Brent Pierce
In this quick tip, I show you how to use audio in Final Cut Pro 7. The file type needs to be exactly AIFF, 48 Khz, and 16 bit to work natively in FCP. It only takes a few seconds to convert to this format.
If you are experiencing glitches or “pops” in your audio, this is your problem.
In this Final Cut Pro 7 quick tip, I show you how to copy and paste attributes to other clips. I also touch base on the “scale to sequence” command.
Now, I’m not going to get too deep into what rendering is, but rendering is basically FCP’s way of making preview files for you to view. Sometimes, you can’t view heavy effects or mismatched codecs in your sequence in real-time, so FCP creates render files that allow you to view the clip in real-time.
But, FCP does NOT need these render files to export. Yes, if you create render files, it will use them to speed up the export process, but if you do not create them, FCP will do so in the background while it is exporting.
I usually render everything for a final 100% real-time viewing, but there are rare occasions where I have no need for render files. Such as a 30 minute speech that I am not cutting, just simply placing text and graphics over the entire thing. The text and graphics, once placed on top, will show me that a render is needed to view in real-time. But I know I don’t need to watch the entire speech, so no need to waste time and render. Simply export (CMD+E) and everyone’s happy.
Click this. Select "Unlimited RT."
If this option is available, it will show here.
It’s a setting found in the timeline, that forces FCP to play as many frames as possible when your effects exceed the processing power of your computer. Final Cut Pro does this by spending time to process some frames in real time while skipping others completely. It’s not available for all effects and codecs, but if it is available, I always enable it. As opposed to Safe RT, Unlimited RT will change your red render bars to orange, meaning that it will drop frames and quality during these segments to achieve real-time playback.
Red render bars: this is with Safe RT
Orange render bars: this is with Unlimited RT
It’s a pretty cool feature. Depending on your system, you may get a pretty decent 12-15 fps playback. That’s enough to quickly check your effects without rendering. On an old MacBook Pro, playing full 1080p ProRes 422 files, I can only playback about 2-3 fps. So it’s not very usable in that case.
Please note: this article is directed towards Final Cut Pro 7 editors, but the basic principle goes for any application.
If you follow me on Twitter, you’ll notice that I talk alot about using shortcuts. I love using hotkeys to speed up my workflow. I strongly encourage you to take just a few minutes and assign a few custom hotkeys to your most commonly used actions. I edit on both a Mac Pro and a Macbook Pro, both of which, have pretty compact keyboards. To access any of the alternative function keys on the top row (like insert and overwrite), you have to hold the fn key down. Using those becomes a huge hassel when you want to be fast at editing.
Using the function key on a full Mac keyboard
Using the function key on a compact Mac keyboard
Since I personally use the top row function keys all the time (lock audio/video tracks, choose audio/video destination, insert/overwrite, etc.), I’ve switched from the default standard function commands, to those of the alternate commands. So I no longer have to hold the fn key to access the insert and overwrite actions. To do this, simply go into your System Preferences>Keyboard Settings>and uncheck “Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys.” This will take some getting used to because to access the usual things like volume, brightness, and expose, you’ll have to hold the fn key. But this WILL save time for the hardcore editor.
I have this box unchecked
To view all of your shortcuts, go to tools>keyboard layout> customize, or simply press option H (yes, there is even a shortcut for the shortcuts window.) You need to know the normal and most-common hotkeys. These can get you by with most simple projects:
Transport keys – JKLTo be a professional and fast editor, you need to not only know the common shortcuts, but the uncommon ones as well, and even create custom ones to fit your editing best. Here are a few uncommon shortcuts that I have found I use most. Some are more advanced than others:
Video/audio destinations
Set video/audio destination - F6 (video), F7 (audio 1), F8 (audio 2)
Those are the advanced shortcuts that I find myself using on every project. Again, not every editor edits the same, so these may not be as popular with your exact editing technique.
Customize keyboard layout window
Once you’ve been editing for a while, you’ll notice actions that you use over and over. You need to apply these actions to hotkeys in order to save time. Here are a few custom hotkeys that I have found myself using the most. I assigned these because I found myself constantly going to the menu to find them. If you never use these, don’t worry about them. Custom shortcuts should be customized to YOUR editing style, not mine:
Get familiar with your shortcuts. Glance at the keyboard shortcuts window (option H) from time to time, just to see what you can use. Force yourself to use them. It may take a few days or weeks to learn them, but once you do, you’ll be glad you did. It’ll make you a better editor. You’ll spend less time clicking through menues, and more time creating. The above shortcuts may only be for Final Cut Pro 7, but you need to get familiar with your NLE and figure out what custom shortcuts you need to make.
