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This book is dedicated to my wife, Sandra. I also would like to thank all my friends who have
been subjected to my incessant chatter about my research for the book. A special thanks to
Elizabeth and Mark for the use of their stylish wedding video footage.
– Bruce G. Macbryde
Contributors
Ravin has made significant contributions to the educational field as a cameraman for numerous
national and international award-winning educational TV programs. Ravin invented a computer-
controllable lighting system for TV studios, a groundbreaking achievement that earned him an Indian
patent in 1995.
Table of Contents
Preface
Prologue
Part 1: Planning
Organizing Media
Understanding libraries and events
When and why to log clips
Favorites
The rating as a favorite method
The adding to favorites method
How to use Favorites
Understanding Keyword Collections
Creating Keyword Collections
Adding shortcuts to Keyword Collections
Smart Collections
What is a Smart Collection?
Adding a Smart Collection
What are folders?
Templates
Creating templates
Using the Search functionality
Filtering method 1
Colored lines on browser clips
Analyzing for people
Markers
Removing media from categories
Browser filters
The filters
Sorting the browser
The Open Clip view
Using the Open Clip function
Shortcuts for media actions
Transcoding media
Exploring clip and library information
A method of exploring clip information
Exploring Settings/Preferences
Summary
10
11
12
13
14
Understanding the Principles of Color
Color theory
Color classification
Color values
The color wheel
Color wheels in Final Cut Pro
Color Board
Color wheels
Highlights wheel
Color harmony
Common color schemes
Color schemes for non-designers
Online color calculators
Monitoring color accuracy
Color-accurate monitors
Monitor calibration
Color correction and grading
Adjusting temperature, tint, and hue
Subtractive model of color mixing (CMYK model)
Using HSL tuning for color grading
Automatic color correction controls in Final Cut Pro
Summary
15
16
17
18
19
Index
Special attention has been paid to ensuring that this book is as up-to-date as possible at the time of
publication, including new features that became available with the 10.7 release of Final Cut Pro, such
as the scrolling timeline, more efficient Roles functionality, and updated object tracking.
The book is broken into four parts to follow the logical order of how an editor will approach the
creation of a video. Firstly, by progressing the original idea in the Planning process, then the cutting
operation in Editing. The procedure continues by adjusting Color, Audio, and Effects when using
the Inspector. Finally, looking outside Final Cut Pro with the use of supporting software and methods
of collaboration with other editors.
Who this book is for
The book is aimed at intermediate-level Final Cut Pro editors who are familiar with Final Cut Pro and
are looking to speed up their workflow while gaining more knowledge to produce higher-quality
videos more efficiently.
You will be numbered among creative professionals, freelance video editors, YouTube content
creators, graphic designers, and especially production houses. You will be looking to produce output
for professional-level publications for dramas, documentaries, product commercials, and promo
videos, as well as for vlogs for social media. You need to have a macOS operating system to use
Final Cut Pro. You should also have an understanding that editing is removing material, leaving just
that which is necessary to tell the story.
What this book covers
Chapter 1, It’s All About the Media, covers media formats where media is stored on a Mac computer
so that it can be easily accessed if Final Cut Pro loses connection to the media.
Chapter 2, Organizing Media, looks at the paramount importance of knowing where to quickly
access media. When an actual edit is progressing, it is important to know how to access extra media
quickly without breaking the creative flow of the editing process.
Chapter 3, Planning the Video Story, covers planning – just as you need to plan a journey (otherwise,
you won’t know where you are going), a video requires similar planning to produce a structure for
the clips that tell the story.
Chapter 4, Pre-Editing a Rough Cut, addresses the first step – removing unwanted footage. The pre-
edit assembles the media into a coherent list of clips ready for the rough cut.
Chapter 5, Refining the Rough Cut, deals with taking the clips from the pre-edit stage to near final
assembly by filling gaps left out of the pre-edit. The length of the clips is adjusted to allow for the
pace of the final edit.
Chapter 6, Fixing and Enhancing the Audio, looks into fixing and enhancing audio. Audio is more
important than the video itself – your audience will put up with substandard video much longer than
bad audio. The ear is much more discerning than the eye.
Chapter 7, Titles, Effects, and Generators, looks at the modification of titles to suit your projects.
