Here’s a note for future self:
If you have AVCHD files to export:
- Create a new library in Final Cut Pro. If it’s for something specific, save it in the appropriate folder. Otherwise just create a random library to export files to. You’re just using the export feature, not creating a timeline or anything.
- With the new library created, click on the Date that it created within the library. Within here you can drag media to import.
- Click File->Share->HEVC
- Go to info tab
- Format: Computer Video Codec: HEVC 10-bit Resolution: Whatever the original was (which was 1920×1080 when I was working on it). Action: Save Only otherwise it will open every file.
A note about the Video Codecs…I originally chose HEVC 10-Bit (Dolby Vision). This made the videos turn dark but they were HDR. I’m not an expert on HDR so I’m not sure if I can take a video from 2013 which wasn’t captured in HDR and then…make it HDR? Not sure. I decided to just stick with 10-bit HEVC without the HDR so the videos would be brighter. Not sure if that was a mistake if I want to make use of my awesome HDR television but at the moment, it’s not like I have any other HDR devices.