Load a custom keyboard layout
If you’d like to download my custom keyboard layout for FCP7, you can click here to download it. But, again, you should definitely take some time to figure out what YOU use most and apply those actions to YOUR customized keyboard.
Well with the horrible release of Final Cut Pro X, commonly known as iMovie Pro, and the complete face-plant of Final Cut Studio, most thought that Final Cut Pro 7 would be no longer available at all. Today, I noticed a post on macrumors.com that users would be able to purchase Final Cut Studio by an 800-number. So go ahead and call 800-MY-APPLE and get Final Cut Studio before Apple really for real kills it. It’ll cost you $1,000 or $900 with an education discount.
Thanks MacRumors!
It can be a hassle sometimes to search for a particular filter or transition in Final Cut Pro 7. Luckily, if you have favorites, you can put them aside and make them easier to find and use. This video tip shows everything you need to know about using favorites.
In the video, I use hotkeys to quickly add an effect. Below is a chart to help explain which hotkey corresponds to which effect. Click the image to enlarge.
Also, keep in mind, sometimes there is an issue where the order of the filters for the hotkeys gets mixed up. This also happens when adding multiple effects under a folder as one preset. If this happens, you may have to remove a few of the problematic effects from your favorites.
In Final Cut Pro 7, the ripple and roll tools are great to quickly adjust edits with a simple drag of the mouse. But, what if you only need 2 or 3 frame rippled out? It’s pretty annoying to have to zoom in, and use the mouse to roll 2 frames to the right, then adjust again if it’s off. Well, there’s an easier way to do this.
Bracket Editing
Select the edit that you want to adjust either by simply clicking on it, or by pressing V on the keyboard to select the nearest edit.
Decide if you want to roll or ripple. Press U on the keyboard to toggle through roll, head ripple, or tail ripple. You can jump to the next edit with the up or down keys on the keyboard.
Press the bracket keys on the keyboard to shift 1 frame at a time. Left bracket adjusts to the left, and right bracket adjusts to the right. Add shift and it will shift 5 frames at a time.
Another hint: after you make your edit, press backslash on the keyboard right next to the bracket keys, and it will play a preview around your current time indicator. If you loop the playback (control L), it will continually play that preview. While it’s playing, if your edit is still not quite right, you can use the brackets to adjust on the fly while the preview is still playing.
The Magic Bullet lineup of plugins from Red Giant Software is awesome, but apparently with the new Apple OSX Lion, there are a few issues with Looks and Colorista II within Final Cut Pro. But luckily, until they get this resolved, there is a workaround to make it work. Short answer, simply move you CTI (current time indicator).
Here’s the text from RGS’ website.
Larry Jordan: Especially with all the hooplah recently about Apple’s new FAIL, Final Cut Pro X, Larry Jordan has been on many stages talking about everything filmmaking. Larry has many years of experience being a producer, director, editor, author, and trainer.
Norman Hollyn: Norman can be described easiest as a “media expert.” He is a long-time film, television and music editor (HEATHERS, THE COTTON CLUB, and Oliver Stone’s WILD PALMS) who is an Associate Professor and Head of the Editing Track in the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts.
2ReelGuys is a podcast by these 2 filmmakers that covers everything from simply framing and lighting a shot, to working comfortably with other crew members, to wardrobe on set, and they even talk about filming dancers on set. This is definitely a video podcast that you want to have in your subscription list. You can view all the curent episodes below, or on their YouTube page. But you’ll have to subscribe in iTunes or another podcasting service to receive any future episodes. You can check out there website here.
Subscribe via iTunes.
Well, it’s here. Final Cut Pro X, codename: FCPX, has hit the Mac App Store this morning. But it did not appear alone. Motion 5 and Compressor 4 showed up as well. They’ll be $49.99 each, while FCPX will cost you $299. There’s still no talk about a bundled studio version, which is all we’ve seen in the past, but I’m not complaining, as I don’t use Motion that often. The apps will download across all you macs with the same Apple account, so you don’t have to buy it multiple times.
I’m sure you’ve heard all the hype. You either love it, or hate it. Either way, I’m going to give a bit of a warning. DO NOT UNINSTALL YOU CURRENT FINAL CUT PRO. FCPX is completely rewritten, and may not suit your fancy. You could go this route, where David Roth Weiss talks about partitioning your boot drive to run your current setup, Snow Leopard with FCPX, and then an empty one that will be for Lion whenever that comes out.
It’s up to you, but head on over to the App store on your Mac and start downloading!
Click the icon to go to the FCPX App Store page.
Articles:
Read this to see what FCPX has, and doesn’t have, by Philip Hodgetts.
Here’s a couple articles to get you started with the details. Part I. Part II.