Some titles are provided with the software and others can be purchased. The use of effects and
generators adds extra flair to assembled clips to give them character.
Chapter 8, Setting Up and Editing Multicam, explores multicam, which offers the ability to combine
the footage from multiple cameras to be edited as a single video stream.
Chapter 9, Project Workflows – Pace and Structure, delves into how workflows assist with the speed
and ease of edits that are of a similar nature. The use of templates, duplication, and compound clips
speeds up the editing of similar material.
Chapter 10, The Inspector Controls, looks at how the Inspector is the key to defining the look of the
edit. If things can be adjusted, the Inspector is the place to go.
Chapter 11, Using Built-In Plug-Ins, explores the use of the Titles, Effects, and Generator plug-ins
supplied with Final Cut Pro.
Chapter 12, Using Third-Party Plug-Ins, looks at third-party plug-ins. There are thousands of plug-
ins offered by a multitude of developers. Some are useful, some are important, and some are just
fluff.
Chapter 13, Using Keyframes to Animate Objects in Final Cut Pro, tackles the animation of clips
with keyframes to move an image within the screen.
Chapter 14, Understanding the Principles of Color, looks at color – integral to how light is seen.
Chapter 15, Using Color Scopes for Advanced Color Correction, explores how to view color as a
graph or waveform to match standards, and not just trust your eye to judge what is on your screen.
Chapter 16, Your Job Role – Collaboration, looks at how your job role will define the style of video
you create and work with other editors.
Chapter 17, Supporting Software Applications for Final Cut Pro, introduces apps that will assist you
with how you use Final Cut Pro.
Chapter 18, Troubleshooting Final Cut Pro, offers a defined workflow to solve issues that can occur
when Final Cut Pro encounters problems.
Chapter 19, Backing Up and Archiving Libraries, explores procedures to back up and archive
projects and original footage when the edit is completed.
LucidLink v2.5
PostLab 22.1.11
Motion 5.6.7
Quicktime 10.5
Compressor 4.6.6
Preview 11.0
Keynote 13.2
Photos 9.0
CommandPost 1.4.22
VLC 3.0
HandBrake 1.6.1
Audacity 3.0
Please refer to the eBook copy of the book for color images.
Conventions used
There are a number of text conventions used throughout this book.
Code in text: Indicates code words in text, database table names, folder names, filenames, file
extensions, pathnames, dummy URLs, user input, and Twitter handles. Here is an example: “As an
example, if you type clip, all the media that includes the word clip in the name will be filtered and
displayed in the browser window.”
Bold: Indicates a new term, an important word, or words that you see onscreen. For instance, words
in menus or dialog boxes appear in bold. Here is an example: “Select the Event tab you want to add
to, then from the File menu, select New | Smart Collection.”
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Prologue
Film and video editing may be your chosen profession, but more importantly, you could find that it is
your passion, and you will be cognizant of this when you can’t stay away from the editing suite. Even
to the point that you are tempted to miss family gatherings and festive events.
If the above sounds like you, then welcome to the club – this book is truly for you.
No matter what Non-Linear Editing (NLE) software you use, you will be a die-hard convert to film
and video editing. This book is about Final Cut Pro and since you are a professional, you need to be
familiar with different NLE software, as work can come from various sources and different editing
houses will demand that you are familiar with their preferred NLE software.
So, no matter whether you are an out-and-out Final Cut Pro-only user or work with other NLE
software such as Avid, Resolve, or Premiere, you need to know how to edit in Final Cut Pro without
tears.
Who this book is for
This book is aimed at intermediate-level Final Cut Pro editors familiar with Final Cut Pro and
looking to speed up their workflows while gaining more knowledge to produce higher-quality videos
more efficiently.
Numbered among creative professionals, freelance video editors, YouTube content creators, graphic
designers, and especially production houses, you will be looking to produce output for professional-
level publications, dramas, documentaries, product commercials, and promo videos, as well as for
vlogs for social media. You need to have a macOS operating system to use Final Cut Pro, and an
understanding that editing is removing material, just leaving that which is necessary to tell the story.
You need to be familiar with the basic concepts of video editing, particularly having an understanding
of the principle that editing is removing unwanted material rather than just adding bells and whistles.
