Apple FINAL CUT EXPRESS 4 User Manual

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Apple FINAL CUT EXPRESS 4 User Manual

Final Cut Express 4

User Manual

K Apple Inc.

Copyright © 2007 Apple Inc. All rights reserved.

Your rights to the software are governed by the accompanying software license agreement. The owner or authorized user of a valid copy of Final Cut Express software may reproduce this publication for the purpose of learning to use such software. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial purposes, such as selling copies of this publication or for providing paid for support services.

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Apple Inc.

1 Infinite Loop

Cupertino, CA 95014–2084 408-996-1010 www.apple.com

Apple, the Apple logo, DVD Studio Pro, Exposé, Final Cut, Final Cut Pro, FireWire, iDVD, iMovie, iPod, iTunes, LiveType, Mac, Macintosh, Mac OS, Pixlet, Power Mac, QuickTime, Soundtrack, TrueType, and Xsan are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

Aperture, Apple TV, Cinema Tools, Finder, iPhone, and OfflineRT are trademarks of Apple Inc.

AppleCare is a service mark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

Adobe, After Effects, Photoshop, and PostScript are trademarks or registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the U.S. and/or other countries.

Dolby Laboratories: Manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories.“Dolby,”“Pro Logic,” and the

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Dolby Laboratories, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Other company and product names mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective companies. Mention of third-party products is for informational purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation. Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the performance or use of these products.

Production stills from the film “Koffee House Mayhem” provided courtesy of Jean-Paul Bonjour.“Koffee House Mayhem” © 2004 Jean-Paul Bonjour. All rights reserved. http://www.jbonjour.com

Production stills from the film “A Sus Ordenes” provided courtesy of Eric Escobar.“A Sus Ordenes” © 2004 Eric Escobar. All rights reserved. http://www.kontentfilms.com

Contents

Preface

25

Final Cut Express 4 Documentation and Resources

 

25

Onscreen Help

 

26

Apple Websites

Part I

 

An Introduction to Final Cut Express

Chapter 1

29

About the Post-Production Workflow

 

29

The Industry Workflow

 

30

The Post-Production Workflow

Chapter 2

35

Video Formats

 

35

About Nonlinear and Nondestructive Editing

 

36

Video Formats Compatible with Final Cut Express

 

36

Audio Formats Compatible with Final Cut Express

 

37

Video Format Basics

Chapter 3

39

Understanding Projects, Clips, and Sequences

 

39

The Building Blocks of Projects

 

43

Working with Projects

 

47

About the Connection Between Clips and Media Files

 

49

Filenaming Considerations

Part II

 

Learning About the Final Cut Express Interface

Chapter 4

55

Overview of the Final Cut Express Interface

 

55

Basics of Working in the Final Cut Express Interface

 

57

Using Keyboard Shortcuts, Buttons, and Shortcut Menus

 

59

Customizing the Interface

 

63

Undoing and Redoing Changes

 

63

Entering Timecode for Navigation Purposes

3

Chapter 5

65

Browser Basics

 

65

How You Use the Browser

 

66

Learning About the Browser

 

67

Working in the Browser

 

69

Using Columns in he Browser

 

70

Customizing the Browser Display

Chapter 6

79

Viewer Basics

 

79

How You Can Use the Viewer

 

80

Opening a Clip in the Viewer

 

81

Learning About the Viewer

 

83

Tabs in the Viewer

 

84

Transport Controls

 

85

Playhead Controls

 

87

Marking Controls

 

88

Zoom and View Pop-Up Menus

 

91

Recent Clips and Generator Pop-Up Menus

Chapter 7

93

Canvas Basics

 

93

How You Use the Canvas

 

94

Opening, Selecting, and Closing Sequences in the Canvas

 

95

Learning About the Canvas

 

96

Edit Overlay in the Canvas

 

97

Transport Controls

 

98

Playhead Controls

 

100

Marking Controls

 

101

Zoom and View Pop-Up Menus

Chapter 8

103

Navigating and Using Timecode in the Viewer and Canvas

 

103

Navigating in the Viewer and Canvas

 

110

Working with Timecode in the Viewer and Canvas

Chapter 9

113

Timeline Basics

 

113

How You Use the Timeline

 

115

Opening and Closing Sequences in the Timeline

 

116

Learning About the Timeline

 

126

Changing Timeline Display Options

 

130

Navigating in the Timeline

 

131

Zooming and Scrolling in the Timeline

4

Contents

 

 

Chapter 10

137

Customizing the Interface

 

137

Changing Browser and Timeline Text Size

 

137

Moving and Resizing Final Cut Express Windows

 

139

Using Window Layouts

 

140

Working with Shortcut Buttons and Button Bars

Part III

 

Setting Up Your Editing System

Chapter 11

147

Connecting DV Video Equipment

 

147

Components of a Basic Final Cut Express Editing System

 

148

Setting Up a Final Cut Express Editing System

 

149

Connecting Your Camcorder

 

149

Opening Final Cut Express and Choosing Your Initial Settings

 

153

Confirming Remote Device Control Between Final Cut Express and Your DV Device

 

154

About FireWire

Chapter 12

155

Determining Your Hard Disk Storage Options

 

155

Working with Scratch Disks and Hard Disk Drives

 

156

Data Rates and Storage Devices

 

156

Determining How Much Space You Need

 

159

Choosing a Hard Disk

 

160

Types of Hard Disk Drives

 

163

Fibre Channel Drive Arrays and RAIDs

 

164

Storage Area Networks

Chapter 13

165

External Video Monitoring

 

165

Using an External Video Monitor While You Edit

 

