How do I color correct long Betacam videos on Final Cut Pro?

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How do I color correct long Betacam videos on Final Cut Pro?

I am color and exposure correcting some old Betacam videos that are 30-50 minutes long. The clip in the time line is a single, long, clip that is 30 to 50 minutes long.

I have been using key frames in the Color Board and Color Wheels tools to color-correct individual scenes in these long clips, and that has worked OK. However, I am wondering whether this is the best work flow, or would you cut up the clip at the points where things need to change and correct each individual clip?

There are places within these clips where a dissolve takes place, and the color correction has to gradually change with the dissolve, so I have to do them with key frames on each end of the dissolve.

What are the pros and cons of these two methods?

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: Color Correction on LONG Clips

Posted on Aug 1, 2025 2:11 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

terryb

Level 4

3,334 points

Aug 1, 2025 3:07 PM in response to Old_Video_Guy

My first thought is that making cuts at the points where color correction changes would be quicker, but it depends on how many and how long each segment is. If there's the opportunity to reuse color correction settings, it would be very quick to copy/paste them to other segments needing the same correction. Copy effects between clips in Final Cut Pro for Mac - Apple Support

You could also use Adjustment Clips and apply the corrections there. I believe this would also allow for dissolves between the different corrections which might be the quickest way. Add adjustment clips in Final Cut Pro for Mac - Apple Support

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Answer 2

Aug 3, 2025 9:53 AM in response to Larrie Easterly

Adjustment Clips! Of course! Duh.

TerryB, that is a great method to use! After a bit of experimentation, I learned that I can do dissolves between Adjustment Clips over those areas where there is a dissolve on the long clip that requires different color correction settings on each scene. Perfect!

Larrie, the problem you mention is one of the reasons I asked this question in the first place. Using key frames can get very complicated when the clip contains hundreds of them.

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Answer 3

BenB

Level 6

13,142 points

Aug 3, 2025 12:01 PM in response to Old_Video_Guy

I'd recommend you get "FCP Cut Finder" from Util.Media and make them all separate clips. Color grade, save time not having to micro-manage keyframes. Then output as one long file again if needed.

https://ulti.media/fcpx-cut-finder/

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Answer 4

Aug 1, 2025 8:43 PM in response to Old_Video_Guy

I have done color correction on long clips using key frames in the past. You have to really pay attention to key frame placement. It is easy to make a mistake in placing them plus you need to realize that a previous key frame may affect the next one in the clip. Terryb’s suggestion is a much easier solution.

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Answer 5

Aug 5, 2025 2:42 PM in response to BenB

Ben, I appreciate the suggestion, but the FCP Cut Finder app seems a bit too aggressive for what I'm doing. I've successfully used Adjustment Clips where I was previously attempting to use key frames. It's a much better method! I'm happy with the workflow and the results using Adjustment Clips.

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How do I color correct long Betacam videos on Final Cut Pro?

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