FCP Cut Finder User Manual

Main UI

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This is the main window for the FCPX Cut Finder application, which is used to load, analyze, and export video cut data. The interface is organized into three primary functional areas.

1. Main View / Drop Zone

This is the large, central area of the application window.

In its initial state, as shown, it serves as a drag-and-drop target to begin a new project. The prompt "Drag Here Video Files" indicates its function. Once a video is loaded, this area will likely display the video player and preview.

Drag and Drop Area: Accepts video files dragged from the file system to load them for analysis.

2. Status Bar

This horizontal bar provides a high-level summary of the video file and the analysis results.

Frames: Displays the total number of frames in the currently loaded video.
Thresholds: A button to open settings for adjusting the sensitivity and parameters used for cut detection.
Cuts: Displays the number of cuts detected based on the current threshold settings.

3. Control Bar

This bar at the bottom of the window contains the main controls for playback, defining the analysis range, and exporting the results.

Settings: (Gear icon) Opens the application's preferences or project settings window.
In: Sets the "In point" (start time) for the analysis range. The timecode to its right shows the selected start time.
Out: Sets the "Out point" (end time) for the analysis range. The timecode to its right shows the selected end time.
Playback Controls: A standard set of transport controls for video navigation:
Go to Start: Jumps the playhead to the beginning.
Previous Frame: Steps back one frame.
Play/Pause: Toggles video playback.
Next Frame: Advances one frame.
Go to End: Jumps the playhead to the end.
Timecode: Displays the current position of the playhead.
Export FCPXML: Exports the detected cut data as an .fcpxml file, which can be imported into Final Cut Pro X as markers or a cut timeline.
Export Segments: Exports the video as a collection of individual clips, with each clip representing a segment between two detected cuts.

Main UI After Analysis

- **Video Canvas**: Primary display area for the loaded video. Supports playback

Video Canvas: Primary display area for the loaded video. Supports playback, frame-by-frame scrubbing, and interactive navigation.

Timeline Visualizer: Interactive filmstrip representation of the video timeline. Allows mouse-based scrubbing to preview frames and visually indicates the current playhead position and configured In/Out range.

Difference Inspector: Graphical histogram displaying frame-to-frame visual change intensity. Vertical bars represent calculated differences. Red and green horizontal threshold lines dynamically filter detected cuts. Hovering or clicking scrubs the timeline.

Transport and Export Controls: Control suite for video navigation and output generation.
Playback Controls: Start/stop, jump to start or end, and step between detected cut points.
Range Controls: Define an In and Out point to restrict analysis and export operations.
Export Actions: Generate an FCPXML file for Final Cut Pro or export physical video segments as individual files.
Timecode Readout: Displays the current playhead position in HH:MM:SS:FF format.
Settings: Opens the preferences window to configure analysis and export parameters.

Interactive Timeline Scrubber

This area functions as the Timeline Visualizer. It provides a chronological, graphical representation of the video content to facilitate navigation and precise scrubbing.

Video Filmstrip: Displays a horizontal sequence of video thumbnails, offering a visual summary of the footage over time.
Audio Waveform: Rendered below the filmstrip, it displays an amplitude graph of the audio track, which helps in identifying rhythmic edits or audio cues.
Playhead Indicator: A vertical red line marks the current playback position. You can click and drag this line or click anywhere on the strip to scrub the video to that exact frame.
Interactive Scrubbing: Moving the mouse cursor across this area will update the video preview, allowing for quick visual inspection of specific moments without altering the main playhead position.

Difference Inspector Panel

This area functions as the Difference Inspector and Analysis Control Panel. It provides a graphical representation of the video analysis results and controls for refining the detection of cuts.

