User manual APPLE FINAL CUT EXPRESS HD - GETTING STARTED MANUAL

Final Cut Express HD Getting Started Apple Computer, Inc. © 2005 Apple Computer, Inc. All rights reserved. Under the copyright laws, this manual may not be copied, in whole or in part, without the written consent of Apple. Your rights to the software are governed by the accompanying software license agreement. The Apple logo is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Use of the "keyboard" Apple logo (Option-Shift-K) for commercial purposes without the prior written consent of Apple may constitute trademark infringement and unfair competition in violation of federal and state laws. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this manual is accurate. Apple Computer, Inc., is not responsible for printing or clerical errors. Apple Computer, Inc. 1 Infinite Loop Cupertino, CA 95014-2084 408-996-1010 www.apple.com Apple, the Apple logo, Final Cut, Final Cut Pro, FireWire, iMovie, iTunes, Mac, Macintosh, Mac OS, PowerBook, Power Macintosh, and QuickTime are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Finder and iDVD are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. AppleCare is a service mark of Apple Computer, Inc. Helvetica is a registered trademark of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG, available from Linotype Library GmbH. Other company and product names mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective companies. Mention of third-party products is for informational purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation. Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the performance or use of these products. 1 Contents Preface 7 7 8 12 12 13 13 14 16 17 18 21 25 28 32 33 33 35 39 40 46 49 50 54 55 57 59 60 62 66 An Introduction to Final Cut Express HD What Is Final Cut Express HD? Editing Your Movie With Final Cut Express HD Final Cut Express HD Onscreen Help Apple Websites Setting Up Final Cut Express HD Connecting Your Camera Choosing Your Initial Settings Tip for Optimizing Performance Getting to Know Your Editing Environment Organizing Your Clips in the Browser Working With Clips in the Viewer Working With Clips in the Canvas Working With Clips in the Timeline Tool Palette Capturing Your Video Making a New Project and Saving It Working in the Capture Window Determining How Much Disk Space You Need Capturing Capturing Tip Basic Editing Before You Begin Opening Your Project Adding a Clip to Your Sequence Adding a Storyboard of Clips to a Sequence Locking Tracks Using the Razor Blade Tool Deleting Clips From a Sequence Assigning Destination Tracks Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 3 68 Chapter 5 75 75 76 79 82 86 89 89 90 91 94 96 99 109 109 111 114 115 115 117 118 119 121 121 122 123 124 128 130 132 133 133 135 136 139 141 Most Commonly Used Edits Editing With Audio About Linked Clips Resyncing Clips Adding Music Using the Voice Over Tool Editing With Audio Tips Fine-Tuning Your Edit Where You Can Perform Trim Edits About the Tool Palette Doing a Ripple Edit Doing a Ripple Delete Doing a Roll Edit Tips on Editing Adding Transitions About Adding Transitions Adding a Transition to the Center of a Cut Adjusting a Transition Deleting a Transition Copying and Pasting a Transition Adding Effects Applying a Filter to a Clip and a Range of Clips Adjusting a Filter Disabling a Filter Removing a Filter Filter Tips Creating Titles and Credits Creating Opening Titles Using Lower-Thirds Creating Rolling Credits Tips for Making Terrific-Looking Titles Sharing Your Movie Exporting for DVD Exporting for the Web Making a Videotape Importing an iMovie Project Importing Stills Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Appendix A Appendix B 4 Contents Appendix C Appendix D 143 145 145 150 151 155 Preparing for Your Next Project Solutions to Common Problems and Customer Support Solutions to Common Problems AppleCare Support Glossary Index Contents 5 An Introduction to Final Cut Express HD Final Cut Express HD provides a professional-level environment in which to edit video, mix audio, and add effects together to create any kind of video program you can imagine. The last few years have seen a revolution in the use of personal computers for editing video. Until recently, editing video projects would have required an array of professional editing equipment. These projects can now be completed at home using a personal computer and readily available consumer video equipment. A personal computer with a fast processor and enough memory can now serve as a workstation for capturing, organizing, and editing video. The finished movie can be played back on videotape, burned on a DVD, or distributed over the Internet. For hobbyist digital video editors, this development allows unprecedented opportunities for increasing their creative control over their video projects. Now, using Final Cut Express HD, video editors, including those with no professional video editing training or experience, can create high-quality, polished digital video projects on their personal computer. What Is Final Cut Express HD? Final Cut Express HD is a flexible video editing tool; when combined with a Macintosh computer and FireWire, Final Cut Express HD can be used to capture footage from nearly any DV camcorder. Final Cut Express HD is also a standard QuickTime application, so you can import and export a wide variety of video, audio, graphics, and animation file types. This flexibility makes Final Cut Express HD well suited for projects ranging from family videos to feature-length independent films. The only limit is your creativity. Preface 7 Editing Your Movie With Final Cut Express HD If you're just beginning to learn how to edit video with Final Cut Express HD, the following flow chart illustrates the basic workflow of desktop video editing. There are five main steps to video editing­shooting, capturing, editing, adding effects, and sharing. This book describes how to do the last four. Shoot Connecting Your Camera Capture Making a New Project Capturing Video Organizing Your Clips Editing Your Sequence Fine-Tuning Adding Music Edit Adding Transitions Effects Creating Effects With Filters Creating Titles and Credits Exporting for DVD Share Exporting for the Web Outputting to Videotape The following steps outline a typical Final Cut Express HD work session. You won't always proceed in a strict linear order, and you may choose to overlap some steps. For example, you may decide to reedit a clip after you've added an effect to it, or you may shoot and capture completely new footage to add a different ending to your nearly complete movie. Note: This book is not intended to be a complete guide to editing. Common editorial terms and ideas are discussed in a general way, as appropriate to their use with the application. If you are interested in learning more about the application or more in-depth editing techniques, refer to Final Cut Express HD Help. 8 Preface An Introduction to Final Cut Express HD Step 1: Shoot Making good videos begins with good camera work. Although this book does not teach the finer points of shooting video, you need to be aware of some basic issues while shooting your footage and recording your audio. Final Cut Express HD is a robust and powerful digital video editing tool; however, it is not designed to correct video that was improperly shot or audio that was improperly recorded. The following list is a series of tips on shooting good video: · Use a tripod. Tripods add stability to your shot, allowing your viewers to focus on your subject instead of your camera motion. · Avoid zooming to get closer to your subject, especially when the camera is handheld. · · · · · · · · · · Magnifying the image with a zoom