… for Apple Final Cut Pro X

Tip #1716: New! Browser Column Views in FCP

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

Column sets are a great way to organize the display of Browser data.

Control-click any column header in the Browser to access the new column set features.

Topic $TipTopic

The Browser in Final Cut Pro holds a wealth of technical information about clips and projects. While we’ve always been able to view this information, we’ve never been able to organize it.

Until now.

With the 10.5.3 update to Final Cut, Apple added the ability to create and share column sets. That is, we can select which columns we want to display in the Browser, save those changes and share them with others.

“The column settings include available columns, column order, column width, column visibility, and custom metadata fields. You can easily copy column sets to another computer, or share them with friends and colleagues so that the same column sets are available in their browser.” (Apple Help)

  • Control-click any column header in the Browser and choose Edit Available Columns. This determines which fields are displayed when you Control-click a column header.
  • Since the default column set can’t be changed, you’ll be asked to create a new column set.

NOTE: This is exactly the same concept as creating a new keyboard shortcut command set.

  • You are then presented with a list of HUNDREDS of metadata fields to add or remove from the Browser.
  • Check those you want, uncheck those you don’t.
  • Click OK when you are done.

What you’ve done is create a master list of fields that can be displayed in the Browser. However, just because you have access, doesn’t mean you need to display all of them.

EXTRA CREDIT

What works best for me is to use the Column Editor to make sure you have the fields you want, then Control-click a Browser column header and uncheck those items you don’t want to view at this time.

Then, save the Column set so that the next time you open the Browser, your new custom column organization will be retained.

You can create as many different column sets as you need, depending upon the tasks you need to accomplish at that time.


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… for Apple Final Cut Pro X

Tip #1717: New! Improved Search in Final Cut Pro

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

Searches are lightning quick and more controllable than ever.

Search tool (upper arrow), Search limit (left arrow) & extended search (lower arrow).

Topic $TipTopic

New with the 10.5.3 update to Final Cut Pro is an enhanced search capability in the Browser.

To get started:

  • Select a library, event(s) or folders that you want to search. (You can’t search across multiple libraries.)
  • Click the Search button (top arrow, the magnifying glass) in the top-right corner of the Browser.
  • Enter the text you want to search for. By default, FCP will search in notes, clip names, project names and marker text.

NOTE: It won’t search for text stored in titles.

  • If you want to restrict your search, click the Search button (left red arrow), then choose where you want to limit the search.

EXTRA CREDIT

You can also search on multiple criteria by clicking the small “clapperboard” icon (lower red arrow) to the right of the search box.

This feature allows extensive searching on a variety of criteria, even the ability to save searches. But explaining how this feature works requires more than a tip.

Here’s an older article that explains more.


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… for Apple Motion

Tip #1701: Very Fast, But Hidden, Skimming Trick

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

The secret is to drag a number that isn’t hours or frames.

When the blue arrows are visible, dragging a number enables high-speed timeline skimming.

Topic $TipTopic

There are so many hidden mouse shortcuts in Motion that it is impossible to find them all. But here’s one that’s both hidden and useful.

Take a look at the screen shot. See those little blue arrows above and below the timecode frame number at the bottom center of the Viewer?

NOTE: To display these, hover over a number in the timecode display.

When those arrows are visible, drag the timecode number up or down to quickly skim the timeline.

BUT, here’s the secret:

  • When you drag over the frames number, you are skimming the timeline by frames.
  • When you drag over the seconds number, you are skimming the timeline by seconds (faster)
  • When you drag over the minutes number, you are skimming the timeline by minutes (REALLY faster)
  • When you drag over the hours number, well, your eyes will get whiplash.

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… for Adobe Premiere Pro CC

Tip #1697: The Secrets in Clip Properties

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

The Clip Properties displays tons of technical details about a clip.

The Clip Properties window in Premiere Pro.

Topic $TipTopic

Most of the time, you don’t need to know all the technical details of the clips you are editing. But, when you do, Premiere has a hidden menu that can tell you a LOT!