166

Connecting DV FireWire Devices to an External Monitor

 

167

Using Digital Cinema Desktop Preview

 

171

About the Display Quality of External Video

 

171

Troubleshooting External Video Monitoring Problems

Part IV

 

Capturing and Importing

Chapter 14

175

Capturing Your Footage to Disk

 

175

Overview of the Capturing Process

 

177

Overview of the Capture Window

 

178

Transport Controls

 

178

Jog and Shuttle Controls

 

179

Marking Controls

 

179

Capture Tab

 

182

Capture Buttons

Contents

5

 

 

182 Preparing to Capture

182Organizing and Labeling Your Tapes

183Logging Your Tapes

184Choosing a Filenaming Scheme

184Determining How Much Disk Space You Need

185Capturing Individual Clips in the Capture Window

190Using Capture Now

192Automatically Creating Subclips Using DV Start/Stop Detection

193Adding Markers to Clips in the Capture Window

193Marker Controls in the Capture Window

194Setting Markers

194Recapturing Clips

195Using Capture Project

197About the Additional Items Found Dialog

198Finding Your Media Files After Capture

198Where Are Captured Media Files Stored?

199Consolidating Media Files to One Folder

200Modifying a Media File’s Reel Name Property

201Avoiding Duplicate Timecode Numbers on a Single Tape

202Logging Tapes with Duplicate Timecode Numbers

202Avoiding Multiple Occurrences of the Same Timecode Number on a Single Tape

Chapter 15

205

Importing Media Files into Your Project

 

205

What File Formats Can Be Imported?

 

206

Importing Media Files

 

209

About Importing Video Files

 

211

About Importing Audio Files

 

214

Importing Still Images and Graphics

Chapter 16

219

Ingesting Media Files

 

219

About File-Based Media

 

220

Working with AVCHD Footage

 

222

Sample Media File Workflow

 

224

Working with the Log and Transfer Window

Chapter 17

233

Working with HDV

 

233

About HDV

 

234

HDV Formats Supported by Final Cut Express

 

234

About MPEG-2 Compression

 

236

HDV Apple Intermediate Codec Editing Workflow

 

236

Connecting an HDV Device to Your Computer

 

237

Choosing an Easy Setup

 

237

Capturing HDV Video to the Apple Intermediate Codec

6

Contents

 

 

 

238

Editing Video Using the Apple Intermediate Codec

 

239

Outputting HDV to Tape or Exporting to a QuickTime Movie

 

240

HDV Format Specifications

Part V

 

Organizing Footage and Preparing to Edit

Chapter 18

245

Organizing Footage in the Browser

 

245

Using Bins to Organize Your Clips

 

246

Creating New Bins

 

247

Opening Bins in the Browser

 

248

Opening Bins in a Separate Window or Tab

 

251

Moving Items Between Bins

 

253

Sorting Items in the Browser Using Column Headings

 

254

Searching for Clips in the Browser and Finder

 

254

Revealing a Clip’s Media File in the Finder

 

255

About Search Options

 

257

Searching for Items in the Browser

 

259

Manipulating Items in the Find Results Window

Chapter 19

261

Using Markers

 

261

Learning About Markers

 

261

What Can You Do with Markers?

 

262

Differences Between Sequence and Clip Markers

 

263

Types of Markers

 

264

Working with Markers

 

264

Viewing Markers in the Viewer or Canvas

 

264

Viewing Markers in the Browser

 

264

Adding Markers in Clips and Sequences

 

267

Deleting Markers in Clips and Sequences

 

269

Navigating with Markers

 

270

Renaming Markers, Adding Comments, and Changing the Kind of Marker

 

271

Moving a Marker

 

272

Aligning Items in the Timeline by Their Markers

 

274

Extending a Marker’s Duration

 

275

Editing Markers into Sequences

 

275

Exporting Markers with Your QuickTime Movies

Chapter 20

277

Creating Subclips

 

277

Learning About Subclips

 

280

Techniques for Breaking Large Clips into Subclips

 

283

Automatically Creating Subclips Using DV Start/Stop Detection

Contents

7

 

 

Part VI

 

Rough Editing

Chapter 21

289

Working with Projects, Clips, and Sequences

 

290

Working with Projects

 

290

Working with Multiple Projects in the Browser

 

290

Choosing Whether the Last Previously Opened Project Opens on Launch

 

291

Viewing and Changing the Properties of a Project

 

291

Backing Up and Restoring Projects

 

293

Learning About the Different Types of Clips

 

293

Types of Clips

 

295

Sequences as Clips

 

295

Viewing and Changing the Properties of a Clip

 

295

Changing Clip Properties in the Browser

 

296

Viewing and Changing Clip Properties in the Item Properties Window

 

297

Changing the Properties of Affiliate Clips

 

297

Creating and Working with Sequences

 

297

Creating and Deleting Sequences

 

299

Opening and Closing Sequences

 

300

Duplicating a Sequence

 

300

Copying a Sequence into Another Project

 

301

Nesting a Sequence

 

301

Basic Sequence and Timeline Settings

Chapter 22

303

The Fundamentals of Adding Clips to a Sequence

 

303

Creating a Rough Edit

 

303

Basic Steps Involved in a Rough Edit

 

304

How Clips Appear in the Timeline

 

306

Undoing and Redoing Actions

 

306

Overview of Ways to Add Clips to a Sequence

 

307

Methods for Adding Clips to Sequences

 

309

Determining What Parts of Clips You Want in Your Sequence

 

309

Preparing a Sequence Order in the Browser

 

309

Sorting to Create a Sequence Order

 

