Final Cut Pro 7 : Visual QuickPro Guide

Newly updated for Final Cut Pro 7, this Visual QuickPro Guide is hands-down one of the most sought out books on Apple's non-linear editing system. An undisputed master of the digital video medium, Lisa Brenneis once again demystifies the complexities of the program with her straightforward approach that uses tasked-based, step-by-step instructions and loads of visuals and time-saving tips. Busy professionals and newcomers alike will appreciate that they can quickly find and learn tasks specific to their needs, benefiting from the award-winning Visual QuickPro style. Topics covered include essential editing tasks and media-management strategies, transitions, effects and filters, rendering options, and much more. It includes coverage of new features such as the new speed tools, iChat theater support, and additional export options via the new Share menu, for delivering content to multiple devices including iPhone, iPod, and MobileMe. This is a must-have reference for anyone wanting to learn to use Final Cut Pro, whether they are new to the program or are upgrading. Cover......Page 1 Table of Contents......Page 4 Introduction......Page 18 Chapter 1: Welcome to Final Cut Pro......Page 22 Your First Final Cut Pro Project: Start to Finish......Page 23 What Is Nonlinear, Nondestructive Editing?......Page 25 Final Cut Pro 7: Only Available in Final Cut Studio......Page 26 Touring Your Desktop Post-Production Facility......Page 27 Useful features......Page 28 Onscreen help......Page 29 The Browser......Page 30 The Viewer......Page 31 The Viewer’s Effects tabs......Page 33 The Canvas......Page 34 The Timeline......Page 35 The Tool Bench......Page 36 Log and Transfer......Page 37 Other media management tools......Page 38 Import and export options......Page 39 Chapter 2: Installing and Setting Up......Page 40 HDV: HD for the Masses......Page 41 What’s the Difference Between DV and Digital Video?......Page 42 Hardware Selection and Connection......Page 43 FCP Protocol: Disk Names......Page 45 Storage Strategy for Final Cut Pro......Page 47 About Apple FireWire......Page 48 FireWire Cables: Handle with Care......Page 49 Connecting an external NTSC or PAL video monitor......Page 50 FCP Protocol: Controlling External Video Output......Page 51 Where to install FCP?......Page 52 Setting Up for Multiple Projects and Users......Page 53 Optimizing Performance......Page 54 The Bottom Line: Running FCP on a “Base-Case” Mac......Page 55 Troubleshooting......Page 56 Chapter 3: Presets and Preferences......Page 58 Modifying the Settings of an Existing Item......Page 59 Finding Additional and Third-Party Presets......Page 60 How to choose an Easy Setup......Page 61 Easy Setups to Go......Page 62 Using Audio/Video Presets......Page 65 Specifying Sequence Settings......Page 69 Specifying video processing settings for a Sequence preset......Page 71 RGB or YCrCb: Choosing a Color Space......Page 72 Specifying QuickTime Settings for Video and Audio Capture......Page 73 Specifying Device Control Settings......Page 75 Configuring Audio/Video Output Settings......Page 78 Configuring different Audio/Video outputs for playback and recording......Page 80 How to “Trash Your Prefs”......Page 81 Specifying User Preferences and System Settings......Page 82 Setting Editing Preferences......Page 86 Setting Label Preferences......Page 88 Customizing the Timeline Display......Page 89 Specifying Render Control Settings......Page 91 Specifying Audio Output Settings......Page 93 FCP Protocol: Scratch Disks......Page 94 Specifying Search Folder Preferences......Page 97 Specifying Memory & Cache Settings......Page 98 Specifying Playback Control Settings......Page 99 Setting External Editors Preferences......Page 102 Specifying Effect-Handling Preferences......Page 103 Customizing Final Cut Pro......Page 104 Creating Custom Screen Layouts......Page 105 Creating Custom Keyboard Layouts......Page 108 Creating