lens also magnifies camera movements, potentially giving your viewer motion sickness. Never use digital zoom. Turn this feature off on your camcorder. Digital zoom makes pixels bigger on the screen, resulting in a blockier, lower resolution image. Avoid auto-focus. Learn to focus your camera lens manually so you control the image instead of the camera. Avoid bright lights behind your subject (called backlighting), since this often results in unwanted silhouetting. Be cautious when shooting reflective surfaces. For example, eyeglasses and car mirrors can cause overly bright highlights and often reveal the camera operator in the shot. Plan your shots in advance. Consider image composition and how your shots may work together during the editing process. Scripting and storyboarding can be useful ways to organize your shooting. Think about image composition and frame your shots. Pay attention to headroom­ too little will smash actors' heads against the top of the frame; too much will lose them at the bottom. Avoid using the on-camera microphone­use an external microphone instead. Built-in microphones tend to capture the sounds of the camera and the camera operator instead of the subject of the scene. Leave at least one minute of black (recorded with no audio or video) at the beginning and end of your tape, where tapes receive the most wear and tear. Pull the record tab to prevent recording over your tape as soon as you've finished shooting. Always label your tapes as soon as you remove them from the camcorder. This is the number 1 organizational rule of motion picture editing. Sorting through piles of unlabeled tapes for a particular scene is an editor's worst nightmare. On feature films, there is one person dedicated to labeling film and tape reels as soon as they leave the camera. Preface An Introduction to Final Cut Express HD 9 Step 2: Set up Thanks to the development of FireWire, setting up Final Cut Express HD is easy. You simply connect your camera (via FireWire) to your computer, turn on your camera, set it to VTR mode, and open Final Cut Express HD. When you open Final Cut Express HD, the application recognizes the type of camera you have and knows how to control it. Unless you upgrade your system or change components, such as the DV camcorder, you should only have to set up your system once. Important: Verify that all of your cables are securely connected between your computer, camera, and speakers, but never force a cable into a connection that doesn't fit. Step 3: Capture Capturing is the process of digitally copying the video from the DV tape in your camcorder to the hard disk on your computer. After creating a new project, you capture your video using the device control capabilities of Final Cut Express HD and your DV camcorder. (Device control is technology that allows Final Cut Express HD to control a DV camcorder.) Final Cut Express HD makes capturing easy by allowing you the flexibility of capturing individual clips or an entire tape. Step 4: Edit After you've captured the clips that will go into your finished program, it's time to begin editing with Final Cut Express HD. You do most of your editing in the Viewer, Canvas, and Timeline; however, you organize your captured clips in the Browser. The basics of editing involve organizing clips in the Browser; editing clips into your sequence using the Viewer, Canvas, and Timeline; fine-tuning your edits using the Final Cut Express HD editing tools; adding transitions such as cross dissolves to your edits; and adding music tracks to your sequence. Final Cut Express HD provides other tools to perform detailed editorial tasks, manage files, and specify preferences and settings to customize Final Cut Express HD to how you work. Step 5: Effects When you're satisfied with the arrangement of the clips in your project, it's time to apply effects and filters such as a blur or a tint to the clips. Once you're happy with the effects you've applied, it's time to add titles. Now your project is complete. Step 6: Share When your project is complete, you'll want to show people your movie. Final Cut Express HD provides you with a variety of output options for your completed project. If you want to use your camcorder to view the completed project on your TV, you can transfer your project back to DV tape using the Print to Video command. If you want to make a DVD, you can use the export to iDVD feature. You also have the option of distributing your edited video project on the web. 10 Preface An Introduction to Final Cut Express HD Moving From iMovie to Final Cut Express HD The Apple entry-level DV editing application is iMovie. It allows you to create simple edited digital movies with some of the most popular features found in Hollywoodstyle releases, without having to know any technical details about the process. The interface and feature set are configured to make the process nearly foolproof. Eventually, however, you'll find yourself requiring features beyond those that iMovie offers. The tools in Final Cut Express HD allow you to expand your digital editing creativity. Final Cut Express HD gives you access to a wide range of professional features such as the following: · Support for multiple projects and sequences, allowing you to edit in multiple projects at once and copy elements from one sequence to another. · Support for multiple video and audio tracks, making it easy to create video composites and audio mixes. · Support for voiceovers. You can record voiceovers directly into the Timeline using the Voice Over tool. Additionally: · Final Cut Express HD is a nondestructive editor, which means making edits and adding transitions does not affect the original video on your computer's hard disk. This means you can experiment with edits and transitions without having to commit to them permanently. · Final Cut Express HD comes with over 200 transitions, filters, and effects. You can preview many of them without rendering due to the software-based, real-time architecture of Final Cut Express HD. (Rendering involves processing video and audio with any applied effects, such as transitions or filters. Effects that aren't realtime must be rendered in order to be played back properly. Once rendered, your sequence can be played in real time.) · Final Cut Express HD offers several workflows and work styles for editing digital video projects, including advanced media management and the drag-and-drop method used within iMovie. These capabilities, along with its ability to import iMovie projects, make Final Cut Express HD easy to learn while still providing the advanced features you need. See "Importing an iMovie Project" on page 139. Preface An Introduction to Final Cut Express HD 11 Final Cut Express HD Onscreen Help Final Cut Express HD Help is a comprehensive resource for information about Final Cut Express HD. It allows you to access information directly onscreen while you're working in Final Cut Express HD. Background information, details, and steps are described at greater length in Final Cut Express HD Help than they are in this book. Throughout this book, you will see references to Final Cut Express HD Help for additional detailed information. To access onscreen help: Choose Help > Final Cut Express HD Help. Tip: Click the How to Search link on the Final Cut Express HD Help homepage for tips on searching Final Cut Express HD Help. Final Cut Express HD Help also contains information about issues with third-party hardware and software and known bugs. This information is found in the Late-Breaking News section of Final Cut Express HD Help. To access late-breaking news: Choose Help > Late-Breaking News. m m Apple Websites There are a variety of discussion boards, forums, and educational resources