You should also have an understanding of media formats and how and where macOS stores files.
Editors who have learned Final Cut Pro by self-taught osmosis will be enlightened by the easy-to-
understand principles of efficient workflows that this book introduces. This book will help anyone
who feels confused by the terminology used by Final Cut Pro and is mostly only using a part of the
program’s functionality because of a fear of getting it wrong when attempting to use more efficient
methods.
You will have the classic tug-of-war between the left-brain demand for logical thinking as opposed to
the right-brain desire for creativity and will be looking for practical ways to employ both skills for
perfect video production. You will have experienced the normal challenge of knowing where to start.
This book provides workflow processes that will provide that leg up.
The book provides unique workflows for a wide range of common procedures, needed to produce a
well-paced video.
The communication of efficient workflows is a major objective of this book. It will change how you
approach the editing process, from a piecemeal approach to a structured way of working, with the
benefit of knowing exactly what is happening and why.
By the end of this book, you will be a more efficient editor, editing faster than you did before reading
the book. You will adapt the way you use Final Cut Pro to suit your job role.
What this book covers
This is a list of the chapters in the book and a short explanation of what you will learn in each
chapter:
Part 1: Planning
Chapter 1, It’s All About the Media
This chapter should be used as a reference to understand the makeup of video files and where they
are located on the computer.
Knowing where to access media quickly is paramount. In this chapter, you will learn that while the
actual edit is progressing, it is important to know how to access extra media quickly without breaking
the creative flow of the editing process.
As an editor, you will need to plan a journey. Otherwise, the outcome is unlikely to be controlled. A
video requires planning, as does a literary composition, to produce a structure for the clips to tell the
story.
This chapter shows that removing unwanted media is the first step. The pre-edit assembly gathers the
best media into a coherent list of clips ready for the rough cut. It involves labeling scenes, and rating
clips.
Part 2: Editing
Chapter 5, Refining the Rough Cut
The rough cut takes the clips from the pre-edit stage to the near-final flow of clips by adjusting the
pre-edit for the story to make more sense. The length of the clips is refined to allow for the pace of
the final edit.
This chapter will teach how audio is more important than the video itself. The audience will put up
with substandard video much longer than bad audio. The ear is much more discerning than the eye.
Some titles are provided with the software, others can be purchased. They all can be modified to suit
different purposes. The use of plug-ins adds extra flair to the assembled clips to give them a
distinctive character.
In this chapter, you will learn how to manage multicam edits, which offer the ability to combine the
footage from multiple cameras so they can be edited as a single video stream and switched for the
different camera angles to be added to the edit.
This chapter shows three examples of workflows that will assist in the speed and ease of edits similar
in nature. It will also cover how the use of templates, duplication, and compound clips speeds up the
editing process.
Part 3: Using the Inspector
Chapter 10, The Inspector Controls
This chapter demonstrates that the Inspector is the key to defining the look of the edit. If things can
be adjusted, the Inspector is the place to go to open the door to a Pandora’s box of effects.
This chapter explores the use of the Titles, Effects, and Generator plugins supplied with Final Cut
Pro.
In this chapter, you will learn that there are thousands of plug-ins offered by a multitude of
developers. Some are useful, some are important, and some are just fluff. The chapter shows the ones
most needed and some that are just nice to have.
This chapter shows how clips can be animated to pan as background clips to retain a position
onscreen as well as being animated to move within the screen. Keyframes are used for animation as
well as advanced techniques to improve on the Ken Burns effect.
This chapter discusses how color is integral to the way that light is seen. Color is made up of three
properties: hue, value, and intensity.
Chapter 15, Using the Color Scopes for Advanced Color Correction
In this chapter, you will learn how color scopes allow colors to be visualized with graphs and
waveform. This gives you the ability to match standards and not just trust the eye to judge what is on
the screen.
Part 4: Outside of Final Cut Pro
Chapter 16, Your Job Role – Collaboration with Others
This chapter looks at the different types of job roles and which style of video is best for you to
concentrate on. The chapter also outlines how different methods of collaboration can assist
performance by working with other editors.
