Final Cut Pro® Portable Genius

Final Cut Pro® Portable Genius

Released October 2008
Publisher(s): Wiley
ISBN: 9780470387603

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Book description

This savvy Portable Guide shows you how to get the most from Final Cut Pro. You’ll find cool and useful tips, full-color screenshots, and pages of easy-to-access shortcuts and tools that show you which editing technique is right for you, how to use Final Cut Pro as a sound and mixing tool, and the best ways to maximize the output of your final product.

Table of contents

  1. Copyright
  2. About the Author
  3. Credits
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. Introduction
    1. What is Final Cut Pro?
    2. For those new to Final Cut Pro
    3. Experienced Final Cut Pro users
  6. 1. What Should My Mac Preferences Be?
    1. 1.1. Check Your Mac OS X Preferences
      1. 1.1.1. Configuring the Energy Saver
      2. 1.1.2. Exposé settings
      3. 1.1.3. Turning off the Dashboard
      4. 1.1.4. Configuring the Mighty Mouse
      5. 1.1.5. Disabling software updates
      6. 1.1.6. Adjust Spotlight settings for finding media and sound elements
      7. 1.1.7. Configuring the character map
      8. 1.1.8. Using a MobileMe account
        1. 1.1.8.1. Configuring the iDisk
      9. 1.1.9. Configuring the Dock
    2. 1.2. Hardware Configuration
      1. 1.2.1. Video-editing keyboard
      2. 1.2.2. Research storage options
        1. 1.2.2.1. Cable length limitations
        2. 1.2.2.2. Shielding on cables
      3. 1.2.3. FireWire devices
      4. 1.2.4. USB devices
      5. 1.2.5. Serial ATA devices
      6. 1.2.6. What are some critical camera settings?
        1. 1.2.6.1. Audio bit rate
        2. 1.2.6.2. Video frame rate
    3. 1.3. Final Cut Studio Installation Options
    4. 1.4. Troubleshooting Final Cut Pro Hardware Problems
      1. 1.4.1. Check your cables
      2. 1.4.2. Deleting the Final Cut Pro preferences file
      3. 1.4.3. Rebuilding permissions
  7. 2. What Are the Critical Final Cut Pro Preferences?
    1. 2.1. Working with Multiple User Accounts
    2. 2.2. User Preferences
      1. 2.2.1. Levels of undo
      2. 2.2.2. Real Time audio mixing
      3. 2.2.3. Audio playback quality
      4. 2.2.4. Opening last project on application launch
      5. 2.2.5. Configuring AutoSave
      6. 2.2.6. Abort capture on dropped frames
      7. 2.2.7. Timecode breaks
      8. 2.2.8. Still freeze duration
      9. 2.2.9. Configuring audio outputs
    3. 2.3. System Settings
      1. 2.3.1. Setting the scratch disks
      2. 2.3.2. Limiting capture time
      3. 2.3.3. Using external editors
    4. 2.4. Audio/Video Settings
    5. 2.5. Using Easy Setup
    6. 2.6. Customizing the Interface
      1. 2.6.1. Button wells
      2. 2.6.2. Keyboard layout
  8. 3. How Do I Ingest Media into Final Cut Pro?
    1. 3.1. Capturing Media
      1. 3.1.1. Log and Capture tool
      2. 3.1.2. Logging
        1. 3.1.2.1. Creating a batch list file
        2. 3.1.2.2. Batch-capturing logged files
        3. 3.1.2.3. Capture Now
      3. 3.1.3. Capturing without deck control
        1. 3.1.3.1. DV Start/Stop Detection
        2. 3.1.3.2. Log and Transfer tool
        3. 3.1.3.3. Ingesting media
    2. 3.2. Importing Media
      1. 3.2.1. Importing files recorded in FCP format
      2. 3.2.2. Importing audio
