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

Importing your footage can be very simple indeed, and it usually is for me. I create a self-contained Library on my RAID drive, then import media directly into it — but I don't usually collaborate. If I did, I would use external media, then share the media and a "lean" media-free Library with other editors. FCP will adapt to complex workflows if you need it to.

While you can manage media in a more complex way, make sure you're doing it for the right reasons. Too many editors make their jobs unnecessarily difficult, and there's no need for a solo editor to worry about where their video files are stored. They're in the Library!

Syncing up Multicams doesn't need to be hard either. While you'll doubtless encounter a tricky job from time to time, if you make sure that every camera records audio, you won't have too much trouble.

The next step, however, is crucial. With all of your media imported (and do import some media...