On-set editing with Final Cut Pro

This article covers features which are only available in Reeltime Pro

Reeltime Pro integrates directly with Final Cut Pro, enabling immediate edit previews during production. Clips—including metadata, in/out ranges, and markers—can be exported to structured multicam or multi-track Final Cut Pro timelines for review, continuity checks, and preliminary editing.

Projects can be opened locally in Final Cut Pro or exported as an .fcpxml file for import on other computers. Alternatively, you can import the .fcpxml file into other NLE systems, such as DaVinci Resolve or (via the third-party conversion tool XtoCC) into Adobe Premiere.

In addition, Reeltime Pro supports receiving an NDI stream from Final Cut Pro. This allows routing the edit playback back into Reeltime, where it can be monitored live or distributed to the video village.

The blog article A full-circle on-set editing workflow with Reeltime Pro and Final Cut Pro also includes short tutorial videos with audio and is strongly recommended as an introduction to Reeltime Pro’s on-set editing workflow.

This article describes the full on-set editing workflow with Reeltime and Final Cut Pro.

Setting up NDI and Final Cut Pro integration#

In this section, you will get all instructions on how to set up on-set editing with Final Cut Pro.

Install NDI Tools:#

If you would like to receive your editing preview from Final Cut Pro within Reeltime for monitoring in input slots and distribution to output slots, you must ensure that you have installed the latest version of NDI Tools for Mac. Refer to the Knowledge Base article Setting up NDI input for further information.

Set up Final Cut Pro:#

  1. Open Final Cut Pro and create a library into which you can import your Reeltime exports, e.g., a library named “Reeltime Exports”.
  2. It is recommended to prevent Final Cut Pro from copying the original files into its event media: Go to Settings > Import > Files and choose Leave files in place.
  3. Go to Settings > Playback > A/V Output and choose the desired NDI output format, e.g., “NDI 1920 x 1080 @24”.

Set up Reeltime Pro:#

  1. Create a dedicated input slot for receiving the A/V output from Final Cut Pro, e.g., an input slot named “F” with the label “FCP”.
  2. Associate the input slot with the NDI input stream provided by Final Cut Pro; the name of the stream usually includes the postfix “(macOS A/V Output)”.
  3. It is recommended to unarm the input slot receiving the NDI input from Final Cut Pro, as you typically do not want to record the NDI stream together with other input sources.
  4. If you have already planned to distribute the timeline’s signal to one or more dedicated output slots, you can already set the input slot as the source for the output slot(s). However, you can also do that later or simply route to the timeline’s signal temporarily, e.g., via the quick routing action “Slot Follows Selection,” etc.

Exporting clips and auto-generate timelines#

In this section, you will get all instructions on how to export clips from Reeltime Pro for on-set editing with Final Cut Pro.

Exporting clips:#

You can export all clips from your current library view via the File > Export to Final Cut Pro menu item (or the associated item in the dropdown of the export toolbar button).

Alternatively, if you only want to include specific clips, you can select the clips in the library and export them via the File > Export Selected Clips to Final Cut Pro menu item (or the associated item in the dropdown of the export toolbar button).

The exported clips will open in a Final Cut event bin, including the following info from Reeltime Pro:

  • In/out ranges (with rating) → keyword range with name concatenated out of slate info, ranges index and ranges rating, e.g., “SCN-26_SHO-4_TAK-7_RNG-1_★★★★★”
  • Best rated in/out ranges → favorite (green line in filmstrip view)
  • In/out ranges notes → keyword range
  • Single-frame markers (with info) → marker with details, e.g.,“Hair & Make-Up, check hair, ★★★”
  • Marker ranges (with info) → keyword range
  • Slate info → Scene and Take field, e.g. Scene “26-4”, Take “7”
  • Comment, clip rating, flagging, caption, location → Notes field, e.g. “Comment: Check background noise, Rating: ★★★★★, Flagged: Yes, Caption: A: Medium Close-Up Timo, over shoulder Josie B: Medium Close-Up Josie, over shoulder Timo » shot/reverse shot, Location: Joiner’s workshop, Munich”

Auto-generate timelines:#

The Final Cut Pro export includes an event bin with all clips. Additionally, you can choose which clips to include in the timeline as a starting point in the Export to Final Cut Pro window:

  • Included Clips: > Flagged/Best Rated Take will only include the circled takes in the timeline. If you did not flag or rate the clips, the last take for each shot will be included.
  • Included In/Out Ranges: > Best Rated Range will only include the best rated in/out range of each included take in the timeline. If you did not rate the in/out ranges, the last range of the take will be included.

Optionally, you can also choose to apply the crop filters of Reeltime as clip transform settings in Final Cut Pro.

Note: If you stream your timeline’s signal back into Reeltime Pro via NDI input, keep in mind that your crop filters may be reapplied if you distribute them to output slots if the crop filters were configured in the output slots.

