Digital Video Editing with Final Cut Express: The Real-World Guide to Set Up and Workflow

by Roberts; Charles

• ISBN13: 9780240805962
• ISBN10: 0240805968
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2003-10-27
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Suitable for those new to nonlinear editing as well as experienced editors new to Final Cut Express, this book is an introduction to Apple's editing software package and the digital video format in general. You will come away with not only an in-depth knowledge of how to use Final Cut Express, but also a deeper understanding of the craft of editing and the underlying technical processes that will serve you well in future projects. Workflow, editing techniques, compositing, special effects, audio tools, and output are explained in clear, jargon-free terms. The book's emphasis is always on using Final Cut Express in the real world, and as such it is the only book to go beyond the interface to address crucial issues like proper setup, system configuration, hardware, the Mac operating system, what equipment to purchase, and troubleshooting common problems. Armed with this information, you will sidestep problems and complete projects of exceptional quality.

Author Biography

Charles Roberts is an assistant professor in the Communications Media department of Fitchburg State College in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, where he teaches digital video production.

Table of Contents

Preface	xiii
The Initial Setup: Optimizing the Mac OS and Final Cut Express	1	(36)
Macintosh OSX: The System Preferences	1	(8)
The Energy Saver Preference	3	(1)
The Displays Preference	3	(2)
Software Update	5	(1)
Network Issues and AppleTalk	6	(2)
Multiuser and Administrator Issues	8	(1)
Installing Final Cut Express Software	9	(4)
Project Setup: Do It Right the First Time and Every Time	13	(4)
Starting Up Final Cut Express	13	(1)
Saving Your Project Correctly	14	(3)
The Structure of Final Cut Express	17	(10)
The Browser Window	20	(1)
The Viewer Window	21	(1)
The Canvas Window	22	(2)
The Audio Meters	24	(2)
The Toolbar	26	(1)
The Timeline	26	(1)
Moving a Clip Around the Windows	27	(10)
The Color Bars and Tone Generator Clip from the Effects Tab	27	(1)
Moving the Clip from the Effects Tab to the Project Tab	28	(1)
Creating a Bin and Using It as an Organizing Tool	29	(1)
Moving the Clip from the Bin to the Viewer	30	(2)
Moving the Clip from the Viewer Window to the Sequence	32	(5)
Getting Your Footage into Final Cut Express	37	(310)
What Is Media and What Is Capturing?	37	(1)
Setting the Preferences and the Easy Setup	38	(1)
The Essential Preferences	39	(18)
The General Preferences Tab	40	(7)
The Timeline Options Tab	47	(3)
The External Editors Tab	50	(3)
The Scratch Disk Preferences Tab: The Issues for Scratc Disk Assignment	53	(4)
Scratch Disk Assignment: Follow the Next Steps Precisely	57	(9)
The Easy Setup	66	(7)
The Easy Setup Dialog Box	67	(1)
Audio Sample Rates	68	(1)
Anamorphic Video	69	(1)
Device Control	70	(2)
Making the Easy Setup Choice	72	(1)
Capture	73	(12)
What Is Capture?	73	(1)
Efficient Capture Techniques: The Paper Log	73	(3)
Create a Capture Bin	76	(1)
Opening the Capture Window	77	(3)
The Reel Name	80	(2)
The Name, Description, and Marker Fields	82	(1)
The Capture Buttons	83	(2)
The Process of Capturing	85	(5)
The Capture Window	85	(1)
Scratch Disk Info	85	(1)