310

Visually Storyboarding in the Browser

Chapter 23

313

Setting Edit Points for Clips and Sequences

 

313

About In and Out Points

 

314

Learning About the Out Point Inclusive Rule

 

315

Things to Keep in Mind When Setting an Out Point

 

317

Setting Clip In and Out Points in the Viewer

 

318

Specifying an Edit Point Using Timecode

 

319

Setting In and Out Points to Include a Whole Clip

 

319

Reviewing Your Edit Points

8

Contents

 

 

320Setting Sequence In and Out Points in the Canvas or Timeline

321Options for Setting Sequence In and Out Points

326Setting Sequence In and Out Points

327Setting In and Out Points to Match a Clip or Gap

328Setting In and Out Points Based on a Selection in the Timeline

330Navigating to In and Out Points

331Moving In and Out Points

332Clearing In and Out Points

Chapter 24

335

Working with Tracks in the Timeline

 

336

Adding and Deleting Tracks

 

336

Adding Tracks

 

338

Deleting Tracks

 

339

Specifying Destination Tracks in the Timeline

 

339

Understanding Source and Destination Controls

 

340

Setting Destination Tracks

 

341

Changing Source and Destination Control Connections

 

341

Disconnecting Source and Destination Controls

 

343

Resetting Destination Tracks to the Default State

 

344

Locking Tracks to Prevent Edits or Changes

 

345

Disabling Tracks to Hide Content During Playback

 

346

Customizing Track Display in the Timeline

 

346

Resizing Timeline Tracks

 

349

Saving Track Layouts

 

349

Creating a Static Region in the Timeline

Chapter 25

353

Drag-to-Timeline Editing

 

353

Overview of the Drag-to-Timeline Editing Process

 

354

Dragging Clips to the Timeline

 

355

Doing Simple Insert and Overwrite Edits in the Timeline

 

358

Automatically Adding Tracks to Your Sequence While Dragging

Chapter 26

361

Three-Point Editing

 

361

Understanding Three-Point Editing

 

361

Overview of the Three-Point Editing Process

 

362

Different Ways to Do Three-Point Editing

 

364

About Edit Types in the Edit Overlay

 

365

Performing the Different Types of Edits

 

365

Performing an Insert Edit

 

367

Performing an Insert with Transition Edit

 

368

Performing an Overwrite Edit

 

370

Performing an Overwrite with Transition Edit

 

371

Performing a Replace Edit

Contents

9

 

 

377 Superimposing Clips

380 Three-Point Editing Examples

380 Example: Editing a Specific Clip into Your Sequence

382Example: Editing a Clip into a Gap in Your Sequence

383Example: Backtiming a Clip into Your Sequence

385 Example: Editing a Clip with No Specified In or Out Points into Your Sequence

Chapter 27

387

Finding and Selecting Content in the Timeline

 

387

Understanding What’s Currently Selected

 

388

Identifying Selections in the Timeline

 

389

How Selections Are Prioritized in the Timeline

 

389

Direct Methods for Selecting Content in a Sequence

 

390

An Introduction to the Selection Tools

 

392

Selecting Clips

 

395

Selecting a Range of Timeline Content

 

396

Selecting All Clip Items on a Track

 

397

Selecting All Items on All Tracks Forward or Backward

 

398

Selecting or Deselecting All Clips in a Sequence

 

399

Finding and Selecting Based on Search Criteria

 

401

Selecting a Vertical Range Between In and Out Points

 

402

Using Auto Select to Specify Tracks for Selections

Chapter 28

405

Arranging Clips in the Timeline

 

405

Snapping to Points in the Timeline

 

407

Moving Items Within the Timeline

 

407

Moving by Dragging

 

408

Moving Clips Numerically

 

410

Performing Shuffle Edits

 

412

Copying and Pasting Clips in the Timeline

 

412

Copying Clips by Option-Dragging

 

413

Copying, Cutting, and Pasting Clips in the Timeline

 

416

Example: Copying and Pasting Audio and Video Clip Items to Different Tracks in the

 

 

Timeline

 

417

Deleting Clips from a Sequence

 

417

Deleting with a Lift Edit (Leaving a Gap)

 

418

Deleting with a Ripple Edit (Leaving No Gap)

 

420

Finding and Closing Gaps

Chapter 29

423

Cutting Clips and Adjusting Durations

 

423

Performing Basic Cut Edits

 

427

Changing the Duration of Clips in the Timeline

 

428

Opening Sequence Clips in the Viewer to Change Durations

10

Contents

 

 

Chapter 30

429

Linking and Editing Video and Audio in Sync

 

429

Linked Sync Relationships Between Video and Audio Clips

 

430

When Linked Clips Are Moved out of Sync

 

432

Understanding Sync Relationships Between Multiple Linked Audio Items

 

434

Linking and Unlinking Video and Audio Clip Items in the Timeline

 

434

Linking Video and Audio Clip Items

 

435

Unlinking Video and Audio Clip Items

 

436

Selecting Individual Clip Items While They Are Linked

 

437

Getting Clip Items Back in Sync

 

437

Moving a Clip into Sync

 

438

Slipping a Clip Item into Sync

 

440

Moving or Slipping All Clip Items into Sync at Once

 

441

Establishing a Different Sync Relationship Between Linked Clip Items

 

442

Marking a Clip as In Sync

 

443

Learning About Linking Behavior in Audio Channel Pairs

Chapter 31

445

Split Edits

 

445

Learning About Split Edits

 

446

How Split Edits Look in the Viewer and Canvas

 

447

Setting Up Split Edit Points in the Viewer

 

448

Setting Up a Split Edit While Playing a Clip

 

