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FCP doesn't always get the frame rate right when making a new project,

I created a bunch of projects only to discover after many hours of editing that even though all my footage was 29.9 fps, fcp decided to make some of the project 23.9 fps and on export the resulting footage has moire banding and pixelation. I tried creating a new project, set the correct 29.9 fps and then copy pasted my clips from the project that fcp set to 23.9, but upon exporting the footage it has the same issue.

Interesting note in the info bar on the right, when I click on any footage even in the project that is set to 23.9 fps it says the clip is 29.9 fps....

Posted on Mar 18, 2022 8:46 AM

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Posted on Mar 18, 2022 9:03 AM

The clip frame rate is whatever it was recorded as. You can of course drop a 29.97fps clip on a 23.98 project, or vice versa.


(By the way, Moiré patterns should have nothing to do with frame rates. More on this later.)


When you create a new project, you have the option to use Automatic Settings, or Custom Settings.

In the former case, the project should take on the properties of the first clip that drop into it.

In the latter case, you choose what you want; it might be 1920x1080 at 29.97fps or whatever.

It should remain just as you chose.


So, let's see if you we are on the same page:


1) Make a new project; if necessary, click Custom Settings; choose the desired frame rate and frame size

2) Press Command-J and see that in the Inspector the settings are ok

3) Paste your clips into this project

4) Repeat step 2; has anything changed? It shouldn't...




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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Mar 18, 2022 9:03 AM in response to JohannLogH

The clip frame rate is whatever it was recorded as. You can of course drop a 29.97fps clip on a 23.98 project, or vice versa.


(By the way, Moiré patterns should have nothing to do with frame rates. More on this later.)


When you create a new project, you have the option to use Automatic Settings, or Custom Settings.

In the former case, the project should take on the properties of the first clip that drop into it.

In the latter case, you choose what you want; it might be 1920x1080 at 29.97fps or whatever.

It should remain just as you chose.


So, let's see if you we are on the same page:


1) Make a new project; if necessary, click Custom Settings; choose the desired frame rate and frame size

2) Press Command-J and see that in the Inspector the settings are ok

3) Paste your clips into this project

4) Repeat step 2; has anything changed? It shouldn't...




Mar 18, 2022 9:06 AM in response to JohannLogH

Regarding Moiré patterns:


It would help a lot if you could post two screenshots, one from the viewer and one from the exported movie, to illustrate the problem.


We also need to know what your export settings are.


One common technique to avoid this problem is to add just a little bit of noise to the image.

This prevents compression, to some extent, from causing the issue.


Again, some screenshots might help.


Even better, if you could take a short original clip that is affected, and post it - you could send it to yourself using wetransfer and post the link here. We could do some testing.

FCP doesn't always get the frame rate right when making a new project,

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