If you're working with an older Mac or handling big, high-resolution files, setting up Final Cut Pro (FCP) properly can make a big difference—especially when you're starting to explore color correction using Color Finale 2.

Whether you're new to color grading or refining your post-production workflow, the following steps can help streamline your process. It might even serve as a handy refresher if you’ve been editing for a while.

Creating a New Library and Project

Start by selecting or creating a new Library in Final Cut Pro. Pick a name and click Save. In the Library Properties, choose between Wide Gamut HDR and Standard color space. In most cases, Standard is the right choice—unless you're certain you're working with High Dynamic Range media.

An event is automatically generated within the library. You can rename it by pressing Enter or create a new one from the right-click menu. For now, keep the default. Next, right-click and select New Project or press Command + N.

In the setup panel, you can manually adjust format, resolution, framerate, and other project settings—or let FCP set them based on the first clip you add. For instance, if your first clip is 1080p at 30fps, the project will adopt those settings. It’s usually best to match the project settings to your intended export format to avoid unnecessary complications later.

Importing Footage and Using Optimised/Proxy Media

You can now import footage and begin editing. Right-click on an event or press Command + I to open the Import menu. After selecting a video file, take a moment to check the options on the right—especially under Transcode Options.

Here’s what you’ll find:

• Optimised Media: Converts footage to an editing-friendly format like ProRes. These files are easier for your system to handle, though they take up more space.

• Proxy Media: These are both transcoded and downscaled versions of your footage. Especially useful on older systems or when working with 4K, 6K, or 8K footage. Proxy files can be reduced to 50%, 25%, or even 12.5% of the original size—while still allowing full-quality export later.

If you're planning on doing color grading, a 50% or 25% proxy resolution is usually the minimum recommended.

Use the progress button in the top-left corner of the FCP window to monitor tasks like transcoding and rendering. Once your media is in the timeline, you can adjust how FCP displays it using the Viewer menu.

Under Media Playback, select between Optimised/Original and Proxy. You’ll also find quality settings—Better Quality or Better Performance—that apply to original and optimised media.

Choose Proxy Only if you want FCP to show only proxy files (and flag missing ones), or Proxy Preferred to let FCP fall back on full-quality files if proxies aren't available.

To create optimised or proxy media for all imported files automatically, head to Preferences > Import, and select your desired transcoding options there.

Keep in mind that optimised and proxy media will use up more disk space. Storage strategies will be covered separately, but there are also settings you can tweak to help performance in the meantime.

Playback and Rendering Settings

One of these helpful settings is background rendering, found in Preferences > Playback.

By default, FCP starts rendering a preview of effects and transitions after a second or two of inactivity. While useful, this can sometimes waste processing power—especially if you're about to swap out effects. Consider disabling background rendering and rendering manually when needed using Control + Shift + R.

This approach gives you more control over when your system’s resources are used, especially on older machines.

Summary

Setting up Final Cut Pro correctly is essential for a smooth editing experience, especially on older Macs or when working with high-resolution footage. By creating optimised or proxy media, adjusting playback and rendering settings, and using Color Finale 2 for grading, you can dramatically improve both performance and image quality. With the right workflow in place, even complex projects become much easier to manage.

If you’re looking to deepen your skills, the Color Finale Starter Pack is a great next step toward mastering color correction and post-production in Final Cut Pro.