Custom Shortcut Buttons......Page 112 Chapter 4: Projects, Sequences, and Clips......Page 114 Project item types......Page 115 About Projects......Page 117 Using Save As to Protect Your Work......Page 119 Viewing and setting project properties......Page 121 Setting Autosave Vault location and preferences......Page 123 You Need Backup......Page 124 FCP Protocol: Undoing Changes in Multiple Projects......Page 125 Creating a new sequence......Page 126 Time Stamp for Sequences......Page 127 Changing the Settings of an Existing Sequence......Page 129 Nesting and Sequences: A Glossary......Page 130 FCP Protocol: Selecting Items for Nesting......Page 131 Making changes to a nested sequence......Page 133 Copying and pasting from sequence to sequence......Page 134 Assembling Nested Sequences with Transitions......Page 135 Editing a sequence into another sequence......Page 136 FCP 7 Update: Rippling Markers......Page 137 FCP Protocol: Updating Nested Sequences......Page 138 About Clips......Page 139 FCP Protocol: Sequence Clip Terminology......Page 141 FCP Protocol: Clips and Sequences......Page 143 Master Clip Identity Travels Across Multiple Projects......Page 144 FCP Alert: Modify With Care......Page 146 Viewing and Setting Item Properties......Page 147 About Timecode Viewing Options......Page 151 Changing Your Source Timecode......Page 153 Importing Audio-Only Files with Timecode......Page 155 Working with Merged Clips......Page 156 Syncing up clips before merging......Page 157 Chapter 5: Capturing Video......Page 160 Anatomy of the Log and Capture Window......Page 161 Log and Capture controls......Page 162 Logging tab......Page 163 Capture Settings tab......Page 165 Clip Settings tab......Page 166 Setting Up for Capture......Page 168 On Peachpit.com......Page 169 Capture Settings: Try These First......Page 170 Logging Clips......Page 171 FCP Protocol: What Are Offline Clips?......Page 172 The Art of File Naming......Page 173 Selecting a logging bin......Page 174 Speed Logging Tips......Page 175 Logging......Page 176 FCP Protocol: Auto-Incrementing on the Logging Tab......Page 177 Modifying logged clip data......Page 180 Capture Clip: Capturing Video with Device Control......Page 182 FCP Alert: Audio Format Changes......Page 184 Capturing audio......Page 188 Capturing HDV Video......Page 190 Batch Capturing Clips......Page 191 Batch Recapture of File-based Media......Page 192 Preparing for a batch capture......Page 193 “Additional Items Found”—What Are Your Options?......Page 194 Using DV Start/Stop Detection......Page 198 What Is Offline RT?......Page 199 Troubleshooting Tape Capture Problems......Page 201 About the Log and Transfer Window......Page 204 About Apple ProRes formats......Page 205 Setup Checklist For AVCHD File Transfer......Page 206 Chapter 6: Importing Digital Media......Page 210 FCP Protocol: File Location Is Critical......Page 212 Setting the default duration for stills......Page 213 Working with Adobe Photoshop Files......Page 214 FCP Protocol: Layered Photoshop Files......Page 217 FCP Protocol: Updating Multilayer Photoshop Files in FCP......Page 219 Importing Audio Files......Page 221 Convert Audio to 48 kHz on Import with iTunes......Page 222 Importing an iMovie Project......Page 224 iMovie to FCP: What’s Lost in Translation......Page 225 Chapter 7: Organizing Clips in the Browser......Page 226 Browser columns......Page 227 What Does “Not Set” Mean?......Page 229 FCP 7 Update: Smarter Tabs......Page 230 Sorting items......Page 231 Customizing the Browser Display......Page 232 Searching for Items in the Browser......Page 237 Search the Project or Search the Sequence?......Page 239 What’s That Little Doodad?......Page 240 Mouseless Browser Navigation......Page 242 Chapter 8: Working with Clips in the Viewer......Page 246 Anatomy of the Viewer......Page 247 Transport controls......Page 248 Pop-up selectors......Page 249 Playhead Sync pop-up menu......Page 250 Timecode navigation