Cover......Page 1
Table Of Contents......Page 6
Introduction......Page 20
Chapter 1: Welcome to Final Cut Express......Page 24
Your First Final Cut Express Project: Start to Finish......Page 25
What Is Nonlinear, Nondestructive Editing?......Page 27
Touring Your Desktop Post-Production Facility......Page 28
Useful features......Page 29
Onscreen help......Page 30
The Browser......Page 31
The Viewer......Page 32
The Viewer’s Effects tabs......Page 34
The Canvas......Page 35
The Timeline......Page 37
The Voice Over tool......Page 38
Print to Video......Page 39
Import and export options......Page 40
Do You Need Final Cut Pro?......Page 41
Chapter 2: Installing and Setting Up......Page 42
Real-Time System Requirements......Page 43
What’s the Difference Between DV and Digital Video?......Page 44
Basic hardware configuration......Page 45
Recommended setup for DV/HDV......Page 46
HDV: HD for the Masses......Page 47
Storage Strategy for Final Cut Express......Page 48
FireWire Cables: Handle with Care......Page 49
FCE Protocol: Disk Names......Page 50
Connecting an external NTSC or PAL video monitor......Page 51
FCE Protocol: Controlling External Video Output......Page 52
Installation Options for Live Type Media......Page 53
Where to install FCE?......Page 54
Upgrading to Final Cut Express 4......Page 55
Registering and choosing an initial setup......Page 56
Optimizing Performance......Page 58
The Bottom Line: Running FCE on a “Base-Case” Mac......Page 59
Troubleshooting......Page 60
Chapter 3: Presets and Preferences......Page 62
How to “Trash Your Prefs”......Page 63
Modifying the Settings of an Existing Item......Page 64
How to choose an Easy Setup......Page 65
Apple FireWire vs. Basic FireWire......Page 67
Specifying User Preferences and System Settings......Page 68
Setting Editing Preferences......Page 71
Customizing the Timeline Display......Page 73
Specifying Render Control Settings......Page 74
FCE Protocol: Scratch Disks......Page 76
Specifying Search Folder Preferences......Page 79
Specifying Memory & Cache Settings......Page 80
Specifying Playback Control Settings......Page 81
Setting External Editors Preferences......Page 83
Customizing Final Cut Express......Page 84
Creating Custom Screen Layouts......Page 85
FCE’s Button List: Source of Secret Powers......Page 87
Chapter 4: Projects, Sequences, and Clips......Page 90
Project item types......Page 91
About Projects......Page 93
Using Save As to Protect Your Work......Page 95
Viewing and setting project properties......Page 97
Setting Autosave Vault location and preferences......Page 99
You Need Backup......Page 100
FCE Protocol: Undoing Changes in Multiple Projects......Page 101
Reconnecting Offline Files......Page 102
FCE Protocol: Broken Links......Page 104
Reconnecting Online Files......Page 106
FCE Protocol: Offline vs. Missing Clips......Page 107
Deleting Media......Page 108
FCE Protocol: Deleting Media......Page 109
Project Maintenance Tips......Page 110
The Last Mile: Tips for Final Assembly of BIG Projects......Page 112
Restoring a sequence......Page 113
Tracking used and unused clips......Page 114
Removing a project from your drives......Page 115
File access......Page 116
Creating and saving files......Page 117
Creating a new sequence......Page 119
Time Stamp for Sequences......Page 120
Changing the Settings of an Existing Sequence......Page 122
Nesting and Sequences: A Glossary......Page 124
Creating nested sequences......Page 125
Copying and pasting from sequence to sequence......Page 126
Editing a sequence into another sequence......Page 127
Making changes to a nested sequence......Page 129
FCE Protocol: Updating Nested Sequences......Page 130
Assembling Nested Sequences with Transitions......Page 131
About Clips......Page 132
FCE 4 Update: Master Clip Identity Now Travels Across Multiple Projects......Page 135
FCE Protocol: Clips and Sequences......Page 136
Viewing and Setting Item Properties......Page 140
Chapter 5: Capturing Video......Page 142
DV Timecode vs. FCE Timecode: What’s the Difference?......Page 143
Preview section......Page 144
Capture controls......Page 145
