Final Cut Express HD User Manual K Apple Computer, Inc. © 2006 Apple Computer, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. Apple, the Apple logo, DVD Studio Pro, Final Cut, Final Cut Pro, FireWire, iDVD, iMovie, Mac, Macintosh, Mac OS, PowerBook, Power Mac, QuickTime, Soundtrack, TrueType, and Xsan are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Cinema Tools, Finder, LiveType, and Pixlet are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. AppleCare is a service mark of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Adobe, After Effects, Photoshop, and PostScript are trademarks or registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the U.S. and/or other countries. Helvetica is a registered trademark of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG, available from Linotype Library GmbH. OpenGL is a registered trademark of Silicon Graphics, Inc. Production stills from the films "Koffee House Mayhem" and "A Sus Ordenes" provided courtesy of Refuge Films. "Koffee House Mayhem" © 2005 Jean-Paul Bonjour; "A Sus Ordenes" © 2005 Eric Escobar. http://www.refugefilms.com 1 Contents Preface 25 25 25 26 Final Cut Express HD Documentation and Resources Getting Started Onscreen Help Apple Websites Part I Chapter 1 29 29 30 35 35 36 36 36 39 39 43 47 49 An Introduction to Final Cut Express HD About the Post-Production Workflow The Industry Workflow The Post-Production Workflow Video Formats and Timecode About Nonlinear and Nondestructive Editing Video Formats Compatible With Final Cut Express HD Audio Formats Compatible With Final Cut Express HD Video Format Basics Understanding Projects, Clips, and Sequences The Building Blocks of Projects Working With Projects About the Connection Between Clips and Media Files Filenaming Considerations Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Part II Chapter 4 55 55 57 59 63 64 Learning About the Final Cut Express HD Interface Overview of the Final Cut Express HD Interface Basics of Working in the Final Cut Express HD Interface Using Keyboard Shortcuts, Buttons, and Shortcut Menus Customizing the Interface Undoing and Redoing Changes Entering Timecode for Navigation Purposes 3 Chapter 5 65 65 66 67 69 70 79 79 80 82 83 84 85 87 88 90 91 91 92 93 94 95 96 98 99 101 101 108 111 111 113 114 123 127 128 Browser Basics How You Use the Browser Learning About the Browser Working in the Browser Using Columns in the Browser Customizing the Browser Display Viewer Basics How You Can Use the Viewer Opening a Clip in the Viewer Learning About the Viewer Tabs in the Viewer Transport (or Playback) Controls Playhead Controls Marking Controls Zoom and View Pop-Up Menus Recent Clips and Generator Pop-Up Menus Canvas Basics How You Use the Canvas Opening, Selecting, and Closing Sequences in the Canvas Learning About the Canvas Editing Controls in the Canvas Transport (or Playback) Controls Playhead Controls Marking Controls Zoom and View Pop-Up Menus Navigating and Using Timecode in the Viewer and Canvas Navigating in the Viewer and Canvas Working With Timecode in the Viewer and Canvas Timeline Basics How You Use the Timeline Opening and Closing Sequences in the Timeline Learning About the Timeline Changing Timeline Display Options Navigating in the Timeline Zooming and Scrolling in the Timeline Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 4 Contents Chapter 10 135 135 135 137 139 Customizing the Interface Changing Browser and Timeline Text Size Moving and Resizing Final Cut Express HD Windows Using Screen Layouts Working With Shortcut Buttons and Button Bars Part III Chapter 11 145 145 146 146 150 151 153 153 153 154 156 157 161 161 162 163 167 167 Setting Up Your Editing System Connecting Your Equipment Connecting Your Camcorder Connecting an External Video Monitor and Audio Speakers Opening Final Cut Express HD and Choosing Your Initial Settings What Is FireWire? What Is Device Control? Determining Your Hard Disk Storage Options Working With Scratch Disks and Hard Disk Drives Data Rates and Storage Devices Determining How Much Space You Need Choosing a Hard Disk Types of Hard Disk Drives External Video Monitoring Using an External Video Monitor While You Edit Connecting DV/FireWire Devices to an External Monitor Using