Analyze a clip for color in Final Cut Pro

To automatically balance a clip’s color, Final Cut Pro uses a single frame from the clip as a reference and calculates a correction for it that is then applied to the entire clip. Analyzing a clip for color balance allows Final Cut Pro to choose a representative frame as the clip’s color balance reference frame. (You can also choose a reference frame manually by positioning the playhead or the skimmer within the clip and then balancing the clip’s color.)

You can have a clip’s color balance analyzed when you import it, whether importing from a camera, importing a file, or dragging a clip directly to the timeline from a Finder window. You can also analyze a clip’s color balance at any time in the browser.

Analyzing a clip for color balance can take from a few seconds for shorter clips to a minute or more for longer clips. The analysis process takes longer if you also analyze for people and stabilization issues.

For information about turning the color balance correction on and off, in either the browser or the timeline, see Balance a clip’s colors in Final Cut Pro.

Analyze color balance during file import

In Final Cut Pro, choose File > Import > Media (or press Command-I).
In the Media Import window, select the files to import, then select “Analyze video for balance color” in the Analyze and Fix section on the right.
Click the Import button.

The files are imported and analyzed for color balance issues.

Analyze color balance for clips dragged to the timeline from the Finder

Choose Final Cut Pro > Preferences, or press Command-Comma (,).
In the Final Cut Pro Preferences window, click the Import button and select “Analyze video for balance color” in the Analyze and Fix section.

All clips that you drag directly to the timeline from the Finder are now analyzed.

Note: When you change this setting in the Preferences window, the setting is also changed in all other windows that have an “Analyze video for balance color” option.

Analyze color balance for clips in the browser

When you analyze the color balance of clips in the browser, any clips that were analyzed during import are skipped.

Select one or more clips in the Final Cut Pro browser.
Do one of the following:
- Choose Modify > Analyze and Fix.
- Control-click one of the selected clips and choose Analyze and Fix.
In the window that appears, select “Analyze for balance color” in the Video section, then click OK.

Helpful?

Final Cut Pro User Guide

Analyze a clip for color in Final Cut Pro

Analyze color balance during file import

Analyze color balance for clips dragged to the timeline from the Finder

Analyze color balance for clips in the browser