related to Final Cut Express HD on the web. Final Cut Express HD Websites The following websites provide general information, updates, and support information about Final Cut Express HD, as well as the latest news, resources, and training materials: · http://www.apple.com/finalcutexpress · http://www.info.apple.com/usen/finalcutexpress · http://www.apple.com/finalcutexpress/resources.html · http://www.apple.com/software/pro/training/ts_fcpexpress.html · http://www.apple.com/software/pro/training/dvdcd.html Apple Service and Support Website The Service and Support Website provides software updates and answers to the most frequently asked questions for all Apple products, including Final Cut Express HD. You'll also have access to product specifications, reference documentation, and Apple and third-party product technical articles: · http://www.apple.com/support 12 Preface An Introduction to Final Cut Express HD 1 Setting Up Final Cut Express HD 1 Setting up Final Cut Express HD is as simple as connecting your DV camcorder to your computer with a FireWire cable. The following sections describe how to connect your camera and the initial settings you need to specify so you can begin working in Final Cut Express HD. Connecting Your Camera The following illustration demonstrates how to connect your DV camcorder to the FireWire port on your computer, so that you can capture video (transfer the video from your camcorder to your computer) and output your program back to DV tape. 6-pin connector to computer Computer DV camcorder in VTR mode FireWire 4-pin connector to camcorder To set up a DV system using FireWire device control (the technology that allows Final Cut Express HD to control your camcorder), you need the following equipment: · Your computer and display · A DV device, such as a DV camcorder or deck · A 4­to­6-pin FireWire cable, available at an electronics store or an Apple-authorized retailer 13 Choosing Your Initial Settings The first time you open Final Cut Express HD after installing the software, you're prompted to choose an Easy Setup and a scratch disk (where you'll store your media). Choosing an Easy Setup Final Cut Express HD comes with several predefined Easy Setups based on the most commonly used settings, such as DV-NTSC and DV-PAL. Depending on where you live, you will choose one of these two options. See "The Differences Between NTSC and PAL" on page 15 to find out the setting you need. The Easy Setup you choose applies to all new projects and sequences until you choose another Easy Setup. If you always use the same type of camcorder or video deck, you may never have to change your Easy Setup. If you do change your camcorder or video deck, it's simple to change your Easy Setup. To change an Easy Setup: 1 Choose Final Cut Express HD > Easy Setup. 2 Choose an Easy Setup from the Setup For pop-up menu. To show all Easy Setups that are currently available, select Show All. Choose an Easy Setup from the Setup For pop-up menu. Select Show All to see a complete list of available Easy Setups. A summary of your selected Easy Setup appears below the pop-up menu. Tip: For best results, choose one of the two main Easy Setups: DV-NTSC or DV-PAL. 3 When you're ready, click Setup. The selected Easy Setup applies to all new projects and sequences. Settings for existing sequences do not change. For additional information about Easy Setups, see Final Cut Express Help, Chapter 4, "Specifying User Preferences, System Settings, and Easy Setups." 14 Chapter 1 Setting Up Final Cut Express HD The Differences Between NTSC and PAL NTSC and PAL are standards for video. NTSC, or National Television Systems Committee, is the television and video standard used in most of the Americas, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea. PAL, or Phase Alternating Line, is the television and video standard used in most of Europe, Brazil, Algeria, and China. (SECAM, a video standard based on PAL and used in France, Poland, Haiti, and Vietnam, is not supported by Final Cut Express HD. However, editing work is usually done in PAL and converted to SECAM.) Important: Make sure to choose the Easy Setup that corresponds to your country. The Differences Between Apple FireWire and FireWire Basic Video devices vary greatly in their functionality and adherence to FireWire specifications for device control. For this reason, there are two versions of the FireWire protocol you can use for device control and capture in Final Cut Express HD: · Apple FireWire: This is the default. · Apple FireWire Basic: This is a simplified device control protocol for camcorders and decks that aren't compatible with the full Apple FireWire set. Using this protocol doesn't affect the quality of captured video or audio. To switch to the Apple FireWire Basic Easy Setup: 1 Choose Final Cut Express HD > Easy Setup. 2 Select the Show All checkbox, and choose the appropriate FW Basic Easy Setup for your camcorder or deck from the Setup For pop-up menu. For more information about FireWire technology, go to the Apple FireWire website at http://www.apple.com/firewire. Setting Up Scratch Disks A scratch disk is the disk or disk space you allocate in Final Cut Express HD for digital video capture and editing, as well as for the storage of a project's render files. Final Cut Express HD lets you specify up to 12 scratch disks for storing files. It's best to set these after you set up your hardware but before you start to work in Final Cut Express HD. When you capture or render clips, media files are saved to the first disk in the list. When that disk is full, Final Cut Express HD goes to the next disk in the list until it's full, and so on. Chapter 1 Setting Up Final Cut Express HD 15 m To specify one or more scratch disks and associated settings: Choose Final Cut Express HD > System Settings, then click the Scratch Disks tab. For additional information about scratch disks, see Final Cut Express Help, Chapter 4, "Specifying User Preferences, System Settings, and Easy Setups." Tip for Optimizing Performance In most cases, the default values set in Final Cut Express HD System Preferences will be sufficient for your needs. However, you may choose to change certain settings to accommodate the requirements of your project. · Limit Capture Now To: In the System Settings Scratch Disks tab, change this value from 30 minutes to 62 minutes. This will allow you to capture an entire 60-minute DV tape. 16 Chapter 1 Setting Up Final Cut Express HD 2 Getting to Know Your Editing Environment 2 There are four main windows in Final Cut Express HD: the Browser, Viewer, Canvas, and Timeline. Each window plays an important role in the editing process. If you want to get familiar with the windows and tools in Final Cut Express HD, read through this chapter. If you'd rather jump right in and begin editing, move on to Chapter 4, "Basic Editing," on page 49, and refer back to this chapter as needed. Use the Viewer to preview your clips before you place them in your sequence in the Timeline. Use the Canvas to play back changes you make to your sequence in the Timeline. Use the Browser to organize the source material in your project. Use the Timeline to edit and arrange your sequence. 