This chapter provides information on applications, both built-in Apple apps and others, available to
download for free. There is a list of a number of paid apps that will assist in the usability of Final Cut
Pro.
This chapter concentrates on solving the main issues that a user will encounter. There is a defined
workflow to solve issues that can occur when Final Cut Pro experiences problems. The workflow is a
series of steps that need to be actioned in a set order.
The saying “The Job isn’t done until the paperwork is completed” is rephrased in this chapter to show
that when the edit is completed, there are procedures to back up and archive projects along with the
original footage.
In my mind, there is no such thing as an expert when it comes to computer technology. There are
those who know a little and those who know quite a bit more, but it’s unlikely there is anyone who
knows everything. My philosophy when it comes to passing on my knowledge of Final Cut Pro
comes down to the way that the information is presented and how it is explained with down-to-earth
examples. Hence my motto, borrowed from Albert Einstein: If you can’t explain it to a six-year-old,
you don’t know it yourself.
This book is for editors at an intermediate level and explains how to take your Final Cut Pro editing
to the next level. The content is not just about Final Cut Pro; as noted above, it will also be of real
value to users of other NLE software. An added benefit of this book is upscaling your knowledge of
film and video editing in general. Throughout the book, I will refer to and explain editing
terminologies and methodologies.
In the broadest terms, cinematography, according to Encyclopedia Britannica, is “the art and
technology of motion-picture photography. It involves such techniques as the general composition of
a scene; the lighting of the set or location; the choice of cameras, lenses, filters, and film stock; the
camera angle and movements; and the integration of any special effects.”
The creation of footage is beyond the scope of this book, but it deals with how to combine images
created by the camera and relate them to each other.
A video incorporates a succession of still images, and these are called frames. They are played back
so quickly that we see them as one continuous moving picture. This group of frames is known as a
clip. The speed of the playback is expressed as frames per second (fps). The relationship between
the clips is the key to editing. Clips are placed next to each other on purpose so that they shape the
story. This is where Final Cut Pro’s magnetic timeline achieves distinction.
With the magnetic timeline, the B-roll is connected to the clip in the main timeline, so stays related to
the main timeline clip throughout the edit, rather than moving down the timeline as it would in track-
based NLE software. I will explain this in detail in Chapter 5, Refining the Rough Cut.
A video is not just visual. Audio is an integral part of any video. Audio is more important to retaining
an audience’s attention than the images themselves. Our ears are more discerning about bad audio
than our eyes are about dubious images. We will see more about that in Chapter 6, Fixing and
Enhancing the Audio.
Editing is a process of removing unwanted clips too. In fact, the definition of “edit” is to cut. Some
may think this is easy. That’s until you are confronted with some original footage, particularly if you
were the cameraperson, who seems just too good to leave out. The real skill is to ruthlessly cut, only
leaving the clips that progress the story, no matter how compelling or visual the unnecessary clips
are.
Once the editor has cut the video to a minimum of clips, it’s time to embellish those clips with effects
that will color correct, sweeten the audio, or customize the video to give it a unique flavor. Chapters
10 to 13 will cover these topics.
The most important skill in editing a video is to remain acutely aware of the audience who will be
viewing the end result. If you take nothing more away from reading this book, please cement in your
mind the personification of who will be viewing the video.
Now that you know what the book is all about, let’s get started with the chapters.
Part 1:Planning
Part 1 covers the initial information needed before the editing process begins, such as video formats
and where media is stored on a Mac computer. Part of the planning process is to assemble the media
into an organized list, allowing the media to be readily available to the editor in the second part,
which focuses on the editing process.
Video formats
Audio formats
Second monitors
Types of disks
There is no point in knowing all the commands of a software application without knowing how to use
them, as well as how they interact with the principles of editing. You will learn about the principles
of editing as you progress through this book.
You may feel that this chapter is not essential to get started with your editing in Final Cut Pro, and if
that’s the case, jump to the next chapter, Organizing Media. You can use this chapter as a reference,
as you will need the information herein at some time during your editing in Final Cut Pro.
If you are driving a car, you need to know how it functions. Even just knowing how to fill the fuel
tank or open the bonnet is better than not knowing anything about the car’s workings, allowing you to
be more prepared in an emergency. Even if you don’t know the internal workings of a car, you will be
a step closer to fixing things in an emergency.