Current Frame Timecode Field	86	(1)
The Tape Transport Controls and J-K-L Support	86	(1)
The Jog and Shuttle Wheels	87	(1)
Set the In and Out Points for a Clip	88	(1)
The Clip Duration Timecode Field	89	(1)
Capture Using Capture Clip	90	(1)
Capture Now	90	(5)
Capture Now and the Relationship with DV Timecode	91	(1)
The Capture Now Process	92	(1)
Using DV Start/Stop Detection	93	(2)
Capture Project	95	(6)
Getting Your Project Back Online	96	(5)
Importing Media	101	(28)
What Importing Is and What It Is Not	101	(25)
CD Import: The Right Way	103	(1)
Using iTunes to Import and Convert Sample Rates	103	(3)
Using QuickTime Pro to Import and Convert Sample Rates	106	(5)
Importing Photoshop Image Files	111	(5)
The Process	116	(10)
Organizing and Backing Up Your Project's Imported Media	126	(3)
What Is Editing?	129	(102)
Working in the Viewer Window	130	(4)
Match Frame Button	131	(1)
Mark Clip Button	131	(1)
Add Keyframe Button	131	(1)
Add Marker Button	132	(2)
In and Out Point Buttons	134	(1)
Drag and Drop to the Sequence: Insert/Overwrite	134	(3)
Drag and Drop to the Canvas: Insert/Overwrite with a Transition	137	(10)
A Few Words About Real-time and Rendering Effects	143	(3)
Refining the Transition	146	(1)
More About Transitions	147	(7)
Drag-and-Drop Transitions	147	(3)
Creating Customized Transition Favorites	150	(3)
A Super Quick Transition Sequence	153	(1)
Trimming Those Edits	154	(2)
The Easiest Trimming Technique	156	(2)
More Trimming Precision: The Trim Edit Window	158	(11)
Calling Up the Trim Edit Window	158	(2)
The Track Drop-Down bar	160	(3)
Navigating the Clips in the Trim Edit Window	163	(4)
Previewing the Trim Before Leaving the Trim Edit Window	167	(2)
The Timeline and the Toolbar, a Deadly Duo	169	(6)
The Timeline Tracks	169	(5)
The Target Track Selection Area	174	(1)
Timeline Customization Controls	175	(20)
The Time Scale Bar	176	(1)
The Zoom Control Meter	177	(1)
Playhead Timecode Field	178	(2)
Track Height Switch	180	(1)
The Clip Overlays Button	180	(2)
Toggle Snapping Button	182	(4)
Toggle Linking Button	186	(3)
Linking Operations Demonstrated	189	(4)
Sync Issues with Linking and Unlinking Clips	193	(2)
The Toolbar	195	(28)
The General Selection Tool (Keyboard Shortcut-A)	196	(1)
The Selection Toolset and Accessing ``Hidden'' Toolsets	196	(3)
The Track Selection Toolset (Keyboard Shortcut--T)	199	(2)
Ripple and Roll Edit Toolset	201	(3)
The Slip and Slide Toolset	204	(8)
The Razorblade Toolset (Keyboard Shortcut--B)	212	(5)
The Zoom Toolset (Keyboard Shortcut--Z)	217	(6)
Master Clips and Subclips	223	(8)
The Final Cut Express Subclip	223	(3)
Another Subclip Technique	226	(1)
Creating Thumbnails in the List View	227	(3)
The Crop/Distort and Pen Toolsets	230	(1)
Compositing and Special Effects	231	(66)
What Exactly Is Compositing?	231	(1)
Compositing Layers	232	(11)
Setting Up a Sequence for Compositing Layers	233	(1)
Keyframing in the Sequence Timeline	234	(4)
Keyframe Interpolation	238	(1)
Adding Type: The Text Generator	239	(4)
Special Effects: Motion Effects	243	(33)
The Image + Wireframe Viewing Mode in the Canvas Window	244	(7)
Creating a Motion Path	251	(2)
Setting the Keyframes for Motion	253	(6)
Nonlinear Interpolation---Adding a Curve	259	(1)
Ease In/Ease Out	260	(1)
Bezier Handles on the Timeline	261	(5)
The Other Motion Tab Tools	266	(10)
Effects Filters	276	(5)
Applying Fun and Useful Effects: The Basic 3D and Viewfinder Filters	278	(3)
