The best way to display HD video is using a Blu-ray Disc. However, the Mac OS does not support Blu-ray Disc playback, and to create a Blu-ray Disc takes an external burner. This article describes what you need to know to create a Blu-ray Disc. (Keep in mind that this technology is changing constantly – after this article was published, FCP 7 was released which provides limited support for Blu-ray Discs.)
When your audio mix is more complex than Final Cut can handle, this technique shows you how to export your audio using OMF, while keeping all your clips and handles intact.
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, learn how you can capture two simultaneous, real-time video feeds into one computer and get them ready for editing.
Working with still images in video is hard, because images created on the computer are not compatible with video. A new software – PhotoMotion – seeks to solve a lot of the challenges in working with still images. This is a detailed review of how the product works.
If you edit multiple cameras and spend time creating multiclips, you need to check into a new utility for Final Cut Pro called “PluralEyes.” This software vastly simplifies the process of syncing and building multiclips — especially when there are breaks in the timecode. This article shows you how to use it.
These thoughts have been bubbling around my head for the last few months, but developed into an article as I was trying to learn a particularly tricky piece of software. After reading the manual, watching the tutorials, and taking the training, I was more confused than ever. This article is an attempt to discuss how to create effective training, and specific techniques to avoid.
Not all video is, um, video. In many cases, we need to integrate PowerPoint or Keynote slides into our video projects. This article explains what you need to know to make this work successfully.
Sigh… There’s nothing quite like death by PowerPoint slides. Still, many times we need to incorporate them into our productions. Here’s what you need to know to help them look as good as they can. (Oh, and by the way, do EVERYTHING you can to reduce the text they contain!)
The Primatte RT keyer, which ships with both Motion and Final Cut Pro, is a nice keyer, but it has problems with hair and transparency. In this review/technique, I show you how to use the big brother to the RT filter: Primatte Keyer Pro 4 to key a model who has lots and lots of big, bouncy, hair!
When I first discovered the motion tracking in Motion 2, I was really excited. It was fairly easy to learn, easy to use, and delivered great results. Updated with more examples and lots of reader feedback.
The issue of converting to ProRes is addressed along with a walk-through of the pros and cons of the different version.
“Interlacing” is a term that confuses many people. This article explains what it is, how to work with it, and how to remove it in both video and stills.
How do you capture the screens from a game. There are a number of screen capture utilities on the market. This article explains which works best on the Mac for capturing a game.
Great looking chroma-keys start on set with how you light. However, once you’ve got the footage, what’s the best way to create a key. Here’s a quick sidebar that lists some other software you might want to try if you are not able to get the effect you want using the keyers that ship with Final Cut or Motion.
It is a long-known, but little-discussed secret that hard disks slowly lose their magnetic signal. If you archive your projects on hard disks, you need to read this article before all your carefully stored files… are gone!
By definition, all DVDs are only standard-def (SD). If you need high-def, you need to create Blu-ray Discs, which are not the same thing. But what if you want to take HD material and put it on a DVD? You need to convert it. And this article, describes how.
Adding subtitles is something DVD Studio Pro is very good at. But sometimes, importing a subtitle file doesn’t work. This explains why and how to fix it.
Final Cut Pro allows you to import text into a text clip, which allows you to write your text in one place, then display it in Final Cut. The problem is, that importing doesn’t always work properly. This article describes the problem and provides a solution.
The more I work with Soundtrack Pro 2, the more I like it. Recently, I spoke with Apple about STP and learn some quick facts I wanted to share with you here, including what gear you need to hear surround sound.
Apple has announced their new iPad, though as of this writing it has not yet shipped. What is the iPad good for? Should video professionals pay attention? In this article, I share some of my thoughts on where the iPad fits in.
Here’s a fast way to use Keynote create text animations — especially for text-heavy clips. This is also a much faster way to create animated bulleted lists as well. This technique shows you how to make this work.
Keynote is a secret weapon in the arsenal of creating motion graphics. The problem is getting the files exported from Keynote into something we can edit. This article describes the process, along with several tips from readers.
One of the hardest emails to read starts: “After years of work, I’m finally ready to submit my project to a festival. All I need to do is get rid of the audio echoes and I’m done.” The sad part is that is not a lot that can be done to reduce echoes — except for the ideas in this article.
The way a monitor wall works is that you send it a full-screen feed for each camera or image you want it to display. It will then composite them into a single display. This gives you the highest image quality and the ability to zoom one of the images full-screen.
Final Cut makes it challenging to line things up properly in the Canvas or Viewer, because there are no grids or guides. Here’s a quick technique you can use to create your own grids.
Larry fields a few questions regarding DVD problems from transcoding HD to SD, the advantages of Blu-Ray, and more.
Sometimes you need more than QuickTime to meet the needs of a client. In this brief article, we present a variety of solutions you can use to create WMV files of your Final Cut Pro projects on a Mac.
PPMs are something we never hear about in North America. All our audio is measured in dB. However, in Europe, PPM is THE standard of audio measurement — and Final Cut does not support it natively. This article explains what you need to know, and how to measure audio in PPMs.
This article shows the best way to get audio out of FCP so you can finish your mix in your favorite audio program.
Using Pro Tools to mix your Final Cut Pro project is a great way to achieve excellent audio. However, there are some tricks you need to understand in this process, as explained here.
With Blu-ray winning the DVD format war, attention has now turned to the costs of creating a Blu-ray DVD. This article explains that the cost of replicating one of these new format discs isn’t cheap.
In this article I want to give you some suggestions on proper selection of compression bit-rates; as well as how to improve the compatibility of the CDs and DVDs that you burn.
In spite of the hype, optical media is not dead. The two variations for HD media – AVCHD and Blu-ray Discs – are still valuable tools in an editor’s toolkit. In this article, David Scott writes about his success in using Blu-ray Discs to meet the needs of his project.
Final Cut Pro is, most often, used for editing after the recording is complete. However, there are some situations where you need to record live and edit as soon as you can. This article talks about that and provides options to consider. There’s also some relevant reader feedback.
Stereoscopic 3D video is not just for theatrical release. Cable and satellite channels, even YouTube, now display images in 3D. In this musing, I reflect that even if 3D isn’t the future, we can make money on it now – without spending a ton of money.
Need to find some new fonts — or looking for a way to add them to your system? Here’s how.
Soundtrack Pro does not create audio CDs automatically, but you can still do so, if you know how. This article explains the steps. Also, Peter Neil, from the BBC, suggests another program that makes this process even easier.
Having problems with audio playing at the wrong speed? It may be due to mismatched sample rates. This article describes what you need to know, and to do.
Sometimes, the best of plans suddenly go awry and you need to remove plug-ins from your FCP 7 system.
Recently, I was asked to give a demo of the latest Boris Continuum Complete plug-in suite at the LA Final Cut Pro User Group, and this is how it works.