17 Organizing Your Clips in the Browser The Browser is the central storage area where you organize all of the source material you'll use in your project. To organize your media so you can work efficiently, you need to understand the basic organizational elements of Final Cut Express HD--projects, sequences, clips, and bins--and how they relate to the Browser. Project Sequence Clip Bin What Is a Project? A project contains all the clips, sequences, and file references you use while editing your movie. All of these appear in a project's tab in the Browser. Although the source media files for your project are actually stored on your computer's hard disk in a location different from the project file, you use the Browser to help organize and manage the clips and sequences used by your project. My Project Audio clip ABC Still image Sequence Video clip There is no limit to the number of items that can be stored in the Browser. You can have multiple projects open in the Browser at one time. Each project appears in its own tab. 18 Chapter 2 Getting to Know Your Editing Environment What Is a Clip? A clip is the basic unit of media that you use to create sequences in Final Cut Express HD. Clips can be movies, still images, generators, and audio files. A clip is not the actual media file, but a reference to the media file stored on your computer's hard disk. Clips are the building blocks from which all sequences are created. The three kinds of clips you'll see most often are audio, video, and graphics clips, but there are other kinds of clips that can be created within Final Cut Express HD. You can also subdivide a clip into separate pieces, called subclips, to further organize your footage. What Is a Bin? A bin is a folder inside of the project that can contain clips, transitions, effects, and generators. You use bins to organize these elements, sort them, add comments, rename items, and so on. This creates a logical structure for your projects, making your media easier to manage. Bins exist only in project files. Changes you make to the contents of a bin, such as deleting, moving, and renaming clips or renaming the bin itself, have no effect on the original files or folders on your computer's hard disk where the source material is stored. If you delete a clip from a bin, it is not deleted from the disk. Likewise, creating a new bin does not create a new folder on your disk. You can create separate bins for different stages of your project or to separate your original and production footage. You can organize bins hierarchically and open them in their own windows. You can even put bins inside other bins. To add a new bin to a project: 1 In the Browser, click the project tab where you want to add a bin. 2 Do one of the following: · Choose File > New > Bin. · Control-click the Name column, then choose New Bin from the shortcut menu. · Press Command-B A new folder appears in the Browser with Bin [number] highlighted. 3 Enter a name for the new bin. What Is a Sequence? A sequence is a container where you edit together a series of clips to create a new movie. Sequences can be a maximum of four hours in length. A sequence can contain your entire movie, or your movie can be composed of several sequences. You can have multiple sequences within a project; sequences can also be used as source clips and edited into other sequences. You cannot save sequences outside a project, but you can export them as movies or clips. Chapter 2 Getting to Know Your Editing Environment 19 Selecting a Browser View There are two ways to view your media in the Browser: icon view and list view. Icon view allows you to view your media as thumbnails. There are three icon views: Small, Medium, and Large. In list view, the Browser's scrollable columns provide information about your files in an easy-to-access hierarchy. List view also allows you to sort and search for items within the Browser. For more information about list view, see Final Cut Express Help, Chapter 7, "Using the Browser and Managing Projects and Clips." To display Browser items as icons or in a list, do one of the following: Choose View > Browser Items, then choose an option from the submenu. Control-click in the Name column (or any place in the tab other than an icon), then choose a view option from the shortcut menu. Press Shift-H to toggle through all four views. Tip: To view a thumbnail of each clip while remaining in list view, control-click on a column title, and choose Show Thumbnails from the shortcut menu. Note: In this book, the Browser is shown in icon view. m m m Deleting or Removing Items From the Browser You can remove items from the Browser at any time. To delete a clip, sequence, or bin from a project, do one of the following: Select the item, then press Delete. Control-click the item you want to delete, then choose Cut from the shortcut menu. m m Note: Deleting a clip from a project does not delete that clip's source media file from your hard disk, nor does it delete any other associated duplicates of that clip appearing in that project, including sequence clips. 20 Chapter 2 Getting to Know Your Editing Environment Working With Clips in the Viewer To view a clip, you select it in the Browser, then open it into the Viewer by doubleclicking. The Video tab of the Viewer acts as your "source" monitor; there, you watch your selected clip and mark the In and Out edit points, which define how much of the clip you want to edit into your sequence. Viewer Controls There are many controls in the Viewer. (Some of these appear in other areas of the interface, as well; for example, the playhead controls also appear in the Canvas.) Tabs Clip name and the project it's in. Timecode Duration field Zoom pop-up menu Current Timecode field View pop-up menu Preview area Playhead In point Scrubber bar Shuttle control Out point Jog control Generator pop-up menu Marking controls Transport controls Recent Clips pop-up menu Chapter 2 Getting to Know Your Editing Environment 21 The following is a quick summary of the Viewer controls: · Tabs: There are five tabs in the Viewer: Video, Audio, Filters, Motion, and Controls. Each · · · · · · · · · tab in the Viewer provides certain editing functions. The Video and Audio tabs appear only if the clip currently opened in the Viewer contains video or audio media. For example, you only see the Audio tab when you open an audio clip or a video clip that includes audio. The Filters tab appears for all clips, and the Motion tab appears only for video and graphics clips. The Controls tab only appears if you've added a generator. For more information on generators, see Chapter 9, "Creating Titles and Credits." Playhead and scrubber bar: These controls let you locate and move or jump to different parts of a clip quickly and easily. Transport controls: You use these controls to move the playhead within clips and sequences. The position of the playhead corresponds to the currently displayed frame. Jog and shuttle controls: You use the jog and shuttle controls to navigate more precisely within your clip. Marking controls: You use these controls to set a clip's edit points (In and Out points), markers, and keyframes. Zoom pop-up menu: This pop-up menu lets you enlarge or shrink the image that appears in the Viewer. View pop-up menu: This pop-up menu allows you to change the viewing format and control the display of various overlays that can appear in the Viewer. Generator pop-up menu: You use this pop-up menu to select and open generators in the Viewer for modifying and editing into your sequence. Generators are special clips that can be created by Final Cut Express HD; for example, they can be used to create color mattes and text of different types. Recent Clips pop-up menu: This pop-up menu allows you to open recently used clips in the Viewer for modifying and editing into your sequence. Timecode fields: The Current Timecode field displays the timecode of the frame at the current position of the playhead. The Timecode Duration field lets you view and change the duration of marked clips. 