        1. 3.2.2.1. Audio sample-rate conversion
        2. 3.2.2.2. Converting with iTunes
        3. 3.2.2.3. Converting audio with QuickTime Pro
      3. 3.2.3. Working with MPEG files
    3. 3.3. Managing Media
    4. 3.4. Storage Requirements
  9. 4. Which Editing Technique Fits My Style
    1. 4.1. Editing Workflow
      1. 4.1.1. Using the Add Edit feature
      2. 4.1.2. How to slip content
      3. 4.1.3. The snapping feature
      4. 4.1.4. Overwrite vs. insert editing
      5. 4.1.5. Managing the Timeline
        1. 4.1.5.1. Zoom slider bar
        2. 4.1.5.2. Zoom function
        3. 4.1.5.3. Fit to Window
      6. 4.1.6. Moving clips around
      7. 4.1.7. Closing gaps
      8. 4.1.8. Using the track forward and backward tools
      9. 4.1.9. Managing track heights
      10. 4.1.10. Working with multiple sequences
    2. 4.2. Creating a Montage
      1. 4.2.1. Rearranging clips using the swap edit function
      2. 4.2.2. Applying multiple transitions between all your clips
    3. 4.3. Trimming with the Option Key
  10. 5. How Do I Use Final Cut Pro as a Professional Sound and Mixing Tool?
    1. 5.1. Mixing Audio Levels
    2. 5.2. Adjusting the Levels in the Timeline
      1. 5.2.1. Using the audio mixer
      2. 5.2.2. Using the Pen tool
        1. 5.2.2.1. Adjusting the levels of multiple clips
        2. 5.2.2.2. Adjusting audio in the viewer
      3. 5.2.3. Using audio filters
        1. 5.2.3.1. Adding volume
        2. 5.2.3.2. Compressor/Limiter filter
      4. 5.2.4. Using the Voice Over tool
    3. 5.3. Understanding Soundtrack Pro
      1. 5.3.1. Using Soundtrack Pro to build music and sound effects
      2. 5.3.2. Adding sound effects and scoring music
      3. 5.3.3. Installing additional music or sounds
      4. 5.3.4. Adjusting audio levels in Soundtrack Pro
      5. 5.3.5. Using Soundtrack Pro filters
      6. 5.3.6. Removing noise
      7. 5.3.7. Using the frequency spectrum view
      8. 5.3.8. Normalization
      9. 5.3.9. Detecting common problems
  11. 6. Which Title Tool Should I Use?
    1. 6.1. Understanding Alpha Channels
    2. 6.2. Introducing LiveType
      1. 6.2.1. LiveType preferences
      2. 6.2.2. Working with backgrounds and textures
        1. 6.2.2.1. Importing looping backgrounds
      3. 6.2.3. LiveFonts vs. standard fonts
      4. 6.2.4. Understanding timing
        1. 6.2.4.1. Sequence timing
        2. 6.2.4.2. Random timing
      5. 6.2.5. Using LiveFonts for special effects
        1. 6.2.5.1. Writing in fog
        2. 6.2.5.2. Adjusting glow color
      6. 6.2.6. Using the Character Palette
      7. 6.2.7. Using LiveType for motion graphics compositing
        1. 6.2.7.1. Using full motion video in LiveType
        2. 6.2.7.2. Text on a curve
        3. 6.2.7.3. Exporting from LiveType
    3. 6.3. Boris Title 3D
    4. 6.4. Building Titles in Photoshop
    5. 6.5. Improving the Quality of Graphics and Titles
  12. 7. How Can I Use Final Cut Pro for High-End Effects Compositing?
    1. 7.1. Installing Third-Party Effects
    2. 7.2. Creating Freeze Frame Effects
    3. 7.3. Slow Motion Effects
      1. 7.3.1. Constant speed motion effects
      2. 7.3.2. Creating a speed change special effect
      3. 7.3.3. Variable speed motion effects
        1. 7.3.3.1. Playing clips in reverse with variable motion
      4. 7.3.4. Creating a smooth motion graph