and display......Page 251 Working with Clips in the Viewer......Page 252 Playing clips......Page 256 JKL Keys: The Way to Move......Page 257 FCP 7 Update: Multi-Touch Gestures Support......Page 258 Other ways to move: jogging, scrubbing, and shuttling......Page 259 Navigating with Timecode......Page 260 FCP Protocol: Entering Timecode Numbers......Page 261 Working with In and Out Points......Page 262 Other Ways to Set In and Out Points......Page 263 Marking Shortcuts......Page 264 FCP Protocol: Subclips Are Master Clips, Too......Page 265 Using Markers......Page 267 On the Fly: Working With Markers During Playback......Page 270 Changing magnification and window size in the Viewer or Canvas......Page 271 Wireframes in the Viewer......Page 273 Viewing overlays......Page 275 Viewing Title Safe and Action Safe boundaries......Page 276 Viewing with different backgrounds......Page 277 Chapter 9: Basic Editing......Page 278 Basic Editing Overview......Page 279 Basic Editing Step-by-Step......Page 280 Many Ways to Make an Edit......Page 281 FCP Protocol: Three-Point Editing......Page 283 Specifying target tracks......Page 284 Moving the playhead......Page 285 FCP Protocol: Editing Multiple Tracks in Final Cut Pro......Page 286 Using FCP’s Many Edit Types......Page 287 About Transition Edits......Page 288 Overwrite edit......Page 289 Replace edit......Page 290 What’s a Backtime Edit?......Page 291 Fit to Fill edit......Page 292 Superimpose edit......Page 293 Deleting clips from a sequence......Page 294 Performing Edits in the Timeline......Page 296 Performing split edits......Page 298 Tips for Quicker Split Edits......Page 299 Shortcuts for Marking Sequence Edit Points......Page 301 Locating a Match Frame......Page 303 On Peachpit.com......Page 305 Chapter 10: Editing in the Timeline and the Canvas......Page 306 Anatomy of the Canvas......Page 307 Editing controls......Page 308 Using the Canvas Window......Page 309 Anatomy of the Tool Palette......Page 310 Keyframe tools......Page 311 Using the Tool Palette......Page 312 Onscreen controls and displays......Page 313 Color coding in the Timeline......Page 314 Customizing Timeline Display Options......Page 319 Custom track layouts......Page 322 Timeline scaling and scrolling......Page 323 Best Zoom Shortcuts......Page 324 Keyboard Shortcuts for Navigation......Page 326 Navigating with timecode in the Timeline......Page 328 About snapping in the Timeline......Page 329 Using markers in the Timeline and the Canvas......Page 330 FCP 7 Update: Smarter Markers......Page 331 Working with Timeline Tracks......Page 334 FCP Protocol: Lock vs. Target......Page 337 FCP Protocol: Target Tracks......Page 338 Dragging Is Different......Page 339 Making a Timeline track invisible......Page 340 Preserving Render Files of Invisible Tracks......Page 341 Items you cannot select in the Timeline:......Page 342 FCP Protocol: Cut, Copy and Paste, and Auto-Select......Page 345 FCP Protocol: Auto-Select Protocol Summary......Page 346 Merged Clips and Linking......Page 347 FCP Protocol: Linked Clips......Page 348 Moving Timeline clips......Page 349 FCP Protocol: Gaps and Track Gaps......Page 352 FCP Protocol: Deleting Items in the Timeline......Page 356 Copying and pasting clip attributes......Page 357 Adjusting levels or opacity of multiple clips......Page 359 Changing the playback speed of a clip......Page 361 About Ease Presets......Page 363 Using duplicate frame detection......Page 364 Working with keyframes in the Timeline......Page 365 Searching for Items in the Timeline......Page 366 Chapter 11: Fine Cut: Trimming Edits......Page 368 Types of Trimming Operations......Page 369 Tips on Tools......Page 371 Quick Navigation Keys......Page 372 All Keys: Mouseless Trimming in FCP......Page 373 Anatomy of the Trim Edit Window......Page 374 Audio Monitoring Options in the Trim Edit Window......Page 376 FCP Protocol: Trimming Error Messages......Page 377 Trimming Edits in the Timeline......Page 