Editing Basics

Final Cut Pro Basics

Navigating

*Before you start working on your project make sure to set your scratch disk to the location where you will be saving your files. If you don't do this, your media will go offline and you will have to reconnect it manually.

Scratch Disks - Create a folder in your HD for your project.

The standard arrangement of FCP Windows includes the Browser, Canvas, Viewer, Timeline, Audio Levels, ToolBar

Organizing Assets - The Browser window will contain your Clips, Bins, sequences

Logging and Capturing

In order to edit your footage first you need to digitize it. You can do this by connecting a deck or using a camera as a deck and connecting it to the computer with a Firewire cable. Turn the camera on and put it in VCR mode or playback mode. Open FCP, set your scratch disk, go to Edit>Log and Capture. A Log and Capture window will open. You can now navigate using the buttons on the window. Log the clip and hit capture now. Press Escape to stop. The clip will appear in your browser after you log and capture. You can now drag it into the timeline or Viewer to edit.

Editing in the Viewer

If you are editing in the viewer you can drag the clip to the Canvas by double clicking on the clip

You can also dragging to the timeline by hitting F9 or F10.

F9 is an insert edit

F10 is an overwrite edit

Editing in the Timeline

Selection Tool (S) - Dragging clips to timeline (insert vs. overwrite: below or above center line)

Blade Tool (B) - Use this to cut the clips in the timeline

Trim tool - You can drag and move each end to trim edit

Moving clips around - You can move clips around by selecting, copying and then pasting.

Shortcuts:

Lifting (delete),

Extracting (shift+delete)

You can Snap clips in the timeline so that when you delete the clip it will delete both the sound and the audio together. They can also be Disconnected if you want to delete only audio or only video.

Keyboard Keys shortcuts

J (Rewind)

K (Stop)

L (Fast forward)

Command-Z (Undo edit),

Control G (duration, speed, etc)

Creating Titles/Text

You can do this in the Viewer and select Action Safe/Title Safe area to make sure that your titles are in the range. Create titles that the audience can read easily on a TV monitor and the duration is long enough so the audience can read the titles.

Advanced Editing

Keyframe editing - You can adjust the Audio audio and Opacity (applied to fades) by taking the pen tool, creating markers and then adjusting the lines up or down with the arrow accordingly.

Motion - The Speed of a Clip can be adjusted by going to Modify>Speed, Modify>Reverse, View>Loop Playback.

There are video transitions and effects such as dissolves, but use them carefully and strategically when it is motivated by your story.

Rosario