Final Cut Pro – The Talented Letter “A”

TIp Jar

Here are some nifty keyboard shortcuts using the letter “A”:

Command + A — Selects all clips in the active window.

Shift + A – Sets an In and Out for whatever clip, or range of clips, is selected.

Option + A — Selects whatever clip, or range of clips, is marked by an In and Out.

Control + A — Sets an In and Out between two markers containing the Playhead.

Shift + Command + A — Deselects everything in the active window.

Final Cut Pro – Making Clips Black and White

Black and White

Looking to create a retro black-and-white effect for your color images?

To make a clip black-and-white:

1. Select the clip in the Timeline.

2. Choose Effects > Video Filters > Image Control > Desaturate.

Ta-DAH! Instant Ansel Adams!

Final Cut Pro – Exporting Still Frames

Exporting Still Frames

1. Park your playhead on the frame you want to export. This can be in the Viewer, Canvas, or the Timeline.

2. Go to File > Export > QuickTime Conversion.

3. Select Still Image from the Format menu at the bottom.

4. Give the image a name and location where you want it saved.

5. Click Save. The default export format for your still image is PNG.

Important Note: In versions prior to FCP 6.0.2, still frames are exported using video pixel aspect ratios. In FCP version 6.0.2, images were exported using square pixels; because of this, image sizes changed during export. This was fixed in FCP version 6.0.3.

For those in DC/MD/VA going to this year’s SUPERMEET, its going to be a blast!

This will be the first year that it will be broadcast LIVE!

Head here for details…

Tune in and enjoy…

Rodney Mitchell

DCFCPUG Leader and a few of our members are representing OUR PUG at the SUPERMEET

Free BCC Comet Filter for Windows or MAC: CLICK HERE

Get YOURS now before the giveaway ends…

Final Cut Pro – Deleting a Group of Clip Markers

Eliminate Markers

What to do, what to do…?

Mark > Markers > Delete gets rid of one marker.

Mark > Markers > Delete All gets rid of ALL markers.

But, what if you want to delete several clip markers without getting rid of all of them?

When you add markers to a clip in the Viewer, a small triangle appears next to the clip name in the Browser. Twirl this arrow down to see a list of all the markers in the clip.

In the Browser, select the range of markers you want to delete for each clip. Press the Delete key and watch all of the selected markers disappear.

Note: This doesn’t work for Timeline markers or clips that have been edited to the Timeline.

Final Cut Pro – Tossing Keyframes

Keyframe Trashing

Did you know that you can delete an audio keyframe in the Timeline by dragging it vertically with the mouse?

Click+hold the keyframe, drag it outside the border of the clip and watch as the mouse icon changes to a tiny trash can. Release the mouse and your keyframe is no more.

Note: This doesn’t work in the Viewer

Final Cut Pro – A Faster Way to Preview an Edit

Preview an Edit Point

Here’s a fast way to preview an edit point:

Press the backslash key — it’s right above the Return key.

Watch how the playhead backs up a few seconds, plays through the current location of the playhead, stops a few seconds afterward, then repositions the playhead back to its original position.

Very cool.

Extra credit: You can change the amount of time it backs up, or plays through by changing the settings in the Final Cut Pro > User Preferences > Editing tab.

REDundead.

REDundead is a command line tool that recovers R3D files from drives and CF cards that have been formatted to the file system that has been corrupted. It does a great job of recovering the R3D files unless the drive was erased and then recorded onto again… but it might recover the remaining files.

Filesystem corruption usually happens when a drive is unplugged from the computer when the filesystem is being written to.

REDundead has saved many a project.

REDcolor vs. Camera RGB.

Camera RGB is the native color coming off the sensor. REDcolor is corrected Camera RGB matched to industry standards. The punchline is… use REDcolor.