A thread for my Final Cut questions
 

Rather than start a new thread each time I have a small question regarding FCP which isn't covered in the help menu, the training dvd or the YouTube tutorials, I thought i'd start one thread and update it each time I have an enquiry, if that's okay?


I have three questions to start with, firstly:

Animating png images over video - let's say I have spent a long time working on my keyframes and bending my path to get the desired effect but I have changed my mind about the png image or found one that is more suitable for the project... Is it possible to replace the image without losing all that work that went into planning it's path and rotation etc..?

Secondly, there are many options with audio filters. What is the simplest way to 'preview' the audio changes I have made before rendering like I could in iMovie HD?

Is there another way/shortcut I put the time line at the beginning of the project instantly other than clicking on it in the player window?



Thanks in advance.

Cameron

Re: A thread for my Final Cut questions
 

Cameron.

Queston #1. Click on the new still you want to insert. Command-C to "load up" that content to the system clipboard. Then in FCP select the clip where you want to REPLACE the content, look in the File menu and invoke the the Paste Attributes command, and select CONTENT. It's that easy. However, unless BOTH stills are precisely the same size and aspect ratio, don't be surprised if you have problems - the motion path you've created for ONE SIZE file - applied to another size file, can net totally different results.

Questin #2. If you have lots of RAM and a fast system, FCP can often play audio changes in real time - but if the system resources are limited, or your effects are complex, you may need to render things as you go. Just set a short range IN and OUT point and apply the filter and render ONLY that small part to audition things before you apply them globally.

Question #3. Don't understand this. If your content doesn't start where the timeline starts, just click to select the blank part of the timeline and hit BACKSPACE and the clips will move down to the head of the project - just like closing any other gap in a timeline. Hope that's what you meant.

Good luck.

Re: A thread for my Final Cut questions
 

Thankyou Bill, yes the first question was the big one and I look forward to trying it. The png was a rotating flower with a face in the middle and it's the face I need to change so hopefully it'll work out alright.

The answer to question 2 and many more is a new laptop.

I discovered the answer to question 3 yesterday and it's the fn key plus left arrow.

Cheers again, new batch of questions coming up!

Question of the day
 

Can I rejoin clips after they have been sliced in half when command Z is no longer an option?

Re: A thread for my Final Cut questions
 

I a newbie at FCP, but thought I'd help out where I can.

I don't know if there is a way, within FC, to do what you are asking. Possibly copy attributes, and past onto the new png? However, I just did exactly what you are asking, but not in Final Cut. I did it with Motion. Created a logo sequence, then saved the project. I would export as a QuickTime movie, then throw into my FC timeline. I would then go back into the Motion project, and change the png, and export again. Everything moved as I wanted, but with the new logo.


I'm sorry I don't know the answer to this one.

You can use the HOME key, on the keyboard. It will take you back to the beginning of your timeline. Unfortunately, I am using the wireless Bluetooth Apple keyboard, and there is no home key.

Re: A thread for my Final Cut questions
 

Cheers Jeff, yeah there's no Home key on the 2006 MacBook Pro but I found out that the fn key (which I'd never used ever) with the left arrow worked perfectly.

NEW QUESTIONS:

Can I rejoin clips after they have been sliced in half when command Z is no longer an option?

and...


Can audio from an edited clip be recovered after it's been accidentally deleted? ...In iMovie HD you can extract the audio, delete it but lift the volume back up from inside the original clip.

Re: A thread for my Final Cut questions
 

To re-join, just delete one of them and stretch the remaining one out to replace it.

To get the audio, open the original clip from the bin. After setting the in and out points to match your clip in the timeline, there's several things you can do at this point to re-drop the clip onto your timeline. Look up in the Help on how to use little tabs labeled "v1, a1, a2" shown in the attachment. You can use them to prevent the video from being dropped onto the timeline.

Re: A thread for my Final Cut questions
 

To rejoin a cut clip, highlight the cut and hit delete.

Re: A thread for my Final Cut questions
 

Or right after you make the cut, keystroke command-z for undo. Or go up to the UNDO menu. Or hook up an old VOICE NAVIGATOR and program it to invoke UNDO when you say "sh*t. (I actually did that one once, and laughed like a hyena when I forgot about it, made a mistake, and my curse fixed my messup instantly!)

The truth is that there's usually half a dozen perfectly useful ways to do any single editing operation in FCP.

It's one of it's charms.

One mistake, however, is thinking YOUR way is "right" and other ways are "wrong."

Some people want to use ONLY keyboard commands since they LIKE keeping their hands on the keyboard. Others LIKE using the mouse. Others LIKE using a control surface with dedicated operation keys. Others LIKE sitting back and telling someone else what they want and having THEM make the keystrokes. Know what? They're probably ALL competent at "editing."

For what it's worth.

Re: A thread for my Final Cut questions
 

Great stuff - thankyou all, this was a great idea! I just bought the new MacBook Pro so things should now get faster as well as easier.

Today's question is:

Is there a shortcut to enlarging the right viewer window to full screen for playback?

Re: A thread for my Final Cut questions
 

Yes. But I recommend you spend some time with the manual or other materials based on how you learn. The Cycle of learning->doing->learning will help. The window you describe is called the "Canvas" window. The name is in the title bar.

Playing back fullscreen is controlled by items in the View menu. The Video Playback item controls where it's played. The External Video controls activating it. Mine uses command-12 but I'm not sure if that's the default or my own setting.

Tools -> Keyboard Layout -> Customize lets you adjust the keyboard settings to what you want.

Re: A thread for my Final Cut questions
 

I remember something about that on the tutorial dvd, thanks for reminding me. I have so much to absorb and at the same time I have to move everything over to this new MacBook and make sure all files used in my FCP projects have been imported. I don't want to use time machine, I need a clean slate.

Re: A thread for my Final Cut questions
 

In the view menu, you can choose which screen for "full screen playback" (I have multiple monitors). Then the keyboard combination "command + f12" (if I'm remembering correctly), will switch for full screen playback. Then escape key will go back to standard view.

Where is the BCC Optical Stabilizer?
 

I took a couple of shots without a tripod as I didn't have time to set one up (I was shooting a scene with kids with a puppy) - if possible I want to 'lock down' these shots which are brief and only slightly wobbly.

On YouTube I saw a tutorial for the BCC Optical Stabilizer however it doesn't show you where it is. I am hoping FCP includes this and that it isn't a separate software program that I need to download or buy.

Can it be done with what I have? I have tried the Smoothcam filter but it seems slightly pixelated afterwards.

Re: A thread for my Final Cut questions
 

Video Filters>>> Smoothcam