Tip #1836: The Inside Tips Take a Hiatus
The Inside Tips are taking a hiatus for the month of August. We'll be back the first week of September with more Inside Tips.
Tip #1842: Blackmagic Updates Studio Cameras
Blackmagic Design announces new cameras, recorders and a web presenter; all designed for live streaming and small studios.
Tip #1843: Digital Anarchy Updates Rough Cutter
Digital Anarchy updates Transcriptive Rough Cutter to support the new transcript features in Adobe Premiere. Cut video based on a text transcript. Learn more.
Tip #1835: The Inside Tips Take a Hiatus
The Inside Tips are taking a hiatus for the month of August. We'll be back the first week of September with more Inside Tips.
Tip #1840: Don’t Accept the Defaults
All of the effects in Motion have default settings, most of which just aren't that good. That's because the default settings are set to: "Bland." Here's how to change them.
Tip #1841: Combine Filters for Better Comic Look
While the Comic filter creates a comic book look, combining it with another filter makes it look better.
Tip #1819: History & Symbolism of Paisley
Paisley patterns, recognizable for the unique figure at its core, can be lush with dense swirls and intricate lines or comprised of sparse shapes set on a placid background. It has a history.
Tip #1834: The Inside Tips Take a Hiatus
The Inside Tips are taking a hiatus for the month of August. We'll be back the first week of September with more Inside Tips.
Tip #1839: Visual Effects for Low-Budget Sci-Fi
Jonathan Wilhelmsson writes of creating effects for the low-budget sci-fi film: "Untitled Earth Sim 64." Winner of 18 film festival awards.
Tip #1837: Trimming Captions
Since captions are generally created once the edit is complete, be careful how you trim them. Here's the trick.
Tip #1830: Well, DUH! When Transcripts Don’t Work
I embarrassed myself publicly by not paying attention. Here's when creating transcripts won't work in Premiere Pro.
Tip #1833: The Inside Tips Take a Hiatus
The Inside Tips are taking a hiatus for the month of August. We'll be back the first week of September with more Inside Tips.
Tip #1829: Compressor Limits Frame Sizes to 4K
Apple Compressor limits compressed frame sizes to 4K. But there is one workaround.
Tip #1825: Adobe Media Encoder Supports 8K
Not all codecs support large frame sizes, but for those that do - such as ProRes and HEVC - Adobe Media Encoder will compress them. Learn more.
Tip #1832: The Inside Tips Take a Hiatus
The Inside Tips are taking a hiatus for the month of August. We'll be back the first week of September with more Inside Tips.
Tip #1826: What is Range Check?
Have you ever wondered what "Range Check" does in the View menu? It's actually really useful - it flags excessive white and chroma (color) saturation levels. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #1827: Using the Broadcast Safe Filter
Range Check is a fast way to flag excessive video levels. But, how do you fix video levels that are out of range? Answer: The Broadcast Safe Filter.
Tip #1828: Adjustment Layers Can Do Magic
Premiere and Photoshop support adjustment layers. Final Cut Pro does not. But you can create one. Here's how.
Tip #1831: The Inside Tips Take a Hiatus
The Inside Tips are taking a hiatus for the month of August. We'll be back the first week of September with more Inside Tips.
Tip #1810: Charlie Kaufman’s 10 Screenwriting Tips
Charlie Kaufman, screenwriter for multiple Hollywood films, created his list of "10 Screenwriting Tips." Here's a summary & a link to his video.
Tip #1812: An A.I. Upscaling Shootout
There are better ways to upscale clips using AI, rather than the built-in scaling of an NLE. This shootout compares 10 different software for up-rezzing.
Tip #1817: PBS Moves Short Film Festival to VR
PBS adds a VR component to their 10th Annual Short Film Festival. Watch using WebXR and a headset or web browser.
Tip #1820: Use Bump Maps to Create Texture
A bump map is used to apply texture to an image, based upon input from a second image.
Tip #1821: Refraction Improves on Bump Maps
Bump maps add texture to text or an image based upon grayscale values in a source texture. The Refraction filter provides more control and better results.
Tip #1822: Hidden Feature of the Paint Brush Tool
The Write-on behavior is automatically attached to every Paint Brush stroke. This animates the stroke and you can edit it. Here's how.
Tip #1809: After Effects Gets a Whole Lot Faster
Last week, Adobe released a new beta version of After Effects that emphasizes speed. Here are key excerpts from the Adobe press release.
Tip #1813: Unusual Textures to Capture at the Beach
Bulk up your motion graphics library with one-of-a-kind textures from the natural world using a few tips on what to look for.
Tip #1818: Myst (the Game) Expands into VR
Myst, a beautiful island world where there is no violence, no time limit, the player never dies, and there's no "game over," expands into VR.
Tip #1811: Transcriptive Rough Cutter
Reports from both NewsShooter.com and DigitalAnarchy.com about new features in Transcriptive linking it to transcripts and captions in Premiere Pro. Learn more.
Tip #1823: Big New Features in Adobe Premiere
Adobe released a significant update to Premiere Pro in July that supports speech-to-text and native M1 Macs. Learn more.
Tip #1824: The Productivity Impact of Speech to Text
The Pfeiffer Report was commissioned by Adobe to analyze the efficiency and productivity gains of the Speech to Text feature set in Adobe Premiere Pro. The results are impressive.
Tip #1814: NHK: 200 Hours of Olympics in 8K
For the 2021 Summer Olympics, NHK plans about 200 hour of 8K UHD coverage. Learn more.
Tip #1815: The Early Years of Cable TV
In 1977, the author writes, I was 14 years old and desperately wanting to work in radio or TV. He landed in local access cable. Here's a story about the early days of local cable media.
Tip #1816: Synchrimedia Updates MovieCaptioner
MovieCaptioner is a stand-alone caption program for Mac or Windows computers that supports a WIDE variety of media and caption formats. They just released a free upgrade.
Tip #1801: Apply Effects to Multiple Clips – Fast!
There is a very fast way to apply the same effect to multiple clips scattered throughout a timeline. But, it isn't very obvious. Here's how it works.
Tip #1807: Create Your Own “Edit Checklist”
Final Cut Pro supports creating a personal "To-Do" list during your edit - that's dynamic and built directly into the Timeline. Here's how.
Tip #1808: A Fast Way to View Captions in Final Cut
Here's a fast way to see all the captions in your Final Cut Pro project, along with an equally fast way to correct them.
Tip #1789: 1 Beyond Launches New Tracking Cameras
1 Beyond Inc. makes automated cameras, cameras that follow a speaker's movements without requiring an operator. Last week, they announced two new, lower-cost cameras: The Hawk and the Falcon.
Tip #1797: 5 Truths From an Indie Producer
I'm Lilia Le Dieu, a freelance producer, and I'm sharing a few lessons learned throughout three years in the creative industry producing short files, features, commercials and music videos.
Tip #1798: Product Reviews of the Un-reviewable
If you are looking for product reviews of production gear that go way, WAAY deeper than cameras and big-name software, check out NewsShooter.com.
Tip #1802: Change the Height of Layer Elements
There's a very useful setting in Motion that only appears when the Timeline is open - even though it has nothing to do with the Timeline!
Tip #1793: Motion Generators Offer More Options
A Final Cut Generator is the most flexible of the four Final Cut templates in Motion. While Effects, Transitions, and Titles have very specific functions, a Generator can be anything.
Tip #1803: Why Use B-Spline Curves?
I was reading several technical articles about when to use B-spline curves. While they make good points, here's the key thing you need to know.
Tip #1792: Free & Paid Plug-ins for After Effects
AEJuice provides hundreds of free and paid plugins for After Effects, plus hosts the world's largest motion graphics community. Learn more.
Tip #1799: The Craft & Culture of Motion Design
Hosted by Erin Sarofsky and Austin Shaw, this new video podcast covers the craft and culture of motion design. Learn more.
Tip #1800: Use Unreal Engine to Re-create Nature
In this first of a three-part series, learn how to produce stunning, natural compositions in Unreal Engine. In particular, focus on aspects of planning an environment while making an eye-catching, well-balanced composition.
Tip #1785: 24 Hidden Tips for Premiere Pro
PremiumBeat collected four YouTube videos filled with tips for Adobe Premiere Pro. Tips range from workflow to editing to effects. Learn more.
Tip #1791: Free & Paid Plug-ins for Premiere Pro
Recently, the folks at AEJuice contacted me about their free plug-ins for both After Effects and Premiere Pro. Learn more.
Tip #1796: Move Multiple Clips with One Shortcut
Premiere provides a fast and easy way to move multiple clips at the same time: the Track Select Forward/Backward tools. Here's how it works.
Tip #1804: Ten Tech Innovations at the Olympics
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics won't have fans in the seats, but the games will be offering up a host of tech milestones. Here's a list of the top ten.
Tip #1805: The Challenge in Broadcasting the Olympics
The Tokyo Olympics start next week. They are a hotbed of new media technology, as this interview with the head of the Olympic Broadcasting Services explains.
Tip #1806: NBC Olympics Selects Avid for Games
NBC Olympics announces they have selected Avid for content production and media management for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Learn more.
Tip #1790: Multi-camera Screen Recording Tips
Recently, I've started recording my webinars using two sources: my screen and a camera pointed at my face. Here's what I learned in editing these.