Difference Histogram: This central graph visualizes the calculated frame-to-frame visual change intensity. Each vertical bar represents a specific frame, with the height indicating the magnitude of change; taller bars signify more significant visual transitions.
Analysis Threshold Lines: The horizontal lines overlaid on the histogram define the filtering criteria for identifying valid cuts. Any difference spike that crosses these thresholds is considered a potential cut point for further evaluation.
Frame Rate and Resolution Readout: The displayed specifications indicate the source video's dimensions (3840x1640) and frame rate (60.000 FPS), which are used to calculate accurate timecodes for the resulting cuts.
Analysis Statistics: This readout summarizes the current state of the analysis, showing the total number of frames analyzed and the total count of detected cuts based on the active filtering logic.
Thresholds Adjustment: Opening this configuration interface allows you to fine-tune the specific values for the horizontal threshold lines, enabling precise control over the sensitivity of the cut detection algorithm.
Cut List Viewer: Launching this action opens a detailed, navigable list of all detected cuts. From this list, you can review the specific frames associated with each transition and manually override the automatic detection decisions.

In/Out Selection Controls

This area functions as the Range Selection and Timecode Display segment. It provides controls to define a specific subset of the video timeline for focused analysis or export.

Mark In Point: Initiates the start boundary for the active work range. Activating this captures the current playhead position and defines the beginning of the selection.
In Timecode Readout: Displays the exact timestamp where the In point is currently set, formatted according to the video's frame rate.
Mark Out Point: Initiates the end boundary for the active work range. Activating this captures the current playhead position and defines the conclusion of the selection.
Out Timecode Readout: Displays the exact timestamp where the Out point is currently set, formatted according to the video's frame rate.

Export Actions Panel

This area provides the primary workflow actions for generating output based on the detected cut points.

Export FCPXML: Generates an FCPXML file that can be imported into Final Cut Pro.
This action creates a metadata representation of the detected cuts.
Based on the user's export preferences, this file can either place frame-accurate markers on the source clip or reconstruct a fully sliced timeline project within Final Cut Pro.

Export Segments: Physically splits the original video file into individual clips.
This action performs frame-accurate trimming at each detected cut point.
The resulting independent video files are saved in the user's chosen format (e.g., Apple ProRes 422 or H.264) and directory location, as defined in the settings.

Thresholds

This window provides the controls to fine-tune the post-analysis filtering logic, determining which detected frame differences are classified as cuts.

Filter Below: Adjusts a hard lower bound for the frame-difference metric. Any visual change with a score below this percentage is discarded as background noise or insignificant movement, preventing false-positive cuts.
Keep Above: Adjusts a hard upper bound for the frame-difference metric. Any visual change with a score above this percentage is automatically and unconditionally marked as a cut, regardless of other filtering criteria.
Local Radius: Defines the size of the frame window (in frames) used for peak suppression. The algorithm ensures only the absolute highest peak of change within this radius is kept, preventing multiple cut marks from being generated for a single, sharp visual event (like a flash or rapid transition).

Settings

Pre Analysis

Pre Analysis: Displays settings that control how the application prepares a video file for scene-cut analysis.
Post Analysis: Provides access to settings applied after the initial scan is complete.
Export: Configures how analysis results are saved or output as files.

Pre Analysis Settings

Downscale high-resolution video streams during analysis: When activated, reduces the pixel dimensions of the source video during the processing phase. This lowers computational load and speeds up the analysis, particularly beneficial for large or high-resolution files.
Do not prompt to convert video to ProRes 422: When activated, suppresses the automatic dialog that asks the user to transcode a video file into the Apple ProRes 422 format. This is relevant for video formats with high inter-frame compression (like H.264) that may hinder frame-accurate navigation.

Post Analysis

Pre Analysis: Displays settings that control how the application prepares a video file for scene-cut analysis.
Post Analysis: Provides access to settings applied after the initial scan is complete.
Export: Configures how analysis results are saved or output as files.

Post Analysis Settings

Enable Spikes Filter: When activated, applies a post-processing algorithm to the raw analysis results. This filter identifies and removes isolated frame changes that may represent false positives, such as camera flashes or rapid, insignificant motion, thereby increasing the accuracy of the final cut list.

Export

Pre Analysis: Displays settings that control how the application prepares a video file for scene-cut analysis.
Post Analysis: Provides access to settings applied after the initial scan is complete.
Export: Configures how analysis results are saved or output as files.

