set with the changes and we have been working with some users that have had issues rolling out betas to them to try clear up as many issues as we can.
I am planning on putting up an update later this week. if you would like to run some tests for us please email contact [at] popcornisland [dot] com. thanks!
Hey! Thanks for making such an awesome tool. I was going to with FCP because all the people I want to collaborate with have Macs but I already have very nice PC that runs 64bit windows and linux and would not want to get a Mac.
The existance of your script makes me want to get Adobe AE but I am not sure whether to get CS4 or CS5. Ideally I would want CS5 because it offers native Windows 64bit support but being able to port in FCP projects is a important consideration. I know your script supports CS4 but would it work with CS5 as well?
Also, in your tutorial, you were saying something about After Effects not being very good with sound, could you elaborate on that?
Fadi
@fadi,
We are using CS5 currently without any issues. As far as the sound goes, it’s not that AE is “bad” at sound it’s just not the best for editing sound, with the large
amount of tracks that will be imported from final cut. usually easier to just export back into final cut.
hope this helps!
Every time I try to do this I get the rainbow wheely of death after I select no on “import audio tracks.” Does anyone have any suggestions?
Hi there,
I’m not able to make it work.
When I go to File/Scripts it won’t show up.
I have CS5.
Thanks
I figured it out. Went to the Adobe website.
Other question:
I wanted to apply Red Giant Looks to one of the clips and it said “invalid filter”.
What to do?
Hi,
Just tried the script and I get an error: Unable to execute script at line 303. After Effects error: File “Access Holly 2:8:10 – Great Adv. quote.mov” is not a valid file type for import.
The file is a SD Apple Pro Res 422 file.
Any ideas?
Thanks.
Keith,
If you try to import that file into after effects normally, without the script, do you get an error?
you guys made my day!
Hi, nice script apart from a fairly catastrophic problem I’m encountering: When I run it to import an XML into an existing project it works fine seems to DELETE any existing ‘Solids’ folder, which is of course bad news. Anyone else had this problem?
@tim
Whhhaaattt? :) this seems highly unlikely, but I will test it out tonight! Thanks for the comment!
Hi
Do I do something wrong or is it impossible to import a sequence full of titles?
Hi, there.
This is great. I use this script most day for work. I would be at a loss without it.
Martyn.
Brilliant script guys! For a Red Workflow it would be cool to translate the proxys inside FCP to R3d Files in AE. Right now I am doing this with clipfinder – it patches the xml file and its free:
http://www.daun.ch/hamingja/
@illd
Thanks! we just got done doing a big project with the red camera, I can definitely see where this would be useful. Almost feels like it would need to be a separate script though
with new options of its own. I will look into getting that on our list though!
Hi there, I have just encountered the delete all solids problem.
any ideas?
Martyn
I’m also getting a NaN error that NeverSleeps mentioned. Any idea what this is or how to work around it?
@Digant NeverSleeps Error is a pretty old error that has been address, can you please make sure you have your sequence selected in final cut and not footage. So in Final cut in the Browser highlight the sequence you are looking to export first, then choose File -> Export ->XML. Hope this helps!
@Martyn Ok seriously this one is strange, I cannot reproduce this result. Can you please email me at contact [at] popcornisland [.] com so I can arrange getting some sample files to test this with. Thanks!
After I’ve exported the XML file and successfully imported the XML into AE CS5, how do I go back to Final Cut Pro? Do you render out the comp? Export a new XML out of AE?…Stuck.
Thanks!
Shitski! It works! Brilliant! No errors, moved a simple 2 layer seq from FCP to AE CS5. Some still frames need to be tweaked, length od still comp isn’t long enough to show in the main comp, so just have to make the still comps as long as the main comp. but for free? Who’s bitchin? Not me! If I wanted more, I’d buy Autoduck.
Again, brilliant!
mattski
After I’ve exported the XML file and successfully imported the XML into AE CS5, how do I go back to Final Cut Pro? Do you render out the comp? Export a new XML out of AE?…Stuck.
– Same issue here.
– Anyone?Help please!
Thanks!
I’m having the same issue as a few others on here:
After I’ve exported the XML file and successfully imported the XML into AE CS5, how do I go back to Final Cut Pro? Do you render out the comp? Export a new XML out of AE?…Stuck.
– Same issue here.
– Anyone?Help please!
Thanks!
@Matt & @Pedro
Hey guys we have commented on this a few times. There is no simple way to flop back into FCP. You render out of after effects then bring that render back into FCP.
Sorry but the way we use AE here we just don’t need that workflow to go back. Honestly most things we do in AE Final Cut simply cannot replicate.
-ross
I have Final cut express and after effects CS5 and this would be a great plugin except that final cut express can’t export as xml. (scratch that, it is a great plugin, FCE just isn’t that great). Do you guys know of a plugin or something to get that format out of FCE? or is there a way to make this work without using XML? any help is greatly appreciated.
The script doesn’t seem to work when used in a multiclip sequence. Every piece of footage from the first camera comes in but not from the second. Am I doing something wrong?
Besides that this seems great.
Cheers,
Cory
This script has become a regular part of my workflow, fantastic work. Thanks so much.
Today I’m running into a block where my footage is not sequenced when it appears in the AE composition – the layers (one for each edit) are all on top of each other. In this case, it’s an edit made all out of a single piece of footage. Does this throw off the script’s ability to sequence things?
Excelente plugins gratuito se agradece el gesto, me ha sido muy util ya que he ahorrado bastante tiempo en la post.
Saludos y Gracias
I LOVE U GUYS !!! THIS HELPED ME SO MUCH…. u DONT EVEN KNOW :D !!!!
TOTALY AWESOME !!!
THA WORLD NEEDS MORE HEPFULL PPL LIKE U!!
Great script, very helpful and I am very excited.
Is there any way to get the audio into the AE timeline so that its editable? That would be great, sometimes clients come back and want a little something added, taking stuff out is easy, but getting it back in can be a long process.
Thanks
It seems that a fix for the multi-clip sequence has yet to surface… someone plllllleease find a fix …. and by multi- clip i mean more than one layer is being used in a sequence (just to clarify) ….. the problem seems to be how AE reads the number of composites when there is more than one layer … should be a easy fix or update in this wonderful script .. Unfortunately i dont know anything about scripts
SOO CAN SOMEONE PLEASE FIX THIS !!!!! THANX ….
[...] 2. Final Cut to After Effects (free script) [...]
[...] Larkee brought up using Premiere as an intermediate to get a FCP sequence to After Effect. The free Popcorn Island script was also mentioned, but agreed that it works better for smaller [...]
The script ran perfectly last week but this week when I tried to run the same script i get the spinning ball of doom. It never completely loads. I first tried running the saved after effects file that I started with and it said it would take 12 hours to load. The footage is 1080p 29.97 FPS. No effects or transitions