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

5. Choose Your Favorites: Selecting, Rating, and Searching

"I've edited on everything from a KEM table to an iPhone, and FCP X is the most enjoyable way I've ever translated ideas into edits."

— Alan Seawright is an Emmy-winning director and editor from the mountains of Utah (www.alanseawright.com)

Organizing your clips with Keywords is an important first step, but it's not the whole story. Keywords tell you roughly what each clip contains, or what it can be used for, but just as important is knowing which parts of a clip are best. Soon after you apply Keywords to entire clips, you should select the best parts and then mark them for later retrieval. Final Cut Pro makes all that easy, allowing you to define a range with an In and Out point, then apply Favorites and/or Keywords to just that clip segment. Within a short time, you'll have not only an organized view of all your clips but also an organized view of the best parts of your clips...