Blog Archives

In this short video tutorial, Larry Jordan shows how to trouble-shoot Apple Final Cut Pro X, as well as providing links to trouble-shooting Macintosh systems.

In an ideal world, all your green-screen source files are perfectly lit. This illustrated tutorial deals with reality – green-screen source files that are badly light, poorly saturated and with gear lying all around the frame. Sheesh!

Storage Locations, which specifies where Final Cut Pro X stores media, provides a significant and useful compromise between the security of storing all files in the library, with the flexibility of directly accessing files scattered about your hard disk.

Built into the Finder is a batch file renaming utility that is fast, easy to use and flexible. If all you need is to quickly rename and sequence files, this free utility, shipped with the macOS, will do the job.

Hidden inside Final Cut is a batch renaming feature that makes renaming clips fast and easy. This illustrated tutorial shows where it is and how it works.

There are three options in the View menu that enable us to better see what we are creating in the timeline: Visibility, Skimming and Clip Skimming. Here’s how they work.

Apple Silicon – new CPUs from Apple – were announced at WWDC 2020. Here’s Larry Jordan’s take on what this new hardware means to media creators.

Proxy files simplify working with video files. Here’s a quick tutorial on how to create and use them in Apple Final Cut Pro X.

Video walls for performances are very popular. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to create them, using Final Cut Pro X and the Griddy plugin from FXFactory.

One of the reasons Final Cut Pro X is so fast is that it completes a lot of its work in the background. The Background Tasks window monitors all this activity. Here’s how to use it.

If you haven’t used the Timeline Index, you are missing a powerful tool to help track and organize the contents of your projects. Here’s what it does and how to use it.

A backup strategy for video production and editing to make sure you can find the assets you need when you need them.

ChronoX is a very useful app for testing your system in a real-world setting to help you maximize its performance. Here’s a detailed look at what it is and how it works.

In this short video demo, watch as Larry Jordan shows how to color grade Panasonic HLG Log media in both a Rec. 709 and HDR projects. Bonus: Larry also illustrates how to use the HDR Tools effect for converting HDR media.

In this short video demo, watch as Larry Jordan illustrates how to display and color grade ProRes RAW media in Apple Final Cut Pro X. (This also includes a bonus technique on using the Balance Color effect for HDR media.)

In this short video demo, watch as Larry Jordan show how to setup and configure dual computer monitors, video range checking and HDR tone-mapping.

In this short video demo, watch as Larry Jordan illustrates the different color spaces between SDR (Standard Dynamic Range) and HDR media.

An explanation of how Apple Final Cut Pro X handles ProRes RAW images, along with a link to an Apple white paper to learn more.

An illustrated tutorial on how to create a highly-compressed HEVC movie with transparency (alpha channels) using either the macOS or Apple Compressor.

An illustrated tutorial on how to create a scrolling credit list using Microsoft Word, Adobe Photoshop and Apple Final Cut Pro X (or Adobe Premiere).

An illustrated, detailed tutorial on how to create an effect in Apple Motion to be used as a template inside Final Cut Pro X.

A detailed, illustrated tutorial on how to move custom Motion templates designed for Final Cut from one computer to another.

A step-by-step tutorial, from Carleton Cole, on how to create scrolling text in Final Cut Pro X.

Match Color does more than simply match colors between clips. Once you understand what it is REALLY doing, you can use it to create some fascinating effects.

In this short video demo, watch as Larry Jordan shows two different ways to remove color casts from skin tones and improve color accuracy in Apple Final Cut Pro X.

In this short video demo, watch as Larry Jordan shows how to use the Hue and Saturation Curves in Final Cut Pro X to replace and adjust a single color in a clip.

In this short video demo, watch as Larry Jordan shows how to use the Balance Color and Match Color tools to quickly fix color problems in your clips.

An in-depth look at the latest release of ArGest Backup 4.0 from TOLIS Group. This is specifically designed for archiving assets to LTO tape. This review uses the LTO-8 tape format.

There are many effects you can copy and paste. Speed ramps are not among them. Learn more here.

In this short video demo, watch as Larry Jordan shows faster ways to trim, move clips and create freeze frames – all with the keyboard – in Apple Final Cut Pro X.

In this short video demo, watch as Larry Jordan shows how to enable hidden keyboard shortcuts to add, remove and toggle audio fades in Apple Final Cut Pro X.

In this short video demo, watch as Larry Jordan shows how format 3D text, then add a cast shadow in Apple Final Cut Pro X.

In this short video demo, watch as Larry Jordan shows how to copy the same clip into multiple events inside the same Apple Final Cut Pro X library.

In this short video demo, watch as Larry Jordan shows how to use the Focus blur to simulate depth-of-field in your video in Apple Final Cut Pro X.

This is an illustrated, step-by-step tutorial on how to import SRT captions into Apple Final Cut Pro X, enable them, trim them for time, export them as a stand-alone SRT file, then import them into YouTube.

In this short video demo, watch as Larry Jordan shows how and why to disable drive ownership in the macOS for all external storage. (Yes, you should do this.)

In this short video demo, watch as Larry Jordan shows a fast way to set and modify durations for clips in the Browser and Timeline of Apple Final Cut Pro X.

In this short video demo, watch as Larry Jordan shows how to create, import and modify captions in Apple Final Cut Pro X and Adobe Premiere Pro.

An illustrated tutorial on how to import, adjust and export captions in Apple Final Cut Pro X.

An illustrated tutorial on how to create a grid in Motion that can be used in Final Cut, with adjustable line widths and color. These are very useful for performance videos.

Simon Says On-Prem is a secure, fast, and easy-to-use transcription system that supports all major NLEs. It’s designed for editors needing a high volume of accurate transcripts with absolute security. Here are the details.

There are two single-camera editing techniques that drive me nuts: Shifting eye contact and unnecessary jump cuts. Here are techniques to solve both those problems.

Victor asked me to outline an organizational structure for narrative storytelling in Final Cut Pro X. While there is no “best” way, here is a system you can use and modify for your next project, with some very cool keyword tricks.

This “cookbook” is designed to provide a checklist on how to quickly create, view and edit multicam clips in Final Cut Pro X, along with links to learn more.

An on-going challenge that traditional filmmakers face is integrating vertical video into a horizontal timeline. While there is no “perfect” way to do this, here are two easy options to consider.

Today, Apple announced that both Final Cut Pro X and Logic Pro X will offer 90-day free trials for all customers. Here are the details.

An illustrated tutorial on how to create a video including a lecturer with PowerPoint or Keynote slides, using Apple Final Cut Pro X.

How to retain the highest image quality when exporting media from Apple Final Cut Pro X.

A quick, step-by-step process to transfer videos from a Mac to an iPad.

This is a detailed look at Apple’s Afterburner card for the 2019 Mac Pro. This explains what it is, what it does and when to considering buying it.