I can’t edit video :-(

Tech Support
#1

I have a family video (.mp4), which like any family video
is 10X-100X too long! I have Logic Pro, and was going to
use that to edit.

However, I can’t import the file. The Apple Support docs
say that mpeg is supported, but with caveats that I don’t
fully understand.

Suggested that I transcode, so I have tried that with every
Handbrake setting known to man, all to no avail.

Any suggestions (or Handbrake settings) most appreciated.
If I need a different tool, I am open to that.

(Think the video was originally shot on a camcorder and
was copied to CD for distribution to family members.)

#2

Sorry, I meant to say I am (trying) to use Final Cut Pro on this…

#3

Can you open it in QuickTime? How about VLC? QuickTime allows you to trim. iMovie is probably the most appropriate basic tool for editing unless you already know FCP.

#4

Opening the file in QuickTime is a good suggestion. If it can open it, it should be able to export it to another format (or a more compatible mp4).

That said, I’ve never run into a video file that HandBrake couldn’t deal with, so that’s very peculiar.

If nothing else works, you might try uploading it as a private YouTube video. If YouTube can’t convert it, it’s probably hopeless! Then you can download the converted file from YouTube using Downie or YouTube-dl.

Oh, that reminds me, Permute is another app to try. It’s part of SetApp, if you’re a subscriber.

#5

Thanks folks. Yes, I can open (and play) in
both QT and VLC. Have used QT to trim,
but need to cut 15 minutes of Uncle Al
in the middle!

Yes Handbrake will turn and twist it every
which way, BUT I can’t get it to morph it
into any format that FCP will open

I’ll try Permute, thanks

#6

Some types of MP4 aren’t readable in FCPX due to codec incompatibility. Decent overview in this thread. You could probably use a free converter like MPEG Streamclip to make a FCPX-friendly file you can then edit.

#7

Codec hell. In VLC you can get information on the used codec. Knowing that, you can choose a conversion utility. ffmpeg will convery anything.

#8

Sadly, Apple has not improved QuickTime “X” to the level of QuickTime 7, which could edit out if the middle of files as well. (That may have required a “Pro” license.)

Even more sadly, Mojave is the last version of macOS that QuickTime 7 will work with, since it is 32-bit.