22 Chapter 2 Getting to Know Your Editing Environment Opening Clips Into the Viewer You can open clips into the Viewer from either the Browser or the Timeline. Clips appear in the Viewer with the last selected Viewer tab displayed. If you're opening an audio-only clip, the Video tab disappears and the Audio tab is displayed. Although the Viewer can display only one clip at a time, you can open multiple selected clips into the Viewer, and they will appear in the Recent Clips pop-up menu. To open a clip from the Browser, do one of the following: Double-click the clip. Drag the clip from the Browser to the Preview area of the Viewer. Select the clip with the Up and Down Arrow keys, then press the Return key. Control-click the clip, then choose Open in Viewer from the shortcut menu. m m m m Clips opened from the Browser have a plain scrubber bar. m m m m To open a clip from the Timeline, do one of the following: Double-click the clip. Drag the clip from the Timeline to the Preview area of the Viewer. Select the clip, then press the Return key. Control-click the clip, then choose Open [Clip Name] from the shortcut menu (where [Clip Name] is the name of the clip). Clips opened from the Timeline have a dotted scrubber bar. Chapter 2 Getting to Know Your Editing Environment 23 Playing Clips in the Viewer You use the transport controls in the Viewer to play clips forward, backward, between In and Out points, one frame at a time, and looped. Previous Edit Play In to Out Play Next Edit Play Around Current To play a clip in the Viewer: 1 Double-click the clip in the Browser to open it into the Viewer. 2 Do one of the following: · · · · Click the Play button. Press the Space bar. Press L. Choose Mark > Play > Forward. m m m To stop playback, do one of the following: Click the Play button again. Press the Space bar. Press K. You can navigate backward in your clip at 1x (normal) speed if you want to search for precise locations to set your In and Out points. To play a clip in reverse: 1 Double-click the clip in the Browser to open it into the Viewer. 2 Do one of the following: · · · · Shift-click the Play button. Press Shift­Space bar. Press J. Choose Mark > Play > Play Reverse. Using In and Out Points See "Setting In and Out Points" on page 51. 24 Chapter 2 Getting to Know Your Editing Environment Working With Clips in the Canvas The Canvas is the Final Cut Express HD record monitor, showing what your edited sequence will look like when it's played. There are many controls and displays in the Canvas. Before working with the Canvas, make sure it's the currently selected window. Otherwise, your keyboard shortcuts might trigger the wrong actions. To select the Canvas window: Click in the Canvas (or press Command-2). Name of the currently selected sequence and the project it's in m Timecode Duration field Zoom pop-up menu Current Timecode field View pop-up menu Image display area Playhead Scrubber bar Shuttle control Jog control Transport controls Sequence marking controls Tip: Press Q to switch between the Viewer and the Canvas. Chapter 2 Getting to Know Your Editing Environment 25 Canvas Controls The following is a list of controls in the Canvas. · Tabs: Each tab in the Canvas represents an open sequence. Each tab in the Canvas has a corresponding tab in the Timeline. · Image display area: This is the area of the Canvas where you can see the video from your sequence play back. · Playhead and scrubber bar: These controls let you locate and jump to different parts of your sequence quickly and easily. · Transport controls: These controls are used to play back your edited sequence. · Jog and shuttle controls: These controls let you more precisely navigate within your sequence. · Sequence marking controls: These controls are used to mark your sequence with edit points: In and Out points, markers, and keyframes. · Editing controls: The edit buttons and the Edit Overlay allow you to perform seven different types of edits. · View and Zoom pop-up menus: These pop-up menus let you enlarge or shrink the image that appears in the Canvas, change the viewing format, and control the display of various overlays. · Timecode fields: Two timecode fields allow you to move the playhead to a specific frame or timecode, as well as to change the sequence Out point based on an entered duration. 26 Chapter 2 Getting to Know Your Editing Environment Edit Overlay The Edit Overlay appears when you drag clips from the Browser or Viewer to the image area of the Canvas. The Overlay appears translucently over the image currently in the Canvas. Drag a clip to the image area of the Canvas. The Edit Overlay appears with its seven sections. There are seven sections in the Edit Overlay, one for each of the seven types of edits that Final Cut Express HD can perform. If you simply drag your clip to the viewing area to the left of the Edit Overlay, you'll do an overwrite edit. To perform any of the other edits, drag your clip to the overlay area for the edit you want to perform. You'll know that the clip you're dragging is over a specific overlay when a colored outline appears around the border of the overlay. Chapter 2 Getting to Know Your Editing Environment 27 Working With Clips in the Timeline The Timeline displays a chronological view of an open sequence. In addition to showing a sequence's tracks and the clips edited into them, the Timeline contains numerous controls for displaying and manipulating clips. All these controls are specific to the sequence in which they're used; each sequence open in the Timeline can have its own set of controls. Before working with the Timeline, make sure it's the currently selected window. Otherwise your keyboard shortcuts might not perform the actions you intend. To select the Timeline: Click in the Timeline (or press Command-3). Name of the currently selected sequence and the project it's in Sequence tabs Current Timecode field m Playhead Video track Divider Base tracks Audio tracks Audio controls Clip Overlays control Track Height control Zoom slider Zoom control Track Layout menu 28 Chapter 2 Getting to Know Your Editing Environment Track Display and Organization The following is a list of controls that affect the way your sequence and clips are displayed in the Timeline. · Tabs: Each tab represents a sequence. You can have multiple sequences open simultaneously, each with its own tab. Controls in Final Cut Express HD only affect the sequence whose tab is in front. Clicking another sequence's tab brings it to the front, along with that sequence's tab in the Canvas. · Tracks: The main portion of the Timeline is divided into audio and video tracks, with a divider between the two regions. You can drag the divider up or down to allocate more room to either the video or audio half of the Timeline. Audio tracks 1 and 2 are just underneath the divider, and all additional audio tracks continue downward. Video track 1 is just above the divider, and all additional video tracks continue upward. This way, linked video and audio clips keep the same relationship to one another even if they're moved from one track to another. · Zoom control: Use this control to zoom in and out of the contents of your sequence in the Timeline. Zooming in shows more detail in the ruler, and the duration between the numbers in the ruler shrinks. Zooming out shows less detail in the ruler, but allows you to see more of the total duration of your sequence in the Timeline. If the playhead is visible, it stays centered when you use the Zoom control to zoom in on the Timeline. If the playhead is not visible, the Zoom control centers the current contents of the Timeline window instead. · Audio controls: Click these controls to display the mute and solo buttons to the left of each audio track in the Timeline. By default, these controls are hidden. · Clip Overlays: Click this control to display opacity overlays (thin black lines) over your video tracks, and audio level overlays (thin red lines) over any clips in the audio tracks of the