Tip #1794: Two Shortcuts to Create Still Frames
In virtually every project I need to create still frames to hide an edit or cover a mistake. A Hold frame won't work because I need separate media to adjust its position in the timeline. Here's how.
Tip #1795: Hidden Timeline Secrets
One of the new timeline features Apple added recently to Final Cut is invisible, unless you know where to look. Here's where it is and what it does.
Tip #1786: 5 Ways to Turn Your Camera Vertical
Vertical video is increasingly popular. Here are five tripod mounting systems to turn your horizontal camera vertical.
Tip #1787: Directing Advice From the Best
Noah Baumbach, Taika Waititi, and David Fincher have directing advice for new and practicing directors. Learn more.
Tip #1788: Costs of Video Editing in the Cloud
Blackbird published a free, 14-page report looking at the total cost of ownership comparing different methods of editing video in the cloud. Learn more.
Tip #1782: Apple Updates Motion to v5.5.3
Last week, Apple updated Motion to version 5.5.3. Here's what's new.
Tip #1783: Animate the Background of a Title
Normally, when we add a title to a video, we want the background video to remain stationary. But, there's no rule that says it must. Here's how to make it move.
Tip #1784: Function Keys Make Motion Move
Not all Mac keyboards support Function keys (F-keys). But, for those that do, Motion has built in F-key shortcuts. Here's what they do.
Tip #1773: Chaos Updates V-Ray 5
Last week, Chaos introduced initial Universal Scene Description (USD) support for V-Ray 5 for Maya, Houdini and Cinema 4D. Here's what's new.
Tip #1778: Render After Effects Comps 70X Faster
Render times in After Effects can vary a lot. There are five criteria that determine render speed. Here's what they are and how to optimize them.
Tip #1777: VFX Pros Tell All – Free Webinars
VFXVoice and Autodesk are co-sponsoring a series of webinars titled: "Ask Me Anything: VFX Pros Tell All." The next one is tomorrow. Sign up - it's FREE!
Tip #1779: Export Caution: Match Source Settings
There's a potential "gotcha" when using the default Match Source export setting that can trip you up. Here are the details.
Tip #1780: How and Why to Change Label Colors
A menu preference that I skip over ALL the time is "Labels." However, these can be really useful - especially to help organize larger projects. Learn more.
Tip #1781: What the Render Bar Colors Mean
Most of the time, Premiere can play back your sequence in real-time displaying high-quality, full frame-rate images by harnessing the power of the Mercury Playback Engine. But, when it can't, it needs to render. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #1775: NBC Chooses Signiant for Olympics
NBC Olympics selects Signiant to support remote production during 2021 Olympics. Learn more.
Tip #1776: Import VHS Media Using USB
A recent forum thread on MacRumors discussed low-cost options for batch importing VHS tapes of home movies into an iMac using HDMI or S-Video connected via USB.
Tip #1774: Media Production Shifts to the Cloud
A paradigm shift in media-production technologies is changing how the cloud is perceived, used, presented and applied to media production. Learn more.
Tip #1769: Fix for FCP Crashes in Big Sur
If you are seeing frequent crashes when running Final Cut Pro on Big Sur, make sure all your plug-ins are up-to-date. David offers a specific suggestion.
Tip #1771: Tips to Help Find Clips Faster
Looking for better ways to organize and find media in Final Cut Pro? The secret is keywords. These three articles illustrate how keywords can help you get organized.
Tip #1772: The “Invisible” Quick Export Button
Hidden in a corner of the Final Cut Pro interface is the Quick Export button. This is a fast way to get your projects out of Final Cut using just the mouse.
Tip #1756: Tips for Keeping a Camera Cool
Camera cooling has continued to improve. But that doesn’t mean modern cameras aren’t prone to overheating. Here are some tips.
Tip #1758: Night Shoots & the BMD Cinema Camera 6K
If you want to shoot at night, you'll need clever lighting and a great camera. No Film School tests the Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 6K.
Tip #1759: Why Are All Video Graphics Yellow?
FilmmakerIQ goes in-depth on color theory to examine why yellow is so pervasive in television graphics.
Tip #1766: Quickly Create False Colors
Motion includes a variety of blend modes to provide more dynamic blending between objects. Difference is a rarely-used blend mode that creates eye-catching effects. Here's how.
Tip #1767: Multiply Makes Luma Keys Easy
Multiply is a blend mode that drops out a white background while superimposing the darker portions of the image on a background. Here's how it works.
Tip #1768: Color Burn Makes Colors More Intense
Color Burn is a blend mode that intensifies the dark areas in two superimposed images. Here's an example.
Tip #1761: Boris FX Offers Three New Tutorials
The team at Boris FX offers three new free video tutorials covering Particle Illusion, Sapphire's Builder Effect, Mocha Pro Silhouette, After Effects and Nuke. Learn more.
Tip #1763: The AR Elephant in the Ballroom
TVBEurope reports that UK-based Strictly Come Dancing has introduced augmented reality into this year's series. Here's a detailed look at what they did.
Tip #1765: Surviving a QNAP Ransomware Attack
A bit earlier this year, a wave of ransomware attacks hit QNAP servers. Robbie Coblentz's company was attacked and he discovered he wasn't ready. Read how he recovered and how he protects his company now.
Tip #1753: New Quick Export (Premiere beta)
In the latest beta version of Adobe Premiere, Quick Export was updated to support creating new export presets. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #1755: The Slip Tool is Under-rated
One of the most helpful tools in Premiere Pro is the Slip tool - yet it is often overlooked when working with B-roll. Here's what it does.
Tip #1764: Vimeo Guide to Embedding Videos
Vimeo recently published a guide to embedding videos for a variety of websites. Here's how to get this free report.
Tip #1754: Webinar Showcases Premiere Beta Features
Adobe introduced three major new features in the latest beta release of Premiere Pro. I created a webinar to illustrate all of them.
Tip #1760: Creating Video After Lockdown
While the world is slowly getting back to normal, the way we work may be forever altered. This free report from IPV looks at how the media industry returns to work.
Tip #1762: Top 5 Content Production Challenges
Jumping into the "how will we get back to work" fray, Quantum has published a free e-book called "Top 5 Production Challenges Addressed." Learn more.
Tip #1750: Render Neat Video Effects Faster
Neat Video makes an effect that removes video noise, which occurs when shooting in low-light situations. The filter creates amazing results, but takes forever to render. Here's a workaround.
Tip #1751: Create Selects with Keywords
In the old days, we would create a timeline, then add clips to it based upon the shots we liked. This worked, but it wasn't very efficient. There's a better way.
Tip #1752: More Keyword Tips
Keywords are a very flexible way to organize clips and clip segments. They are also very, very fast. Here are more tips on using keywords.
Tip #1740: Streaming Media Reshapes Entertainment
Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and other streamers are reshaping the movie and television-watching experience. VFXVoice looks at the current state of the industry.
Tip #1744: The Best Docs About Filmmaking
If you really want to learn about how films are actually made, you should watch films about filmmaking. These insightful documentaries offer more inspiration than most film classes.
Tip #1745: How to Make Script Subplots Shine
Much of script writing concentrates on the main plot. But subplots support and expand the main plot. Learn more.
Tip #1748: Use HDR Media in an HD Motion Project
Apple Motion supports HDR media, both for HDR and HD projects. Here's how to use HDR media in an HD (Rec. 709) project.
Tip #1749: When to Use HDR Tools in Apple Motion
HDR Tools is a filter that exists for both Final Cut Pro and Motion that converts HDR media into different formats. Here's how to use it.
Tip #1746: Create an HDR Project in Apple Motion
Creating an HDR project in Motion requires changing three settings. However, those settings are pretty well hidden. Here's how to do it.
Tip #1738: Boris FX Releases Continuum 2021.5
Boris FX released Continuum 2021.5 delivering more 3D power to Particle Illusion, brand new cinematic effects & presets, and time-saving workflows. Here are the details.
Tip #1739: Is the Traditional VFX Pipeline Dead?
At HPA 2021, Foundry took a deep dive into the new VFX pipeline that tease at what the next stage of distributed production could look like. Here are the details.
Tip #1741: Project Breakdown: TEDxREAL
TEDxREAL explores reality through the work of 10 VFX studios. Here's an analysis of what they created and why.
Tip #1737: A Very Cool – Very Simple – Premiere Pro Shortcut
Here's a very cool - and very simple - keyboard shortcut for Adobe Premiere Pro playback that I didn't learn until last week.
Tip #1742: Premiere Beta Showcases New Interface
Last week, Adobe released a significant update to Premiere Pro as a beta release. Here's what's new - and where Adobe is going.
Tip #1743: Adobe Cleans Up the Header Bar
In the beta release of Adobe Premiere Pro last week, Adobe cleaned up the Header Bar. Here's an explanation of what's new.
Tip #1734: Change Starting Timecode in Compressor
Compressor got a surprisingly large number of new features in it's latest update from Apple. One of which is the ability to change the starting timecode for compressed clips. Here's how.
Tip #1735: Keep Your Movie Data Secret
Your movies tell the world a lot about you - in ways you may not expect. This new feature disables including metadata in compressed files for privacy reasons. Here's how.
Tip #1734: Use Color Indexing for Animation
This new feature in Apple Compressor is specifically targeted at folks creating graphical animation. It reduces image file size without compressing the media. Learn more.
