Final Cut Express - The Basics
As promised, here it is, a short summary of all the basic schemes we've learnt with help from Gary... someone (well at least that's better than knowing none of his name) this week we managed to successfully capture our footage from our DV tapes (as discussed from last post). Gary also showed us two different promotional videos about a conference in Budapest, I was greatly impressed by these, and showed us how using the same clips with different music and different edit can REALLY change the feel and look of what you've shot. He also taught me personally how to use photoshop masks with our videos to create a 'slotting' effect. I may explain this in a later post, but for now... as promised... here's the basics:
Capturing. Below is the Final Cut Express capture window. This is basically displaying what is seen through the camera, opting as a second screen for the camera when plugged in (if you will). There were three choices on capturing, one of these was using in and out points in the timecode. So basically you'd watch the video back and select where you wanted your 'In Point' to be in the video (by simply pressing I) and then choosing where you want your 'Out Point' to be (by simply pressing O). So this selects only the small clip of your entire video that you would like to capture onto the hard drive of the computers. We had some problems with this and the computer struggling to find the in and out points onto the computer for complex reasons I wont bore you with now.
As this didn't work we went onto using the 'Capture Now' button which was basically how we captured when using Premiere Pro. The annoying part of this process was (especially to those who had used Premiere Pro) was that there was no Scene Detect function!!!! The Scene Detect function basically in short is the function that while capturing all of your video sees where you've paused to set up your next shot etc and gives you each different clip separately and automatically! But no, with Final Cut Express we have to do this manually, which sounds like a chore, but it honestly isn't. You watch it back on the screen as the tape is playing in your camera and when you want to stop the clip it's capturing you simply press (I like that phrase... makes it seem so simple) Esc and you have whatever you've watched up to then. If that makes sense...? Simples!
It is however important to log your clips and keep your browser very tidy, saves alto of frustrated time flicking through clips for the little section you want, believe me!
Adding Footage to Your Film. This is also pretty simple, basically as you were shown in the last post the 'clip viewer' enables you to choose which area of film you want to add into your film. If you can see along the bottom left hand corner you can see 6 buttons. The last two of these work as your 'In Point' and 'Out Point' buttons and you can use these to select the bit of the clip you would like to put into your project. (Or alternatively you can use the 'oh so simple' I and O keyboard shortcuts!) If you have a look on the timeline of this particulat clip you can see most of it is grey however the little bit in the middle has two arrows pointing into a white space.
This is the area you can now drag into the final timeline at the bottom of the screen. Or you can drag it into the 'Clip Viewer' window to the right of this one. You'll get a list of choices such as 'Insert' and 'Overlay' and i'm sure you can decide what you need to do!
Here i've given you the two most important things we learnt while using Final Cut Express. It goes without saying that you have to chose which section of each clip to place onto your final timeline to make the video you want. You add music to the final video in exactly the same way as you add your footage.
Below you will find one of the most useful things ever while working with Final Cut. It's a picture of all the shortcuts that you can use while working with Final Cut and will come in very handy, I adivse printing out a copy and keeping it with you while working!
Hope you've enjoyed this addition to 'Final Cut Express' series, and i'm sure a few more are to come over time. Happy Blogging!
Capturing. Below is the Final Cut Express capture window. This is basically displaying what is seen through the camera, opting as a second screen for the camera when plugged in (if you will). There were three choices on capturing, one of these was using in and out points in the timecode. So basically you'd watch the video back and select where you wanted your 'In Point' to be in the video (by simply pressing I) and then choosing where you want your 'Out Point' to be (by simply pressing O). So this selects only the small clip of your entire video that you would like to capture onto the hard drive of the computers. We had some problems with this and the computer struggling to find the in and out points onto the computer for complex reasons I wont bore you with now.
It is however important to log your clips and keep your browser very tidy, saves alto of frustrated time flicking through clips for the little section you want, believe me!
Adding Footage to Your Film. This is also pretty simple, basically as you were shown in the last post the 'clip viewer' enables you to choose which area of film you want to add into your film. If you can see along the bottom left hand corner you can see 6 buttons. The last two of these work as your 'In Point' and 'Out Point' buttons and you can use these to select the bit of the clip you would like to put into your project. (Or alternatively you can use the 'oh so simple' I and O keyboard shortcuts!) If you have a look on the timeline of this particulat clip you can see most of it is grey however the little bit in the middle has two arrows pointing into a white space.
This is the area you can now drag into the final timeline at the bottom of the screen. Or you can drag it into the 'Clip Viewer' window to the right of this one. You'll get a list of choices such as 'Insert' and 'Overlay' and i'm sure you can decide what you need to do!Here i've given you the two most important things we learnt while using Final Cut Express. It goes without saying that you have to chose which section of each clip to place onto your final timeline to make the video you want. You add music to the final video in exactly the same way as you add your footage.
Below you will find one of the most useful things ever while working with Final Cut. It's a picture of all the shortcuts that you can use while working with Final Cut and will come in very handy, I adivse printing out a copy and keeping it with you while working!
