DC Metro FCP UG

Final Cut Pro – Reusing Effects

TIp Jar

Adam Lloyd Connell sent this tip in:

This is probably one that a lot of people know , but: In projects such as the one I’m working on now, with a repetitive transition effect, I am finding it so useful to drop the effect between clips (at the edit point), set its attributes, and then drag it off the sequence (FCP will keep it there) and copy it into a Bin in the Browser.

FCP retains the attributes of the effect in the Bin, ready for me to just drag it on the edit point of the next two clips. For example, in this project (multimedia education video) with lots of edge wipes from different angles, I have four edge wipes I have copied into the bin, each called, wide 90 degrees, 180 degrees. 270 degrees, and 360 degrees.

Larry adds: One of the problems I have when creating favorite effects is that all favorite effects are stored in the preference files, which means that they get lost when preferences get trashed.

Dragging an effect to the Browser (I create an Effects Bin to store them in) allows me to both save effects and quickly reuse them.

Courtesy of our DCFCPUG friends at :

The handle attaches to a quick release plate to which we occasionally mount a gyro stabilizer. This solution works very well and no longer requires the operator to touch the camera to trigger video recording. Instead, just a small thumb press and the camera blinks to life.

This was built specifically for a Canon T2i, but would also work with a 7D and 5Dmk2. Total parts cost about $10.

Enjoy,

Rodney Mitchell
DCFCPUG Leader and Apple Ambassador

Macintosh OS – Using Cover Flow to Find Shots

TIp Jar

Adam Lloyd Connell sent this in:

I was just wondering, have you explored how useful the Cover Flow tool in leopard is for finding a missing shot?

In FCP 6, I am currently working on a long project with around 500 takes, and the cinematographer had only supplied one take of a particular cutaway to an object on a table. Trying to find that specific clip without the continuity notes easily at hand was a pain, and using FCP’s thumbnail view was slow.

However, opening folders with footage from the XDCAM, and selecting ‘Cover Flow mode,’ made it so easy to flash past all the hundreds of (quite large) thumbnails, and we found the shot in minutes. I’ve gotten into the habit of finding my missing shots in Finder this way.

Try it, next time you’re trying to find that elusive shot.

Look for Mark at an upcoming DCFCPUG meeting!
Stay tuned, as this movie may even get the attention of Oprah Winfrey!

Rodney – DCFCPUG

DCFCPUG welcomes the award winning Director, DP, and cinematographer, Mark Leisher to the Pro Users Group family!
We worked together over the summer on the Hollywood Feature Film – “At the Top of the Pyramid” and now are collaborating on a HD Stock Footage activity and environmentally sound “Green” activities. Here is a reel on some of his “green” activities. Look for Mark Leisher at an upcoming DCFCPUG meeting and learn from a resident Pro.

Enjoy!

Final Cut Pro – Resetting Multiple Audio Outputs

Reset Audio Panel

This tip courtesy of Shane Ross.

Let’s say you have a source file with 8 tracks of audio, and you mapped a1 and a2 to A7 and A8 on the timeline, and a5 is next to A6… in other words, the track assignments are ALL over the place.

To get them back to the proper order takes like 15 clicks… TIME CONSUMING.

Well, if you simply RIGHT-CLICK (or Control+click) in the gray area below the audio tracks, there is an option to RESET PANEL … click that and everything pops back into order, and everything is connected.

Final Cut Pro – Looking for Ways to Edit Faster?

TIp Jar

One of the requests I get most often are for tips on how to edit faster.

So, I’ve put together a short (7:45) video tutorial that tells you everything you need to know.

Take a look here.

You can see a full list of all my tutorials here.

Enjoy the background on the Supermeets and the details of the upcoming Amsterdam Supermeet which is the final one for 2010.

Rodney – DCFCPUG Leader

Motion – Matching Fonts Between Motion and Final Cut Pro

Font Tracking

If you’ve tried to match a font in Final Cut to a font you are using in Motion, you’ve probably been surprised that they don’t match.

I did some research and discovered that while Motion and Final Cut calculate the font SIZE the same, but they don’t calculate font TRACKING the same.

To match fonts between the applications, create a text clip in Final Cut with the font you want to use and set the tracking to 1.8 in the Controls tab of Final Cut Pro. They won’t match perfectly, but they will match pretty darn close. So close, that if I took a screen shot at 50% scale, you would not see a difference.