Exporting from FCP

1. Once you are finished, save everything, then make sure that your final sequence is open in the Timeline.

2. Go to File>Export>Using QuickTime Conversion. In the dialogue box:
Save As: give your movie a title like "time_final_highquality.mov" so it is distinguishable from your other video exports.
Where: Save it to your FireWire hard drive.
Format: QuickTime Movie
Then click on Options, and a new dialogue box appears.

3. Under Video choose Settings
Compression Type: Apple ProRes 422 (*not* the ones with parenthesis).
Click OK, this takes you back to the earlier dialogue box.

4. Under Video choose Size. Change to match your project settings.

5. Click OK again, then Save. Your file will begin exporting. This takes time, be patient! Do not click on the file, even if it appears in the Finder, until FCP is finished.

6. Check your exported video -- open it in QuickTime, it should look fabulous. If not, check your settings and try again. You can also try using H264 for compression instead of Apple ProRes 422.

7. Burn this file to DVD. It will be big, 1-2 gigabytes. This is your backup, you can use this file to make mastered DVDs, and to import into other versions of FCP/FCP Express.