Tip #1736: Streaming Media – Not as Big As Thought
Last week, Nielsen unveiled the first true independent measurement of cross-platform viewing on TV, The Gauge. The viewing results were surprising.
Tip #1732: Create Custom Column Sets Faster
One of the new features in the 10.5.3 FCP update is custom Column Sets. These determine the metadata that appears in list view in the Browser. Here's how to change it.
Tip #1733: Two Hidden Ways to Import Clips
We are all familiar with importing clips using the Media Import window. However, there are two lesser known ways to import clips; one of which was broken until the latest release. Both of these are faster.
Tip #1726: Change the Way You Tell Stories
RTNDA researched audience tastes and discovered that how we tell stories needs to change. Here are details and links.
Tip #1727: Planar Launches Virtual Production Studio
Planar announced Planar Studios, an advanced-tech facility dedicated to virtual production and extended reality to create realistic on-screen content.
Tip #1728: Who Will Produce the First Hologram?
Holograms are closer than you think. In fact, holographic content can be derived today from existing production techniques and technologies. Here's a report on the state of the art.
Tip #1718: The New Stroke Filter in Motion
One of the new features in Apple Motion is the Stroke filter. This creates lovely border effects around shapes. Here's how it works.
Tip #1719: What Are Parameter Behaviors?
Parameter behaviors are an advanced technique that can create some very subtle effects. Here's how they work.
Tip #1714: Apple Updates Motion
Last week, Apple updated Motion to version 5.5.2. Here's a complete list of what's new.
Tip #1729: Sonnet Announces Thunderbolt Expansion
Sonnet announces Duomodo, customizable Thunderbolt expansion systems for desktop or rack. A power boost for power users. Learn more.
Tip #1725: Rocket Lasso Releases Ricochet
Rocket Lasso just released another plug-in for Cinema 4D: Ricochet. This tool animates splines bouncing around a scene. Learn more.
Tip #1731: Do Filmmakers REALLY Need 12K?
We used to think HD would be enough. Now, we're streaming 4K, with cameras shooting 6K, 8K and 12K. Do we really NEED that much resolution? Um, yes.
Tip #1722: The New Quick Export Menu
One of the newer features in Adobe Premiere Pro is Quick Export. This is a one-click menu to quickly export a project for review or distribution via the web or social media.
Tip #1723: How Much Faster?
Adobe continues improving the compression speed of Premiere Pro and Media Encoder on Windows. Here are some quick stats.
Tip #1724: What Do These Icons Do?
There are six icons, tucked into a corner of Premiere, that can help you better find and organize the media in your project. Learn more.
Tip #1720: New! Framing Options in Compressor
New with the 4.5.3 update to Compressor are new compression settings which simplify cropping and compressing square and vertical media. Here's how.
Tip #1721: New! Change Starting Timecode in Compressor
New with the 4.5.3 update to Compressor is a setting to modify a job’s starting timecode in the timing area of the Job inspector. Here's how.
Tip #1715: Apple Updates Compressor
Last week, Apple updated Compressor to version 4.5.3. Here's a list of all the new features.
Tip #1713: Apple Updates Final Cut Pro
Last week, Apple updated Final Cut Pro to version 10.5.3. The new version improves the Browser, metadata and search, as well as quashing a variety of bugs.
Tip #1716: New! Browser Column Views in FCP
New with the 10.5.3 update to Final Cut Pro are column sets; custom configurations of metadata displayed in the Browser. Here's how this new feature works.
Tip #1717: New! Improved Search in Final Cut Pro
The latest version (10.5.3) of Final Cut improves searching in the Browser. Here's what's new and how it works.
Tip #1730: Final Cut Pro Bug Workarounds
Scott Newell sent in two workarounds for a rendering and shortcut bug in Final Cut Pro. See if these solutions can help you.
Tip #1710: Tips to Avoid Filmmaker Burn-out
I’ve seen more than a few fellow filmmakers and video professionals drop out of the industry altogether. Here are some tips on avoiding burnout from PremiumBeat.com.
Tip #1711: NBC Announces 7,000 Hours of Olympics
NBCUniversal said it will have 7,000 hours of coverage of the Tokyo Olympics this summer. Here are more details, reported by NextTV.
Tip #1712: Tips on Restarting Production
With the entire season of "Mare of Easttown" now available on HBO Max, DP Ben Richardson talks the difficulties of a six-month COVID-19 pause, the benefits of Leitz Summilux lenses and his tricks for assigning the right level of suspicion to your red herrings.
Tip #1701: Very Fast, But Hidden, Skimming Trick
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.
Tip #1702: Four Dragging Tips to Speed Resizing
Here are four dragging tips when resizing media in the Motion Viewer that can make image handling faster and easier.
Tip #1703: Make an Element Invisible – FAST!
By default all elements in the Motion Layers panel are visible. But, sometimes, you want to hide something so you can see what's below it. Here's how.
Tip #1704: VFX for LED Walls Course
VFX Technologies announces their first Virtual Production interactive course! Discover how to create effects for LED walls.
Tip #1708: More Efficient Invisible Effects
Despite the ability to create fantastical worlds, the majority of the work for the visual effects industry is focused on making unnoticeable alterations. Here's a status update.
Tip #1709: Being Queer in… Motion Design
Motionographer's new series: "Being Queer in..." are candid accounts of the queer experience in the creative industries. Here's the first.
Tip #1697: The Secrets in Clip Properties
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! Learn more.
Tip #1699: The Secret Nest Switch
Hidden in plain sight in the top left corner of the timeline is the "Nest Switch." Here's what it does.
Tip #1700: What the Linked Selection Button Does
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. Learn more.
Tip #1705: Atmos, Panasonic Offer Apple ProRes RAW Recording
Atmos and Panasonic now support Apple ProRes RAW recording from a GH5s camera to a Ninja or Ninja V+. Here are the details.
Tip #1706: Olympics To Use Signiant File Transfer Software
TVTech reports that the NBC Olympics will use Signiant's File Transfer Software for the Tokyo Olympics to enable remote productions.
Tip #1707: NDI Tools 5: NDI Output from FCP & Premiere
NDI Tools announced support to enable NDI output from Apple Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects in their upcoming NDI Tools 5.
Tip #1694: What Does “Analyze & Fix” Do?
Final Cut provides an option - Analyze and Fix - that will review clips either during or after import to find and, potentially fix, any problems with the clip. Learn more.
Tip #1695: The Hidden Video Animation Editor
Attached, but hidden, to each clip in the Final Cut timeline is the Video Animation Editor. This "bar" provides anther way to adjust keyframe effects over time. Learn more.
Tip #1696: The Hidden Audio Animation Editor
Attached, but hidden, to each clip in the Final Cut timeline is the Audio Animation Editor. This "bar" provides another way to adjust keyframe effects over time. Learn more.
Tip #1686: Why “IP is the New Prime Time”
"IP" does not mean the Internet. "IP" means intellectual property. With the announced merger of WarnerMedia with Discovery, the old rules of content were shredded.
Tip #1689: Frame.io Announces v3.7.1 – Boosts Premiere
Frame.io announced version 3.7.1 with a redesigned Adobe Premiere Pro extension, improved navigation and dozens of other improvements.
Tip #1690: Lights are Getting Smaller – And That’s Great!
Smaller light sources are appearing quickly, with new options that expand creative choices for media creators.
Tip #1683: Change a Motion Project Duration
It's possible to change the duration of a Motion project - but it isn't always wise. Learn more.
Tip #1682: Explore Hidden Artwork
Generally, I encourage you to skip the templates and compositions in the Project Browser and dive right into Apple Motion. But, I discovered something today that modified my opinion.
Tip #1684: A Fast Way to Change the Background
By default, Apple Motion places all elements over a transparent background. But, what if you don't want the background to be transparent? Motion has a very easy way to change it.
Tip #1691: Monogram Now Integrates with Final Cut Pro
Monogram announced that the company worked directly with CommandPost to add improved color grading functionality between Monograms modular control surface and Final Cut Pro.
Tip #1692: 61 Seconds of Beautiful Nonsense
Take a break from reality with a 61-second plunge into summer, where nothing is what it seems and everyone is having fun. (From Yeti Pictures.)
Tip #1693: Top 15 After Effects Alternatives
After Effects is an amazingly powerful piece of software, but there are many reasons why you might want to look for an alternative. Here's a list of 15 to consider.
Tip #1679: What is Adaptive Audio
Most of the time, Adobe Premiere Pro guesses the audio format and channel assignments correctly when you import a clip. But, sometimes, you need to make changes. Here's how.
Tip #1680: The Option Makes the Difference
Sometimes, the simplest shortcuts make the biggest difference. Here's one option I can't live without.
Tip #1681: A Cool – But Useless – Feature
There's a long-time feature in Premiere that used to be really useful. Well, at the least, useful. But, now, it's essentially useless. Let me show you.
Tip #1685: The Future of Production
Software-defined workflows support creative task through connected automation. Tedial takes a look at how this will influence media production.
Tip #1687: A Compressed Guide to Codec Costs
Transmitting data has a cost — in terms of bitrate and budget which CTOs of streaming media services need to carefully weigh. Bitmovin has crunched the numbers - learn more.
Tip #1688: intoPIX Offers JPEG XS Codecs for NVIDIA
JPEG XS provides an uncompressed stream with low-bandwidth designed for production in the Cloud. Learn more.