Timeline. These lines indicate how transparent or how loud each video and audio clip in your edited sequence will be when you play it back. Any keyframes added to these properties appear as handles, directly on top of the overlay. Overlays and their related keyframe handles also serve as controls themselves, and can be manipulated directly. · Track Height control: Click this control to switch between four track display sizes-- Reduced, Small, Medium, and Large. The current setting is highlighted in blue and has a small dot in the center. Choosing a track height using this control resets all tracks to the new size, overriding any custom track heights previously selected. To preserve the relative heights of individually sized tracks while resizing all tracks, hold down the Option key while choosing a new height with this control. Note: When the track size is set to Reduced, neither audio waveforms nor thumbnails are displayed. Chapter 2 Getting to Know Your Editing Environment 29 Timeline Navigation The following is a list of controls that allow you to navigate through your sequence in the Timeline. Playhead Ruler Drag the slider to scroll through your sequence. · Ruler: The ruler along the top of the Timeline represents the total duration of your edited sequence, from the first frame to the last. The ruler can be used for reference, to see the timecode corresponding to the location of clips in the Timeline. It can also be used as a navigation control that works exactly like the scrubber bar in the Canvas. Sequences can be a maximum of four hours, but you don't need to set a duration for any of your sequences. If you need more time for a particular sequence, editing more clips into it will automatically add to the total duration, until the four-hour limit is reached. · Playhead: The playhead displays the current frame location in a sequence. The Timeline playhead mirrors the Canvas playhead. · Zoom slider: Like the Zoom control, the Zoom slider allows you to zoom in and out of a sequence in the Timeline. Dragging the thumb tabs on either side of the slider adjusts both thumb tabs and leaves the visible area of the Timeline centered. 30 Chapter 2 Getting to Know Your Editing Environment Timeline Editing Controls The following controls determine how your clips are edited into the Timeline tracks. Track Visibility controls Lock Track control Source control Destination control Auto Select control Mute control Solo control Locked tracks are cross-hatched. · Source and Destination controls: Use these controls to designate which video and audio tracks from source clips in the Viewer are edited into which video and audio destination tracks in the Timeline. The number of available Source controls corresponds to the number of tracks in the source clip (or sequence) currently in the Viewer. For example, a typical clip has one video track and two audio tracks. In this case, one video and two audio Source controls will appear in the Timeline. If, instead, you open a clip into the Viewer that has one video track and four audio tracks, then one video and four audio Source controls appear in the Timeline. Every track in your sequence also has a Destination control. By assigning source tracks to destination tracks using these controls, you determine which media items go into which tracks when edits are performed. For more information about Source and Destination controls, see Final Cut Express Help, Chapter 14, "Working in the Timeline." · Track Visibility control: This control determines whether the contents of a track are displayed and rendered in your sequence. When a track is invisible, it appears darkened in the Timeline, but its contents remain in your sequence and can still be edited. When you play back your sequence, invisible tracks don't appear in the Canvas, nor will they be rendered or output to tape with that sequence. You can make a track visible or invisible at any time. · Mute and solo controls: Use these controls to enable and disable audio playback on individual tracks for monitoring purposes. These controls do not suspend audio output during the Print to Tape operation, or when exported to a movie or audio file. Chapter 2 Getting to Know Your Editing Environment 31 Tool Palette The Tool palette contains tools for editing, zooming, cropping, and distorting items in the Timeline. To view the Tool palette: Choose Window > Tools. m To select a tool: 1 Select a tool in the Tool palette. 2 Choose the tool you want from the pop-up menu. For detailed information on various tools, see Final Cut Express Help, Chapter 11, "Working With Clips and the Viewer." 32 Chapter 2 Getting to Know Your Editing Environment 3 Capturing Your Video 3 Capturing is the process of transferring the video images from your camcorder or deck to your computer. Before you begin editing with Final Cut Express HD, you need to transfer the content of your DV tape (the source media) to your computer. This process is called capturing, and you do most of your capturing in the Final Cut Express HD Capture window. Making a New Project and Saving It The media you capture appears in the Browser. For this reason, it's a good idea to create a new project before you begin capturing, so that you can organize your project elements efficiently. The project is a file that maintains the relationship between your captured video, clips, and sequences. When you create a new project in Final Cut Express HD, a new blank sequence is automatically created and named Sequence 1. You can change the sequence name to better reflect its content or the type of program you'll be working on. When you quit Final Cut Express HD or close the project, as long as it is saved, Final Cut Express HD remembers your edit decisions and applied effects. 33 m To make a new project: Choose File > New Project (or press Command-E). A new, untitled project appears in the Browser with an empty sequence. You can name the project when you save it. This is your new project. A new sequence is automatically created when you create a new project. As you work on your project, it's important to get in the habit of saving often. To save a project: Click the project's tab in the Browser, then choose File > Save Project (or press Command-S). If you haven't named the project yet, a dialog appears in which you can enter a name and choose a location for the project. By default, your project is saved in the Documents folder of your home directory. m 34 Chapter 3 Capturing Your Video Working in the Capture Window When device control is enabled (proper communication between Final Cut Express HD and your camera), the controls in the Capture window control the playback of your attached camcorder or deck. You use the controls in this window to determine how to capture your media. To open the Capture window: Choose File > Capture (or press Command-8). m Preview area with marking and transport controls Logging tab input area Capture buttons There are three main areas in the Capture window. · Preview area: This area (at the left of the window) is where you view video as you log and capture it, and contains transport and marking controls and timecode fields. · Logging tab: You enter all the descriptive information about the clip you are about to capture in the fields in this tab. · Capture buttons: These buttons, at the bottom-right corner of the window, correspond to three capture methods: Clip, Now, and Project. See "Capturing" on page 40. Chapter 3 Capturing Your Video 35 Transport and Marking Controls The transport and marking controls appear below the Preview area. The Preview area of the Capture window lets you view video as you capture it. If your camcorder or deck is not on or there is no tape inserted, you'll see color bars or black. The