Thanks to Everyone Who Attended the Webinar!

By Shortcutter | Published: Friday, August 13, 2010

I had a great time delivering the Keyboard Shortcuts webinar yesterday for NewMediaWebinars.com and I want to thank all of the readers of this blog who took the time to drop in and watch. As I heard from one Twitter friend yesterday, he was in an editing session as he watched (and was able to put some of the tips into use immediately) and that’s how I take in Marcelo’s excellent webinar series as well.

If you missed the free live version, you can still purchase and download the entire package for only $25 and it includes:

  • The complete HD version of the webinar (my presentation was 1 hour long)
  • A bonus video on how to multi-cam edit with shortcuts
  • A special 16 page PDF Shortcut guide that covers all the shortcuts from my presentation and many more, grouped by function and workflow
  • A podcast interview with Marcelo where we tackle a few more participant questions

In the presentation, I placed the best shortcuts into the context of organized workflows and provided groupings of shortcuts that give you the maximum payback.

If you like learning shortcuts on this blog in small, easy to assimilate servings, then I hope you will enjoy seeing them put together into the “big picture.”

Note that while I was using FCP 7 for the webinar, all of the shortcuts discussed (with the exception of two that I specifically discussed in the context of FCP 7) will work just fine with FCP 6

I look forward to doing more trainings like this and if you are interested in developing a training project, please contact me.

Again to all who attended or were supportive of the event, a big thanks!

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Remove Clip Attributes

By Shortcutter | Published: Friday, August 13, 2010

You know how to use a shortcut to paste attributes (OPT V), so here’s one for removing attributes: CMD OPT V

As with OPT V, this shortcut is a particular timesaver when you apply it to a group of clips.

Suppose you have color correction in place on all clips in a timeline that is destined for broadcast and you want to duplicate the timeline and make a version for computer screens. Once you’ve copied your sequence, just select all clips (make sure you only select the video portion of the clips unless you want to remove audio attributes as well), then hit CMD OPT V. Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy.

Posted in Intermediate | 1 Comment

Paste Attributes Saves You 3 Precious Seconds Every Time You Use It!

By Shortcutter | Published: Thursday, August 12, 2010

Building on yesterday’s discussion of pasting options, you should be aware that you can also just “paste attributes.”

This means that you can copy (CMD C) a clip and then apply its attributes (filters and motion tab settings) to another clip or clips. Much easier way to bring up the Paste Attributes dialogue box than doing the whole Edit>Paste Attributes menu surfing thing, isn’t it? What does that take you?  About 3 seconds?  It all adds up. This was very nicely covered on FCP Daily not too long ago, so I suggest you check out their article if you want the juicy details.

Focus on OPT V today, remember SHIFT V from yesterday and tomorrow, we’ll round out the time-saving “V Collection.”

Posted in Intermediate | 1 Comment

FREE Shortcutter Webinar Tomorrow!

By Shortcutter | Published: Wednesday, August 11, 2010

I want to remind everyone that I partnering with NewMediaWebinars.com to present a live Webinar tomorrow, August 12, 2010 (from 10:00 AM PDT to 11:30 AM PDT) and if you sign up to watch the live presentation here, it’s free!

In this webinar, I will be putting the most effective and critical shortcuts into the context of workflows that will make you more productive, precise and confident as an editor.

You can also opt to purchase a paid package which includes online attendance at the live webinar, a downloadable HD version of the webinar archive, an audio podcast with me answering questions not answered during the webinar, a PDF with all the shortcuts mentioned during the webinar and a bonus “how-to” video not shown during the live webinar!  The cost of this paid pack is only $25!

NewMediaWebinars.com, founded by Marcelo Lewin (also known as the “New Media Dude“), creates and produces educational based and information rich, live webinars focused on digital media creators working in Film, Video and New Media. Their webinars are NOT marketing webinars for companies. All webinars are taught by working industry professionals known in their field as experts. Along with their live webinars, they also offer on-demand webinars, a video podcast show covering the digital media scene and a blog all focused on digital media creators.

I’m really looking forward to tying the shortcuts we present here into valuable workflows that will make you a more efficient editor. I certainly hope you’ll be able to attend!