383 About through edits......Page 393 Trimming Edits in the Viewer......Page 394 FCP Protocol: Auto Select Behavior with Ganged Playheads......Page 396 Selecting a gang mode......Page 397 Correcting Out-of-Sync Clips......Page 398 Chapter 12: Audio Tools and Techniques......Page 400 Audio Tracks vs. Timeline Tracks......Page 401 FCP’s Audio Formats......Page 402 Modifying audio channel formats......Page 403 The Browser’s audio format columns......Page 404 What’s Bit Depth and Sampling Rate Got to Do with My Audio Quality?......Page 405 Anatomy of the Viewer’s Audio Tab......Page 406 Onscreen controls and displays......Page 407 Using the Audio Tab......Page 408 Scaling and scrolling an audio file......Page 409 Lost in the Waveforms? Audio Tab Editing Tips......Page 410 Sounds Good: Scrubbing Audio with JKL Keys......Page 412 Editing Audio in the Timeline......Page 413 Editing Clips with Multiple Audio Channels......Page 415 On Peachpit.com......Page 417 Setting audio levels......Page 418 FCP Protocol: Measuring Digital Audio in Decibels (dB)......Page 419 Monitor levels and mixing......Page 420 Adjusting levels and pan in the Audio tab......Page 421 Adjusting the pan position......Page 423 Adjusting stereo spread......Page 424 Using Audio Peak Detection......Page 425 Adjusting Audio Filters......Page 426 Smart Filter Tweaking Tips......Page 428 Anatomy of the Audio Mixer......Page 429 About Soundtrack Pro......Page 434 Why Are My Track Strip Faders Disabled?......Page 436 How Many Keyframes Do You Want to Record?......Page 438 Chapter 13: Creating Transitions......Page 440 FCP Protocol: Transitions......Page 441 FCP Protocol: Saving Changes to Modified Transitions......Page 443 Working with Default and Favorite Transitions......Page 445 About transition edits......Page 448 On Peachpit.com......Page 449 Editing transitions in the Timeline......Page 450 FCP Protocol: r u YUV?......Page 451 Chapter 14: Compositing and Effects Overview......Page 452 Basic Building Blocks of Effects Creation......Page 453 Locating and Applying Effects......Page 455 Effects Production Shortcuts......Page 456 Tuning in Effects: Using Dial, Slider, and Point Controls......Page 460 Using Keyframes......Page 461 Working with Keyframes in the Viewer’s Effects Tabs......Page 463 Keyframing Cheatsheet......Page 464 Smoothing keyframes......Page 466 Using keyframes to set a single parameter......Page 467 Setting keyframes with timecode entry......Page 468 Working with Keyframes in the Timeline......Page 470 Precision control of a keyframe’s positioning......Page 473 Keyframe navigation shortcuts......Page 474 Saving Effects Settings as Favorites......Page 475 Customizing the Effects Menu Display......Page 476 Independent Developers of Final Cut Pro Plug-ins......Page 477 Chapter 15: Motion Effects......Page 478 Setting Motion Properties......Page 479 Motion Properties Modify an Image or Make it Move......Page 480 Using Wireframes......Page 481 Wireframe keyframe indicators......Page 482 Using Keyboard Shortcuts with Wireframes......Page 483 Positioning clips......Page 485 FCP Protocol: Center Point vs. Anchor Point vs. Origin Point......Page 486 Rotating clips......Page 487 Cropping clips......Page 488 Distorting a clip’s shape......Page 490 Adjusting opacity......Page 491 Setting a clip’s opacity in the Timeline......Page 492 Adding a drop shadow to a clip......Page 493 Adding a motion blur effect......Page 494 Working with basic motion keyframe commands......Page 496 The Best Way to Fine-Tune a Motion Sequence: Jump Around......Page 497 Creating Motion Paths......Page 499 Adjusting motion path curves and corners......Page 503 Setting a Single Motion Path for Multiple Clips......Page 504 Creating Variable Speed Playback Effects......Page 506 Chapter 16: Filters and Compositing......Page 508 Using keyframes to animate filters......Page 512 Useful Filters......Page 513 Using the SmoothCam Filter......Page 514 About