This same principle applies to computer software that you rely on for productivity; just like with a
car, there are times in an emergency when you will need to have a basic idea about how it functions.
Technical requirements
The following are the minimum system requirements that you need to be able to run Final Cut Pro
10.6.8:
macOS 13.4 or later
I’m not suggesting that you need to know completely where everything is, but there are locations that
you will need to access on a Mac to make full use of Final Cut Pro.
The Users folder is the most important location for you to know about. It’s where most of Final Cut
Pro’s files are stored – or at least all the files that you need to know about!
Let me give you a little background on how macOS works. All the files that a computer needs are
located on the boot disk, which is usually the internal disk – nowadays, that is a solid-state drive
(SSD).
To find these files, make sure you are looking in the Finder window. When Finder is selected, the
name will appear in the top-left position of the Mac taskbar.
The quickest way to get to Finder is to tap the “Happy Mac” icon in the dock:
Another random document with
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corrisponde al giro esterno della seconda cavea, donde si saliva alle
logge superiori di archi laterizii, destinate per le donne e per la plebe.
Da questo deambulacrum, non è superfluo al visitatore delle rovine
di Pompei il sapere come si goda del più delizioso orizzonte, poichè
rimpetto si abbia il Vesuvio, a settentrione i monti Irpini, ad oriente i
monti Lattarj, sulla china dei quali posa Sorrento, e a mezzodì Napoli
e le sue isole avvolte come da una rosea nebbia trasparente.
Forse a diminuzione di spesa, e forse anche a renderlo proprio agli
spettacoli di naumachia, se si avessero voluti offrire, ma che però il
fatto d’essere città marittima esclude che vi si avessero a dare,
perchè certo sarebbero riusciti inferiori ad ogni aspettazione ed a
quelli che offerir si potevano sul mare stesso, l’edificio era stato
costruito in una specie di bacino, scavato in parte artificialmente, per
modo che l’arena si trovasse tanto al di sotto del livello del suolo per
quanto le mura si elevavano al disopra.
Vien misurato il più gran diametro dell’anfiteatro di 130 metri, il più
piccolo di 102. La direzione dell’ovale è da N. a S.: alle sue estremità
si trovano i due principali ingressi, i quali mettono all’arena di forma
elittica.
Appunto per la suindicata ragione, che l’arena era incavata nella
terra, l’ingresso settentrionale che riesce a quella e che forma un
breve porticato a vôlta, ha il pavimento lastricato di pietra vulcanica
in declivio, ed ha nei lati l’incanalatura per ricevere le acque.
Due grandi nicchie sono a destra ed a sinistra di tale ingresso, le
quali dovevano contenere le statue di due benemeriti cittadini, e di
chi fossero ce lo rivelano le opportune iscrizioni che sotto di esse si
leggono.
Quella a destra è così concepita:
C . CVSPIVS C . F . PANSA PONTIF
D . VIR . I . D . [120]
Importa che io qui traduca una nota che Bréton appone a queste
interessanti iscrizioni.
«Queste iscrizioni, scrive egli, presentano un enigma assai difficile a
sciogliere. Che vogliono esse dire queste parole PRO LVD, pro
ludis? Si è creduto dover tradurre per i giuochi, e scorgere quindi
nell’iscrizione la menzione dei giuochi che venivan celebrati
nell’anfiteatro [124] da certi magistrati. Questa interpretazione
sarebbe stata accettabile, se nella terza iscrizione non si trovassero
le parole PRO LVD . LVM . che il P. Garrucci legge pro ludorum
luminatione, per l’illuminazione dei giuochi, e Mommsen pro ludorum
luminibus; per i lumi dei giuochi. Questa spiegazione non essendoci
sembrata in tutto soddisfacente noi abbiamo consultato uno de’
nostri dotti colleghi, il signor Léon Rénier, noto per gli studj speciali
che ha fatti dell’epigrafia antica. I nostri lettori saran lieti di trovar qui
le sue risposte, delle quali abbiamo creduto adottare le conclusioni
così ben motivate.