Tip #1676: Create A New Library from an Event
Final Cut has a very useful utility that allows you to create new libraries from existing events. Here's how this works.
Tip #1677: Working with Dual-Channel Audio
Normally, when you import a two-channel audio clip, Final Cut Pro treats it as stereo. But Final Cut makes working with multi-channel audio easy. Here are some tips.
Tip #1678: Create an Animated Background – Quick
Here's a fast and fun way to create an animated background for text, graphics or other uses where you need the background animated, but not distracting.
Tip #1670: 10 Things to Know about Backlight
The backlight is an essential piece of your lighting setup. It can create separation, depth, and help you achieve that cinematic look. Here are ten tips to better lighting.
Tip #1671: 10 Tips to High Production Value – at Low Cost
High production value is what is going to draw viewers in and keep them there. Here are ten tips to high production value on a budget.
Tip #1672: Top Sources for Affordable, Royalty-Free Music
Looking for affordable, royalty free music for your video project in 2021? These resources offer the quality tracks video editors need.
Tip #1675: View Control Icons in Motion
When you add a camera or light to create a 3D group, three or four icons appear in the top right corner of the Viewer. Here's what they mean.
Tip #1674: Make a Particle System 3D
Particles, like cameras, lights, replicators and 3D Objects, can expand into 3D space. However, by default, all particle systems are set to 2D. Here's how to make the switch.
Tip #1673: Replicator Effect: Chop Sticks
Apple Motion gives us a lot of visual toys to play with as we create motion graphics. Here's one you may not have looked at very carefully: Replicators.
Tip #1662: Dissecting “Jisei” – An Animated Short
Tom Teller & Julian Connor created "Jisei" - an animated short. Here, Motionographer interviews them in-depth about how they created their film.
Tip #1663: VFX in “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.”
Here's an inside look at the VFX creation process in "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier," as told by the team that created them.
Tip #1659: 12 Principles of Animation – From Disney
Disney animators Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas wrote a book, "The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation," outlining the twelve principals of animation. Here's a summary.
Tip #1664: Add & Trim Captions
One of the new features in Premiere Pro is the ability to trim captions like clips. Here are some basic caption tips.
Tip #1665: Align Titles in Premiere Pro
Here are some intriguing icons in the Essential Graphics panel that can simplify aligning text (even though two of them are wrong). Here's what they do.
Tip #1666: Customize the Audio Mixer Meters
Premiere Pro supports customizing the audio meter display in the timeline as well as the Audio Clip and Track Mixers. Here's what's possible.
Tip #1667: Behind the Scenes: Codec Central
illustrate makes products focused on audio codecs, audio conversion and metadata. Here's a link to their Codec Central.
Tip #1668: Planning for Future File Sizes
Camera makers are rushing to support ever larger frame sizes. But, I wondered, what impact does increasing frame size have on storage requirements? The answer is: a LOT!
Tip #1669: StreamingMedia Codec Survey
StreamingMedia is conducting a survey to figure out where media encoding and transcoding are going. Learn more - and take the survey - here.
Tip #1643: Add and Modify a Hold Frame in FCP
A hold frame is a still frame that is attached to a clip in the Final Cut Pro timeline. Hold frames can be added to any video clip, with any duration you want. Here's how to create them.
Tip #1660: A Highly Useful Keyboard Shortcut
Here's a very handy keyboard shortcut to help you move quickly around the Timeline.
Tip #1661: Three Quick Video Scope Tricks
The video scopes in Apple Final Cut Pro are both flexible and powerful. Even so, we can still tweak them further. Here are three tips.
Tip #1650: How to Make Your Script More Memorable
We all want to capture the zeitgeist - the imagination of the masses - with our projects. But, what exactly makes a film or TV show quotable and memorable?
Tip #1651: David Weil on Directing.
This Filmmaker Magazine interview, with first-time director David Weil discusses his approach to directing Solos for Amazon.
Tip #1652: What Makes a Horror Film Scary?
Horror films have become predictable - a formula created to get a reaction out of the audience. NoFilmSchool analyzes what makes today's films so scary.
Tip #1647: Create a Constant Speed Change in Motion
Motion makes it possible for you to change the playback speed of clips, but this feature is pretty well hidden. Here's how this feature works.
Tip #1648: Create a Variable Speed Change in Motion
Creating a variable speed change to a video clip in Motion is involved and somewhat hidden. Here's how.
Tip #1649: Shear vs. Rotation Effects
Shear is a Transform property that you probably haven't played with. But it is quite different from Rotation. Here's an illustration.
Tip #1653: Create Landsharks Using Free Software
Here's a video tutorial on creating effects using free versions of Meshroom, Blender and Nuke Non-commercial.
Tip #1654: Add Fonts to Photoshop
DesignBuckle created a tutorial showing how to add fonts to Photoshop from Adobe Stock.
Tip #1655: The Path to MoGraph (FREE)
"The Path To MoGraph" is a free 10-day course where you'll get an in-depth look at what it takes to become a professional Motion Designer.
Tip #1644: How to Create a Fit-to-Fill Edit
A Fit-to-Fill edit changes the speed of a source clip to match a specific duration in the Timeline. Here's how to create one in Adobe Premiere Pro.
Tip #1645: Creating High-Quality Slow Motion
One of the exciting features in mobile phones these days is the easy ability to shoot high-frame rate videos. Here's how to display that glorious slomo in Adobe Premiere Pro.
Tip #1646: Timing Trick When Slowing Clips
There's a "hidden" option when you change the speed of a clip in the Timeline that can make your editing life easier. But, it is off by default. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #1656: iOS Advertising Opt In Rates
Apple now requires opt-in for all ad tracking. Flurry Analytics is tracking the results. Here's their report.
Tip #1657: Will the VVC Codec Succeed?
Jan Ozer analyzes the likelihood of success for the newly-announced VVC codec, in this article from TechRadar.com.
Tip #1658: V-Nova LCEVC Royalties Announced
LCEVC is a codec targeted at European streaming services. This week, V-Nova announced its royalty structure.
Tip #1640: A Really Fast Still Frame Trick
Here's a very fast way to create a still frame from any video clip in the Browser and edit it as a connected clip in the Apple Final Cut timeline.
Tip #1641: How to Create a Fit-to-Fill Edit
A Fit-to-Fill edit automatically alters the speed of a clip in the Browser to fit a specific duration in the Timeline. Here's how to create it.
Tip #1642: How to Add A Speed Transition
Here's how to add a speed transition to smooth speed changes in Apple Final Cut Pro.
Tip #1617: Best Cinema Cameras for Docs
Documentary filmmaking can oftentimes require a unique set of needs, skills, and demands on any production. This is especially true when it comes to the camera. Here are some top choices.
Tip #1624: LiveU Launches Subscription Production Service
LiveU launches LiveU 360° - an all-inclusive subscription-based service package. Here are the details.
Tip #1628: Tips to Keep Lenses from Fogging Up
Here are the best ways to prevent foggy lenses, and practices for keeping your lenses clean, clear, and ready to shoot in inclement weather.
Tip #1637: An Invaluable Preference Setting
If, like me, you add new elements to a Motion project only to discover that they seem to land anywhere EXCEPT where you want them, here's a very simple fix.
Tip #1638: Create a Default Motion Project Duration
Here's a quick tip on how to create a default duration for any Motion project.
Tip #1639: Switch Between Timecode & Frames
Video folks tend to think in timecode. Animators tend to think in frames. Motion supports both. Learn more.
Tip #1636: New Demos at Toolfarm
Toolfarm has added or updated 8 demos to their ever growing collection of free trials. Here's the list and the link.
Tip #1626: Defying Gravity in “Passengers”
Fabian Nowak, VES award winning Houdini artist, presented a webinar last week discussing how he created the gravity scene in "Passengers"."
Tip #1635: Converting “Terminator 2” to 3D
VFXVoice looks at the process of converting James Cameron's "Terminator 2" to 3D.
Tip #1634: New! Loudness Meter in Premiere
New with the May, 2021, update to both Audition and Premiere Pro is the Loudness Meter; separate from the long-standing Loudness Radar. Here's how the Meter works.
Tip #1627: Adobe Updates Premiere & Audition
Last week, Adobe updated both Premiere Pro and Audition. Here's what's new.
Tip #1633: New! Text Color Gradients in Premiere
Text gradients have been a part of the legacy Titler in Premiere for a while. Now, however, you can create them directly in Premiere itself. Here's how.
Tip #1623: H.264 is Going Away. Chaos is Coming.
H.264 ruled the roost - but change is coming and, this time, it won't be good. HEVC is stumbling - learn what's ahead.
Tip #1625: IP is the Future of Broadcast
The move to IP media frees broadcasters to compete more directly with streaming services. Here's an interesting discussion from the HPA Tech Retreat.
Tip #1629: What is the VVC Codec
The VVC codec is promoted as the successor to HEVC. But, what is the VVC codec and why should we consider it?
Tip #1630: Simplify Transferring a Final Cut Library
Here's a quick tip that makes sharing Final Cut Libraries between editors less stressful by consolidating custom Motion templates into the Library.
Tip #1631: Learn Where Your Library Media Is Stored
Here's a fast way to learn how much space the media for a Final Cut Library takes, what it is, and where it's stored.
Tip #1632: Change Default Color Grading Options
The Color Board is the default color grading setting for Final Cut Pro. But, you can change this. Here's how.