following controls and fields appear if a device-controllable camcorder or deck is connected, and there is communication between the computer and camcorder. Available space and time Timecode Duration field Preview area Current Timecode field Jog control Transport controls Shuttle control Go to In Point Clip In Point timecode Mark In Mark Out Camcorder status Go to Out Point Clip Out Point timecode Transport Controls If you have device control, you can use these buttons to control your camcorder or deck. Rewind Play In to Out Fast Forward Play Around Current Stop Play 36 Chapter 3 Capturing Your Video Marking controls You use these buttons to set the start and end frames (the In and Out points) to select a part of your tape for capture. Go to In Point Clip In Point timecode Mark In · Mark In: Click this button, or press I, to set the starting frame (the In point) of your tape for capture. · Clip In Point timecode: Displays the timecode location of the current In point. · Go to In Point: Click this button, or press Shift-I, to cue the tape to the current In point. Go to Out Mark Out Clip Out Point timecode · Mark Out: Click this button, or press O, to set the end frame (the Out point) of your tape for capture. · Clip Out Point timecode: Displays the timecode location of the current Out point. · Go to Out Point: Click this button, or press Shift-O, to cue the tape to the current Out point. Miscellaneous fields · Available space and time: Displays the amount of available space on the current scratch disk and the amount of capture time available. · Timecode Duration field: Displays the duration of the section of tape you've marked for capture, based on the In and Out points you marked. You can enter timecode directly in this field to set a new duration from the In point. See "Setting In and Out Points" on page 51. · Current Timecode field: Displays the timecode number of the currently displayed frame of your source tape. You can enter timecode directly in this field to navigate to that timecode point on your tape. Chapter 3 Capturing Your Video 37 Logging Tab The Logging tab in the Capture window is where you enter all of the descriptive information about clips you are capturing. You can use this information later to help you while you're editing. · Reel: The reel affects which clips are captured from which source tapes, so it must correspond to the actual tape for the source media the clip is on. The name for each clip becomes the captured clip's filename on your computer's hard disk; therefore, all clip names must be unique. · Other fields: The remaining information in the Logging tab is primarily for your use as an editor; it's up to you and the particular needs of your project to determine how to format this information. Entering descriptive information in the Logging tab helps you manage your clips while you're editing. For more information about the Logging tab, see Final Cut Express Help, Chapter 8, "Capturing Media." 38 Chapter 3 Capturing Your Video Determining How Much Disk Space You Need Before you begin capturing, it's a good idea to make sure you have enough disk space on your computer. The amount of disk space you need depends on the length of your captured video and the length of your finished project. Use the table below to estimate how much space you need. DV data transfer rates 3.6 MB/sec., DV-format video 30 sec. 108 MB 1 min. 216 MB 5 min. 1.08 GB 10 min. 2.16 GB 30 min. 6.5 GB 60 min. 13 GB A good rule of thumb to determine how much space you need is to multiply the amount of space needed for your captured movie by five. For example, if you capture a tape that's approximately 60-minutes long: · 3.6 MB/sec. video data rate x 60 seconds = 216 MB/min. x 60 minutes = 12960 MB needed for project files. · 12960 MB x 5 = 64800 MB needed for project, render, cache, and other files. Round off 64800 MB to 65 GB to be on the safe side. This is the amount of disk space you'll need to allow for just this one project. If you plan to work on multiple projects at the same time, estimate the amount for each project and add these numbers together. Once you have figured out how much space you need, you can verify your hard disk space to make sure you have enough room for your finished project. To verify your hard disk space: Choose File > Capture (or press Command-8). The amount of available hard disk space is displayed at the top of the Capture window. m For more information on setting up external drives as extra scratch disks, see Final Cut Express Help, Chapter 4, "Specifying User Preferences, System Settings, and Easy Setups." Chapter 3 Capturing Your Video 39 Capturing There are three different ways to capture clips in Final Cut Express HD: Capture Now, Capture Clip, and Capture Project. · Capture Now: Using Capture Now, you can capture live video, DV from camcorders or decks that lack device control, or DV from a device-controllable camcorder or deck. If you use Capture Now with a device that's supplying timecode, that timecode will be accurately captured along with your clip. · Capture Clip: Capture Clip captures video one clip at a time from a camcorder or deck with device control. This command is useful if you're simply grabbing a few clips and you want to capture them as soon as you identify where they are. · Capture Project: You can also capture all items in your project, from a camcorder or deck with device control. This command is useful if you want to capture or recapture several clips at once. Read through the following sections to learn how to use the Capture Now and Capture Clip options. For more information on the Capture Project option, see Final Cut Express Help, Chapter 8, "Capturing Media." About Device Control Your capture method depends on whether your video equipment has device control. Device control lets you control your video equipment using the transport controls (including play, fast forward, reverse, and stop) in Final Cut Express HD. If your equipment doesn't support device control, you must use the controls on the equipment to play your tapes manually. For more information, see the documentation that came with your equipment. 40 Chapter 3 Capturing Your Video Make Sure Your Camera Is Properly Connected and Turned On Before you begin capturing, you need to make sure your camera is properly connected and turned on. To make sure your camera is on and ready for capturing: 1 Verify your FireWire cable is securely connected to your camera and computer. 2 Make sure your camera is on and set to VCR (sometimes labeled VTR) mode. When your camera is properly connected, Final Cut Express HD displays VTR OK at the bottom of the Capture window. Indicates your camcorder is properly connected Capturing One Clip at a Time If you have device control, but you only want to capture one clip at a time (as opposed to an entire group of clips), you can use the Capture Clip button. This method allows you to capture individual clips much more precisely (saving disk space) than if you were to use the Capture Now command. To capture a clip with device control: 1 Make sure your camera is properly connected and set to VCR (sometimes labeled VTR) mode. See "Make Sure Your Camera Is Properly Connected and Turned On" on page 41. 2 If your deck or camcorder has a Local/Remote switch, make sure it's set to Remote. For more information, see the documentation that came with your video equipment. 3 Insert a tape that includes the clips you want to capture. Chapter 3 Capturing Your Video 41 4 Choose File > Capture (or press Command-8). 5 In the Capture window, enter any appropriate information in the Logging tab. In particular, make sure that the reel number and name is properly set to reflect the reel number and name on the label of your current DV tape. For more information, see "Logging Tab" on page 38. 