449

Modifying and Clearing Split Edits

 

451

Split Edit Examples

Chapter 32

455

Audio Editing Basics

 

455

The Goals of Audio Editing

 

457

Using Waveform Displays to Help You Edit Audio

 

458

Learning About the Audio Controls in the Viewer

 

461

Editing Audio in the Viewer

 

461

Opening Audio Clips in the Viewer

 

462

Viewing Audio Tracks in the Viewer

 

463

Zooming In or Out of the Waveform Display Area

 

464

Scrolling Through a Zoomed-In Audio Clip

 

465

Using the J, K, and L Keys to Hear Subtle Details

 

465

Turning Off the Audio Scrubbing Sounds

 

466

About Setting Edit Points for Audio

 

466

Dragging an Audio Clip to the Canvas, Browser, or Timeline

 

466

Trimming Audio Clips in the Viewer

 

468

Editing Audio in the Timeline

 

468

Timeline Audio Display Options

 

470

Zooming In and Out of Waveforms in the Timeline

 

471

Moving Audio Items from One Track to Another at the Same Frame

 

471

Using Audio Transitions to Smooth Audible Changes

Contents

11

 

 

 

472

Creating or Separating Stereo Pairs

 

474

Working with Audio at the Subframe Level

 

474

Subframe Synchronization of Audio and Video

 

476

Examples of Ways to Easily Edit Audio

 

476

Example: Replacing Unwanted Audio with Room Tone

 

479

Example: Fixing Awkward Audio Cuts in the Timeline

Part VII

 

Fine-Tuning Your Edit

Chapter 33

483

Performing Slip, Slide, Ripple, and Roll Edits

 

483

About Trimming with Slip, Slide, Ripple, and Roll Tools

 

484

Sliding Clips in the Timeline

 

485

Performing Slide Edits Using the Slide Tool

 

486

Performing Precise Slide Edits Numerically

 

487

Slipping Clips in the Timeline

 

488

Performing a Slip Edit Using the Slip Tool

 

489

Performing Precise Slip Edits Numerically

 

491

Using the Ripple Tool to Trim an Edit Without Leaving a Gap

 

492

Performing Ripple Edits

 

496

About Ripple Edits and Sync Relationships of Clip Items on Other Tracks

 

498

Doing Ripple Edits on Multiple Tracks at Once

 

498

Asymmetrical Trimming with the Ripple Tool

 

501

Using the Roll Tool to Change Where a Cut Occurs

 

502

Rolling the Position of an Edit Between Two Clips

Chapter 34

507

Learning About Trimming Clips

 

507

What Is Trimming?

 

509

Controls That Affect Trim Edits

 

510

Selecting Edits and Clips to Trim

 

511

Tools for Selecting Edit Points

 

512

Selecting Single Edit Points

 

512

Selecting Multiple Edit Points

 

513

Trimming Clip In and Out Points

 

513

Trimming with the Selection Tool

 

515

Extending and Shortening Clips in the Timeline

 

516

Trimming Clips in the Viewer

 

518

Precision Editing Using Timecode

 

521

Understanding Alert Messages When Trimming

Chapter 35

523

Trimming Clips Using the Trim Edit Window

 

523

Learning About the Trim Edit Window

 

525

Opening and Closing the Trim Edit Window

12

Contents

 

 

526 Controls in the Trim Edit Window

530Using the Trim Edit Window

531Playing Incoming and Outgoing Clips in the Trim Edit Window

531Dynamic Trimming

531Trimming an Edit in the Trim Edit Window

534Reviewing and Playing Back Your Edits in the Trim Edit Window

534Slipping a Clip in the Trim Edit Window

535Listening to Audio While Trimming

Chapter 36

537

Adding Transitions

 

537

Learning About Transitions

 

538

Common Types of Transitions

 

539

Using Transitions in Your Sequences

 

539

How Transitions Appear in the Timeline

 

540

Having Handles at Edit Points

 

540

Aligning a Transition in the Timeline

 

541

Adding Transitions

 

541

Adding Transitions with Clips You Add to the Timeline

 

542

Quickly Adding the Default Transition to Clips in Your Sequence

 

543

Adding Transitions to Clips in Your Sequence

 

544

Example: Transitioning to or from Black

 

545

Moving, Copying, and Deleting Transitions

 

546

Moving a Transition to Another Edit Point

 

546

Copying and Pasting Transitions

 

547

Deleting Transitions

 

547

Modifying Transitions in the Timeline

 

547

Changing the Duration of a Transition in the Timeline

 

549

Changing the Alignment of a Transition in the Timeline

 

549

Changing an Edit Point After Adding a Transition

 

550

Replacing Transitions

 

550

Video Transitions That Come with Final Cut Express

 

555

Using After Effects Transitions

Chapter 37

557

Refining Transitions Using the Transition Editor

 

557

Using the Transition Editor

 

563

Applying a Modified Transition Directly to a Sequence in the Timeline

 

564

Trimming Transitions and the Surrounding Clips

 

568

Previewing and Rendering Transitions

Chapter 38

571

Sequence-to-Sequence Editing

 

571

Methods for Editing Clips from One Sequence to Another

 

572

Opening More Than One Sequence at a Time

 

572

Copying Clips from One Sequence to Another

Contents

13

 

 

 

576

Nesting Sequences

 

579

Editing the Content of One Sequence into Another Without Nesting It

Chapter 39

585

Matching Frames

 

585

Working with Sequence Clips in the Viewer

 

586

Opening a Sequence Clip in the Viewer

 

587

Switching Between the Viewer, Canvas, and Timeline

 

587

Using the Viewer to Adjust Sequence Clip In and Out Points

 

