Exporting ProRes in FCP - File Too Large?

[BrandonHunt]

Hey Guys,

Bare with my red one super newbie status here:

I'm trying to export a 20 minute short in FCP using the ProRes compressions at a 1k (1024 x 512) size for a festival.

About midway through, FCP tells me the "File is Too Large". I have about 180g left to use on my hard drive. How big is my file going to be? Do i need to free up more space or is my computer freaking?

What do you guys suggest I do for a compression to dvd?

Thanks!

 

[Uli Plank]

How is that drive formatted?

BTW, DVD is MPEG-2 only (or MPEG-1, but who wants that?) and either 720 by 576 or 720 by 480.

 

[Tom.Wong]

if your drive is formatted fat 32, you won't be able to create a file larger than 4 gb. You have sure it's mac journaled (HFS) formatted to remove the file size limitation. and also 1024x512 is a very non standard size for delivery, are you just gonna throw it on dvd and let it resize there? cause if it's going on tape it's not gonna work.

 

[joe hedge]

Hey Guys,

Bare with my red one super newbie status here:

I'm trying to export a 20 minute short in FCP using the ProRes compressions at a 1k (1024 x 512) size for a festival.

About midway through, FCP tells me the "File is Too Large". I have about 180g left to use on my hard drive. How big is my file going to be? Do i need to free up more space or is my computer freaking?

What do you guys suggest I do for a compression to dvd?

Thanks!

You could also be running out of RAM. What Mac system?

Letterbox it down to 720x480 in compressor, then burn the DVD from that.

 

[paulbuhl]

The file size depends on what codec you are using. The 1K is you pixel resolution only, which contributes, but data rate is the big factor. An apple ProRes (not HQ) will be around 30 Gigs for 30 minute file. But another way to do this is export from FCP using "QT Movie" (NOT "Using QT Conversion") and when the dialog box comes up, make sure to UNCHECK "Make Self Contained Movie". This will make a QT "Reference" movie, very small in size. What this is is a QT with a full version of the audio only, and the picture is just a pointer to your existing project media and renders. Same concept as RED Proxies that point to the R3D, etc. So because you are not making a new version of the picture, the file is only the size of the audio. You can then use this QT Reference to make an mpeg2 with Compressor to go to DVD. The mpeg2 will also be small even at max picture data rate of 7.5 mbps, (full audio at Linear PCM/AIF runs at 1.5 mbps so your combined total is 9mbps) which will be less than 3 gigs for 30 minute file. NOTE: Using 720x480 with letterbox vs 853x480 16:9 on you mpeg2 will NOT save you anything in file size. I would definitely use 16:9 on your mpeg2 settings for screening from SD DVD!!

 

[BrandonHunt]

Thanks for the help everyone!

I went back and reformatted a drive to MacJournaled and that did the trick. My drives were in a FAT32 format. Sheesh.

My ProResHQ file came out to about 11 gigs at a 1024 x 512 setting. Everything went swimmingly after that. I am definitely saving all your answers for my next venture. Thanks guys!

 

[jimhare]

You could also be running out of RAM. What Mac system?

Letterbox it down to 720x480 in compressor, then burn the DVD from that.

DO NOT letterbox it down to 720x480, bring it down to 720x480 as FH 16x9.

Do this in Final Cut as it does a better job than Compressor.

Use Compressor to make a 16x9 MP2 and the DVD player will decide whether to play it FH on a 16x9 screen or it will letterbox it for you during playback.