Digital Cinema Desktop Preview About the Display Quality of External Video Troubleshooting External Video Monitoring Problems Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Part IV Chapter 14 171 171 172 174 174 175 175 178 178 178 179 Capturing and Importing Capturing Your Footage to Disk Overview of the Capturing Process Overview of the Capture Window Transport Controls Jog and Shuttle Controls Marking Controls Capture Tab Capture Buttons Preparing to Capture Organizing and Labeling Your Tapes Logging Your Tapes Contents 5 180 180 181 185 187 188 188 189 189 191 192 192 193 194 195 196 196 Chapter 15 199 199 200 203 204 207 207 208 208 210 210 211 211 212 213 214 Choosing a Filenaming Scheme Determining How Much Disk Space You Need Capturing Individual Clips in the Capture Window Using Capture Now Adding Markers to Clips in the Capture Window Marker Controls in the Capture Window Setting Markers Recapturing Clips Using Capture Project About the Additional Items Found Dialog Finding Your Media Files After Capture Where Are Captured Media Files Stored? Consolidating Media Files to One Folder Modifying a Media File's Reel Name Property Avoiding Duplicate Timecode Numbers on a Single Tape Logging Tapes with Duplicate Timecode Numbers Avoiding Multiple Occurrences of the Same Timecode Number on a Single Tape Importing Media Files Into Your Project What File Formats Can Be Imported? Importing Media Files About Importing Video Files About Importing Audio Files Working With HDV About HDV HDV Formats Supported by Final Cut Express HD About MPEG-2 Compression HDV Apple Intermediate Codec Editing Workflow Connecting an HDV Device to Your Computer Choosing an Easy Setup Capturing HDV Video to the Apple Intermediate Codec Editing Video Using the Apple Intermediate Codec Outputting HDV to Tape or Exporting to a QuickTime Movie HDV Format Specifications Chapter 16 6 Contents Part V Chapter 17 219 219 220 221 222 225 227 228 228 231 233 235 235 238 251 251 254 257 Organizing Footage and Preparing to Edit Organizing Footage in the Browser Using Bins to Organize Your Clips Creating New Bins Opening Bins in the Browser Opening Bins in a Separate Window or Tab Moving Items Between Bins Sorting Items in the Browser Using Column Headings Searching for Clips in the Browser About Search Options Searching for Items in the Browser Manipulating Items in the Find Results Window Using Markers Learning About Markers Working With Markers Creating Subclips Learning About Subclips Manually Breaking Large Clips Into Subclips Automatically Creating Subclips Using DV Start/Stop Detection Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Part VI Chapter 20 261 262 262 262 262 263 265 265 266 266 267 268 269 270 270 271 272 Rough Editing Working With Projects, Clips, and Sequences Working With Projects Working With Multiple Projects in the Browser Choosing Whether the Last Previously Opened Project Opens on Launch Viewing and Changing the Properties of a Project Backing Up and Restoring Projects Learning About the Different Types of Clips Types of Clips Sequences as Clips Viewing and Changing the Properties of a Clip Changing Clip Properties in the Browser Viewing and Changing Clip Properties in the Item Properties Window Changing the Properties of Affiliate Clips Creating and Working With Sequences Creating and Deleting Sequences Opening and Closing Sequences Duplicating a Sequence Contents 7 272 273 273 Chapter 21 275 275 275 276 278 278 278 280 280 281 281 283 283 284 285 286 288 289 289 290 291 296 297 298 300 301 303 305 305 306 308 309 309 310 311 311 313 Copying a Sequence Into Another Project Nesting a Sequence Basic Sequence and Timeline Settings The Fundamentals of Adding Clips to a Sequence Creating a Rough Edit Basic Steps Involved in a Rough Edit How Clips Appear in the Timeline Undoing and Redoing Actions Overview of Ways to Add Clips to a Sequence Methods for Adding Clips to Sequences Determining What Parts of Clips You Want in Your Sequence Preparing a Sequence Order in the Browser Sorting to Create a Sequence Order Visually Storyboarding in the Browser Setting Edit Points for Clips and Sequences About In and Out Points Learning About the Out Point Inclusive Rule Things to Keep in Mind When Setting