588

Using the Viewer to Adjust Motion and Filter Parameters

 

588

Matching Frames Between Sequence and Master Clips

 

589

Matching a Frame in the Canvas to Its Master Clip

 

589

Matching a Frame in the Canvas to Its Media File

 

590

Matching a Frame in the Viewer to a Sequence Clip in the Canvas or Timeline

Part VIII

 

Audio Mixing

Chapter 40

593

Setting Up for Audio Mixing in Final Cut Express

 

593

About Digital Audio

 

594

Sample Rate

 

594

Bit Depth

 

597

Audio Signal Flow in Final Cut Express

 

597

Configuring External Audio Monitors

 

597

Connecting Speakers to Your Editing System

 

598

Setting Monitoring Levels and Muting System Sound Effects

 

599

Tips for Choosing Speakers and an Amplifier

 

601

Setting Up a Proper Audio Monitoring Environment

Chapter 41

603

Evaluating Levels with Audio Meters

 

603

About Audio Meters

 

603

Average and Peak Audio Levels

 

604

Analog Versus Digital Meters

 

606

About the Audio Meters in Final Cut Express

 

606

Setting Proper Audio Levels

 

607

Raising Audio Levels Using Audio Normalization and Gain

 

609

What Reference Level Should You Use for Mixing and Output?

 

610

Outputting Bars and Tone at the Head of Your Tape

Chapter 42

611

Mixing Audio in the Timeline and Viewer

 

611

Adjusting Audio Levels in the Timeline and Viewer

 

611

Adjusting Audio Levels in the Timeline

 

615

Changing Audio Levels in the Viewer

 

618

Panning Audio in the Timeline and Viewer

 

618

Panning Audio in the Timeline

14

Contents

 

 

 

619

Changing the Pan of Audio in the Viewer

 

620

Changing Pan for an Entire Clip

 

621

Copying, Pasting, and Removing Audio Attributes

 

622

Adjusting Clip Audio Levels and Pan Using Keyframes

 

622

Tools for Adjusting Keyframes

 

623

Creating, Modifying, and Deleting Keyframes in the Viewer

 

628

Example: Using Keyframes to Adjust Audio Levels

 

629

Example: Using Keyframes in the Timeline to Automate Audio Levels

 

630

Example: Setting Subframe Audio Level Keyframes to Eliminate Clicks

 

633

Example: Using Keyframes to Control Pan

Chapter 43

637

Using the Voice Over Tool

 

637

About the Voice Over Tool

 

637

Setting Up Your Computer to Record Voiceover

 

641

Controls in the Voice Over Tool

 

644

Defining the Recording Duration and Destination Track

 

648

Recording a Voiceover

Chapter 44

653

Using Audio Filters

 

653

About Audio Filters

 

654

Overview of Audio Filters

 

654

Equalization Filters

 

657

Gain Filter

 

657

Compressor/Limiter Filter

 

658

Expander/Noise Gate Filter

 

659

Noise Reduction Filters

 

660

Echo and Reverberation Filters

 

662

Working with Audio Filters

 

664

Applying Filters to an Audio Clip

 

667

Modifying and Removing Filters

 

668

Making Real-Time Audio Filter Adjustments

 

669

Automating Audio Filter Parameters with Keyframes

 

673

Installing Third-Party Audio Units Filters

Part IX

Effects and Color Correction

Chapter 45 677

Using Video Filters

677

Different Ways to Use Filters

678

Applying a Filter to a Clip

681

Applying Multiple Filters to Clips

682

Viewing and Adjusting a Filter’s Parameters

689

Enabling and Rearranging Filters

Contents

15

 

 

 

690

Copying and Pasting a Clip’s Filters

 

691

Removing Filters from Clips

Chapter 46

693

Color Correction

 

693

What Is Color Correction?

 

694

Why Color Correct Your Footage?

 

695

Color Correction Starts During Your Shoot

 

696

Managing Color During Post-Production

 

701

The Color Correction Process

 

703

The Final Cut Express Color Correction Filters

 

703

Using the Color Correction Filters

 

704

About the Controls in the Color Corrector Filter

 

704

The Color Corrector Filter

 

705

General Controls

 

706

Copy Filter Controls

 

711

Color Balance Controls

 

715

Example: Using the Color Corrector Filter

 

719

The Desaturate Highlights and Desaturate Lows Filters

 

719

Desaturate Highlights and Desaturate Lows Filter Controls

 

720

Example: Using the Desaturate Highlights Filter

Chapter 47

723

Changing Motion Parameters

 

723

Creating Motion Effects in the Viewer

 

724

Adjusting Parameters in the Motion Tab

 

729

Using Cartesian Geometry to Position Clips

 

731

Examples Using Motion Settings

 

741

Creating Motion Effects in the Canvas

 

741

Choosing the Image+Wireframe Mode

 

742

Manipulating Images in the Canvas

 

743

Zooming In to the Canvas

 

744

Using Wireframe Handles to Transform, Scale, and Rotate

 

748

Example: Using Motion Parameters and Wireframe Handles

Chapter 48

751

Adjusting Parameters for Keyframed Effects

 

751

Animating Motion Effects Using Keyframes

 

752

How Keyframing Works

 

753

Determining the Number of Keyframes to Use

 

754

Keyframing Controls in the Viewer

 

756

Keyframing Tools in Final Cut Express

 

757

Setting Keyframes

 

758

Adjusting and Deleting Keyframes

 

759

Moving Between Keyframes

 

760

Resizing the Keyframe Graph Area

16

Contents

 

 

763 Adjusting All Opacity Keyframes of a Clip

763 Example: Using Keyframes to Make Opacity Changes

765 Example: Keyframing Opacity in the Timeline

767Smoothing Keyframes with Bezier Handles

768Understanding Bezier Handles and Curves

770Smoothing Keyframes

771Creating Keyframed Motion Paths in the Canvas

772What Are Motion Paths?

