Book Image

Final Cut Pro Efficient Editing

By : Iain Anderson
Book Image

Final Cut Pro Efficient Editing

By: Iain Anderson

Overview of this book

Final Cut Pro (also known as FCP, previously Final Cut Pro X) is Apple’s efficient and accessible video editing software for everyone, offering powerful features that experienced editors and novices will find useful. FCP is the quickest way to transform your raw clips into a finished piece, so if speed is important, make this a key tool in your editing arsenal. Final Cut Pro Efficient Editing is a comprehensive best practice guide for all editors. You’ll not only learn how to use the features but also find out which ones are the most important and when you should use them. With the help of practical examples, the book will show you how typical footage can be assembled, trimmed, colored, and finessed to produce a finished edit, exploring a variety of techniques. As you progress through the book, you’ll follow a standard editing workflow to get the feel of working on real-world projects and answer self-assessment questions to make sure that you’re on track. By the end of this Final Cut Pro book, you’ll be well versed with the key features of this app and have all the tools you need to create impressive edits.
Table of Contents (20 chapters)
1
Section 1: Importing and Organizing
7
Section 2: Rough Cut to Fine Cut
13
Section 3: Finishing and Exporting

Summary

This has been another monster chapter, but there was a lot of ground to cover.

It's your job to make the edit look good as it's not always possible to get everything right on set. If the cinematographer is a farmer who provides the ingredients, you're the chef who assembles them into a meal. Video properties are how you cut and present those ingredients, showing only the best parts, and turning imperfect shots into perfect ones. Video effects are your salt, pepper, and spices, helping each shot to shine, while animation… actually, the metaphor breaks down a little here.

Animation can let you add life where the shots couldn't, and it injects not just movement, but interest.

To return to the metaphor: get cooking, and make the best of what you have. In the next chapter, you'll find out how to move between clips with transitions and how to manipulate time with speed changes.