Comments on: Bottom 10 FCP Tips … revisited

By: Hans

Hans — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 19:39:39 +0000

Re: moving keyframes when adjusting clip length:

I have a workaround that, while still a pain, definitely beats individually dragging lots of keyframes:

1- select clip
2- copy clip (cmd-V)
3- remove attributes (cmd-opt-V)
4- adjust clip length
5- paste attributes (opt-V) w/”scale attribute times” selected

This copies the clip’s attributes into the clipboard, then clears the attributes (filters, motion, etc), then after the clip length is changed, scales the original attributes w/keyframes to the new length.

Don’t how well this would work with complex plug-ins/filters, but it does the trick for me with opacities, still image motion, simple filter moves, etc.

By: editblog

editblog — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 16:08:41 +0000

Frank G;
I agree totally on the Capture Scratch settings. I think more than project specific if there was a big fat red pop-up menu on the front of the capture tool alerting you to where you were saving files then that would be good enough for me.

By: Frank G

Frank G — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 06:56:28 +0000

Nice list. But when you typed:

>I work on multiple projects at once….

I thought you were going to go on a nice rant about having project-specific Capture Scratch settings. I usually work on 2+ jobs at once, each has their Capture Scratch on a different drive, and it is a PITA to reset this for every one.

By: Bouke

Bouke — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 13:27:39 +0000

A quick note there is indeed a solution to work with videoclips / aux TC.
Use this little application:
http://www.videotoolshed.com/?page=products&pID=26

If you record an LTC signal to an audio channel of your camera, you’ll be editing away frame accurate quite fast.
(so, make a dual mono version of the song to play back on set, one channel music, other channel LTC. Feed the LTC to the cam, the music to the set. Ingest the material in FCP, export the bin to XML, run that trough this application, import back in FCP and all your AUX TC is set. You can even have different AUX TC’s in one large clip, unlike FCP can!

It has one other option even Avid does not have, it can detect LTC tc breaks and create new subclips based on that.
(like will happen if the camera keeps rolling when the music is started again)

Bouke

By: Sam

Sam — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 17:20:27 +0000

I definitely don’t have a solution, but my “work-a-round” for music video editing has been to sync my sub clips (using merge clips) to the music track itself. The only catch is that the music track has to have the same timecode that it did on-set (which isn’t too hard to finagle). With these merged clips you basically get the same thing as aux timecode when you turn timecode overlays on except instead of aux tc you’re looking at your audio tc.

There’s some downsides like short clips having long heads and tails (where the music track continues beyond the video), and it’s difficult to see at a glance if you clip is in sync once it’s on the timeline (again finagling with match frame is a work-a-round). But there’s also some benefits such as always being able to preview your clip with the audio of the song attached (as opposed to on-set playback or no audio at all).

Also, there’s work-a-rounds to this work-a-round, such as cutting the music track up into pieces (with correct timecode) so that your clips don’t have huger than necessary heads and tails.

All in all, it’s still a lot more work, and I agree with your demand for FCP to fix something that’s basically a BUG. But if you’re not aware of this workflow it’s a helpful thing to know.

By: Andy

Andy — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 12:38:11 +0000

if you need any help, I would very much like a turn with that wiffle ball bat

By: editblog

editblog — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 04:15:51 +0000

You got that right Shane. It’s funny how with every thing I love about one app there’s an equal thing that I hate.

By: Shane Ross

Shane Ross — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 03:36:55 +0000

They still need to fix markers….and yes, the stupid dynamic trimming. I got back on an Avid and was in Heaven. But then again, I tried swapping a few shots on the Avid, a breeze in FCP, and started swearing at the Avid.

It’s a love/hate relationship

By: Thomas

Thomas — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 23:22:17 +0000

We should all submit these “tips” to Apple
http://www.apple.com/feedback/finalcutpro.html

By: editblog

editblog — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 22:49:34 +0000

modifoo…. you might try Final Cut Express as a cheap dig station. They just updated that a few days ago I believe…..