You can also use an XML export to transfer a Final Cut Project to Adobe Premiere Pro, and from there to a program like After Effects or Photoshop. This cuts down on exporting intermediate files between FCP and other programs.

Whatever the reason, it’s a fairly simple process.

Open the project in Final Cut Pro, and click File>Export>XML

From there, you’ll need to select an XML interchange format. I found that XML 4 works best when you’re transferring back to Final Cut Express. I haven’t tried it with Premiere, so experiment and see what works best.

I generally uncheck “include master clips outside selection,” because this gives you all the clips used in the timeline, but doesn’t include any clips in the browser but not in the timeline. I prefer to import all of my clips at once, rather than try to figure out which ones I’m missing.

I save the XML file in the same location as my .fcp files, and give it a clear name like JAMIEDEPOULD_EXAMPLEPROJECT-XML.

Once that’s done, you can quit Final Cut Pro, and launch Express (or Premiere). From there, simply click File>Import XML from iMovie. Navigate to the XML file you just created, select it, and Final Cut Express will prompt you to save the new project. I generally like to call it YOURNAME_PROJECTNAME-FCE.

When it’s finished, you have your timeline, complete with edits, right there in front of you. Import your assets, and you’re ready to get back to editing. If you’re working on a machine with both Final Cuts Pro and Express, it’s best to control+click on your .fcp, and choose “Open With,” or drag the file onto the correct dock icon. That way, you won’t unwittingly convert a Final Cut Express file to Pro.