Tip #1609: Prompters for Remote Production
Remote and small studios require different teleprompting. TV Technology reports on how the industry is changing.
Tip #1615: Screenwriting: Utopian Societies
Dysfunctional, dystopian societies are at the core for many films - BladeRunner comes first to mind. But utopian societies, where everything is "perfect," are also film-worthy. Here are some screenwriting tips.
Tip #1616: Top 50 Perfect Shots from Star Wars Films
Someone with too much time on their hands selected the 50 live-action Star Wars cinematic universe’s most perfect frames from "A New Hope" to "The Mandalorian." See if you agree.
Tip #1611: Remove Keyframes in Motion
Sometimes, Motion creates keyframes when you don't expect them. Here's why and how to get rid of them.
Tip #1612: What Do Red Numbers Mean in Motion?
You are happily creating stuff in Motion when, all of a sudden, red numbers appear. What do they mean?
Tip #1613: A Weird Effect to Cheer You Up
The Polar filter takes something ordinary and turns it exotic weirdness. Quick and easy..
Tip #1614: BorisFX Releases Sapphire 2021.5
BorisFX updated Sapphire to version 2021.5. Here's a list of what's new.
Tip #1618: Game Design: “Galaxy’s Edge”
Here's an inside conversation on designing the look of "Tales from the Galaxy's Edge" Oculus game, from the animators themselves.
Tip #1619: ActionVFX: Crowd Stock Footage for COVID Times
ActionVFX just introduced the first two VFX collections in their new Crowd category: Sports Crowds and Concert Crowds. Each has 330 clips with variations. Learn more.
Tip #1620: How to Rename Timeline Tracks
Premiere allows renaming audio or video tracks - if you know where to click.
Tip #1621: Create Custom Workspaces
You can create an unlimited number of custom interface workspaces in Premiere. Here's how.
Tip #1622: Reduce Audio Noise in Premiere Pro
One of the new features in Adobe Premiere Pro is a filter to reduce noise in an audio clip. Properly used, this effect can salvage otherwise unusable clips.
Tip #1608: Add Metadata to Videos in Compressor
Add labels (metadata) that travel with video files in a variety of formats during compression, using Compressor. Here's how.
Tip #1610: Add Automated Job Actions in Compressor
Apple Compressor contains eight automated tasks that it can perform when compression is complete. Here's what they are.
Tip #1604: SoftRAID Now Compatible with M1 Macs
SoftRAID now works with M1 Macs and Big Sur - but it wasn't an easy journey.
Tip #1605: How to Reset a Slomo Clip to Normal
Here's a fast way to reset a slow motion clip back to normal speed in Final Cut Pro.
Tip #1606: Change Metadata Labels for Video Exports
Have you ever wondered where those labels come from when you share (export) a file? Here's what they are and how to change them.
Tip #1607: Add Metadata to Videos in Compressor
Add labels (metadata) that travel with many video files during compression, using Compressor. Here's how.
Tip #1601: Divergent Thoughts on New M1 iMacs
PremiumBeat and Larry Jordan both have thoughts on the new M1 Macs for creatives and video editing.
Tip #1602: Animation Fundamentals
Implementing the fundamentals of animation is no easy task. Here’s a quick guide to understanding and applying the basics in animation, written by two Disney animators.
Tip #1603: 6 Tips for a Successful Grass Roots Release
The past year has thrown everything but the kitchen sink at filmmakers. But there have also been bright spots. Here are tips from two producers on launching a successful grass roots release.
Tip #1592: A “Better” Way to Adjust Audio in Motion
Audio always seems like an afterthought in Motion. Audio clips are impossible to find and almost impossible to adjust. But, here's a trick that makes setting levels a bit easier.
Tip #1593: How to View Motion Keyframes
Most of the time, the mini-Timeline in Motion, combined with the Inspector, allows us to adjust keyframes without getting bogged down in too many details.
But here's what to do when you need to see them.
Tip #1594: What the Keyframe Controls Do
Most of the time, we don't need to access keyframes as a group. But, when you do, the Timing Pane has the tools you'll need. Learn more.
Tip #1599: Does Foundry Support M1 Macs?
Here's the latest update from Foundry on their support for Big Sur and M1 Macs. (Updated 4/22/2021.)
Tip #1595: Re:Vision Effects Goes Beta for M1 Mac
Re:Vision Effects is in the process of updating current versions of their plug-ins to support M1 Macs. Here's a status report.
Tip #1600: What Effects Software Runs on M1 Macs?
Toolfarm has published and recently updated a list of effects titles and their compatibility with M1 Macs. This list of over 100 applications includes those with both Rosetta and native compatibility.
Tip #1570: Video Scope Settings
At the bottom right corner of the Lumetri Scopes is a small menu called "float." This controls the detail visible in the video scopes. Here's how to set it.
Tip #1587: When to Use Render at Maximum Depth
There are new render settings for Premiere. Here's what they are and which to choose.
Tip #1588: Stitching Clips in Adobe Media Encoder
When using Adobe Media Encoder to compress clips, you can combine multiple media files into a single file when adding them to the queue. Here's how to stitch multiple clips into one.
Tip #1596: SxS Card Data Transfer Speeds
I found myself wondering about the data transfer rate of SxS cards, which a variety of cameras use for recording media. Here's what I learned.
Tip #1597: MicroSD Storage Growth
For some reason, this morning I found myself thinking about storage. Especially portable storage for cameras. And that brought me to MicroSD cards.
Tip #1598: What is an NVMe SSD?
The latest SSD storage technology is NVMe. But what makes this format so different - and so blindingly fast?
Tip #1589: New Use for Custom Overlays
In Tip #980, I showcased a new Final Cut feature: Custom Overlays. But, recently, I discovered a new use for this feature that saves time during editing.
Tip #1590: An Easy Way to See Interlaced Video
We have lived with interlaced video since the beginning of television. Fortunately, Final Cut has two ways to quickly determine if a video clip is interlaced.
Tip #1591: The Hidden Metadata of Final Cut Pro
There is a ton of metadata that Final Cut Pro tracks for each audio or video clip -- all deeply hidden in the Info Inspector. Here's how to unlock it.
Tip #1578: Video Production and the Law
When you start any business, you should know the legalities of the business. This article describes all of the considerations when it comes to video production and the law.
Tip #1582: Four Approaches to Translating Films
In addition to properly describing a film, translated titles must also navigate a minefield that runs the gamut from cultural sensitivities to market preferences.
Tip #1583: The Basics of Live Multi-cam Streaming
John Hess presents a rundown of all the elements needed to create a successful live multi-camera streaming production.
Tip #1576: The Essential Write On Behavior
Behaviors create animation without requiring keyframes, and one of the most essential behaviors is Write-on. Let me illustrate.
Tip #1575: A Simple Layers Slider
Tucked into the bottom edge of the Layers pane is an icon of two rectangles. This "scale slider" hides a useful function. Let me illustrate.
Tip #1577: Sometimes You Just Want Stuff to MOVE!
Sometimes, you just want something to move. Not a lot, but enough to catch the eye. Enter Random Motion. Look here.
Tip #1579: Understanding ACES for Color
ACES is a color management system designed to be the industry standard for color. Learn more.
Tip #1581: Bring the HEAVY Weapons to “Monster Hunter:
What are the challenges of creating a movie based on a video game with more than 1,300 visual effects? Here are some in-depth answers.
Tip #1580: Finding Inspiration in Architecture
The practice of motion design constantly evolving. But, where do you look for inspiration? Vikkal Parikh suggests: Architecture.
Tip #1571: Video Limiter Settings
In my experience, Premiere Pro’s Video Limiter effect has proven very useful as a method to keep luma and chroma levels legal for broadcast. But, there's a trick you need to know.
Tip #1568: Adjust Title Gradient Edge Softness
Philippa asks: How do I adjust the edge softness of gradients in Premiere? Well, it's pretty well hidden, but here's how.
Tip #1569: A Wrench, or Two, in the Works
In the Essential Graphics panel, part of the Graphics workspace, are two wrenches that you've probably overlooked. Here's what they do.
Tip #1584: New DJI Air 2S Drone with 5.4K Images
DJI updated the popular Mavic Air 2 with a 1″ sensor and a new name. Plus, it shoots 5.4K/30 images. Learn more.
Tip #1585: Canon Utility Converts Cameras to Webcams
The EOS Webcam Utility is Canon’s answer to the ongoing webcam shortage. It’s really, really easy to set up, and the picture quality is top notch. Here’s how it all works.
Tip #1586: Video Tips for Nikon Cameras
Nikon has published an excellent series of tutorials on using Nikon cameras for stills and video with sections on lighting, technology and creativity. Here's the link.
Tip #1572: What Is Range Check?
Range check is a special option in the Viewer > View menu that flags shadow or highlight levels that are "illegal" for the timeline video clip containing the playhead. Here's how to turn it on.
Tip #1573: The Broadcast Safe Effect
The Broadcast Safe effect clamps video levels so that they do not exceed safe levels. This works, but there are limitations. Learn more.
Tip #1574: The Video Scope View Menu
The View menu, in the top-right corner of the Video Scopes, provides options to customize their display. Here are the options.
Tip #1559: Top 10 Filmmaking News Sites
Filmmakers should always be striving to improve their skillset. So, fire up your favorite browser. Here are PremiumBeat's top ten favorite filmmaking news sites.
