Most of the time, we edit using the final image quality from our cameras. But, in the case of HD-CAM SR, that may not be possible, as those video files are HUGE! In this article, a reader asks how to use EDLs when trying to capture tapeless media. Depending upon how the off-line, low-resolution images were created, this story has either a happy, or very sad, ending. You can read the options here.
As our industry moves quickly to tapeless media and acquisition, properly archiving your footage can make the difference between happiness and heart-ache. In this article, I outline what you need to know about archive formats.
What makes for an effective technology teacher? What should we focus on? How do we avoid the “fear of the unknown” in our students? In this philosophical musing, I reflect on what I’ve learned about teaching technology for almost a decade.
In this article Larry advises a subscriber who downloaded a beta version of Soundbooth and believes there may have been an error in his workflow.
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.
In this answer to a newsletter reader’s question, we look at the process of transcoding (converting) video from one format to another. We specifically talk about what is the right format to transcode into.
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.
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.
Save As does more than just give your file a a new name. It can also prevent problems, as this short article describes.
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.
Audio distortion means disaster for your project. This article shows you a new technique in Soundtrack Pro that can guarantee to increase audio gain without distortion.
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.
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.
In this article Larry answers a subscriber’s question about how to locate a missing file in FCP.
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.
Monitors for HD video are not cheap. So why not just connect an HD television set via HDMI and let it go at that? In this short write-up, Dan May, president of Blackmagic Design, explains the potential problems with monitoring your HD video using this kind of setup.
Computers use square pixels to represent images, while video uses rectangular pixels. And this difference drives all of us nuts. This article describes pixel aspect ratio and helps you get your images looking great.
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.
Probably the most reqested technique in my classes — how to add the same transition to multiple clips at once. Here’s 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.
Multiclips are new with Final Cut 5. This article explains how to use markers within a multiclip.
One of the more useful new goodies in Final Cut 7 is all the new functions that markers now support. Since we are talking about multiclips, I wanted to mention a specific marker feature you may not know about.
As you move into editing HD footage, you will quickly discover that there are many, many, MANY different HD formats. This article describes what you can do when you are forced to work with more than one HD format in a project.
Nesting is the process of placing one sequence inside another sequence. There are many reasons why this technique is useful. This article highlights several of them, including ways to fix problems when your nested audio does not appear.
Here’s a quick little shortcut that just appeared in the latest version of Final Cut Pro that is almost impossible to find.
The debatable “nightmare” of offline editing is discussed, with Larry strongly recommending the creation of DVCPROHD 23.98 fps masters to keep the frame rate and image size constant and greatly simplify the final on-line edit.
Getting organized is always easier to say than to do. In this article, we discuss basic organization techniques and provide references to other sources you can use to organize even huge projects.
Panning balances audio playback between the left and right speaker to position the audio in space. In this quick technique, learn three ways you can pan multiple clips in Final Cut Pro.
With the release of Final Cut Studio 2, Apple created a new high-end codec entitled ProRes. With the release of Final Cut Studio (3) they expanded it from two variations to five. What is ProRes and how do you decide which version to use for your projects? Answering that question is the purpose of this article.
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!)
A good question regarding soundtrack transfer is submitted in this article and Larry explains the problem with how scripts process – or fail to process – clips
A reader questions why the Quicktime quality of his sequences are soft when he exports them as a mov.
Ripping a DVD, which means to convert it into something that Final Cut Pro can edit, can be done a number of ways. However, not all of them yield the best quality. This article explains what you need to know to convert your DVD footage into something that can be edited, while still looking good.
Lots has been written about the benefits – or lack thereof – in shooting 24 fps video. Here’s a quick look at a complex subject.
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.
Nothing is more critical than making sure your reel numbers (or names) are correct before capturing video. This explains how to fix them when you forget.
Sometimes, especially when merging clips, you get more audio tracks in a Final Cut Pro timeline than you want. This article describes a couple of different ways you can get rid of them.
When you are working with multiple tracks of video, trimming clips on several tracks at once is essential. This article shows you how to trim multiple tracks quickly and accurately.
Steve Gagne sent in a question that sparked this tutorial. He was dissolving between chroma-key shots and in the middle of each dissolve, the foreground clip color-shifted to green. He thought this could be fixed using nests, but needed some help in figuring out how.
In this article, various problems with playback are addressed and answered.
