Black video clips - FInal cut pro 11 problem

Replication of this issue is elusive because it requires either (1) A prior library version containing the affected clip types be upgraded to FCP 11 or (2) The prior version library XML or project XML be loaded in the FCP 11 library.

Just importing the clips to FCP 11 and manually creating new projects with those clips works OK. That is why so many people cannot reproduce it. The issue only happens during the upgrade or if loading the prior version XML to the FCP library.

Once the black clip problem happens in an upgraded FCP 11 library, a prior-version (1.12) Library XML or project XML can be exported and loaded to FCP 10.8.1, and the clips and projects will appear OK.

Can you please upload to a file-sharing site an unaltered clip from that camera that displays the problem on your machine?

This category of problem tends to be specific to specific variants of camera codecs. Due to not having clips from specific cameras when filing a formal bug with Apple, we've had cases where a problem was not fixed for certain cameras.

@Pickcodes: what camera, what codec and what frame rate? Can you please upload to a file sharing site a clip showing this? We want to avoid making a fix that does not include your camera's specific codec due to not having a test clip.

I currently have two clips: one from ironphreik, a Lumix S5XII: 1080p, 119.88 fps, 10-bit 4:2:2, H.264, 398 megabit/sec, and one from iHeimo, a Lumix GH6: UHD 4k, 100.0 fps, 10-bit 4:2:0, HEVC, 295 megabit/sec.

visualdemon reported this problem on the Nikon Z9, but we never got a clip or even MediaInfo data.

In previous similar cases, a fix was made on one variant of a 10-bit Long GOP codec from some cameras but not another camera, for which we could not obtain a sample clip. If anyone is experiencing this problem on their camera, please upload an unaltered clip to a file-sharing site so I can include it in the bug report. That will help ensure it gets fixed for your specific camera.

I am uploading one of the clips that turned black after updating to FC11:

https://we.tl/t-nUD610dg1c

It is a 4k 120fps footage from Panasonic Lumix GH7 that was already slowed down in the project to 25% (4 times)

I have been having the same issue. But contacted Apple and spent five hours talking to Apple consultant in Singapore to work out what the problem is and it appears to be that the new version 11 will not recognise/play any clips shot at 120fps. It will play clips shot at 60fps and lower. It’s a problem with the new fcpx version and the issue has now been escalated to Apple engineers. I’m hoping for an answer tomorrow. It’s a big problem for fcpx v11 users right now and I have multiple projects I need to finish for clients. My advice to others would be not to allow the upgrade to v11 until the issue has been solved

FCP 11 works OK with media upgraded from prior versions for all the 100.00 and 119.88 (120) fps material from Sony cameras I have tested. That includes XAVC-S (H.264), XAVC-HS (HEVC/H.264), etc. There is a problem with 100.0 and 119.88 (120) fps H.264 and HEVC material from Panasonic Lumix cameras. There was a report of a similar problem from a Nikon Z9 camera but we don't have the clip and cannot test that.

It also works OK for new material from those cameras imported to FCP 11. The problem is specific to certain codecs from certain cameras which was imported to prior versions of FCP, then the library was upgraded to FCP 11.0.

hi all.

i've just had the same problem. and have for now got it resolved.

certain (enabled) clips played as black on full screen playback then also even on non-full screen.

then it started to happen on more clips.

i tried disabling clips and reenabling (V), then quitting, restarting, rebooting MBP M2 MAX (sequoia 15.1.1).

then deleting FCP X (11.0) and reinstalling from app store.

i tried rebooting having disconnected my external display and tried it on the laptop.

no joy.

older projects a couple of steps back played ok but the latest did not. and that one has a lot of tedious work i do not want to do again.

i didn't delete preferences. nor did i try re-pasting clips as the problem was seeming to grow. and my project is an 80minute doc with a LOT of cuts.

however,

what appears to have worked was exporting a version 1.13 XML (basic) of the latest and troublesome project and reimporting it (naming it differently so i could keep both), then opening the new one.

it took a while to load, and it did have a load of warnings, but i am yet to find any issues (i may update this post later if i do find any).

my footage is mostly prores 422 and prores 422 HQ, 24fps in a 24fps 2086x1480 project.

the project is shot on film so the files are from the film lab rather than a specific camera.

i hope this pans out, and i posted this as i hope it helps others with their hearts in their mouths right now.

UPDATE - the xml caused some anomalies, but the above holds true. before i explore trying other xml formats than 'basic', i've tried copying the project clips (select all) from my defunct timeline and pasting them in to the new project from my xml import (having deleted the clips in that project created by the xml). this is now working.

NB: some old captions (one CEA-608, some iTT) that were deleted from the previous timeline have appeared, muted, in the pasted version and the XML, like ghost info in the XML (in case this helps troubleshooting code).

ALSO - when i paste in the entire set of clips, the issue i then have is single black frames in between some, not all, clips. and interestingly these start at the point i first experienced the black issue. that's another issue on other threads. i believe it's to do with mixed frame rates though i've tried to make sure everything is the same or converted. because i don't want to go through 80 mins deleting single frame 'GAPS', i will now try other XML exports...

The problem we've been discussing are black clips on certain cameras starting with FCP 11.0. However some people tried to resolve the black clips by relinking and it failed with the above error. If you do as the error suggests and try to relink a single clip, it may fail with the error: "The original file and new file have no

shared media range. Relinked files must have the same media type and similar audio channels as the original files, and must be long enough to cover all the clips that reference the files."

This is typically a timecode or timecode interpretation error. IOW as a safeguard, FCP and other NLEs often mandate that timecode must match between the originally imported clip and the target relink clip.

My current theory is something changed in FCP 11.0 about how they handle drop-frame timecode on some 120 fps formats. There might be a common underlying problem which causes both the black clips and failure to relink. I am investigating that possibility.

fwiw - and i know nearly everyone else is working with modern camera footage - i found that a particular cut i made 5 mins ahead of the black video i was experiencing was was what causing it to happen. i managed to cut off the second or so of that clip that i wanted to remove, but paste it earlier in the timeline, hidden. and it stopped the black section that kept happening, and then spreading to more of the timeline. it's ridiculously lucky that i found this out this time. otherwise my job would be stalled. but dare i say it, it's been stable ever since. so something like 8 days, of full work have all been ok now. fingers crossed it stays this way - but we should never have to cross fingers like this! so whatever it is apple needs to get this sorted. i always defend FCPX amongst industry colleagues, and post out some of its unique benefits, for example moving clips without having to turn layers on and off like on avid. but it's not going to be possible to defend it anymore at this rate. davinci for next project for sure for me.

your thoughts and fixes please, apple....

I found the answer. and yes I know how to take a screen shot thanks, I was on my phone when posting hence the pic did not know it would go flip from vertical to horizontal, hopefully your neck has recovered.

Please give the complete specifications of the media and the computer you’re using.

Try disabling(V key) adjustment layers. Is it displayed correctly?