Tip #1560: Female Filmmakers: Sony Has $$ For You
Alpha Female was created to help close the diversity gap and make our industry an environment where all voices have an opportunity to thrive. Plus, there's money in it.
Tip #1562: Instagram Reel Editing Tips
Here are six tips to improve your video editing using the Instagram app.
Tip #1553: Creating Imperfections: Droplets
Sometimes, you don't want things to look perfect. You'd rather they look a bit more "real." Here's an effect to consider.
Tip #1554: Just Playin’ Around
Here's an interesting technique that creates synced movement using a copied motion path... and a flying rock.
Tip #1555: Spins Can Also Be 3D
When we work with video in Motion, it is easy to overlook that the Spin behavior actually works in 3D. But it does. Here's how.
Tip #1561: How to Get Started in Motion Capture – FREE
Trying to decide if motion capture is for you. Here are some free tools and assets to help you explore this part of the VFX industry.
Tip #1563: Inspiration Resource
Motionographer is dedicated to "unexpected inspiration" for visual effects artists. And a highlight is their "Quickies."
Tip #1565: 10 Mo-Graph Artists to Follow on Twitter
If you are a motion graphic designer or just interested in the art form, here are 10 mo-graph artists that you should definitely be following on Twitter.
Tip #1556: Use Curves to Create Custom Gradients
I was messing with curves to create a screen shot for an ad. What I discovered, totally by accident, is that this is also a great way to create custom gradients.
Tip #1557: Caution When Using the Video Limiter!
The Video Limiter is an effect that clamps white and black levels to "legal" levels. However, there are two significant problems with the Video Limiter that you need to be careful about.
Tip #1558: Change Color Grades Within a Shot
You have a shot where the talent walks into an interior scene from the outside. In post you are looking at a shot that probably starts color balanced, then goes orange. How do you fix it?
Tip #1566: What is a “Reference Monitor?”
My friends, we are making ourselves crazy. We have been set to the task of achieving a pinnacle of perfection, while being given imperfect tools. Alexis van Hurkman has advice on picking the right color-grading monitor.
Tip #1564: Premiere Pro’s Color Management
"Why don't my colors look right?" The underlying assumption that they should match is a fallacy and Oliver Peters explains why in this article.
Tip #1567: A New Way to Create Color “Looks”
Color.io just launched Photon 3D Color Grading and Match, both designed to enable colorists to create the visual looks they need. Here are the details.
Tip #1541: Create Shapes Filled with Video
OK, this is tricky, but worth trying. Here's how to create a shape in Photoshop, fill it with moving video in Final Cut, then place it over a background.
Tip #1542: More Hidden Uses of the Tilde Key
Stefan Sonnekus shares this hidden feature of using the Tilde key to move clips in the Primary Storyline.
Tip #1552: Add Rain Drops to Your Video
Shooting video in the rain is rarely a pleasant experience. Fortunately, Final Cut offers the ability to add rain later, in post, where things are warm and dry. Here's how.
Tip #1543: Use B-Roll More Effectively
B-roll can be just as important—or even have more impact—than A-roll when used properly. Here are some tips.
Tip #1544: Pick the Best SloMo Frame Rate
Which frame rates should you shoot to slow the action? Not all frame rates create the same effect. Here's some tips.
Tip #1545: What Media Tech Can Expect Post-Pandemic
TVBEurope wanted to find how the industry is feeling about the future. Here's a summary of what they expect this year.
Tip #1539: Quickly Fill a Shape with a Gradient
Here's a very fast way to fill a shape with a gradient in Apple Motion.
Tip #1538: Working with PDFs in Motion
Motion handles PDFs differently from both Final Cut and Premiere. But, it still doesn't handle them well. Learn more.
Tip #1540: Create Movement with a Zoom Blur
Here's a fast way to make a still image look like it's moving.
Tip #1546: Autocad Resources for Educators
Autodesk created a webpage specifically for educators providing resources for students and teachers. Here's the link.
Tip #1547: Ask the Artist: Nemanja Sekulic
Nemanja Sekulic is a world-class photo-manipulator. Here's his interview with BorisFX.com on his workflow and portfolio.
Tip #1548: Training & Tutorials from Foundry
Foundry offers a free license to four of their apps for students who qualify. There's also a wealth of other training materials on their website. Learn more here.
Tip #1523: Multicam Audio Workaround
Here's a workaround, from Lee Berger, on how to make 4 discreet XAVC audio tracks available in Premiere.
Tip #1536: Working with PDFs in Premiere
Premiere does not support importing PDF documents. This doesn't mean that you can't use them. Here are two workarounds.
Tip #1537: A Fast Way to Improve an Image
If you have an image that isn't exposed properly and you need a quick fix, here's how.
Tip #1551: Create Still or Moving Watermarks
Apple Compressor has a hidden feature that can create watermarks that move. Here's how.
Tip #1549: What Is Handbrake?
HandBrake is a free open-source video transcoder available for Linux, Mac, and Windows. Learn more.
Tip #1550: Use Nesting to Add Power to Watch Folders
Adobe Media Encoder supports creating nested watch folders, which is a great way to perform multiple actions at once. Learn more here.
Tip #1528: A Better Way to Replace JPEG Images
Scott was having problems when he replaced one JPEG with another; it often altered the clip order in the timeline. The fix was simple.
Tip #1534: Faster, Focused, Final Cut Pro Help
Apple made two significant changes to the Help system in Final Cut Pro in the 10.5 release. Both will help you find the information you need faster.
Tip #1535: Better Options Working with PDF Files
When you import a PDF file into Final Cut, it gets converted into a PNG. This causes problems when you need to scale the image. Here are two workarounds.
Tip #1524: The IP Video Revolution in Here
The shift from digital to IP media turned into a race in 2020. Primestream just published a free, 7-page, illustrated white paper on the transition.
Tip #1525: Monetize Images Using Blockchain
NFTs are digital assets whose ownership is verified using blockchain technology. Media creators can use them to verify purchases and accrue royalties. Learn more.
Tip #1527: Directing Advice from Denis Villeneuve
Denis Villeneuve is quickly becoming one of the best sci-fi directors of our time. With Blade Runner 2049 and Arrival being massive successes, here his thoughts on directing.
Tip #1531: Motion Titles for FCP are More Than Text
When you create a title template in Motion for use in either Motion or Final Cut, you are not limited to only using text. You can actually do far more.
Tip #1532: Align: A Cool, Unused Behavior
Align is one of those Basic Motion behaviors that you probably never use. Mostly because Fade In/Out, Spin, Throw and Motion Path are more obvious and useful. But Align has some very cool traits. Let me illustrate.
Tip #1533: Point At: A Little-Used Behavior
Point At is a Basic Motion behavior. It points an element at another element, no matter where each of them moves. Here's how this works.
Tip #1526: Design Trends for 2021
Millions of Shutterstock users search for media daily. Tracking search terms helps spot design trends. Here are their top ten and these are amazing!
Tip #1529: Real-Time VFX Conference Returns
Real-time VFX has been making massive leaps in the past few years. The RealTime Conference returns with two free events devoted to real-time VFX.
Tip #1530: Boris FX Continuum Public Beta for FCP
Boris FX just released a free, public beta of Continuum 2021 for Final Cut Pro and Motion editors. Here are the details, including a download link.
Tip #1518: Absolute vs. Relative Audio Levels
There are two ways to adjust the volume of any audio clip: Absolute and Relative. Here's what these terms mean and how they work.
Tip #1519: Hidden Media Replacement Controls
There's a hidden feature in the new motion graphic templates that allow media replacement. I mentioned this in last week's tip, but it deserves more attention.
Tip #1520: Caption Track Tricks
One of the exciting new features in Premiere's new caption workflow is its flexibility. Let me illustrate.
Tip #1521: Use FFmpeg to Create HEVC Files for iPhones
This command line tweak describes how to use FFmpeg for HEVC compression that plays on iOS devices.
Tip #1516: What is FFmpeg?
Underlying many popular transcoding or media viewer applications, like VLC Player or Handbrake, is FFmpeg. Here's some background.
Tip #1522: Salvaging Dead Codecs: LibreOffice
I've been creating files on computers for a long, long time. One of the challenges is opening files that are decades old created with dead codecs. Here's some help.
Tip #1514: Tilde Key Secrets
The tilde key (~) has two very useful - but obscure - functions in Final Cut Pro. Let me illustrate.
Tip #1515: A Faster Shortcut to Audio Levels
Normally, we adjust clip volumes by dragging the volume line in the clip up or down. But there's a faster way. Here's the tip.
Tip #1517: Absolute vs. Relative Audio Levels
There are two ways to adjust the volume of any audio clip: Absolute and Relative. Here's what these terms mean and how they work.
Tip #1508: Streaming Subscribers Pass 1 Billion Worldwide
The Motion Picture Association, in its annual THEME report, stated that streaming subscribers exploded in 2020 - adding more than 230 million new viewers worldwide.
Tip #1509: 2 Newsletters to Track Broadcast Media
There are two reports I get every day that are very helpful in tracking what's going on at the high-end of the media industry: broadcast and film.
Tip #1510: A Quick Guide to Steadicams
The world of Steadicams and stabilized footage has drastically changed over the last decade. Gimbals are popular, but Steadicams do more. Plus, prices are falling. Learn more.
