Import MP4 Files to FCP X for Best Editing Workflow

Importing MP4 into FCP X

My son and I have just downloaded the trial version of FCP X and am running into an import problem. All his videos are recorded in MP4 format on an SD card. When we try to import the clips from the SD card, they appear in FCPX as a black clip with audio only. I've looked around online and it seems that some other people are having the same issue and are saying that you have to buy a converter software. It seems to me that -- for $300 -- this software ought to be able to handle the most common video format that exists.
A. What am I missing?
B. How can I resolve this?
Thanks in advance for your assistance!

Final Cut Pro X

FCP X supported file formats and camera/camcorder

Before going any further, first have a glance at FCP X supported file formats and camera/camcorders.

Video formats: Apple Animation Codec, Apple Intermediate Codec, Apple Prores, AVCHD (including AVCCAM, AVCHD Lite and NXCAM), AVC-ULTRA (including AVC-LongG and AVC-Intra Class 50/100/200/4:4:4), DV (including DVCAM, DVCPRO and DVCPRO50), DVCPRO HD, H.264, HDV, iFrame, Motion JPEG (only OpenDML), MPEG IMX (D-10), QuickTime,REDCODE RAW (R3D), XAVC (including XAVC-S), XDCAM HD/EX/HD4222, XF-AVC
Container formats: 3GP, AVI, MOV (QuickTime), MP4, MTS/M2TS, MXF
Audio formats: AAC, AIFF, BWF, CAF, MP3, MP4, WAV
Image formats: BMP, GIF, JPEG, PSD, TGA, TIFF

If the MP4 format you try to load into FCP X are included in FCP X supported file types or are recorded by FCP X supported cameras/camcorders models, you will then have no problem to import MP4 into FCP X, if not, you will need to perform a codec transcoding process.

Best workflow of MP4 with FCP X

If you are looking for a high performance and high quality workflow of MP4 files with FCP X, you are then recommended to transcode MP4 to FCP X best favorable editing format - Apple Prores codec. No matter your MP4 files are encoded with highly compressed codec with limited full quality or uncompressed HD codec that has high requirements for bandwidth and raid-storage, you can use this beneficial Apple Prores codec to maintain the highest quality and performance while requiring much less expensive editing and storage hardware.

To produce Apple Prores codec, you can download Pavtube HD Video Converter for Mac (review), which has enhanced media compatiblity with all MP4 files encoded with various different video and audio codec, you can easily generate Apple Prores in different types from MP4 for best editing with FCP X. If you have no idea how to choose the proper Apple Prores codec for post editing, just have a reference at the following cr

If you computer is old or slow, or you just want to do some rough editing, you can select to output "Apple Prores Proxy)(*.mov)"or "Apple Prores (LT)(*.mov)" format to save more space and bandwidth. However, if your computer are powerful enough to handle multicam and high-resolution video and you are going to do many effects editing work with FCP X, you'd better choose to output "Apple Prores 422(*.mov)"or "Apple Prores 422(HQ)(*.mov)" for better performance.

Besides MP4, you can also use this program to convert other compatible file formats such as AVI, WMV, MOV, MKV, etc into FCP X best compatible editing formats.

Step by Step Guide to Convert MP4 to Prores Codec for FCP X Best Editing Workflow

Step 1: Load MP4 files into the program.

After transferring the MP4 footage from the camera/camcorder to your Mac local drive, launch the program on your Mac computer, from "File" drop-down option, select "add Video/Audio" to add MP4 files to the program.

Step 2: Select output file format.

Click "Format"bar, from its drop-down list, select "Final Cut Pro"> "Apple Prores 422(*.mov)"as your desired output file formats for working with high performance computer, for slow computer, just choose "Apple Prores Proxy)(*.mov)"or "Apple Prores (LT)(*.mov)"format.

Step 3: Edit MP4 video. (optional)

Check an item to active the "Video Editor" function, then click the pencil like icon on the top tool bar to open the "Video Editor" window, you can flip or roate video, trim video length, crop video black bars, add watermark, apply sepcial rendering effect, remove/replace audio in video, etc.