Scratch Disk | Project File | Capturing Footage | Seqence | Work Area | Time Code | Transitions/Handles | Subclips
Containers/Wrappers and Codecs | Exporting From Final Cut | Key Commands | Camera Shots/Moves | Aspect Ratios
Scratch Disk - When you start a new project, make a new scratch disk folder. I'd just put it on the desktop, so you can easily find it if you need to back it up or add things to it. The scratch disk folder is where all of the parts of your video project go. Ideally your scratch disk would be on a separate hard drive, but we can't do that here. To choose Final Cuts scratch disk go to: FINAL CUT EXPRESS (in the menu bar at the top of the screen),click on SYSTEM SETTINGS, be sure the SCRATCH DISKS tab is selected (it should be by default), in the little window that has the checks in it, click on the top SET. Navigate to the desktop. Select the scratch folder you made or make a new folder there. Click CHOOSE. Then click OK. That's it.
Anatomy of the scratch disk - The scratch disk folder is where all of the things are that you need for you video project.The scratch disk can be anywhere. Don't let the program decide where it should be. Final Cut will create three folders in the scratch disk folder: Audio Render Files, Capture Scratch, and Render Files. I create my own folder named "Assets" and put any additional media files I will be importing in there BEFORE I IMPORT THEM. When I create a new project, I also save my project file in the scratch folder. This way everything is in one manageable folder. By default the scratch disc folder will be in your user folder folder somewhere, but it is hard to find there. By putting it somewhere more accessible it will be easier for you to put your assets in it.
Project - This is the file that references the sequence file(s), that in turn reference and media or asset files. I usually save this in my scratch disk project folder (labeled as "practice" below).
Capturing footage - When capturing footage, use a descriptive name for the clip that will help you find it later. These clips will be in the scratch disk Capture Scratch folder.
Before you import any external video clips (clips you acquire by some other means than capturing), audio clips, or pictures into your project, make a folder for them in you scratch project folder. Place them in the folder (I usually name it assets) - before you import them. This tip will save you a lot of headaches.
Sequence - The sequence file is in the browser. This is the file that stores all of your editing information for the current project sequence. You can have more than one sequence per project.To see a particular sequence in the timeline, click on the sequence file in the browser. If you have more than one sequence in a project, there will be tabs on the top of the timeline with sequence names on it. Click on the sequence you want to work on. For now, just use one sequence for each project.
Setting up your sequence - Use the easy set-up. Click on FINAL CUT EXPRESS top left of the menu bar. Click on EASY SETUP. Where it says USE select DV-NTSC (for regular mini-DV camera). Click on SETUP. If you have to render a clip that you import into your timeline, the sequence is probably set up incorrectly. See me for help.
FINAL CUT EXPRESS WORK AREA (below)
Browser - When you import clips or make subclips, audio files or pictures, this is where they go.
Important browser concept - things in your browser are just icons that reference (lead back to) the actual asset (video clips, audio clips, etc.). If you loose the assets (things in your scratch disk), there will be a red line across the icon in the browser. That red line is saying it can't find the referenced item. If you place all of your assets in your project folder in your scratch disk folder before you import them, you will never have this problem.
Bin - A folder in your browser. Use these to organize your media. Some ideas: have a clip bin, audio bin, picture bin. If you are shooting in different locations, have location bins (inside the house bin, outside bin, you get the idea). Using bins can making finding things a lot simpler.
Viewer - When you double click a clip in the browser, this is where you see it. This is where you will trim the clip by using in and out points (use i and o to make the in and out points). If you plan on adding transitions to the clips be sure you leave handles ( at least 15 frames).
Canvas - The canvas is where you see a preview of the timeline. Whatever the playback head is over in the timeline is what you see in the canvas.
Timeline - This is where your clips that you edit in the viewer go.The timeline is a linier representation of your video. It has video and audio tracks.
Playback head - You see in the canvas what the playback head is over in the timeline.
Selecting windows - You need to select the window you want to work with before you start working. If you want to add an in point to the clip in the viewer, click on the viewer (or canvas, or timeline) window first. If you don't unexpected things will happen.
Time Code - hours: minutes: seconds: frames. Displayed like this - 00:01:12:22 The previous time code says I am looking at a frame in my project that is 1 minute, 12 seconds and 22 frames from the beginning. In most of your projects there are 29.97 frames per second.This is how Final cut keeps track of where it is in your video. This is the way it identifies the in and out points and where the playback head is. Be careful not to create time code breaks when you are recording. If you need to view your footage while in the camera, be sure you start recording over a little bit of previous footage. Always start recording about five seconds before and after the footage you want. This leaves some tape for transitions and overlap if you are viewing footage while shooting.
