Re: FCP-QT to Flash-best practices

You need either a Quicktime mov with a codec that is available on the PC... OR an AVI in a codec that is available on the PC.

For a lower common denominator approach, I'd probably export the timeline as QT Movie, Current Setting, Self-Contained. Take that to Compressor and create a preset using PhotoJPEG compression with the quality set to 75%. This will give you a Quicktime Mov with an 8-bit, 4:2:2 color space in a codec that comes standard with all flavors of Quicktime--Mac or PC.

You can also make an AVI with the PhotoJPEG 75% codec. Do this in MPEG Streamclip. You can search for this topic on the Cow Compression Techniques forum, I think. I've used it with good success to supply a file for use in Windows Media Encoder--the ancient encoding app from Microsoft.

If the client is not taking the file into an edit but only compressing to Flash, I'd make sure the file you send them is full square pixel dimensions. Don't send 960x720 or 1280x1080 files with non-square pixels. It will only confuse them. My 2 cents on that.

If your file needs to be put on a PC hard drive, formatted FAT32, I hope it's going to be smaller than 4GB. Otherwise...complications. If it's too big, I'd recommend putting it on a mac formatted drive and have them buy a program to read Mac drives on the PC (it's called MacDrive).

You can also go to ProRes 422 and tell the PC folks where to obtain the codec from Apple. It's verging on overkill in terms of quality and the complication factor might be higher.

Final Cut Pro 6.0.5, Mac OS-X 10.5.6, Quicktime 7.6, Adobe Prod Prem CS4, G5 Quad 2.5, Kona-LHe V6, 8.5GB RAM, Nvidia GeForce 7800-GT 256MB, G-RAID 2x1TB FW800, 6TB RAID-5 (Enhance E8-ML, Highpoint 2322), Panasonic HVX-200P P2. Also MBP 17" Core 2 Duo 2.5, 4GB, GeForce 8600M GT 512MB.