FCPXML Export Settings

Contents: Determines the structural format of the exported FCPXML file. Selecting Markers creates annotation markers on the source clip, while Timeline generates a spliced sequence of clips on a timeline.
Open immediately in Final Cut Pro X: When activated, automatically opens the generated FCPXML file in the Final Cut Pro application upon successful export.
Export to FCP 10.6.x+: When activated, generates the FCPXML file using the version 1.9 specification, which is compatible with Final Cut Pro 10.6 and newer versions.
Don't ask at export: When activated, suppresses the confirmation dialog that typically prompts the user to select the Final Cut Pro version preference before the export begins. This control is only functional when the Export to FCP 10.6.x+ option is active.

Video Segment Export Settings

Video Quality: Adjusts the encoding quality and container format for exported video clips. The scale ranges from compressed H.264 formats (Low, Medium, High) to a professional ProRes 422 format.
Min. Duration: Specifies a minimum duration, in seconds, for exported segments. Any detected clip shorter than this value is discarded from the export process.
Include Audio tracks: When activated, preserves the audio stream within the exported video segment files.
Save Location: Determines the directory structure for output files. Selecting Same Folder saves the segments directly alongside the source video, while Subfolder creates a dedicated directory for the exported files.

Cut List

Cut List Interface

The interface displays a list of detected video cuts, organized into the following functional areas:

1. Sort Controls

Reorders the cut list by Time (chronological order) or Delta (highest change intensity first).
Sorting by Delta allows you to review the most confident or significant cut candidates at the top of the list.

2. Cut Metadata and Action Row

Timecode: Displays the exact position of the cut frame in HH:MM:SS:FF format, as well as the absolute time in seconds.
Delta Badge: Shows the calculated change percentage for this frame. Selecting this sets the global "Filter Below" threshold to match this cut's value.
Test: Opens a frame-by-frame preview window to review the transition (five frames before and after the cut).
Behaviour Selector: Allows manual override of the automatic detection for this specific cut:
Auto: Follows global threshold rules.
Cut: Forces the frame to be considered a cut point.
Ignore: Forces the frame to be ignored, regardless of its delta value.

3. Visual Thumbnails

Before: Displays the video frame immediately preceding the detected cut point.
After: Displays the video frame immediately following the cut point.
These thumbnails provide a visual reference to verify the transition.
The entire row is dimmed if the cut is set to Ignore, and bordered in orange if set to Cut.

Cut List Sort Segmented Control

Sort Controls

The interface allows you to reorder the list of detected cuts. The following options are available:

Sort Label: Identifies the function of the control group.
Time Selection: Orders the list chronologically, based on the video timecode of each detected cut.
Delta Selection: Orders the list by the intensity of the visual change at the cut point, from highest to lowest.
Selecting this option allows you to quickly review the most significant or dramatic transitions first, rather than inspecting them in sequential order.

Cut Item Metadata & Controls Panel

Cut Metadata and Action Controls

This segment provides precise timing, a quantitative metric, and manual overrides for a specific detected cut.

Timecode Readout (00:00:07:14): Displays the exact frame position of the cut in standard HH:MM:SS:FF (Hours:Minutes:Seconds:Frames) format.
Absolute Time (7.5833): Shows the precise position of the cut in seconds, measured from the start of the video file.
Delta Percentage Badge (48.4%): Quantifies the intensity of the visual change at this transition. Selecting this badge applies this value to the global lower-bound threshold, effectively filtering out all cuts with a lower change intensity.
Test Action: Opens a dedicated preview window that loops through the frames immediately surrounding this cut, allowing you to manually verify the transition.
Behaviour Selector: Allows you to manually override the automatic detection logic for this specific frame.
Auto: The cut's status is determined by the global threshold rules.
Cut: Forces this frame to be treated as a valid cut point, overriding the automatic filters.
Ignore: Forces this frame to be ignored, preventing it from being treated as a cut regardless of its delta score.

Cut Transition Thumbnail Preview

Visual Transition Thumbnails

This segment provides a side-by-side visual verification of the transition occurring at the detected cut point.

Before Thumbnail: Displays the video frame immediately preceding the cut. This frame represents the final moment of the first shot.
After Thumbnail: Displays the video frame immediately following the cut. This frame represents the first moment of the new shot.
Visual Comparison Function: The side-by-side layout allows you to instantly assess the nature of the edit, such as whether it is a clean cut between distinct scenes (as seen here) or a more subtle transition. This provides a quick, intuitive way to verify the accuracy of the automated detection.