Final+Cut+Pro+7

Welcome to Editing with Final Cut Pro
Other Classes: - Introduction to Video Editing - Advanced Final Cut Pro 7

To successfully participate, I recommend that you have:
 * Knowledge of Mac OS X and basic computer navigation
 * A desire to learn
 * Basic knowledge of editing terminology

Major Topics covered:
 * Scratch Disks, Render files, importing media
 * Final Cut Pro Interface and layout
 * Trimming edit points (getting technical with using the audio to find in and out points)
 * Marking clips, using insert, overwrite and drag-and-drop editing
 * Obtaining Media: Capturing, Transferring and Importing
 * Video transitions and filters
 * Audio transitions and filters
 * Audio editing and audio creation
 * Finishing and final output

Day 1

 * Scratch Disks, Render files, importing media**

Open the Final Cut Pro menu > System Settings > Scratch Disk tab. Choose a folder to be your //Master Project Folder.// I use a different folder for each project to keep things separated. Choose this folder for your Scratch Disk. FCP will create several other folders in there. You should not rename or move these folders. You can however move the Master Project Folder to another drive and your project will remain in tact (assuming you have all of your media in this folder). You will most likely need to reconnect media.
 * Render Files are stored wherever you set their destination through your System Settings and they should always be stored on a separate drive from your operating system.
 * Every time you render a clip in Final Cut Pro, a file is written to your destination hard drive. These files are short little QuickTime movies of your rendered material.
 * Sometimes space is tight and you need to purge some old render files prior to finishing a project. It's therefore helpful to know where your render files live and how to manage them. In this QuickTip we'll focus on managing render files using the Mac Finder.

A window must be activated to enable it's options. Browser Viewer Canvas Timeline Tools Audio meter
 * Final Cut Pro Interface and layout**
 * notice the icons - clips, audio, sequences
 * duration and meta information of clips
 * view in list or thumbnail
 * open bins with triangle, not double click
 * Mixing Bowl/Cutting board
 * Double click clips to open them in the viewer
 * moving around - scrubber bar moves the playhead, also, hit the play button (space) or j, k, l or left right arrows
 * Set in and out points using i, o or buttons
 * When setting in and out it's important to leave as much extra video before and after as you can.
 * Dragging to the Canvas or Timeline or Insert button - Overlay on the Canvas, Shadows on the Timeline
 * Let's you see basic settings of the clip like opacity, crop and motion
 * Canvas and Timeline are 100% connected
 * Size, Wireframe
 * Video tracks
 * Audio tracks (2 for stereo)
 * Playhead (scrubber bar)
 * moving around - using the up, down, left right arrows
 * locking and muting
 * Arrow
 * Razor Blade
 * Zoom
 * Pen


 * Trimming edit points**
 * We set in and out points to choose the specific time of video that we want to use. It's very important to have pre / post roll (when editing, this is often called handles)
 * Using the in and out buttons or i and o keys.
 * Sometimes, we must get very specific, and it's easier to use the sound to mark the in and out rather than the video.
 * Work with sound in the viewer (mono tracks vs. stereo tracks)


 * Marking clips and sequences, using insert, overwrite and drag-and-drop editing**
 * Using the tools that have been introduced, assemble a rough cut with the footage that you have.

Day 2

 * Review the tools, and the various windows and workflows.**


 * Obtaining Media: Capturing, Transferring and Importing**
 * Most of us still use tape - Using the Log and Capture interface
 * Easy Setup NTSC (National Television System Committee)
 * Log and Transfer (from AVCHD cameras, sdhc cards, SxS cards, or other)
 * Import various file formats (PSD, PNG, PDF, MP3, SVG)


 * Video transitions**
 * Select an edit point (vertical line between clips)
 * Select from Effect menu or effect tab of the browser
 * Default Transition (Cross Dissolve) or Command-T. Default time is one second. That means that .5 seconds of handle is needed for the default transition
 * Can edit the grey symbol of transitions or right click and change duration or double click. Depends on length of handles.
 * Double click transition to see other options, like push direction or dip to color color.
 * Red horizontal bar means that you need to render to play it back in real time. This has nothing to do with exporting the sequence.
 * FCP creates separate movie files to play instead of the file in the sequence. Go to Sequence and select Render All
 * Option-P lets you play back the sequence as quick as it can without rendering


 * Video Filters**
 * Apply by using the Effects menu or the effects tab. Drag to the clip. Double click clip to see the settings in the viewer
 * Remember to double click. When in doubt, double click again.
 * It's easy for the program to get confused.
 * Color Correction
 * De-saturate
 * Other effects


 * Audio transitions and filters**
 * Ducking using the pen tool
 * Cross Dissolve
 * Noise Removal, Hiss removal
 * Creating stereo tracks

Day 3

 * Finishing and final output**
 * Final Cut? Check audio and color levels
 * Finalize releases and permissions
 * Set in and out on timeline if you want.
 * Export to highest quality quicktime file that makes sense for your sequence.
 * DV Tape (Master, best quality) unless it's an HD project..then, maybe hard disk is your best bet at the moment.
 * DVD (iDVD is on all computers)
 * Mpeg2 (for advanced DVD burning or cablecast)
 * Mpeg4 (youtube, vimeo, blip)
 * iTunes podcast


 * Any Questions?**