Capture tab......Page 146
Setting Up for Capture......Page 148
Is Your System Capture-Ready?......Page 149
FCE Protocol: What Are Offline Clips?......Page 150
The Art of File Naming......Page 151
Selecting a capture bin......Page 152
Entering clip information on the Capture tab......Page 153
Logging Tips......Page 156
Capture Strategies to Manage Project Media......Page 157
Capture Now: Capturing Video without Device Control......Page 159
Capturing analog audio......Page 161
HDV Capture Setup Checklist......Page 162
Capture Project: Batch Recapturing......Page 165
Preparing to recapture a project......Page 166
Using DV Start/Stop Detection......Page 169
Troubleshooting Capture Problems......Page 171
FCE 4 Update: Log and Transfer for Post-Tape Post-Production......Page 173
Chapter 6: Importing Digital Media......Page 174
FCE Protocol: File Location Is Critical......Page 176
New In FCE 4: Automatic Image Scaling......Page 177
Preparing a Photoshop file for use in FCE......Page 178
FCE Protocol: Updating Photoshop Files in FCE......Page 181
Importing a layered Photoshop file into Final Cut Express......Page 183
FCE Protocol: Layered Photoshop Files......Page 184
Importing Audio Files......Page 185
Converting Audio to 48 kHz on Import with iTunes......Page 186
Really LiveType......Page 188
Chapter 7: Organizing Clips in the Browser......Page 192
Anatomy of the Browser......Page 193
Browser columns......Page 194
What Does “Not Set” Mean?......Page 195
Using the Browser to Organize Your Project......Page 196
Sorting items......Page 197
Customizing the Browser Display......Page 198
Searching for Items in the Browser......Page 202
Search the Project or Search the Sequence?......Page 204
What’s That Little Doodad?......Page 205
Working with Browser Items......Page 207
Chapter 8: Working with Clips in the Viewer......Page 210
Anatomy of the Viewer......Page 211
Transport controls......Page 212
Clip-marking controls......Page 213
View selectors......Page 214
Timecode navigation and display......Page 215
Working with Clips in the Viewer......Page 216
FCE Protocol: Saving Clip Changes......Page 220
Playing clips......Page 222
JKL Keys: The Way to Move......Page 223
Other ways to move: Jogging, scrubbing, and shuttling......Page 225
FCE Protocol: Entering Timecode Numbers......Page 226
Navigating with Timecode......Page 227
Working with In and Out Points......Page 228
Other Ways to Set In and Out Points......Page 229
FCE Protocol: Subclips Are Master Clips, Too......Page 230
Using Markers......Page 233
Marking Shortcuts......Page 236
Changing magnification and window size in the Viewer or Canvas......Page 237
Viewing overlays......Page 241
Viewing Title Safe and Action Safe boundaries......Page 242
Viewing with different backgrounds......Page 243
Chapter 9: Basic Editing......Page 244
Basic Editing Overview......Page 245
Basic Editing Step-by-Step......Page 246
Many Ways to Make an Edit......Page 247
FCE Protocol: Three-Point Editing......Page 249
Specifying target tracks......Page 250
Moving the playhead......Page 251
FCE Protocol: Editing Multiple Tracks in Final Cut Express......Page 252
Using FCE’s Many Edit Types......Page 253
Insert edit......Page 254
Overwrite edit......Page 255
Hate Your Edit? Do Undo......Page 256
What’s a Backtime Edit?......Page 258
Fit to Fill edit......Page 259
Superimpose edit......Page 260
Transition edits......Page 261
Deleting clips from a sequence......Page 263
Performing Edits in the Timeline......Page 265
Performing split edits......Page 267
Tips for Quicker Split Edits......Page 268
Shortcuts for Marking Sequence Edit Points......Page 270
Locating a match frame......Page 272
Chapter 10: Editing in the Timeline and the Canvas......Page 274
Anatomy of the Canvas......Page 275
Onscreen controls and displays......Page 276
Timecode navigation and display......Page 278
Anatomy of the Canvas edit overlay......Page 279
Using the Canvas Window......Page 280
Creating and exporting still frames......Page 281
Adjusting the Canvas Display......Page 282
Anatomy of the Tool Palette......Page 283
Keyframe tools......Page 284