«L’interpretazione del P. Garrucci, e quella di Mommsen, dice Léon
Rénier, proverebbero, se si fosse costretti d’attenervisi, che si davan
dei giuochi con illuminazione nell’anfiteatro di Pompei, ciò che non
mi pare da ammettere. Ecco come io interpreto il passo
dell’iscrizione: Marcus CANTRIVS, Marci Filius MARCELLVS duum
VIR PRO LVDis LVMinatione, CVNEOS III Faciendos Curavit EX
Decreto Decurionum. PRO LUDis, LVMinatione, cioè in luogo dei
giuochi e dell’illuminazione, ch’ei doveva dare nell’occasione della
sua elezione alle funzioni di Duumviro. L’elissi della congiunzione et
non ha nulla che debba sorprenderci: era essa di regola nello stile
epigrafico. (Ved. Morcelli, De Stylo inscr. p. 4486 ed. Rom.) Gli onori
municipali si pagavano ordinariamente con giuochi, spettacoli,
distribuzioni di sparsioni, ecc.: spese improduttive che si
scontravano talvolta come qui, con altre spese equivalenti il cui
effetto era più durevole. In una iscrizione di Djemilah (l’antica
Colonia Cuiculitanorum), che io ho pubblicato in una memoria che fa
parte dell’ultimo volume della Società degli Antiquari di Francia, si
vede un magistrato di questa città erigere una basilica, in luogo
d’uno spettacolo di gladiatori ch’ei doveva dare. Si potrebbero citare
molti esempi analoghi.
«Le interpretazioni del P. Garrucci e di Mommsen sono affatto
congetturali; la mia si appoggia sopra esempj che mi sembrano
concludenti. Il primo ne è fornito da un’iscrizione di Roma edita dal
Fabretti Inscript. Domestic. p. 243 n. 556, e da Orelli p. 3324, la
quale termina così: POPVLO VISCERATIonem GLADIATORES
DEDIT LVMINAtionem LVDOS Junoni Sospitæ Magnæ Reginæ
SOLIS FECIT.
«Il secondo si trova in un’iscrizione della raccolta di Muratori pl. 652.
n. 6, nella quale si legge:
..... VS . SPORTVLAS ITEM FIERI ET
..... PVERIS NVCES SPARGI DIE Suprascripto ET
LVMINATIONE
. . . . similisque triumpho
Præda caballorum Prætor sedet [133],
uscendo dalla porta trionfale del circo fra le ovazioni frenetiche del
popolo, colle palme raccolte e della corona di lentischio recinta la
fronte, spesso assisero conviva alla mensa imperiale.
Passo rapido ora da questo subbietto, perocchè fosse, a mio
sentimento, mal propria l’arena dell’anfiteatro pompeiano a siffatto
genere di ludi, e vengo invece più distesamente a dire de’ gladiatorj,
che tutto attesta essere stati assai frequenti in Pompei.
Ed è a questo punto ch’io pongo dapprima la descrizione del Ludo
Gladiatorio che esisteva e che venne discoperta dagli scavi in
Pompei.
Ma non pensi il lettore ch’io m’intenda parlare di quella taberna, che
da parecchie Guide vien detta la Scola dei Gladiatori, la quale fu
scoperta il 12 aprile 1847 ed a cui valse un tale titolo unicamente
perchè nell’esterno di essa si trovò un’insegna dipinta che
rappresentava un combattimento di gladiatori. L’angustia di questa
esclude assolutamente ch’essa potesse servire allo scopo al quale si
vorrebbe destinata, poichè la scuola de’ gladiatori suppone che
abbia un locale atto all’esercizio della scherma e capace di
contenere, oltre i duellanti, anche il lanista, o loro maestro. Ora una
tale taberna non era atta a tanto. Più probabile è invece ch’essa
appartenesse a qualche theatropola, o impresario di pubblici
spettacoli, il quale vi tenesse ricapito per la vendita delle tessere
teatrali, o per l’allestimento dei ludi o per l’ingaggio dei gladiatori.
Tale insegna, comunque difesa da un piccolo tetto, è pressochè tutta
omai cancellata: sotto di essa vi si lesse in addietro la seguente
iscrizione:
ABIAT (HABEAT) VENERE (VENEREM) POMPEIIANA (M) IRADAM (IRATA)
QVI HOC LAESERIT [134].