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

Choosing a camera

Camera operators are utterly spoilt for choice these days. While there will never be a perfect camera for everyone, you will be able to find something that works for you that's also in your budget. This is an ever-changing field, and specific camera advice will be quickly outdated, so I'm focusing here on general advice only. Remember that the adage mostly holds true: you can choose any two from fast, cheap, and good.

An iPhone (or any other mobile phone)

Yes, you can absolutely shoot videos on your iPhone, and according to most reviews, an iPhone does a better job of video than most Android phones do. An iPhone will also be easier to use with your Mac, and it even includes iMovie, so you can start an edit on your iPhone, then transition it to FCP on your Mac. The dynamic range (from shadows to highlights in a single shot) is huge, so you can film in more places. Image stabilization means the image shouldn't be too shaky. And it's always...