Using the Tool Palette......Page 285
Anatomy of the Timeline......Page 286
Onscreen controls and displays......Page 287
Color coding in the Timeline......Page 292
Customizing Timeline Display Options......Page 293
Timeline scaling and scrolling......Page 296
Best Zoom Shortcuts......Page 297
Fastest Ways to find the Timeline Playhead......Page 299
Navigating with timecode in the Timeline......Page 301
About snapping in the Timeline......Page 302
Using markers in the Timeline and the Canvas......Page 303
Working with Timeline Tracks......Page 306
FCE Protocol: Lock vs. Target......Page 310
Mapping Timeline target track assignments......Page 311
FCE Protocol: Target Tracks......Page 312
Dragging Is Different......Page 313
Selecting items in the Timeline......Page 316
Selecting items with the track selection tools......Page 317
FCE Protocol: Auto Select......Page 320
Merged Clips and Linking......Page 322
FCE Protocol: Linked Clips......Page 323
Moving Timeline clips......Page 324
FCE Protocol: Gaps and Track Gaps......Page 328
FCE Protocol: Deleting Items in the Timeline......Page 332
Copying and pasting clip attributes......Page 333
Making multiclip adjustments......Page 335
Changing the playback speed of a clip......Page 336
Working with keyframes in the Timeline......Page 338
Searching for Items in the Timeline......Page 339
Chapter 11: Fine Cut: Trimming Edits......Page 342
Types of Trimming Operations......Page 343
Tips on Tools......Page 345
Quick Navigation Keys......Page 346
All Keys: Mouseless Trimming in FCE......Page 347
Anatomy of the Trim Edit Window......Page 348
FCE Protocol: Trimming Error Messages......Page 351
Audio Monitoring Options in the Trim Edit Window......Page 355
Trimming Edits in the Timeline......Page 358
About through edits......Page 368
Trimming Edits in the Viewer......Page 369
Correcting Out-of-Sync Clips......Page 371
Chapter 12: Audio Tools and Techniques......Page 374
Audio Tracks vs. Timeline Tracks......Page 375
FCE’s Audio Formats......Page 376
About 16-bit, 24-bit, and 32-bit Resolution......Page 377
The Browser’s audio format columns......Page 379
What’s Bit Depth and Sampling Rate Got to Do with My Audio Quality?......Page 380
Anatomy of the Viewer’s Audio Tab......Page 381
Onscreen controls and displays......Page 382
Using the Audio Tab......Page 384
Scaling and scrolling an audio file......Page 385
Lost in the Waveforms? Audio Tab Editing Tips......Page 386
Sounds Good: Scrubbing Audio with JKL Keys......Page 388
Editing Audio in the Timeline......Page 389
Editing Clips with Multiple Audio Channels......Page 391
Anatomy of the Voice Over tool......Page 393
Status display......Page 394
Input controls......Page 395
Voice Over tool setup checklist......Page 396
Cue Beep Choreography......Page 397
Setting audio levels......Page 400
FCE Protocol: Measuring Digital Audio in Decibels (dB)......Page 401
Monitor levels and mixing......Page 402
Adjusting levels and pan on the Audio tab......Page 403
Adjusting the pan position......Page 405
Adjusting stereo spread......Page 406
Real-time audio level and pan adjustment......Page 407
Adjusting Audio Filters......Page 409
Smart Filter Tweaking Tips......Page 411
Chapter 13: Creating Transitions......Page 412
FCE Protocol: Transitions......Page 413
FCE Protocol: Saving Changes to Modified Transitions......Page 415
Working with Default and Favorite Transitions......Page 417
About transition edits......Page 420
Editing Video Transitions......Page 421
Using the Transition Editor......Page 422
Editing transitions in the Timeline......Page 427
Modifying Audio Transitions......Page 428
Real-Time Transitions......Page 429
Chapter 14: Compositing and Effects Overview......Page 430
Basic Building Blocks of Effects Creation......Page 431
Locating and Applying Effects......Page 433
Effects Production Shortcuts......Page 434
Onscreen effects controls......Page 435
Tuning in Effects: Using Dial, Slider, and Point Controls......Page 438
Using Keyframes......Page 439
Precision control of a keyframe’s positioning......Page 441
Working with Keyframes in the Viewer’s Effects Tabs......Page 442