an Out Point Setting Clip In and Out Points in the Viewer Specifying an Edit Point Using Timecode Setting In and Out Points to Include a Whole Clip Reviewing Your Edit Points Setting Sequence In and Out Points in the Canvas or Timeline Options for Setting Sequence In and Out Points Setting Sequence In and Out Points Setting In and Out Points to Match a Clip or Gap Setting In and Out Points Based on a Selection in the Timeline Navigating to In and Out Points Moving In and Out Points Clearing In and Out Points Working With Tracks in the Timeline Adding and Deleting Tracks Adding Tracks Deleting Tracks Specifying Destination Tracks in the Timeline Understanding Source and Destination Controls Setting Destination Tracks Changing Source and Destination Control Connections Disconnecting Source and Destination Controls Resetting Destination Tracks to the Default State Chapter 22 Chapter 23 8 Contents 314 315 316 316 318 Chapter 24 321 321 322 323 326 329 329 329 330 332 333 333 335 336 338 339 346 348 348 350 352 353 355 355 356 357 357 358 360 363 364 365 367 Locking Tracks to Prevent Edits or Changes Disabling Tracks to Hide Content During Playback Customizing Track Display in the Timeline Resizing Timeline Tracks Creating a Static Region in the Timeline Drag-to-Timeline Editing Overview of the Drag-to-Timeline Editing Process Dragging Clips to the Timeline Doing Simple Insert and Overwrite Edits in the Timeline Automatically Adding Tracks to Your Sequence While Dragging Three-Point Editing Understanding Three-Point Editing Overview of the Three-Point Editing Process Different Ways to Do Three-Point Editing About Edit Types in the Edit Overlay Performing the Different Types of Edits Performing an Insert Edit Performing an Insert With Transition Edit Performing an Overwrite Edit Performing an Overwrite With Transition Edit Performing a Replace Edit Superimposing Clips Three-Point Editing Examples Example: Editing a Specific Clip Into Your Sequence Example: Editing a Clip Into a Gap in Your Sequence Example: Backtiming a Clip Into Your Sequence Example: Editing a Clip With No Specified In or Out Points Into Your Sequence Finding and Selecting Content in the Timeline Understanding What's Currently Selected Identifying Selections in the Timeline How Selections Are Prioritized in the Timeline Direct Methods for Selecting Content in a Sequence An Introduction to the Selection Tools Selecting Clips Selecting a Range of Timeline Content Selecting All Clip Items on a Track Selecting All Items on All Tracks Forward or Backward Selecting or Deselecting All Clips in a Sequence Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Contents 9 367 369 370 Chapter 27 373 373 375 375 376 378 380 380 382 385 385 386 387 391 391 395 396 397 397 398 401 402 402 404 405 406 406 408 409 411 411 413 Finding and Selecting Based on Search Criteria Selecting a Vertical Range Between In and Out Points Using Auto Select to Specify Tracks for Selections Arranging Clips in the Timeline Snapping to Points in the Timeline Moving Items Within the Timeline Moving by Dragging Moving Clips Numerically Performing Shuffle Edits Copying and Pasting Clips in the Timeline Copying Clips by Option-Dragging Copying, Cutting, and Pasting Clips in the Timeline Deleting Clips From a Sequence Deleting With a Lift Edit (Leaving a Gap) Deleting With a Ripple Edit (Leaving No Gap) Finding and Closing Gaps Cutting Clips and Adjusting Durations Performing Basic Cut Edits Changing the Duration of Clips in the Timeline Opening Sequence Clips in the Viewer to Change Durations Linking and Editing Video and Audio in Sync Linked Sync Relationships Between Video and Audio Clips When Linked Clips Are Moved Out of Sync Understanding Sync Relationships Between Multiple Linked Audio Items Linking and Unlinking Video and Audio Clip Items in the Timeline Linking Video and Audio Clip Items Unlinking Video and Audio Clip Items Selecting Individual Clip Items While They Are Linked Getting Clip Items Back in Sync Moving a Clip Into Sync Slipping a Clip Item Into Sync Moving or Slipping All Clip Items Into Sync at Once Establishing a Different Sync Relationship Between Linked Clip Items Marking a Clip as In Sync Learning About Linking Behavior in Audio Chan ...