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

Understanding cutaways

A cutaway is the term for video placed above the main story to hide edits underneath. While a person in a video probably said the words they appeared to, they probably didn't manage to say them all in the right order, without interruptions. Removing the ums, ahs, and pauses leaves visible jump cuts: two sequential shots with almost, but not quite, the same content. To hide the edits, an editor places a cutaway above the Primary Storyline, and while you still hear the words below, you don't see the jump cut.

How does the editor find the right clip to "cut away" to? Usually, they use B-roll that's related to the current topic. An edit has to feel justified, so you can't just put any old clip on top. This is why editors want relevant B-roll; if you don't have enough, you won't be able to cover all of the edits you want to.

Not all cutaways are B-roll, though. You might cut away to a reaction shot such as an interviewer...