Final Cut FAQs

 

Covers Final Cut Express, Final Cut Pro 4.0, Final Cut 5.0

 

How do I reverse a clip?

How do I change the speed of a clip?

What does the time code mean?

How do I add Titles?

Where is the Keyframe button?

Importing a Graphic from Fireworks

How do I link/unlink Video & Audio

Why Can't I Add a Transition - Insufficent Space Error Video     Local


 

How do I reverse a clip?

-Select the clip you wish to reverse

-From the Modify menu, choose Speed

-Select the Reverse option


 

How do I change the speed of a clip?

-Select the clip you wish to reverse

-From the Modify menu, choose Speed

-In the dialoge box enter either the time yhou would like the clip to take or the percentage you would like to change it by


 

What does the time code mean?

-The time code such as 00:03:35;14 indicates 00 hours: 03 minutes: 35 seconds; 14 Frames


 

How do I add Titles?

-In the Viewer window, click the Generator pop-up menu (it is in the bottom right hand corner and has a letter A in it)

-You can then choose the type of text you wish.

-All motions, effects, filters, etc. can be applied as you would to any other object


 

Where is the Keyframe button?

-It is a triangle shape button found at the bottom of the Viewer and Canvas windows


 

Importing a Graphic from Fireworks

-Create your graphic in Fireworks

-Be sure no layers are selected. In the Properties window click "Fit Canvas"

 

-If you wish to make the background transparent. In the Properties window click Canvas and click the transparent button.
the background should turn to a checkerboard, this indicates transparent.

 

-Save the project as a PNG file, and then you can import it into Final Cut.


How do I link/unlink Video & Audio

In the FCP Timeline, if the the clip name is underlined, the audio and video tracks are linked.

Final Cut Pro - Linked Audio/Video Linked Audio/Video tracks.(Note the underline on Video track name)

Final Cut Pro - UnLinked Audio/VideoUn-Linked Audio/Video tracks (Note No underline under Video track name)

To Link or Un-Link Audio to Video tracks use (Command-L) or (Modify menu, Link).

If two audio tracks have the double-hourglass connecting them, they are a stereo pair and all panning and audio levels are related:


Final Cut Pro - Linked Audio Linked Audio tracks (stereo) (Underline under audio track name)

Final Cut Pro - UnLinked Audio Un-Linked Audio tracks (duo-mono) (No underline under audio track name)

To Link or Un-Link Audio tracks
(to make them stereo or duo-mono) use
(Option-L).


The Three Ways of Linking/Unlinking:

1. On the Timeline, there is a Linked Selection Button (Shift-L) that globally links/unlinks all clips in the Timeline.

Shift-L

2. Modify - Link (Command-L) links/unlinks individual clips that you have selected in the Timeline. (You can also link audio from one source and video from another even if they are of different lengths.)

Command-L

3. Option-Click-Hold will temporarily break the link of your selection and you can drag it independently. When you release Option, your selection is re-linked again.

Whether unlinked globally or individually, if a clip goes out of sync with it's source video/audio - FCP will warn you.