Tip #1501: Get Rid of a White Background
Removing a white background in Motion is easy, but the settings are hard to find. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #1482: Don’t Get Lost in 3D Space
Once you add lights or cameras to a Motion project, you move into 3D space. And that is a place where it is easy to get lost. Here are three shortcuts to help you find your way home.
Tip #1503: The Colorize Filter is an Essential Friend
A very helpful tool in Apple Motion is the Colorize filter. This turns black-and-white graphics into something MUCH more interesting. Learn more.
Tip #1511: Adobe Super Resolution for Low-Res Images
Using machine learning to analyze millions of sample photographs, Adobe’s Super Resolution can enlarge photos without jagged edges or lost details. Learn more.
Tip #1512: Rediscover the State-of-the-Art
Maxon’s 3D and Motion Design Show features the world’s top motion graphics and VFX artists showcasing 3D techniques and real-world production workflows.. Learn more.
Tip #1513: Something New-ish for Still Images
Released last year, Boris FX Optics is a plug-in and stand-alone application that is designed to correct, enhance, and stylize images with an easy-to-use interface.
Tip #1504: New Feature: Media Replacement
The new replaceable media feature in Motion Graphic templates, created in After Effects for use in Premiere Pro, is very cool - and easy to use. Once you know one trick.
Tip #1496: Caption Formats Supported by Premiere Pro
There are so many caption formats because every distributor has a different preference. Here's a list of the caption formats supported by the 2021 release of Adobe Premiere Pro.
Tip #1505: New Feature: Faster Warp Stabilizer
One of the new features in the 2021 update to Premiere Pro is a faster Warp Stabilizer. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #1502: Media Encoder Supports More Codecs
With the release of the 2021 update to Adobe Media Encoder, AME now supports more codecs. Here are the details.
Tip #1506: M1 Macs Accelerate 10-bit HEVC Compression
The new M1 chip from Apple can accelerate encoding H.264, 8-bit HEVC, and 10-bit HEVC using hardware. Learn more.
Tip #1507: Enable Hardware Acceleration in AME
Adobe Media Encoder can take advantage of hardware acceleration for compression. Here's how to turn it on.
Tip #1497: Edit Using 3-4 Monitors on an M1 Mac
Rick Dupea has been running his Final Cut M1 edit station for two weeks now with four monitors. Here's how he got all those monitors working.
Tip #1498: Fixing a Zoom Audio Problem
Patrick Flaherty discovered a work-around for audio dropouts caused by recording Zoom meetings.
Tip #1500: Detached vs. Expanded Audio in FCP
What's the difference between "expanded" vs. "detached" audio, and does it make a difference? To answer the second question first: Yes!
Tip #1487: 8 Filmmaking Lessons from “Mission: Impossile”
There are many fillmaking lessons to learn from the first Mission: Impossible. Here are eight of them.
Tip #1488: Totally Off-the-Wall Fun Fact
Zeiss makes lenses for cameras, and microscopes. Here's a bizarre fact that puts expanding frame sizes into perspective.
Tip #1489: 3 Stories About Optics, Sight & Lenses
Zeiss recently launched: "Zeiss Stories." Profiles on how optics changed history. Here are three stories I think you'll find interesting.
Tip #1463: Canvas View options
Adding a light or camera to Motion also requires that you switch into 3D. When that happens, a new menu appears in the top left corner of the Canvas. Here's what the options mean.
Tip #1466: 10 Motion Shortcuts I Wish I Knew Earlier
Here are ten Layers panel keyboard shortcuts that I find REAlLY useful.
Tip #1483: Quick Lighting Trick
Here's a quick lighting trick to add visual interest to 3D text or a 3D object: Add a light.
Tip #1484: No One Said Visual Effects Are Easy
"Greyhound" added 1,300 visual effects in post because the practical effects createdon set didn't work. VFXVoice has a detailed article on what they did - and, boy!, it wasn't easy.
Tip #1485: 5 Resources for Color Palettes
When you open a color picker, there are 16 million colors to choose from. Here are five color palette systems to help you pick the right ones.
Tip #1486: 53 After Effects Tutorials – FREE
Creative Bloq has organized 53 of the best free After Effects tutorials and organized them all in one spot. Here's the link.
Tip #1479: Adobe Updates Premiere Pro
This week, Adobe released new versions of its video and audio applications. There is a LOT in these new releases. Here are the details.
Tip #1480: Premiere Speech-to-Text Goes Beta
Adobe announced that Speech-to-Text is coming to Adobe Premiere Pro. Automatically generate a transcript and add captions to your videos. Here's how to sign up.
Tip #1481: Adobe Stock Has Improved Templates
The latest version of After Effects supports creating motion graphic templates with replaceable media. Adobe Stock now offers these templates.
Tip #1490: Problems Playing Android Videos
Warren Nelson shot video on an Android phone that wouldn't play on a Mac. The problem? A changed setting. Learn more.
Tip #1491: Telestream Purchases Masstech
Telestream acquires Masstech to improve Telestream's content storage/management software. Learn more.
Tip #1492: Shift to Digital Media Accelerating
The COVID-19 crisis drove digital media audiences way up, while traditional media stagnated. Here are more details from Axios.
Tip #1493: How to Create a Split Edit
A split edit is where the audio and video edit at different times. This workhorse of editing is easy to create - here's how.
Tip #1494: How to Use Clip Skimming
Clip skimming is a high-speed way to review a single audio clip, without hearing any of the other clips that surround it. Here's how to enable it.
Tip #1495: Keyboard Shortcuts to Change Audio Levels
You can change audio levels by dragging the clip's audio volume line up or down.
Here are several shortcuts to make this even faster.
Tip #1476: Walter Murch: Thoughts on Editing
I've been a fan of Walter Murch for many years, with the great pleasure of meeting him twice. Recently, Jourdan Aldredge wrote an article for PremiumBeat.com, on how Walter edits a film.
Tip #1477: Is “[REC]” the Best Found Footage Film?
Admit it, found footage films are a bit predictable. But why are the scares so damn horrific in [REC]? Here's an analysis.
Tip #1478: Sony: Insights and Filmmaking
The Sony Insight & Filmmaking webpage provides creative ideas spanning from indie filmmakers to features. Even if you don't use Sony, it's worth a look.
Tip #1440: How to Export a Partial Motion Project
Most of the time, when you finish a Motion project, you want to export all of it. But, what do you do if you only want to export some of it? Easy. Watch.
Tip #1432: Secrets of the Spinning Gear
Have you ever noticed a small gear spinning in the lower right corner of the Viewer? Well, here's what that means.
Tip #1454: Expose Shows What’s In a Motion Project
Often, Motion projects get so complex, it can be hard to find and modify the element you need to adjust. The Expose feature helps solve that problem.
Tip #1473: Lunar Animation: Mac Pro Big Help in VFX
Lunar Animation wrote a detailed blog about how using the high-end Mac Pro enabled their animation activities over the last year. It's deeply detailed and well-worth reading.
Tip #1475: Recreating 1859 Harpers Ferry
VFXVoice interviews the VFX team creating the effects for "The Good Lord Bird." Here's an excerpt and a link.
Tip #1464: Maxon Acquires forger
Last week, Maxon announced it has acquired forger, professional-level sculpting workflows on mobile devices. Here are the details.
Tip #1469: Set a Marker Range
Normally, a marker in Premiere indicates a specific point in time. However, you can extend a marker to cover a range in the timeline. Here's how.
Tip #1465: Add Different Marker Colors in Real-Time
A reader asks: "Is it possible to create different color markers during playback in Premiere? I could then highlight answers during an interview in real-time." The answer is: Yes. Here's how.
Tip #1471: Four Faster Timeline Mouse Shortcuts
Here are four mouse shortcuts you can use in Premiere's timeline to move around faster; plus one that you already know.
Tip #1434: Fix for Intermittent Audio Playback
Shaun had a problem importing a Teams .mp4 file. Audio kept disappearing. Then, he discovered the easy fix.
Tip #1468: Which is Better: WebM or MP4?
There are a gazillion codecs out there. WebM is one of the newer ones. Is it better than MP4?
Tip #1467: Create WebM Files on a Mac
Last week, we learned that WebM support is in the current beta build of Safari. Here are several tools that create WebM files.
Tip #1470: Apple Releases Final Cut Pro 10.5.2
Last week, Apple released Final Cut Pro 10.5.2. This is principally a bug fix release. Here's what's new.
Tip #1472: FCP: Problems Chroma-Keying HDR Media
There seems to be a problem chroma-keying HDR green screen footage that was shot on an iPhone 12 using HEVC 10-bit HLG. I’m running Apple Final Cut Pro 10.5.2 on macOS Catalina.
Tip #1474: Adjust the Anchor Point for Better Moves
The anchor point determines where an image revolves or scales. Here's how and why to change its position.
Tip #1455: A Win for Creative Folks
Not all of us work in broadcast, but many of us have seen projects canceled when an initial showing didn't generate immediate success.
Tip #1456: Google is Dumbing Down TVs
Google recently announced that it will allow users of an upcoming version of Google TV to select a "Basic TV" feature. Here's what this announcement means.
Tip #1448: 3D Navigation Controls
Once you add a camera to a Motion project, three new navigation controls appear in the top right corner of the Canvas (Viewer). Here's what they do.