772Creating Motion Paths

774Adding, Moving, and Deleting Keyframes in Motion Paths

774Creating Curved Motion Paths Using Bezier Handles

776Controlling Speed Along a Motion Path

778Moving an Entire Motion Path in the Canvas

Chapter 49

779

Reusing Effect and Motion Parameters

 

779

Copying and Pasting Specific Clip Attributes

 

782

Removing Attributes from a Clip

 

783

Applying Filters Across Multiple Tracks at Once

Chapter 50

785

Changing Clip Speed

 

785

Speed Basics

 

786

How Changing Speed Affects a Clip’s Duration

 

786

Performing a Fit to Fill Edit

 

789

Constant Speed Settings

 

789

Frame Blending and Reverse Speed

Chapter 51

791

Working with Freeze Frames and Still Images

 

791

Using Still Images and Graphics in Your Sequences

 

792

Creating Freeze Frames from a Video Clip

 

793

Exporting Still Images

 

794

Considerations Before Creating and Importing Stills

 

802

Changing the Duration of Still Images

 

803

Example: Adding Camera Motion to Still Images

Chapter 52

807

Compositing and Layering

 

807

Introduction to Compositing and Layering

 

808

Methods of Compositing

 

808

Different Ways to Layer Clips in the Timeline

 

809

Adjusting Opacity Levels of Clips

 

812

Working with Composite Modes

 

812

How Composite Modes Affect Images

 

814

Applying Composite Modes to Clips

 

815

Composite Modes in Final Cut Express

 

824

Using Travel Mattes to Hide or Reveal Parts of a Clip

Contents

17

 

 

826 Working with Layered Photoshop Files

826Updating Photoshop Files in Adobe Photoshop

827Working with Layered Photoshop Sequences

828Using Video and Graphics Clips with Alpha Channels

829Working with Clips That Have Alpha Channels

830Changing a Clip’s Alpha Channel Type

832Choosing a Background

833Temporarily Excluding Clips from Playback or Output

834Temporarily Disabling a Single Clip

835Soloing Clips in Multitrack Sequences

Chapter 53

837

Keying, Mattes, and Masks

 

837

Ways to Layer and Isolate Elements in Clips

 

837

What Are Mattes and How Can You Use Them?

 

838

What Is Keying and How Can You Use It?

 

839

What Are Masks and How Are They Used?

 

840

Using Keying to Isolate Foreground Elements

 

840

Shooting Footage That Keys Well

 

842

Overview of Compositing Using the Chroma Keyer Filter

 

844

Working with the Chroma Keyer Filter

 

854

Using Mattes to Add or Modify Alpha Channels

 

854

Matte Filters Available in Final Cut Express

 

854

Example: Using the Four-Point Garbage Matte Filter

 

856

Example: Keyframing Garbage Mattes

 

857

Using Masks to Replace or Modify Alpha Channels

 

857

Mask Filters Available in Final Cut Express

 

858

Example: Using the Image Mask and Mask Feather Filters

Chapter 54

861

Using Generator Clips

 

861

What Is a Generator Clip?

 

862

Different Ways to Use Generators in Your Sequence

 

863

Video and Audio Generators Available in Final Cut Express

 

867

Creating and Adding Generators to Sequences

Chapter 55

869

Creating Titles

 

869

How You Can Use Titles in Your Project

 

870

Installing and Choosing Fonts

 

871

Making Sure Titles Fit on TV Screens

 

872

Text Generators Available in Final Cut Express

 

874

Creating and Adding a Title Clip

 

877

Other Options for Creating and Adding Titles

 

878

Using LiveType to Create Titles for Your Project

18

Contents

 

 

Part X

 

Real Time and Rendering

Chapter 56

881

Using RT Extreme

 

881

Introduction to Real-Time Processing

 

882

How Real-Time Processing Works

 

884

Identifying Which Effects Can Play Back in Real Time

 

886

Changing Real-Time Playback Settings

 

886

Locations for Changing Real-Time Playback Settings

 

888

About Real-Time Playback Options

 

893

Still-Image Real-Time Playback

 

893

Improving Real-Time Performance

 

894

Reporting Dropped Frames During Playback

 

894

Factors That Affect Real-Time Performance

 

895

Real-Time Audio Mixing in Final Cut Express

 

896

Calculating the Number of Tracks That Can Be Played Back in Real Time

 

897

Improving Real-Time Audio Performance

 

898

Choosing Real-Time Playback Versus Rendering

 

898

Using RT Extreme for Video Output

Chapter 57

899

Rendering and Video Processing Settings

 

899

What Is Rendering?

