Blog Archives

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.

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.

In this short video tutorial, Larry Jordan showcases an easy way to improve the quality of your audio using the Track mixer, key audio effects, and the Loudness Radar in Adobe Premiere Pro.

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.

I’m impressed with how Image Capture simplifies moving files between iPhone and Mac. It is easy to use, capable, fast and secure. And, best of all, it’s already installed on your system.

In this short video tutorial, Larry Jordan shows how to use the Source Monitor in Adobe Premiere Pro to review and mark video clips for editing.

In this short video tutorial, Larry Jordan shows how to perform three advanced editing techniques in Adobe Premiere Pro: 3-Point, Back-time and Replace edits.

In this short video tutorial, Larry Jordan illustrates different techniques to organize, move, copy and delete clips in the Adobe Premiere timeline.

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.

In this short video tutorial, Larry Jordan explains how to automatically transcode media from one format to another, plus create proxy files, during import in Adobe Premiere Pro.

In this short video tutorial, Larry Jordan shows how to access, add, modify and delete keyboard shortcuts for Adobe Premiere Pro.

In this short video tutorial, Larry Jordan illustrates how to optimize Premiere Pro’s preference settings for video editing.

In this short video excerpt, Larry Jordan demonstrates a very fast technique to copy files from an iPhone to a Mac.

A fast, automated method to optimize grayscale (exposure) settings to video clips in Adobe Premiere Pro.

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.

An illustrated tutorial to two new Premiere features: Effect filtering and keyboard shortcuts for marker colors.

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).

This morning, Adobe updated Premiere Pro, After Effects, Audition, Character Animator and Premiere Rush. Available today, the updates offer support for Apple ProRes RAW, new creative tools in After Effects, workflow refinements in Character Animator, and performance improvements, such as …

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

The anchor point is that spot around which an image rotates or scales. Moving it to a corner or an edge often makes a zoom or rotation more interesting. Here’s how.

This is a REALLY fast way to get rid of color casts in video clips using Adobe Premiere Pro.

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.

Productions were introduced by Adobe as a collaboration feature. But, even if you are a solo editor, there’s a lot to like in Productions. Here are Larry Jordan’s thoughts on Productions.

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.

An illustrated, step-by-step guide to creating a lecture video using video and PowerPoint/Keynote slides in Adobe Premiere Pro.

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.

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 to quickly create, view and edit multicam sequences in Adobe Premiere Pro CC.

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.

Adobe published a guide to working remotely using Creative Cloud tools. Here’s the information and a link.

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.

An illustrated tutorial on how to create custom effects along with custom folders to store them in for Apple Final Cut Pro X.

Double-system sound is where you record the video on one device (a video camera, for example), while the audio is recorded on a separate device (such as a digital audio recorder). Many DSLR and video cameras don’t have high-quality audio …

Double-system sound is where you record the video on one device (a video camera, for example), while the audio is recorded on a separate device. This illustrated tutorial shows how to sync these different files and get them ready for editing in Apple Final Cut Pro X.

Keywords allow us to label a clip, or portion of a clip, so that we can find it when we need it again later; quickly, easily and with a great deal of specificity. Here’s a tutorial on how they work.

An intriguing new feature in macOS Catalina (10.15) is Sidecar. This allows you to either extend or mirror your Mac desktop on a recent-model iPad. Here’s what you need to know to make it work.

DPP today released a new research report exploring how production companies are now using the Cloud as a key production tool. Here are the details of what they found.

A revised explanation of how and when to automatically scale clips inside Adobe Premiere Pro CC.

Pro Color Monitor is an innovative way to enable editors to monitor and modify images with color problems without requiring a degree in video engineering, though it can use some work to make it easier to understand its display.

I’m a keyboard shortcut junkie. But, there are some very cool mouse shortcuts in Apple Final Cut Pro X that even a dyed-in-the-wool keyboardist like me finds highly useful. Here are nine of my favorites.

An explanation of what dual-channel mono is, why we use it, and how to work with it in Apple Final Cut Pro X.

Adobe announces Productions for Adobe Premiere Pro CC at Sundance 2020. Here are the details of this new, team-oriented addition to Premiere.

Adjustment layers make applying effects to multiple clips fast, easy and quickly adjustable. Here’s how to create an adjustment layer for Final Cut Pro X using Motion.

An explanation of what the audio settings mean when creating a multicam clip for Adobe Premiere Pro CC, along with recommendations on which settings to choose.

A revised article on how to create and edit multicam clips in Adobe Premiere Pro CC, where the source clips are different frame sizes.

Here’s a fast, but not intuitive, way to create the right multicam clip for editing in Adobe Premiere Pro CC.

An introduction to Drylab, which makes tools to help scripted production teams make better film and TV, while reducing costs and overhead. Plus an interview with founder, John Christian Rosenlund.