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Paste Insert is a Handy Option

By Shortcutter | Published: Wednesday, August 11, 2010

When I am working on multiple sequences at the same time–usually preparing different versions of the same basic material, I find that I frequently use copy and paste to move a clip or set of clips from one timeline to another. Another copying scenario might arise when you are adding an overlay or graphic “bug” across an entire timeline on it’s own track.

What’s nice is that when you copy and paste clips, all the attributes of the copied file go with the newly pasted file, so if you’ve re-sized, color-corrected, added filters and what-not, you won’t have to do it all over again. Copying and pasting clips in FCP is very handy indeed.

And of course all FCP editors and Mac users are well aware of the CMD C (copy), CMD V (paste) and CMD X (cut, but retain in clipboard) commands (and no, I won’t be giving them additional mention on this blog other than here), but did you know that in FCP you have an additional powerful variation called “paste insert” (SHIFT V)?

This is particularly handy if, say, you have created an opening sequence in one timeline and want to add it into another timeline at the head. Just copy the clips then hit SHIFT V to paste insert them wherever you want–it will paste ‘em in starting at the playhead position and you should also be aware that it will by default paste on the same track that the originals were copied from (unless you use our old pal “Toggle Auto select” to manage this). The result will be a ripple edit that moves everything down to the right to accomodate your paste-in.

There are a couple more variations on the paste command and we will cover them over the next two days, so stay tuned, but for now, just burn SHIFT V into your brain and you might be surprised how often you use it–I use it all the time, myself.

Posted in Intermediate | 1 Comment

Getting the Most Out of Labels

By Shortcutter | Published: Monday, August 9, 2010

“Labels” are a clip organizing tool in FCP that not only assigns a label (such as “good” or “b-roll”), but also color codes the clip which really makes it stand out in the browser or timeline. If you already use them, then you’ll find it much easier to apply them via keyboard shortcuts and remember, you can apply them not only in the Browser, but directly in the timeline as well.

Hitting OPT CMD 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 will change the color of your selected clip or clips to the following:

  • 2 – Orange (good)
  • 3 – Red (best)
  • 4 – Blue (alternate)
  • 5 – Purple (interview)
  • 6 – Green (b-roll)

And importantly, OPT CMD 1 removes the label.

Note also that OPT Q takes you to the User Prefs pane where you can hit the “Labels” tab to change the descriptive field to something else.

I tend to work alone and am rarely an Assitant Editor or use one, so when I use labels, I don’t pay much attention to the actual descriptions (i.e. “interview”), but mostly just want to assign some color to certain clips to set them apart in the browser or timeline. I often work with HDV footage which means I get a lot of clips from a single tape. Because I mostly do corporate videos, I’m usually getting interview shots and b-roll. I tend to assign the b-roll a color (any color, really) to set those shots apart (I also tend to create a timeline called “All B-Roll” where I lay down all the b-roll for easy review).

If you are working as an Assistant Editor or are part of a larger editing team or workflow, I would strongly suggest using the labels a little more formally. If the descriptors do not suit you, then by all means customize them. Just as a conscientious Photoshop pro uses the color coding to help make their layers clear for the client, you should too–even if it was not asked for. It’s a nice pro touch that will be noticed and almost certainly appreciated.

Finally, one reason I would recommend customizing the descriptive labels is that the existing “good” label is actually a bit redundant with another great Browser feature, the “good” column which allows you to easily add a check mark (and this checkbox is also available in the log and cap process). That is a great way to identify “good” or “best” clips. Some suggested custom labels might be for camera angles, identification of specific interviewees, types of b-roll (audience reaction, local flavor, etc.), product shots and so on.

Since the color coding is the real thing here (I rarely see the actual label descriptors unless I am using them in a browser search), I don’t worry too much about the fact that this kind of customization creates a problem when you transfer the project to a different workstation (as I do when it comes to keyboard shortcut customization).

Posted in Intermediate | 1 Comment

Don’t Forget to Up Your Undo Queue!

By Shortcutter | Published: Saturday, August 7, 2010

Although it’s time for a basic Saturday entry, I guess I risk insulting everyone’s intelligence with the uber-obvious CMD Z shortcut (which is the beloved”Undo” command),

but I want to make sure FCP novices are aware that by hitting OPT Q, which brings up your user preferences pane, you can should must increase the number of steps you can go back with CMD Z (I set mine to 99 out of habit, but that’s pretty arbitrary).