 

900

Render Indicators in Final Cut Express

 

900

About Render Status Bars in the Timeline

 

903

About Item-Level Render Status Bars

 

904

The Rendering Process

 

904

Controlling Render Quality

 

904

Order of Effects Rendering

 

904

Selecting Clips for Rendering

 

905

Rendering Segments in a Sequence

 

908

Rendering Audio Items in a Sequence

 

909

Using the Mixdown Command

 

909

Keeping Track of Rendering Progress

 

910

Temporarily Disabling Rendering

 

911

Automatic Rendering While You Are Away from Your Computer

 

912

Changing Render Settings

 

912

Using the Render Control Tab

 

914

Managing Your Render Files

 

914

Locating Render Files

 

915

Preserving Render Files

 

916

Tips for Avoiding Unnecessary Rendering and Reducing Render Time

Contents

19

 

 

Chapter 58

919 Working with Mixed-Format Sequences

919About Mixed-Format Sequences

920Determining Whether Clips in a Sequence Will Play Back in Real Time

921Formats That Support Real-Time Playback

921Formats That Don’t Support Real-Time Playback

921Viewing Clip Properties and Sequence Settings

922Working with Mixed-Format Sequences

922Conforming Sequence Settings to Match a Clip’s Settings

923Conforming Clips to Match Sequence Settings

924Mixing Frame Rates

926Combining Interlaced Footage with Different Field Dominances

927Mixing Footage with Different Codecs

928Adding Filters and Motion Effects to Mixed-Format Sequences

928Combining SD and HD Video

928Downconverting HD Video

933Upconverting SD Video

933Rendering Mixed-Format Sequences

Part XI

Project Management and Settings

Chapter 59 937

Backing Up and Restoring Projects

937

Backing Up and Restoring Projects

937

Using the Revert Project Command

938

Using the Autosave Feature

940Restoring Autosaved Projects

941Opening a Project File After Your Computer Is Unexpectedly Shut Down

941Archiving Completed Projects

Chapter 60

943

Working with Master and Affiliate Clips

 

943

Using Master and Affiliate Clips

 

944

Shared and Unique Clip Properties

 

945

Working with Master Clips

 

947

Working with Affiliate Clips

 

948

Creating Independent Clips

 

950

Using Keyboard Shortcuts to Modify Master-Affiliate Clip Relationships

 

951

Moving Clips Between Projects

 

951

How Does Final Cut Express Identify Matching Clips?

 

952

Resolving Property Differences Between Matching Clips

Chapter 61

955

Reconnecting Clips and Offline Media

 

955

Finding Your Media Files After Capture

 

958

About the Connections Between Clips and Media Files

20

Contents

 

 

 

959

How the Connection Between Clips and Media Files Can Be Broken

 

959

Reconnecting Clips to Media Files

 

966

When Final Cut Express Reconnects Your Clips

 

968

Reconnecting Media Files Automatically

Chapter 62

969

Choosing Settings and Preferences

 

969

Changing User Preferences

 

970

General Tab

 

975

Editing Tab

 

977

Timeline Options Tab

 

977

Render Control Tab

 

978

Locating and Deleting the Preferences File

 

978

Changing System Settings

 

979

Scratch Disks Tab

 

980

Search Folders Tab

 

981

Memory & Cache Tab

 

982

Playback Control Tab

 

982

External Editors Tab

Part XII

 

Output

Chapter 63

987

Preparing to Output to Tape

 

987

Output Requirements

 

988

Methods for Output to Tape in Final Cut Express

 

989

Setting Up Your Editing System to Output to Tape

Chapter 64

993

Printing to Video and Output from the Timeline

 

993

Different Ways You Can Output Video from the Timeline

 

994

Printing to Video

 

994

Automatically Recording with Print to Video

 

995

Using the Print to Video Command

 

997

Recording from the Timeline

 

999

Outputting to VHS Tape

Chapter 65

1001

Learning About QuickTime

 

1001

What Is QuickTime?

 

1002

The QuickTime Suite of Software Applications

 

1002

QuickTime for Media Authoring

 

1002

The QuickTime Movie File Format

 

1005

How Final Cut Express Uses QuickTime for Import, Export, and Capture

 

1006

Formats Supported by QuickTime

 

1011

How Do You Export the Files You Need?

Contents

21

 

 

Chapter 66

1013

Exporting QuickTime Movies

 

1013

About the Export QuickTime Movie Command

 

1014

Choosing the Type of QuickTime Movie to Export

 

1015

Exporting a QuickTime Movie File

 

1017

Exporting QuickTime Movies with Markers

Chapter 67

1019

Exporting Using QuickTime Conversion

 

1019

About the Export Using QuickTime Conversion Command

 

1020

Types of File Formats You Can Export with QuickTime

 

1021

About Color Space Conversion

 

1021

Exporting a QuickTime Movie File for Web Distribution

 

1023

Configuring QuickTime Movie Settings

 

1033

About QuickTime Aperture Display Modes

 

1036

Exporting to an Apple Device

 

1037

Exporting a DV Stream

 

1038

Exporting an AVI File

Chapter 68

1041

Exporting Sequences for DVD

 

1041

The DVD Creation Process

 

1044

Adding Chapter and Compression Markers to Your Sequence

 

1047

Using iDVD

 

1047

Exporting a QuickTime Movie for DVD Use

Chapter 69

1049

Exporting Still Images and Image Sequences

 

1049

Determining the Image Format for Still-Image Export

 

1050

Exporting a Single Still Image

 

1051

Exporting Image Sequences

Part XIII

Appendixes

Appendix A 1057

Video Formats

1057

Characteristics of Video Formats

1058

Storage Medium

1059

Video Standards

1060

Types of Video Signals

1062

Aspect Ratio of the Video Frame

1064

Frame Dimensions, Number of Lines, and Resolution

1066

Pixel Aspect Ratio

1067

Frame Rate

1067

Scanning Method

1070

Color Recording Method

1070

Video Sample Rate and Bit Depth

1072

Video Compression

22

Contents

 

 

 

1079

Video Formats Supported by Final Cut Express

 

1079

DV Formats

 

1080

High Definition Video Formats

 

1081

Data Rate Comparisons

 

1081

A Brief History of Film, Television, and Audio Formats

Appendix B

1085

Frame Rate and Timecode

 

1085

What Is Frame Rate?

