Blog Archives

An illustrated tutorial on how to use “pinning” to control the placement of text in Adobe Premiere when using Auto-Reframe.

A video compression speed and file size comparison using Apple Compressor between macOS Mojave and Catalina. This will be of interest to video editors and media creators.

An illustrated tutorial on how to create, apply and delete effects presets in Apple Final Cut Pro X.

A quick tutorial on what Final Cut Pro X Library backup files are, where they are stored and how to delete them.

Post Haste can help you get organized right at the start of a project by creating folders and files automatically, and in a format you control. This free app is worth a look – here are the details.

An illustrated tutorial on how to set audio clips in Premiere to dual-channel mono for more control in mixing. Plus, a very cool technique for processing audio clips in a batch!

An illustrated tutorial on how to change audio channels from stereo to dual-channel mono in Apple Final Cut Pro X, how to adjust pan, and how to process multiple clips at once in a batch.

Keyboard shortcuts for Apple Final Cut Pro X that make both editing and trimming faster.

A first-look at the new features and current status of Simon Says, automated speech-to-text transcription for media creators.

Survey of applications and web services providing automated speech-to-text transcription focused on media creators.

An illustrated tutorial on how to use the new Auto-Reframe feature for both clips and sequences in Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2020.

The Project Manager, in Adobe Premiere Pro CC, allows you to gather all the files for a project and store them safely in one place. Here’s how it works.

A detailed look at the speed differences between a Mac i5 vs i7 system for video compression into H.264 or HEVC codecs. The results are surprising!

Lesspain Software update Kyno to version 1.7.1, which now supports Windows, as well as finding and converting older media that is not compatible with macOS Catalina. Here are more details.

An illustrated tutorial of using Roles in Apple Final Cut Pro X to label, organize and display titles and audio clips.

Apple released the latest version of Compressor (4.4.5) last Monday. One of the key features in the update was improved performance. Since all of us rely on compression to deliver our final projects, I wanted to see how much improvement …

A new GPU selection feature in Final Cut Pro X positions it to take full advantage of the horsepower in the new, 2019 Mac Pro. Plus, if you are running a MacBook Pro with an eGPU, you need to read this.

The Timeline Index, in Final Cut Pro X, has a variety of little-known features that make it invaluable on medium-to-large project edits. Here’s what you need to know.

Three different ways to quickly export a section of a movie from Adobe Premiere Pro CC.

Here’s a REALLY fast way to export multiple segments from the same clip – or movie.

An interview with Rory McGregor, CEO of Cospective, developers of cineSync, about their media review and collaboration tool.

An illustrated guide to improving audio levels in Final Cut Pro X 10.4 using the Limiter effect, roles and compound clips.

Adobe announces “Auto Reframe” at IBC 2019. Here’s more.

An explanation of things to consider when purchasing your next computer for media editing. Written for the non-technical person who is deeply confused about what all these tech talk means.

Marker, from XMiL Workflow Tools, is a free, easy-to-use utility that displays, tags and exports lists of used or unused files in a video editing project created by Adobe Premiere Pro, Avid Media Composer or Apple Final Cut Pro X (and 7).

An illustrated tutorial on how, and why, to import or export markers from Adobe Audition CC.

An illustrated “First Look” at Filmora9 – “Video Editing Simplified” – software designed for the amateur editor who needs simplicity, a wealth of effects and easy access to social media.

An explanation of when and why media is copied during import, plus a discussion of Premiere’s new Ingest option.

Here’s how to fix a problem when Apple Final Cut Pro X takes too long to display images – or displays too many images – in the Media Import window.

This provides an overview of what High Dynamic Range (HDR) media is, where we are now, where we are going, how it works in video editing systems and links to learn more. Written for a video editor, not an engineer.

An illustrated tutorial on how to use AirDrop to move images and video from your iPhone to a Mac.

Range check is a simple-to-use tool that helps you retain all the detail in the brightest parts of your video image in Apple Final Cut Pro X. This illustrated tutorial shows you how to use it.

Mark Bashian, Creative Director for Bash Films, recently sent me these results of his performance testing. Since all of us are trying to figure out how to make the most of our computer gear, I found his tests to be …

This is a fascinating, illustrated look at how different media affects performance of RAM, CPU, and Libraries in Final Cut Pro X, along with recommendations on upgrades and computer systems.

A step-by-step illustrated tutorial on how to create, automate and access proxy media files in Adobe Premiere Pro CC (2018 or later).

“Wouldn’t it be great,” I thought, “if I could embed one project into multiple others?” But, as we all know, FCP X won’t allow embedding projects into others. Instead, use compound clips. And, as you’ll discover, compound clips are dynamic!

An explanation of how Massive.io can help filmmakers transfer files faster and cheaper than older services.

In this short video excerpt, watch as Larry Jordan illustrates how and why to modify Library properties in Apple Final Cut Pro X (10.4.x).

In this short video excerpt, watch as Larry Jordan illustrates how and why to automatically create and edit proxies in Adobe Premiere Pro CC (2019).

Whether you purchase a template or create your own, Motion 5 makes it easy to create a visual effect once, then modify and reuse it as many times as you want. This article explains how to create, save, modify, export and reuse templates.

A detailed tutorial on the audio and video analysis settings as part of the Media Import window in Apple Final Cut Pro X. Not always accurate, not always fast, but perhaps worth knowing.

An explanation of how the speed of light limits how fast a computer CPU can go. This is VERY cool, even if you don’t understand tech!

A detailed look at the speed differences in exporting different versions of ProRes from Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2019. Which should you use to save time?

A detailed look at the speed differences in rendering different versions of ProRes in Apple Final Cut Pro X. Which should you use to save time?

An illustrated guide to using the new Punch and Roll feature to record audio ranges in Adobe Audition CC (2019).

An illustrated review of Better Rename 10, a utility that renames files, developed by PublicSpace.net.

A detailed, illustrated explanation of how to use Auto-ducking for both Ambience and Music in Adobe Premiere Pro CC. (New with the Spring 2019 update)

An illustrated tutorial on how to use the new Freeform view display option in the April, 2019, update to Adobe Premiere Pro CC.

An illustrated look at some of the lesser-known, but still powerful, features in Adobe Premiere Pro CC released in the April, 2019, update.

An illustrated guide to free software tools you can use to measure the performance of your computer system, with a focus on video editing.