To display it:

  • Control-click a clip in the Timeline, Project or Bin panel.
  • From the popup menu that appears, select Properties.
  • The Clip Properties window appears (see screen shot).

NOTE: The contents of this window will change, depending upon what type of clip is selected.

I enjoy exploring this window from time to time simply to admire how much technical data Premiere needs to track and process for each clip.

EXTRA CREDIT

The Data Rate Analysis window shows the file size of each frame in a video clip. Codecs that use variable bit rate encoding will vary in size per frame.


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… for Adobe Premiere Pro CC

Tip #1699: The Secret Nest Switch

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

Edit sequences you don’t want to change as a single element.

This switch determines if a nest is added to the timeline as a single “clip,” or a group of clips.

Topic $TipTopic

Hidden in plain sight in the top left corner of the timeline is the “Nest Switch.”

A nest is a sequence contained in another sequence. There are a wide variety of uses:

  • Reusing an open between programs
  • Cleaning up a timeline
  • Preventing accidental changes to a completed section
  • And many others

An easy way to add one sequence into another is to drag it from the Project panel into the timeline.

NOTE: You can also use the traditional keyboard shortcuts of comma and period.

When the switch, indicated by the red arrow in the screen shot, is blue, the sequence edits into the timeline as a single element. This makes it harder to make changes to the contents of the sequence.

When the switch is white, the sequence is edited into the timeline as individual clips. This simplifies making changes.

EXTRA CREDIT

To see the contents of a nest, simply double-click it. That opens it into its own timeline for editing.


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… for Adobe Premiere Pro CC

Tip #1700: What the Linked Selection Button Does

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

Most of the time, leaving Linked Selection on prevents surprises during editing.

Linked Selection on (blue): Top. Linked Selection off (white): Bottom

Topic $TipTopic

Normally, when you click a linked clip (where the audio and video are synced together), both are selected. But there’s a switch that can change that.

In the top left corner of the timeline (see screen shot) is the Linked Selection switch.

  • When this is blue (top image), clicking a synced audio/video clip selects the entire clip.
  • When this switch is white (bottom image), clicking a synced clip only selects that part of the clip you clicked on.

NOTE: This separation is useful when you want to delete the audio or video portion of a clip, or move the audio separately from the video.

EXTRA CREDIT

Toggling this switch does not change the selection state of any currently-selected clips.

You can temporarily achieve the same result by pressing the Option key when you click a clip. This performs the opposite of the current setting of this switch.


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… for Apple Final Cut Pro X

Tip #1695: The Hidden Video Animation Editor

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

This is a faster way to change keyframe timing.

The Video Animation Editor bar, showing the Transform keyframe controls menu.

Topic $TipTopic

Attached, but hidden, to each clip in the Final Cut timeline is the Video Animation Editor. This “bar” provides anther way to adjust effect parameters, or change timing using keyframes.

The Video Animation Editor appears above the clip. To make it appear, select one or more clips in the timeline, then type Control + V or choose Clip > Show Video Animation. (See screen shot.)

  • Click the check boxes on the left to turn an effect on or off (they are on by default).
  • Click the small down-pointing arrow to select a specific parameter to adjust (red arrow).
  • Double-click the box on the right side (not shown) to expand the setting vertically to make adjustments easier to make.

NOTE: This expansion box appears for Opacity, but not most other effects.

The dotted line that appears is used to set, adjust or remove keyframes for that parameter.

  • To create a keyframe: Option-click the line
  • To move a keyframe for timing, drag horizontally.
  • To adjust a keyframe setting, drag vertically.

NOTE: Once you start dragging, Final Cut constrains movement. For example, once you start dragging horizontally, FCP will only allow horizontal movement until you let go of the mouse. This prevents unintended changes to settings when all you wanted to do was change the time, or vice-versa.

  • To convert a keyframe from a corner to a curve, Control-click it and select from the menu.
  • To delete a keyframe, Control-click it and select from the menu.

NOTE: As you add effects to a clip, they are also added to the Video Animation Editor.

EXTRA CREDIT

You can also add keyframes using the Inspector and they will appear in the Video Animation Editor. This bar is faster than the Inspector to change keyframe timing, but the Inspector is easier to change settings.