Bear in mind that there’s also a shortcut for “re-do” (undoing an undo) and it is SHIFT CMD Z:

Yes, CMD Z and maybe even SHIFT CMD Z are pretty well known, but at least if you didn’t know about OPT Q for user prefs and upping your undo queue, you do now. Hey, It’s a weekend basic.  Happy editing!

Posted in FCP 101 Stuff | Leave a comment

Create Freeze Frames in a Flash

By Shortcutter | Published: Friday, August 6, 2010

You can create a freeze frame in either the Viewer or with a clip on the timeline. The shortcut to so this is the same either way:

When you’re making a freeze frame in the Viewer, the process is quite straightforward. Park the playhead on the frame you want frozen and hit SHIFT N. Your Viewer will now display a 2 minute clip of the freeze frame with an in an out set in the middle for the duration you’ve specified in your user prefs (10 seconds by default). You can re-trim and edit this to the timeline as you would any clip or you can drag it to the Browser for future use.

You can also make a “run and freeze” from a clip already on the timeline. Simply position your playhead over the appropriate frame in the timeline clip and hit SHIFT N. Your freeze frame will appear and you are now free to edit that down to the timeline as an overwrite edit–note that you will need to have your playhead in its original position on the timeline. Master trainer Diana Weynand described a great workflow for accomplishing this in her Apple Pro Training Series: Final Cut Pro 6 text for the Apple Pro Training series (it’s probably in the newer edition as well, but I do not have it handy). She suggests that, after you SHIFT N to create the freeze frame, set an in-point on the timeline where the playhead is the ad an out point where you want the freeze to conclude. Now you can just hit a quick F10 and overwrite your freeze into the timeline as a 3-point edit.

Posted in FCP 101 Stuff | 1 Comment

A Fast Path to the Text Generator

By Shortcutter | Published: Thursday, August 5, 2010

Here’s a quick and easy, but very useful shortcut. Do you use the basic Text Generator frequently and get tired of accessing it from that pop-up menu in the Viewer? Just hit CTRL X:

Brings it right up.  If you want fancy stuff like the scrolling text, you’re still mousing it.  By the way, CTRL OPT X brings up the Boris text generator. The one thing I like the Boris generator for is the more sophisticated way you can create credit rolls with a centered “gutter.”

The stock FCP text generator, in spite of the asterisk trick for making centered gutters, is extremely limited (no mixed fonts, no mixed colors, etc.). The Boris generator gives you a much more versatile tool–especially if you’re not really an After Effects or Motion person.  Some folks (myself included) will also use Photoshop to create high quality end credits components, but since Motion came out and is so easily integrated into FCP, I have not really gone back to PS much.

A quick hat-tip to Ripple Training (which is where the link on the asterisk treatment above leads). Ripple’s web site is a good FCP resource and you should check out their free tutorials and quick tips. Ripple was founded by the great Steve Martin who was my train-the-trainer instructor when I first became an Apple pro-apps trainer myself. His fun, enthusiastic teaching style and obvious love of the material was a big inspiration for my own training  and teaching work. If you ever have a chance to be in one of his classes, you’re in for a treat.

Posted in Intermediate | 1 Comment

Invoke the (FCP7) Timecode Window With a Shortcut

By Shortcutter | Published: Wednesday, August 4, 2010

With Final Cut Studio 3 (containing FCP 7), a new feature was introduced: the Timecode Window. Happily, this handy window can be invoked via a shortcut, CTRL T

The timecode window can be used with the Viewer or Canvas and if you right-click on the window itself, you can opt to show AUX 1 or AUX 2 timecode (which can be very useful in some workflows).

If you are not hunched directly over your interface (and even then, the timecode fields in the Viewer and Canvas are brutally small), or you are viewing footage with other people in the room, this is a very convenient way to easily see the timecode for the purpose of taking notes or logging footage.

Note that the window can be resized and, unlike a “timecode burn,” can be positioned so that its not overlapping the footage.  Seeing as I have made a lot of quick timecode burns for the purpose of getting an easily-to-log version on the screen for a small group, this is a very nice new feature.

Posted in FCP 101 Stuff | 1 Comment