Blog Archives

Final Cut has always allowed keyboard customization. This article shows some new “almost-secret” techniques buried in OS X that allow you to create customized keyboard shortcuts in ANY application.

Here’s a simple technique to apply a filter to a portion of clip — then use the Slip tool to move it where you need it.

This article grew out of a reader question about how to create special effects in Final Cut.

Creating smooth moves on stills is at the heart of many documentaries. Final Cut makes creating moves easy. But smoothness is sometimes much harder to achieve. Take a look at what these editors have to say about the best way to get your images to move.

Smoothcam, Final Cut Pro’s motion stabilization filter, can really smooth out some very shaky shots. But it can take a long time to do so. This article shows you what you can do to speed this process up.

Apple has announced a new version of its operating system for next year – 10.6 (Snow Leopard). This article looks at what this may mean for Final Cut Pro users.

Creating stills that you can do moves on in Final Cut is tricky. My email In-box will attest to that. This article describes what you need to know to make sure your images are the right size and how to import them.

Judging by my email, handling still images is by far the most confusing part of editing video — especially because the computer creates images using square pixels and video uses rectangular pixels, in a variety of shapes. This article explains everything you need to know to create great looking still images for your next video project.

It’s enough to drive you nuts. Every time you start-up your computer, Final Cut Pro launches as well. It’s time to stop the start! And this article shows you a very easy way to do just that.

When you are ready to lay your final projects back to tape, the best way to do so is to use Print to Video. However, Edit to Tape is required if you need to record at a specific timecode on your tape. But this requires laying Timecode on your tape first. This article explains how.

Here are a series of tips to create great looking text in Final Cut Pro.

Here’s another technique that grew out of a recent webinar — creating cast shadows using Boris Title 3D. Title 3D is bundled with your version of Final Cut, so you already have this installed on your system.

If you’ve tried matching text sizes between Final Cut and Motion, you’ve discovered they aren’t the same. This article explains why.

Many times we need to use the same text formatting for multiple text clips. Here’s a fast and easy way to create text favorites, including drop shadows, that make the whole process simple.

Here’s a simple technique that creates a very interesting effect using one of the ugliest generated texts in Final Cut.

Simply editing a text clip to the timeline isn’t enough. If you are planning on keying your text, use superimpose instead. This article shows you the three-step process and tells you why its important.

Through edits are marked by red “bow-ties” which indicate cuts in a track where there’s no change in video or audio. This brief technique provides three different ways to get rid of these edits.

Here’s a very quick tip that describes how to display thumbnails in the Browser, how to create poster frames for a thumbnail, and how to scrub around inside a thumbnail.

An editor, Gene Thomas, faced a problem with a timecode break when a pair of clips he was recording stopped capturing in the middle. In this article we take a look at timecodes, how multiclip reads them, how to manually change them, and other fun stuff.

A subscriber writes in requesting info on a program that would be able to track time by client, as well as project and function. Larry refers him to a pair of very useful suggestions from other subscribers.

With the release of Final Cut Pro v5.1.2, Apple added 53 new filters. Here’s an article that shows you how to create interesting “trail” effects.

Travel mattes are a fascinating multi-layer effect with countless uses. Here, we use a travel matte to blur portions of an image to prevent identification, or to draw attention to the portions that are in-focus.

This is a great technique when you have a large image, but only want to display portions of it moving around the frame.

You can trim everything using the Arrow tool. But you can trim faster and more accurately using the Roll and Ripple tools. This article shows you how.

Having problems with Apple Final Cut Pro 7? This article provides dozens and dozens of techniques you can use to optimize your Final Cut 5, 6, or 7 system; plus trouble-shooting tips to prevent problems.

Here’s a great technique you can use if your camera only shoots 4:3, but you want it to look like 16:9. This works for any standard-def video format; you don’t need it when shooting HD, because HD is already 16:9.

Handles are critical for transitions and trimming. In this article, discover what handles are and why they are necessary.

If you’ve ever had to convert a 16:9 sequence into a 4:3 letterbox video, this explains how to do it.

Save As does more than just give your file a a new name. It can also prevent problems, as this short article describes.

Scratch Disks are critical to Final Cut. If they are set improperly, Final Cut won’t edit. This article describes what they are, how to set them and how to trouble-shoot problems.

Nothing causes more confusion for video editors than trying to figure out how to size still images for video. I’ve written extensively about this in the past — which is referenced in this article — this is an additional follow-up.

Unlike video, which has a fixed duration, still images are assigned a duration when they are imported into Final Cut.

Way over on the left side of the Timeline are a set of gray buttons that very few people understand. However, when you know how to use the Patch Panel properly, you’ll be able to edit any clip to any track instantly. I use this ALL the time and can’t imagine editing without it. This tool is also essential when you want to make a video-only, or audio-only edit.

Track gaps are pesky things that sneak around and flash black at the worst possible moments. This article shows you how to find and delete them.

Transcoding is the process of converting video (and/or audio) from one format into another. Generally, compression is done for final delivery, while transcoding is done from one editing format to another editing format. In any case, when should you transcode? This article explains the three options and provides suggestions on which one you should pick.

Final Cut does not like editing compressed video. However, what’s the best way to convert MEPG-2 video, which is compressed, into something Final Cut likes? This article tells you what you need to know.

MS microphones are popular in documentary recording because they avoid problems with phase-cancellation. However, there is not an easy way to use them in Final Cut Pro — until now, that is, using this very simple technique.

Whenever you trash or delete Final Cut preference files, FCP will reset back to NTSC DV 48kHz audio. This reset happens whenever your preferences get trashed. I don’t think Final Cut inherently thinks NTSC, but that when things reset, FCP resets to its default settings which is NTSC.

The lighting is perfect, the acting superb, the audio flawless — except the boom mike has crept into the top of the frame. Here are several quick techniques you can use to get rid of it — without reshooting.

In this article Larry answers a subscriber’s question about how to locate a missing file in FCP.

I am getting periodic reports of missing render files inside Final Cut Pro. This short article may give you a hand in tracking down the problem.

Does this happen to you? The audio waveforms don’t display in a Final Cut Pro 7 sequence when they should. Hitting option-apple-W simply brings up a series of Xs instead of a waveform. How do you get these back? By reading this article, which explains the problem and what you need to know to fix it.

Normally, audio is monitored off your deck or camera. However, if you need to listen to the audio during capture, Final Cut turns it off by default. This short tip shows you how to turn it on.

One of the hot new features in Final Cut Pro 6 (part of Final Cut Studio 2) is the ability to use Motion templates inside Final Cut Pro. This article shows you how that’s done and gives you a couple of killer examples on how using templates as placeholders can save you HOURS of time.

Final Cut makes it easy to move files from one place to another — provided you have your files and system setup correctly. This article explains what you need to know.

Final Cut Pro is two audio channels in, but up to 24 audio channels out. This article shows you how to get more than stereo from FCP.

By default, Final Cut outputs all audio as a stereo pair. However, Final Cut supports up to 24 discrete audio channels out — provided you know what to adjust and where to click. This article shows you how.

Probably the most reqested technique in my classes — how to add the same transition to multiple clips at once. Here’s how.

Multicam clips are new with FCP 5 and provide the ability to see multiple camera angles at the same time. However, while they are easy to use, they can be tricky to set up. This technique explains the steps you need to follow to get everything working smoothly.

In order to create a multiclip in Final Cut Pro, all the clips in it MUST match for codec, frame rate, and image size. They must also contain continuous, uninterrupted timecode.