Keyframing Cheatsheet......Page 443
Smoothing keyframes......Page 445
Using keyframes to set a single parameter......Page 446
Setting keyframes with timecode entry......Page 447
Working with keyframes in the Timeline......Page 449
Keyboard Shortcut to a Quick Pair of Keyframes......Page 450
Saving Effects Settings as Favorites......Page 451
Customizing the Effects Menu Display......Page 453
Chapter 15: Motion......Page 454
Setting Motion Properties......Page 455
Locating x,y coordinates......Page 456
Motion Properties Modify an Image or Make It Move......Page 457
Using Wireframes......Page 458
Wireframe keyframe indicators......Page 459
Pressin’, Clickin’, and Draggin’: Using Keyboard Shortcuts with Wireframes......Page 460
Positioning clips......Page 462
FCE Protocol: Center Point vs. Anchor Point vs. Origin Point......Page 463
Rotating clips......Page 464
Cropping clips......Page 465
Distorting a clip’s shape......Page 467
Adjusting opacity......Page 468
Setting a clip’s opacity in the Timeline......Page 469
Adding a drop shadow to a clip......Page 470
Adding a motion blur effect......Page 472
The Best Way to Fine-Tune a Motion Sequence: Jump Around......Page 474
Setting motion keyframes with timecode entry......Page 478
Creating Motion Paths......Page 480
Editing a Motion Path......Page 484
Adjusting motion path curves and corners......Page 485
Setting a Single Motion Path for Multiple Clips......Page 486
Chapter 16: Filters and Compositing......Page 488
Useful Filters......Page 492
Always Be Color Safe!......Page 493
The Color Correction filter suite......Page 494
Monitors and Color Correction......Page 495
Anatomy of the Color Corrector tab......Page 496
Setting Composite mode......Page 500
Using alpha channels......Page 501
Working with Mattes......Page 504
Travel mattes......Page 505
Chapter 17: Titles and Generators......Page 508
Particle Noise = Generator Fun......Page 510
Complex Text: Other Options......Page 511
Assembly-Line Text Generation......Page 512
FCE 1 Projects in FCE 4: Your Text May Vary......Page 513
Tips for Better-Looking Titles......Page 515
The Wonders of Outline Text......Page 516
Creating scrolls......Page 518
Creating crawl titles......Page 521
Creating animated typewriter text......Page 522
Creating titles with Boris Calligraphy......Page 524
About LiveType......Page 525
Chapter 18: Real Time and Rendering......Page 526
About Real-Time Playback......Page 527
Controlling real-time playback quality......Page 529
Rendering protocols......Page 530
Rendering indicators......Page 531
FCE Protocol: Audio Rendering Options......Page 532
Using Render Commands......Page 533
FCE Protocol: Estimating Render Processing Time......Page 536
FCE Protocol: Track Costs......Page 537
Specifying storage locations for render files......Page 538
Deleting rendered files......Page 539
Avoiding unnecessary rendering......Page 540
FCE Protocol: Nested Sequences and Rendering......Page 542
Preserving render files......Page 543
Chapter 19: Creating Final Output......Page 546
Output Options For HDV......Page 547
Setting up for recording to tape......Page 548
Recording Timeline Playback......Page 551
Touching Up Your Timeline Playback......Page 552
Print to Video: Rendering Tips......Page 553
Print to Video settings checklist......Page 554
Exporting Sequences and Clips......Page 559
What’s a Reference Movie?......Page 561
Codec vs. File Format......Page 562
Exporting a QuickTime movie......Page 563
FCE Protocol: DVD Chapter Markers......Page 566
Exporting Other QuickTime Formats......Page 567
FCE Alert: Web Video Uses the Whole Video Frame......Page 569
FCE Protocol: Exporting Audio Tracks for Finishing......Page 573
Manipulating LiveType Projects in Final Cut Express......Page 577
Appendix A: Online Resources......Page 578
Appendix B: Keyboard Shortcuts......Page 582
A......Page 590
B......Page 593
C......Page 594
D......Page 597
E......Page 599
F......Page 600
G......Page 603
I......Page 604
K......Page 606
M......Page 607
O......Page 610
P......Page 611
R......Page 613
S......Page 615
T......Page 618
V......Page 621
W......Page 622
Z......Page 623