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

Getting the settings right

Resolution, codecs, white balance, and other image controls are critical to capturing not just a good-looking image, but one that can be easily edited and manipulated. Technical settings are key, regardless of what kind of camera you use, so even if you don't plan on shooting a video yourself, these are the tech specs you'll need to know.

Resolution

Video is essentially a series of still images, and each frame has a horizontal and a vertical dimension in pixels. Common resolutions use abbreviations, including the following:

  • Ultra HD (UHD, commonly referred to as 4K): 3840 x 2160
  • 1080p: 1920 x 1080
  • 720p: 1280 x 720

To visualize those numbers, here's a diagram:

Figure 2.1: Several common resolutions you might shoot and deliver

Figure 2.1: Several common resolutions you might shoot and deliver

While it's true that 3840 is a little less than 4000 (4K), there's not much in it. Some cinema purists use a size of 4096 x 2160, one of the official...