Transitions/Handles - When you capture, set the in and out points at least 2 seconds wider than the portion you want to use. This leaves some tape for transitions later. The little bits of tape before and after the part you want to use are called "handles".
Subclip - When you have a long clip that you want to break up into smaller parts (subclips), double click the clip to get it in the viewer, select in and out points, go to MODIFY>MAKE SUBCLIP. The subclip will now be in the browser. You can tell it is a subclip because the icon has a jagged front and back edge.You can use the subclip just as you would a regular clip.
Another way to make subclips: in the viewer, place markers where you want each subclip to start (position playback head, hit "m". The clip in the browser will now have a little triangle next to it. Click on the triangle to reveal the markers. Select them, and go to MODIFY>MAKE SUBCLIP. It's a lot fast than it sounds.You now have subclips that were defined by the markers. Go to MARK>MARKERS>DELEATE ALL if you need to delete the markers for some reason.
Compression, Containers/Wrappers and Codecs - This area can be pretty confusing. Give this a try : )
Extensions like : .avi, .mov., and .rm are containers or wrappers. Container and wrapper are two words that mean the same thing. MOV is an Apple wrapper, AVI is a PC wrapper, RM is a Real Media wrapper. Wrappers contain video, audio and navigation information for your video. The containers can use a variety of different codecs. Think of the wrapper/container like a box that can hold different items (codecs). A codec is a contraction of 2 words: compression and decompression. Video files are so big they need to be compressed. The codecs are the things that compress and uncompress them. Different codecs are useful for different delivery systems.You would use one type of codec on a video file for a DVD, another for a video you would put in an Email, and another to play on youtube.Some codecs are wrapper specific and others are used by more than one wrapper. The wrappers just help the computer identify and use the different codecs. Another way to look at it is: "Your videos are contained in wrappers and compressed with codecs". More confusion: some of the wrappers have the same name as their codec, and some video editors don't know there are wrappers and codecs. They refer to them both as codecs.
These are some wrappers, not codecs:
AVI (Audio Video Interleave) windows container.
MPEG-4 Part 14 (AKA.mp4) container for MPEG-4
FLV (Flash Video) used to deliver mpeg video through Flash Player.
MOV Apple's Quicktime container.
OGG, OGM and OGV are open-standard containers (open standard means you don't need a a license to use them).
MKV (Mastroska) is another open standard container.
ASF is a Microsoft format designed for WMV and WMA. Files can end in .wmv or .asf
Real Media is for RealVideo codec.
DivX Supports DivX free codec.
These are some codecs, not wrappers:
MPEG-2 Part 2 Used in DVD's
H.263 - Used in Flash videos and cell phone videos.
MPEG-4 - Comes in 2 flavors: part 2 (AKA DivX, XviD, 3ivx) and part 10 (AKA H.264). H.264 is one of the best new codecs.
VC-1 - Microsofts version of H.264
Sorenson 3 - Precourser to H.264
WMV - Windows Media Video
DV25 - Codec MiniDV cameras use.
Good resource for more info. about codecs.
Good resource for info about containers/wrappers.
A good chart showing containers/wrappers and available codecs.
Exporting from Final Cut - If you want to sve your sequence as a file you can put on a DVD, go to FILE>EXPORT>QUICKTIME MOVIE. Select CURRENT SETTINGS. Click on the self contained movie box.
Shot Types - Know what these shots are: wide shot, mid shot, medium close up, close up, extreme close up, cutaway, cut-in, two shot, over-the-shoulder shot, reaction shot (noddy shot), point of view shot (POV),
Camera Moves - Know what these shots are: dolly, follow, pan, tilt, zoom.
Camera Angles - Know what these angles are: eye-level, high angle, low angle, birds eye view, dutch tilt (slanted).
Crossing the line - Don't do it unless you have a really good reason to (also known as the 180 rule).
Aspect Ratio Information - 4:3 (1.33) or 16:9 (1.78)? - Link 1 Link 2 Link 3
Mixing 16:9 and 4:3 - Link 1
16:9 anamorphic - Link 1
Final Cut Pro: Before Capturing!! Setting Up Your Project With The Proper
Aspect Ratio
Tue, 04/01/2008 - 9:01pm — Digital Commons
Determining which aspect ratio you want to work in when starting a new
project in Final Cut Pro is extremely important. Chances are if you used
the HDR-FX1 provided by the Digital Commons you have recorded video in
the 16:9, or widescreen, standard definition format. This tutorial focuses
on settings using Standard Definition footage.
This tutorial will cover setting up a new project in FCP with an eye towards
choosing the proper aspect ratio settings from the beginning, before you
even capture footage into FCP.
Let’s begin by starting a new project. Go to File and choose New
Project.
Now go to Final Cut Pro and choose Audio/Video Settings.