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… for Apple Final Cut Pro X

Tip #1696: The Hidden Audio Animation Editor

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

This makes keyframe timing changes faster than the Inspector.

This composite image shows where to enable pan controls, the Pan Mode menu and the clip’s Audio Animation bar, with pan enabled.

Topic $TipTopic

Attached, but hidden, to each clip in the Final Cut timeline is the Audio Animation Editor. This “bar” provides another way to adjust effect parameters, create fade-ins or fade-outs, or change effects over time using keyframes.

The Audio Animation Editor appears above a timeline clip. To make it appear, select one or more clips in the timeline, then type Control + A or choose Clip > Show Audio Animation. (See screen shot.)

By default, when this bar first appears, no adjustable settings are displayed.

NOTE: Audio volume is already displayed as a horizontal line in the audio clip.

To enable an audio effect, either apply one from the Effects Browser, or go to the Audio Inspector and change the Pan Mode from None to Stereo Left/Right. (See screen shot)

This displays the Pan: Amount setting in the Audio Animation Editor. (See screen shot)

  • Click the check boxes on the left to turn an effect on or off (they are on by default).
  • Double-click the box on the right side (not shown) to expand the setting vertically to make adjustments easier to make.

The dotted line that appears is used to set, adjust or remove keyframes for that parameter.

  • To create a keyframe: Option-click the line
  • To move a keyframe for timing, drag horizontally.
  • To adjust a keyframe setting, drag vertically.

NOTE: Once you start dragging, Final Cut constrains movement. For example, once you start dragging horizontally, FCP will only allow horizontal movement until you let go of the mouse. This prevents unintended changes to settings when all you wanted to do was change the time, or vice-versa.

  • To convert a keyframe from a corner to a curve, Control-click it and select from the menu.
  • To delete a keyframe, Control-click it and select from the menu.

NOTE: As you add effects to a clip, they are also added to the Audio Animation Editor.

EXTRA CREDIT

You can also add keyframes using the Inspector and they will appear in the Audio Animation Editor. This bar is faster than the Inspector to change keyframe timing, but the Inspector is easier to change settings.


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… for Apple Motion

Tip #1682: Explore Hidden Artwork

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

Compositions contain animation and graphics not found in the Motion Library.

These composition graphics do not appear in the Motion Library.

Topic $TipTopic

Most of the time, I encourage you to skip the templates and compositions in the Apple Motion Project Browser and dive right into Motion itself. But, I discovered something today that modified my opinion.

Open Motion and look in the sidebar on the left side of the Project Browser. There you’ll find a variety of compositions. These are Motion projects saved as templates that you can use in your own work.

What I realized is that the artwork in these does not appear in the Motion Library. For example, the screen shot illustrates car, heart and text graphics that aren’t in the Motion Library. (I didn’t verify all the compositions, but it seems that most of their art work does not appear in the Library.)

Each is animated and, though the animation tools exist in Motion, they are applied in ways that are may be useful to learn.

So, the next time you open Motion, take a look at these compositions. You may find some artwork – or animation – that you can use in your own projects.

EXTRA CREDIT

To open a Composition, simply double-click it in the Project Browser.


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… for Apple Motion

Tip #1684: A Fast Way to Change the Background

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

By default, backgrounds are transparent; but you can change that.

These two options (red arrows) determine the state and color of a Motion project background.

Topic $TipTopic

By default, Apple Motion places all elements over a transparent background. This means that, when you export the finished movie, it can be easily superimposed over video regardless of whether you use Avid, or Adobe or Apple software.

But, what if you don’t want the background to be transparent? Motion has a very easy way to change it to something solid.

  • Select the Project name in the Layers panel.
  • Go to Inspector > Properties.
  • Scroll down to the bottom.
  • Set the Background (bottom red arrow) to Solid.
  • Set the Background Color to whatever color you want for your project.

Now, when you export, your file will include a solid background.

EXTRA CREDIT

The difference between Solid and Environment is that, while both are solid, Environment “interacts with [a] 3D project, including blend modes and reflections.” (Apple Help)


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