 

1086

Understanding Flicker and Perceived Frame Rate

 

1087

Frame Rate Limits: How Many Frames per Second Is Best?

 

1088

Choosing a Frame Rate

 

1090

What Is Timecode?

 

1090

About Drop Frame and Non-Drop Frame Timecode

Appendix C

1095

Working with Anamorphic 16:9 Media

 

1095

About Anamorphic 16:9 Media

 

1099

Recording Anamorphic Video

 

1100

Capturing Anamorphic Media

 

1100

Viewing and Editing Anamorphic Media

 

1102

Rendering Items That Contain Anamorphic Media

 

1103

Exporting Anamorphic Video to a QuickTime Movie

Appendix D

1105

Solving Common Problems

 

1105

Resources for Solving Problems

 

1106

Solutions to Common Problems

 

1111

Contacting AppleCare Support

Index

1113

 

Contents

23

 

 

Final Cut Express 4

Documentation and Resources

Preface

You can use Final Cut Express to create movies of any budget, style, and format. Final Cut Express comes with onscreen documentation to help you learn how.

This preface provides information on the documentation available for Final Cut Express, as well as information about Final Cut Express resources on the web. Final Cut Express comes with several types of documentation to help you learn more about movie editing and how to use the application:

Onscreen Help

Onscreen help (available in the Help menu) provides easy access to information while you’re working in Final Cut Express. An onscreen version of the Final Cut Express 4 User Manual is available here, along with links to other documentation and related Apple websites.

To access onscreen help:

m In Final Cut Express, choose an option from the Help menu.

Onscreen User Manual

The onscreen version of the user manual is helpful if you do not have immediate access to the printed volumes.

To access the onscreen user manual:

m In Final Cut Express, choose Help > Final Cut Express User Manual.

Release Notes

This document contains information about issues with third-party hardware and software and other known issues.

Note: You must be connected to the Internet to view the Release Notes document.

To access Release Notes:

m In Final Cut Express, choose Help > Release Notes.

25

Apple Websites

There are a variety of discussion boards, forums, and educational resources related to Final Cut Express on the web.

Final Cut Express Websites

The following websites provide general information, updates, and support information about Final Cut Express, as well as the latest news, resources, and training materials.

For information about Final Cut Express, go to:

 http://www.apple.com/finalcutexpress

To get more information on third-party resources, such as third-party tools and user groups, go to:

 http://www.apple.com/finalcutexpress/resources.html

For information on the Apple Pro Training Program, go to:

 http://www.apple.com/software/pro/training

To provide comments and feedback to Apple about Final Cut Express, go to:

 http://www.apple.com/feedback/finalcutexpress.html

Apple Service and Support Website

The Apple Service and Support website provides software updates and answers to the most frequently asked questions for all Apple products, including Final Cut Express. You’ll also have access to product specifications, reference documentation, and Apple and third-party product technical articles:

 http://www.apple.com/support

26

Preface Final Cut Express 4 Documentation and Resources

 

 

Part I: An Introduction to Final Cut Express

I

 

Find out how Final Cut Express fits into the moviemaking

 

process and learn about fundamental concepts of

 

digital video editing and the basic elements of

 

a Final Cut Express project.

Chapter 1

About the Post-Production Workflow

Chapter 2

Video Formats

Chapter 3

Understanding Projects, Clips, and Sequences

About the Post-Production

1

Workflow

No matter what your project, Final Cut Express is the cornerstone of your post-production workflow.

This chapter covers the following:

ÂThe Industry Workflow (p. 29)

ÂThe Post-Production Workflow (p. 30)

The Industry Workflow

Before you start editing, it’s helpful to consider how post-production fits into the overall moviemaking workflow. Even though no two movie projects follow exactly the same steps, there is a common workflow that almost every project adheres to. From conception to completion, the basic steps to complete a film or video project are described below.

Step 1: Scripting

Scripting is where the movie is conceived and written.

Step 2: Preproduction

This is where budgeting, casting, location scouting, equipment and format selection, and storyboarding take place.

Step 3: Production

Production is where you create your footage, capturing performances using video or film cameras, as well as audio recorders. Lighting, cinematography, acting, and directing all come together to create the elements used to tell your story or deliver your message. For practical reasons, scenes are usually shot out of order, which means they have to be properly arranged during editing.

29

Step 4: Post-production

Post-production is where you organize and assemble your production footage, putting scenes in proper order, selecting the best takes, and eliminating unnecessary elements. Production sound is synchronized (with the picture), edited, sometimes rerecorded, and mixed. Music is composed and added. Footage is color-corrected and special effects are created. The final movie is output to tape, film, or some other high-quality media format.

Step 5: Distribution

Distribution is when you release a movie for viewing. This may involve theater screenings, video and DVD releases, festival submissions, or web delivery.

The Post-Production Workflow

The post-production phase begins with the raw source footage and ends with a completed movie, ready for making distribution copies. As technology evolves, post-production continues to proliferate into an increasing variety of jobs and tasks. Where there was once a single editor who was responsible for the majority of the post-production process, there may now be a whole special effects team, an audio department, a colorist (responsible for color correction), and a number of assistant editors keeping track of all the footage. Final Cut Express is at the heart of the post-production pipeline, allowing you to organize and assemble media from multiple sources into a finished product.

Here is an overview of the basic Final Cut Express post-production workflow. As you begin your project, remember that there are no hard and fast rules for editing. Different editors have different working styles and, given the same source material, no two editors will cut the same finished program. The workflow described here offers just one example of how you might approach a typical project.

30

Part I An Introduction to Final Cut Express

 

 

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