6 Play your tape and mark the clip you want to capture by doing one of the following: · Click the Mark In and Mark Out buttons to set In and Out points. Mark In Mark Out · Enter a timecode for the In point in the left timecode field and a timecode for the Out point in the right timecode field at the bottom of the Capture window. Clip In Point timecode Clip Out Point timecode · Press I to set an In point and press O to set an Out point. The video between the two points you set will be captured. 42 Chapter 3 Capturing Your Video 7 Click the Capture Clip button. Click here to capture a clip. Tip: Press Esc on your keyboard if you need to abort capturing. Final Cut Express HD captures the clip. The newly captured clip is automatically saved to the scratch disk, and is placed in the log bin of the Browser. The new clip appears in the Browser assigned to your project. 8 Save your project by clicking the project's tab in the Browser, then choosing File > Save Project (or pressing Command-S). Chapter 3 Capturing Your Video 43 Capturing an Entire Tape or a Group of Clips If you want to capture an entire tape or group of clips, use the Capture Now button. Important: Make sure you have adequate disk space for the length of your DV tape. See "Determining How Much Disk Space You Need" on page 39. To capture your tape: 1 Make sure your video equipment is properly connected and turned on. See "Make Sure Your Camera Is Properly Connected and Turned On" on page 41. 2 Insert a tape that includes the clips you want to capture. 3 Choose File > Capture (or press Command-8). 4 In the Capture window, enter any appropriate information in the Logging tab. In particular, make sure that the reel number is properly set to reflect your current tape. For more information, see "Logging Tab" on page 38. 44 Chapter 3 Capturing Your Video 5 Do one of the following: · Rewind the tape to the beginning using the camcorder or deck's controls. · Locate the footage you want to capture using the camcorder or deck's controls. If you're not rewinding the tape to the beginning, rewind the tape about ten seconds prior to the material you want to capture. This will give the camcorder or deck enough time to remove slack in the tape. 6 When you're ready to begin recording, press the Play button on your equipment. 7 A few seconds before the first frame of the clip you want to capture, click Capture Now (or press Shift-C). Click here to start capturing your tape. Camcorders and decks don't begin playing instantaneously. A few seconds of pre-roll will ensure that you capture the entire amount of the desired footage. 8 To stop recording, press Esc, then press the Stop button on your video equipment. Tip: It's a good idea to capture several seconds beyond the point where you want to end the clip. The newly captured clip is automatically saved to the scratch disk, and is placed in the log bin of the Browser. 9 Save your project by clicking the project's tab in the Browser, then choosing File > Save Project (or pressing Command-S). Chapter 3 Capturing Your Video 45 Can I Use iMovie to Capture DV Clips Automatically? iMovie and Final Cut Express HD capture DV-format video in different ways. When iMovie captures DV clips, one at a time or by automatically capturing an entire tape and breaking each shot into its own clip, all video and audio is saved on the computer as DV Stream files. When Final Cut Express HD captures DV clips, they are saved as QuickTime video files using the DV-NTSC or DV-PAL codec. Final Cut Express HD can recognize both DV Stream and QuickTime files, but the information in these files is stored differently. DV Stream files encode the audio and video of a clip together as one data stream, the way it's stored on DV-format tape. In QuickTime files, video and audio are separate tracks inside a single QuickTime movie file. DV Stream files that are edited into a Final Cut Express HD sequence must be rendered before their audio plays back properly. QuickTime files require no rendering. Also, video files captured using iMovie don't have timecode. This makes it impossible to recapture exactly the same clip twice, which may disrupt your workflow. If you must use a clip captured using iMovie, it's best to back it up when archiving your project, in case you need it for future revisions. Final Cut Express HD can import projects created with iMovie 3 and later. For more information, see Appendix A, "Importing an iMovie Project.". Capturing Tip The following tip explains how to rename your clips and sequences once you've completed capturing your video. Renaming a Clip or Sequence Whether you let Final Cut Express HD auto-name your clips and sequences or you've changed your mind about the name of a clip or sequence you chose, you can rename items within Final Cut Express HD. Renaming clips and sequences only changes the filenames in the project. It does not change the names of source media files on your computer. 46 Chapter 3 Capturing Your Video To rename clips and sequences within Final Cut Express HD: 1 Select the clip or sequence in the Browser. 2 Click the item's name, then type a new name. Select the item you want to rename. Type the new name. Chapter 3 Capturing Your Video 47 The item's name changes, but the source media is unaffected. If you rename a file in the Finder that is used by Final Cut Express HD, the clip goes offline because Final Cut Express HD loses the link to that file. To make sure renamed files are online, you need to relink the source media and the files in your project. A red slash indicates the media is offline. For more information, see Final Cut Express Help, Chapter 7, "Using the Browser and Managing Projects and Clips." 48 Chapter 3 Capturing Your Video 4 Basic Editing 4 Now that you've seen how the Browser, Viewer, Canvas, and Timeline work together, and you've learned how to capture your media, it's time to begin editing. This chapter explains the basics of editing simple sequences using the different types of Final Cut Express HD edits. There are several steps involved in a typical editing session: Step 1: Select a clip in the Browser to add to your sequence (A) Step 2: Open the clip into the Viewer (B) Step 3: In the Viewer, set In and Out points for the clip to specify what you want to use in your sequence (B) Step 4: Edit the clip into an open sequence in the Canvas (C) or the Timeline (D) A B C D 49 Before You Begin Before you add the first clip to your sequence, there are two important tasks you should know how to do: use the Undo command, and set In and Out points. Once you are comfortable with these procedures, you can begin an efficient editing session. You Can Always Undo When you're first learning to work in Final Cut Express HD, it can be comforting to know that if you make a change you don't like or didn't mean to make, it can usually be undone. Final Cut Express HD lets you undo up to 32 actions, remembering each step you take as you work on your project. The number of levels of undo actually available to you depends on the setting in the General tab of the User Preferences window. When you first install Final Cut Express HD, the default number of undo levels is 10. You can change this at any time, but be aware that the more levels of undo you set, the more memory Final Cut Express HD requires. To undo the previous action: Choose Edit > Undo (or press Command-Z). You can use the Undo command as many times as you have specified in the General tab of the User Preferences window. To redo an action that you have undone: Choose Edit > Redo (or press Command-Y). Repeated use of the Redo command will eventually redo all the steps that you've undone. m m 50 Chapter 4 Basic Editing