There are two options to pay specific attention to on this screen. Let’s
look at the Capture Preset option first. This option should be set properly
before capturing any footage with FCP. Final Cut will default the Capture
Preset to DV NTSC 48 kHz. This setting is the 4:3 (non-widescreen) aspect
ratio.
You should only use this setting if you have shot footage in the 4:3 (non-widescreen)
aspect ratio. If you capture 16:9 (widesceen) aspect ratio footage using
the 4:3 (non-widescreen) aspect ratio setting it will appear “squished,” that
is the footage will compress its dimensions to fit within the 4:3 (non-widescreen)
aspect ratio and will lead to subjects in your footage appearing to be
taller and skinnier than they really are.
Likewise, 4:3 (non-widescreen) aspect ratio footage will stretch to fill
the 16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio.
The correct option to choose when capturing 16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio
footage would be DV NTSC 48 kHz Anamorphic.
It is essential that you set the Capture Preset to the proper option before
you begin capturing footage into your project. Unfortunately, if captured
incorrectly, the footage must be recaptured in order to achieve the proper
aspect ratio.
Far more forgiving is the Sequence Preset. Final Cut will typically default
the first sequence to DV NTSC 48 kHz, the 4:3 (non-widescreen) aspect ratio
setting. If you want to edit your 16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio footage
in a 16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio sequence, you need to change the Sequence
Preset in Audio/Video Settings to DV NTSC 48 kHz Anamorphic.
This will not retroactively change any other existing sequences. You must start a new sequence for that sequence to have the change to the preset. To open a new sequence, go to File, click New, and choose Sequence from the list.
If you edit 16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio footage in a sequence that
is set for 4:3 (non-widescreen), Final Cut will automatically add letterboxing
to your footage so that it will conform to the 4:3 (non-widescreen) format.
If you edit 4:3 (non-widescreen) aspect ratio footage in a sequence that
is set for 16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio footage, Final Cut will automatically
add pillarboxing to your footage so that it will conform to the 16:9 (widescreen)
format.
Ripple, Roll, Slip, Slide: Use these tools to adjust in and out points of your clips after you place them in the time line. These tools need clips with a lot of handle. You need to turn snapping off when using these tools.
Ripple Tool - When you select the edit point between 2 shots you can make a particular shot longer or shorter. This will not effect the shot next to it.This will increase or decrease the length of your project.
Roll Tool - When you select the edit point between 2 shots it lengthens one shot and shortens the other. This will not increase the length of your project.
Slip Tool - The slip and slide tools work by moving one shot between the shots on each side. The slip tool moves a shot behind the shots to the left and right of it.The middle shots in and out points change, but the shot to the lefts out point stays the same and the shot to the rights in point stays the same. This will not increase the length of your project.
Slide Tool - The slide tool work by moving one shot between the shots on each side. The slide tool moves a shot on top of the shots to the left and right of it.The middle shots in and out points stay the same, but the shot to the lefts out point moves and the shot to the rights in point moves. This will not increase the length of your project.
Useful key commands ( really : )
Learn these. They will speed up editing - a lot.
Before you can use the F9 and F10 keys in Final Cut you need to change some keyboard preferences. Go to the apple at the tip left of your screen. Go to system preferences. Click on the keyboard and mouse icon. Be sure to check the Use all f1, f2 keys as standard function keys box, then go to the keyboard functions section and uncheck the boxes for the F9, and F10 function keys. Now those two keys should act as you expect in Final Cut Express.
F9 - Insert edit (use this, don't drag to the time line.You can save a lot of time this way.) This will insert your footage where the playback head is positioned in the timeline. If you use an insert edit to place a clip in another clip, it will split that clip and push all of the video to the right.This will make your timeline longer.
F10 - Overwrite edit (use this, don't drag to the time line.You can save a lot of time this way.) This will insert your footage where the playback head is positioned in the timeline. If you use an overwrite edit to place a clip in another clip, it will overwrite a portion of that clip. This will not make your timeline longer.
i - in point
o - out point
J-K-L - Keep your three fingers on these three keys to move through your video timeline, viewer or canvas. The more you practice the easier it will get.
L - Tap L. Forward play. Now tap it again, double speed, again, triple speed.
K - Stop
J - Tap J. Reverse play. Now tap it again, double speed, again, triple speed.
KL - Hold down K and tap L to move one frame fore ward.
KJ - Hold down K and tap J to move one frame backward.
Space Bar - Will play your video
Home Key - Go to the beginning of your project.
End Key - Go to the end of your project.
Arrow keys - Use the left (to go backward) and right (to go forward) arrow keys to move one frame at a time in the timeline or viewer. Use the up arrow to move back through your clips in the timeline, use the down arrow to move forward
A bunch more here.