Final Cut Pro export window with configured options

The Final Cut Pro export will automatically generate two timelines:

  • The multicam timeline with the postfix “MulticamTimeline” will include multicam clips generated from each exported group recording.
Tip: When using multicam editing, ensure you choose View > Show in Viewer> Angles to view each camera angle of the multicam clip in the Final Cut Pro viewer.
  • The multi-track timeline with the postfix “ClipTimeline” will include the individual clips as overlying tracks for each exported group recording.

Direct export for instant editing on set#

If you use Final Cut Pro on the same computer as Reeltime Pro, you can export your clips and timelines directly to a Final Cut library. When you press the Export button in Reeltime Pro’s Export to Final Cut Pro window, Final Cut Pro will open automatically and display a window with the available Final Cut Pro target libraries. You can choose the desired library or create a new one. Then, a newly created event will open in the library, and you can open a timeline to start editing.

XML export for editing on other computers or other NLE systems#

Alternatively, you can export an .fcpxml file using the Export XML to Disk… button in Reeltime Pro’s Export to Final Cut Pro window and save the file to your desired location. Then, you can import the .fcpxml file on another machine or into other NLE systems, such as DaVinci Resolve or (via the third-party conversion tool XtoCC) into Adobe Premiere.

Note: If you import the .fcpxml file on another computer or hand the file over to another department, ensure you also include a copy of the recording folder that includes the required media. After the XML import, it may be necessary to relink the media in the editing system, e.g., in Final Cut Pro via File > Relink Files > Original Media….

Monitoring and distributing the timeline’s signal in Reeltime#

If you use Final Cut Pro on the same computer as Reeltime Pro and have followed the instructions under “Setting up on-set editing with Final Cut Pro”, you can now receive the timeline’s signal via NDI.

You can monitor the signal in an input slot and distribute it to any configured output slot.

Tip: If you only want to temporarily distribute the timeline’s signal to one or all output slot(s), consider using the quick routing actions “Slot Follows Selection” or “Slot Follows Selection for All Output Slots”.

To receive the audio of the NDI stream, ensure you enable the channels of the “NDI Audio” input device in Settings… > Audio > Input Devices. Typically, you don’t want to mix the timeline’s audio signal with live audio signals, so you need to mute the other channels. Alternatively, you can output audio directly from Final Cut Pro to the same output device as configured in Reeltime Pro (e.g., the system audio output device) and mute live audio in Reeltime Pro when playing back a timeline.

Multicam editing of an auto-generated timeline in FCP and feeding the timeline’s signal back to Reeltime Pro via NDI

Exporting a Final Cut Pro sequence to Reeltime Pro#

If you’d like to keep your edit as a reference in Reeltime Pro, you can export it as a QuickTime file and have it automatically added to your Reeltime Pro library. This method is also useful as an alternative to NDI-based live monitoring.

To set up the Final Cut Pro destination preset for export to Reeltime Pro:

  1. Download the Final Cut Pro destination preset linked below.
  2. Open Final Cut Pro.
  3. Drag the downloaded .fcpxdest file onto the Final Cut Pro application icon in the Dock.

Download: Export to Reeltime Pro destination preset*(Requires Reeltime Pro v1.4.1 or newer)*

Once installed, this custom destination will appear in Final Cut Pro’s Share menu. Selecting it will export your timeline as a ProRes QuickTime movie and send it directly to your Reeltime Pro library. The rendered clip will appear in the library automatically and can be played back from any library slot.

Tip: You can also use this export method to render a specific range of a clip and share it with crew members, e.g., via AirDrop.

Compatibility with other NLE systems#

Although using the above-described seamless integration with Final Cut Pro is recommended, you can also export an .fcpxml file to import it into other non-linear editing (NLE) systems. Before exploring this option, consider the following aspects and limitations:

  • DaVinci Resolve:
    • Supports .fcpxml import natively, but will not import any keywords, markers, or metadata. You can still work with the auto-generated timelines, including multicam editing.
    • Does not support NDI output natively. However, you can check if third-party tools, such as FlowCaster or Nobe Display, provide a working solution.
    • Alternatively, you can use an SDI output device, such as the Blackmagic UltraStudio Monitor 3G, to feed the timeline signal into Reeltime Pro via a compatible video I/O device.
  • Adobe Premiere Pro:
    • Only supports importing Final Cut Pro 7 XMLs. However, you can use the third-party tool XtoCC to convert and import the XML:
      • Range-based metadata and annotations transfer well into Premiere Pro’s bin structure.
      • The multi-track timeline assembles as intended, with one track per camera angle.
      • The multicam timeline is not supported.
    • Supports NDI output natively.
  • Avid Media Composer:
    • Does not support Final Cut Pro XML import. However, you can import the .fcpxml file into DaVinci Resolve or Adobe Premiere (as described above) and then export an AAF file from there.
    • Supports NDI output natively.

Last updated: June 13, 2025