    4. 7.4. Understanding Composite Modes
      1. 7.4.1. The Travel Matte—Alpha composite mode
      2. 7.4.2. The Travel Matte—Luma composite mode
  13. 8. Can I Use Final Cut Pro to Produce Complex Motion Effects?
    1. 8.1. Working with the Motion Tab
      1. 8.1.1. Adding a drop shadow
      2. 8.1.2. Changing clip opacity
    2. 8.2. Adding Motion with Keyframes
      1. 8.2.1. Using Image+Wireframe mode
      2. 8.2.2. Plotting keyframes
      3. 8.2.3. Working with Bezier curves
      4. 8.2.4. Saving motion favorites
      5. 8.2.5. Organizing motion favorites
    3. 8.3. Copying and Pasting Motion Attributes
    4. 8.4. Working with Multiple Video Layers
    5. 8.5. Simulating the Ken Burns Effect
  14. 9. How Many Ways Can I Use Filters?
    1. 9.1. Tricks within the Video Filters Tab
      1. 9.1.1. Changing or trimming a filter area
      2. 9.1.2. Using the Toggle Clip Keyframes feature
    2. 9.2. Copying and Pasting Filter Attributes
    3. 9.3. Saving and Configuring Your Favorite Filters
      1. 9.3.1. Building filter packs
      2. 9.3.2. Mapping favorite effects to shortcut keys or buttons
      3. 9.3.3. Toggling the Auto Select function
      4. 9.3.4. Why the order of stacked filters is important
    4. 9.4. Duplicating Video Layers
    5. 9.5. Color Correction
      1. 9.5.1. Adjusting blacks, mid, and white values
      2. 9.5.2. Adjusting playhead sync for color-correcting multiple clips
      3. 9.5.3. Pleasantville effect
    6. 9.6. Understanding Nesting
    7. 9.7. Chroma Keying
    8. 9.8. Rendering Shapes
      1. 9.8.1. Using shapes as masks
      2. 9.8.2. Working with Boris vector shapes
      3. 9.8.3. Rendering backgrounds
    9. 9.9. Working with Master Templates
  15. 10. How Can I Maximize the Output of My Final Cut Pro Product?
    1. 10.1. Final Cut Pro Sequence Settings
    2. 10.2. Working with Anamorphic 16×9 Media
    3. 10.3. Working with QuickTime
    4. 10.4. Exporting for DVD Production
    5. 10.5. Using Apple Compressor
      1. 10.5.1. Sending files directly from Final Cut Pro to Compressor
        1. 10.5.1.1. Using preset settings within Compressor
        2. 10.5.1.2. Using Compressor frame controls to increase quality
        3. 10.5.1.3. Eliminate repetitive tasks using droplets
      2. 10.5.2. MPEG playback component for QuickTime
    6. 10.6. Adding Chapter Points
    7. 10.7. Adding Compression Markers
    8. 10.8. Output Settings for the Web
      1. 10.8.1. How to make your iPod videos look fantastic
      2. 10.8.2. Important export settings for iPhone video clips
    9. 10.9. Output to Tape
  16. 11. How Can I Benefit from Media Management
    1. 11.1. Organizing Media
      1. 11.1.1. Managing the main media folder
      2. 11.1.2. Using the Mac OS X Finder
      3. 11.1.3. Managing clips in the Browser window
        1. 11.1.3.1. Renaming clips
      4. 11.1.4. Using subclips in the Browser window
    2. 11.2. Using the Render Manager
    3. 11.3. Using the Media Manager
      1. 11.3.1. Consolidating media
        1. 11.3.1.1. Recompressing media
      2. 11.3.2. Moving media with the Media Manager
      3. 11.3.3. Creating offline media
    4. 11.4. Target Mode
    5. 11.5. Archiving Media

Product information

  • Title: Final Cut Pro® Portable Genius
  • Author(s):
  • Release date: October 2008
  • Publisher(s): Wiley
  • ISBN: 9780470387603