Color: Final Cut Studio’s Latest Addition......Page 515 Always Be Color Safe!......Page 516 About image-quality measurement tools......Page 517 The Color Correction filter suite......Page 519 Monitors and Color Correction......Page 520 Anatomy of the Color Corrector tab......Page 521 Setting Composite mode......Page 526 Using alpha channels......Page 527 Working with Mattes......Page 529 Travel mattes......Page 530 Chapter 17: Titles and Generators......Page 532 Always Be Title Safe!......Page 534 About Motion......Page 535 Creating Complex Titles: Other Options......Page 536 Using Generator Favorites......Page 537 Text generator options checklist......Page 538 Tips for Better-Looking Titles......Page 540 Creating scrolls......Page 541 Creating crawl titles......Page 543 Creating animated typewriter text......Page 544 Creating Titles with Boris Calligraphy......Page 545 Chapter 18: Real Time and Rendering......Page 546 Real-Time Hardware Systems for FCP......Page 547 Controlling real-time playback quality......Page 549 Rendering Protocols......Page 551 Rendering indicators......Page 552 FCP Protocol: Audio Rendering Options......Page 553 FCP Protocol: Estimating Render Processing Time......Page 554 Quick Preview Tips......Page 556 FCP Protocol: Track Costs......Page 557 FCP Protocol: Render Manager File Tracking......Page 558 Avoiding unnecessary rendering......Page 560 FCP Protocol: Nested Sequences and Rendering......Page 562 Preserving render files......Page 563 Chapter 19: Creating Final Output......Page 564 Output Options For HDV......Page 565 Setting up for recording to tape......Page 566 Recording Timeline Playback......Page 568 Other Export Options......Page 569 On Peachpit.com......Page 570 Insert vs. Assemble Editing......Page 571 Using Share for Automated Output Operations......Page 572 More Sharing: iChat Theater Preview......Page 574 Exporting Sequences and Clips......Page 576 What’s a Reference Movie?......Page 578 Codec vs. File Format......Page 579 Exporting a QuickTime movie......Page 580 FCP Protocol: DVD Chapter Markers......Page 582 Exporting Other QuickTime Formats......Page 583 FCP Alert: Web Video Uses the Whole Video Frame......Page 585 Exporting Audio Files......Page 589 FCP Protocol: OMF Audio Export......Page 593 Destination: Pro Tools?......Page 595 On Peachpit.com......Page 596 Third-Party XML and OMF Interchange Applications......Page 597 The Send To Command: Final Cut Pro’s Gateway to Final Cut Studio......Page 598 Where Are My ST(A)P Files?......Page 599 Chapter 20: Managing Complex Projects......Page 600 Using Media Management Tools......Page 601 Setting up for a Media Manager procedure......Page 602 Media Manager window options......Page 605 FCP Protocol: Deleting Unused Media in Projects Containing Affiliate Clips......Page 609 FCP Protocol: Media Manager Operation Processing Order......Page 610 Copying or moving an entire project and its media......Page 611 Deleting media from a project......Page 614 Trimming unused media from a sequence......Page 616 Creating an offline trimmed sequence......Page 619 Working with Graphics in Offline RT......Page 621 Offline RT, Apple ProRes, and media management......Page 622 Recompressing a project in Offline RT format......Page 623 FCP Protocol: Broken Links......Page 626 Reconnecting Online Files......Page 629 Using the Offline Files dialog box to reconnect......Page 630 FCP Protocol: Offline vs. Missing Clips......Page 631 Deleting Media......Page 632 FCP Protocol: Deleting Media......Page 634 Project Maintenance Tips......Page 635 The Last Mile: Tips for Final Assembly of BIG Projects......Page 637 Appendix: Keyboard Shortcuts......Page 638 A......Page 644 B......Page 646 C......Page 647 D......Page 650 E......Page 651 F......Page 652 G......Page 655 I......Page 656 K......Page 657 L......Page 658 M......Page 659 N......Page 661 P......Page 662 R......Page 664 S......Page 665 T......Page 668 V......Page 671 Z......Page 672