Composite Modes	281	(4)
Mattes, Masks, and Stencils	285	(6)
Setting the Travel Matte-Luma	286	(2)
The Travel Matte-Alpha: What Is an Alpha Channel?	288	(3)
Speed and Duration	291	(3)
Nesting and Effects, the Final Cut Express Way	294	(3)
The Audio Tools	297	(20)
Adjusting Audio in Final Cut Express	297	(5)
Fixing Audio Levels	297	(4)
Keyframing Audio Levels	301	(1)
Using the Audio Filters	302	(7)
The Three Band EQ	303	(3)
The Parametric EQ	306	(1)
The Reverberation Filter	307	(2)
The Voice Over Tool	309	(8)
Setup and Things to Consider	310	(2)
Setting the Offset	312	(2)
The Rest of the Voice Over Window	314	(1)
Using the Voice Over Tool	314	(3)
Getting Your Project Out of Final Cut Express	317	(30)
Output to Firewire: Print to Video	318	(8)
Customizing Print to Video	319	(6)
Print to Tape	325	(1)
Exporting	326	(21)
Export for Distribution: Optimizing the QuickTime Movie	326	(14)
Export for Lossless Transfer---The Final Cut Movie: Self-contained vs. Reference Option	340	(7)
Appendix A What Is Digital Video, Anyway?	347	(26)
How Video Works	347	(4)
Generation Loss and Digital Video	349	(2)
Where Does Digital Video Originate?	351	(16)
Sampling and Compression	352	(3)
Types of Compression	355	(6)
What About Digital Audio?	361	(2)
Sampling and Digital Audio	363	(2)
Sync Adjust Movies and Sample Rates	365	(2)
What Are Timecode and Device Control?	367	(6)
Timecode: Analog and DV	368	(3)
Device Control	371	(2)
Appendix B DV Formats and Devices	373	(14)
DV Decks and Cameras	373	(1)
DV Formats: The Many Faces of DV	374	(5)
MiniDV	376	(1)
DVCAM	376	(2)
DVCPRO	378	(1)
Features to Consider when Purchasing a DV Device	379	(8)
Cassette Size and DV Format	379	(1)
Analog Video Format Compatibility	379	(4)
Analog/Digital Conversion Boxes	383	(4)
Appendix C The Hardware for Editing with Final Cut Express	387	(28)
What You Need for Final Cut Express: The Basic Firewire Setup	387	(1)
Welcome to the Macintosh	388	(1)
The Four Primary Areas of the Apple Macintosh	389	(1)
The Processor and the Motherboard of the Macintosh Minitower	389	(4)
Data Storage: RAM and Hard Drives	393	(11)
RAM: Random Access Memory	393	(2)
Hard Drives	395	(1)
Types of Drive by Location: Removable Disk	396	(1)
Types of Drive by Location: The Internal Drive	397	(1)
Types of Drive by Location: The External Drive	397	(1)
Types of Drive by Standard: ATA, IDE, or EIDE	398	(2)
Types of Drive by Standard: SCSI	400	(1)
Types of Drive by Standard: Firewire	401	(2)
Types of Drive by Standard: USB	403	(1)
The Input and Output Buses	404	(7)
The AGP Bus	404	(1)
The PCI Bus	405	(2)
The ATA Bus	407	(1)
The Firewire Bus	408	(1)
The USB Bus	409	(1)
Various Other Inputs and Outputs	410	(1)
Checking the Pieces: The Apple System Profiler	411	(4)
Appendix D Assorted Tips and Tricks	415	(22)
Regular Operating System Maintenance	415	(9)
Repair Permissions	415	(3)
Single User Mode	418	(1)
When Single User Mode Doesn't Fix It	419	(1)
Cleaning House	420	(2)
Backing Up Your System	422	(2)
Conclusion	424	(1)
Backing Up to CD-Rs	424	(2)
Using Apple Disk Copy	425	(1)
Using Roxio Toast	426	(1)
Vectors and Bitmaps: A Primer	426	(3)
Using the Boris Title 3D Text Generator	429	(5)
Arranging the Title 3D Clip Using the Control Tab	429	(5)
Audio Production and GIGO: First Things First	434	(3)
Use Professional Microphones	435	(1)
Use Decent Headphones	436	(1)
Always Record Room Tone	436	(1)
Plan Ahead	436	(1)
Index	437