Tip #1449: Add Depth of Field to a Camera
Depth of field (focus) can be added to any camera in Motion; though it is off by default. Here's how to turn it on and adjust it.
Tip #1450: Simple 3D Text Lighting Tricks
The more I play with 3D text in Motion, the more fun I have. Here is a very quick way to dramatically change the look of your text.
Tip #1461: Easy Sky Replacement in DaVinci Resolve
Replacing an undercast or overexposed sky is one of those techniques that, if your client sees you doing it once, they’ll want it every time! Luckily, there are plenty of tools built-in to DaVinci Resolve that make replacing a sky a breeze. Here's a tutorial.
Tip #1460: A Look Inside “Tenet’s” Effects
VFXVoice recently discussed the in-camera effects of "Tenet" with VFX Supervisor Andrew Jackson.
Tip #1462: Create 3D Voxel Art
MagicaVoxel offers a GPU-based path-tracing renderer, which creates images that look like legos. Here's a free creation utility and sample projects.
Tip #1457: Premiere’s Floating Timecode Panel
Premiere has a floating timecode panel which simplifies tracking project durations and selections. Learn more.
Tip #1458: Quick Sky Enhancement
Here's a fast way to improve the look of a cloud-filled sky, using a simple gradient and a blend mode in Premiere.
Tip #1459: A Hidden Keyframe Menu
Most of the time, we add a keyframe and move on. But, hidden in the Effect Controls panel is a wide range of keyframe options that can add life to your visual effects. Learn more.
Tip #1435: What Is WebM
Developed and owned by Google, WebM is an audiovisual media file format. It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative for web streaming. Here's a quick summary of what it is and how it's used.
Tip #1436: Safari to Support WebM on Macs
According to the latest beta builds, WebM is coming to Apple Safari. Learn more.
Tip #1437: What are Vorbis or Opus Codecs?
WebM is a container format that uses VP8 or VP9 codecs for video and Vorbis or Opus codecs for audio. So, what are these audio codecs?
Tip #1451: Drop Zone Secrets
A drop zone is an image placeholder, created in Motion, for use in Final Cut Pro. Drop zones can be added to titles, effects, transitions or generators. Here's a secret tip.
Tip #1452: The Mysterious Red Box
You've seen it from time to time, the mysterious red box in Final Cut's Viewer. What the heck is it?
Tip #1453: An Editing Keyboard Shortcut
Anything that speeds the editing process is a good thing. Here are three keyboard shortcuts that simplify editing clips into the timeline.
Tip #1438: Another Way to Find the Right Guests
MatchMaker.fm is a relatively new service that seeks to connect podcasters - or anyone doing an interview, actually - with guests. Learn more.
Tip #1439: The Importance of Diversity
Tanya Jones has written an excellent - and short - essay on the challenges of diversity on a film set. There's good and bad - and reasons for hope. Learn more.
Tip #1442: Blackmagic Releases 6K Pocket Camera
The latest Pocket camera is "a new more powerful model that includes features for high end digital film. Here are the details.
Tip #1423: Messing with Transitions in Motion
By default, the two drop-zones in a Final Cut transition template cut between each other. But, it is easy to change, if you know where to look.
Tip #1424: Lights Can Help 2D Video
One of the most powerful, but little known, features in Apple Motion are its lights. These can benefit video clips in ways you might not expect.
Tip #1425: Cool 3D Text Lighting Tricks
This tip started by asking: "What can I do with directional lighting in Apple Motion?" The answer is: "Quite a lot of very cool stuff!"
Tip #1443: More Free After Effects Tutorials
MotionArray.com recently published more free After Effects tutorials on their website, with a special focus on text and typography.
Tip #1441: Creativity is Always a Leap of Faith
Kaitlyn Yang, an immigrant and wheelchair-user, founded VFX house Alpha Studios when she was 25. She reflects on the struggle for diversity.
Tip #1444: Adult Animation is in its Heyday
There has never been a better time to develop an animated series. Why? Because adult animation is wildly successful today. Learn more.
Tip #1445: Change a Sequence Starting Timecode
The default starting timecode of 00:00:00:00 is fine for most sequences, but sometimes you need to change it. Here's how.
Tip #1446: Match Captions to Sequence Timecode
This was a tricky problem. What happens when caption timecode doesn't match sequence timecode? The answer is: Nothing - or - a LOT!
Tip #1447: Change Caption Timing
Captions are contained in a caption file. These can be trimmed, moved, added, deleted or edited. Here's how.
Tip #1431: Editing ProRes RAW in DaVinci Resolve
ProRes RAW can be edited in Final Cut, Premiere and Media Composer. But, not Resolve. However, there's a workaround.
Tip #1430: Who Supports Blackmagic RAW
Last week, Blackmagic Design released the latest iteration of their smallest camera: The Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro. The camera supports only two codecs: Blackmagic RAW and ProRes. Who else supports BMD RAW?
Tip #1433: Uncompressed vs. Raw vs. Log Video
Raw is not video. Log is video. And almost all video formats are compressed, even the uncompressed ones. Andy Shipsides has the details.
Tip #1426: Create a Stand-Alone Still Frame
One of the more hidden features in Final Cut Pro is creating a stand-alone still frame. I use these constantly when I'm editing my webinars. Here's how to create them.
Tip #1427: What Are “Reference Waveforms”?
There's an option in Final Cut Pro's Editing Preferences called "Reference Waveforms." What are these things?
Tip #1428: Built-in Clip & Batch Renaming
Buried at the bottom of the Info Inspector in Final Cut Pro is a clip and batch renaming utility that can save you a lot of time. Learn more.
Tip #1410: Frame.io Launches “Camera To Cloud”
Frame.io launches Camera To Cloud, a breakthrough technology that changes how films are made in this era of remote work. Learn more.
Tip #1412: Frame.io’s Camera To Cloud Hardware
To make Frame.io's newly launched "Camera to Cloud" service work requires a combination of hardware. Here are details.
Tip #1413: Top 10 Digital Video Cameras
In the past year, we’ve seen major technological breakthroughs in cameras. Here's PremiumBeat's Top Ten list for new cameras.
Tip #1429: Blackmagic Announces New Gear
On Wednesday, Blackmagic Design announced several new products, including a new 6K camera. Here's the latest.
Tip #1406: Lighting Can Bog Down Your System
Lighting in Apple Motion is render-intensive. Here's how to turn it off temporarily.
Tip #1405: Four Ways to Light in Motion
The default light in Motion is "ambient." But there is much more flexibility when you add custom lights. Here are the four types.
Tip #1407: How to Enable Shadows From Lighting
All custom lights in Apple Motion can cast shadows - except for Ambient lights. Here's how to turn them on; or off.
Tip #1420: Virtual Production Takes Big Step Forward
Unreal Engine is now creating photorealistic environments for media production on set. Actors see what they are doing without waiting for post. VFX Pros share their opinions on what's next.
Tip #1421: Tips for Editing Better Trailers
Trailers have always been important. But in today's Internet world they have become vital for just about everything.
Tip #1422: What’s the Best Way to Show Screens?
Screens are the cigarettes of 2020s cinema, and we’re not going to quit anytime soon. Better figure out how to make the most of them! Here are some examples from Sundance.
Tip #1414: New Features in Premiere Pro
Adobe's monthly updates continue - this month with improvements in export speed, audio renders and bug fixes.
Tip #1415: Bugs Fixed in 2021 Premiere Updates
Adobe continues their push to improve the stability of Premiere Pro. Here's a list of the bugs they've fixed recently.
Tip #1416: Tips to Export HDR Media
Both H-264 and HEVC support 10-bit media, but only if you get the settings right. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #1408: A Quick History of HEVC
I got into a discussion with Birdie on HEVC, which led me into researching more about it's history.
Tip #1409: Does H.264 support HDR?
The answer is a surprising "maybe," and depends upon the compression software and compression profile you are using.
Tip #1411: With H.264, the Profile Makes a Big Difference
When compressing H.264 media, the profile you pick determines what you get. Here's what the profile options mean.
Tip #1417: Use Multiple Drives for Libraries and Media
Berta asks: "Using FCP X, can I save my library and project files to one external drive while using a second external drive for media?" Here's the answer.
Tip #1418: What Do the 3D Text Lighting Controls Do?
There are lots of options on how to light 3D text in Final Cut. Here are some settings to play with to make your text eye-catching.
Tip #1419: Use Motion Drop Zones for Lighting Effects
Final Cut Pro doesn't have the same lighting control as Motion. But, by using drop zones, you can light in Motion then use the results in Final Cut. Here's how.
Tip #1397: Shure Requests Dedicated Wireless Mic Channel
Shure asked the FCC to overturn its decision and dedicate a UHF channel to wireless mics. Or else there may not be any space left for productions.
Tip #1398: Creativity Conference Now Online
The Creativity Conference 2021 premiered with 93 presentations and panels covering the full range of creative arts. Here's how to get access to them - free.
Tip #1399: DPP: Predictions for Media in 2021
The DPP, a London-based think-tank focused on media, published its annual predictions for 2021. Here's their full report - and a free download.
Tip #1388: Learn Apple Motion In Depth
This in depth bundle of training videos, hosted by Larry Jordan, covers everything you need to know to make the most of this powerful motion graphics program.
Tip #1389: Move the Anchor Point for Better Zooms
The Anchor Point is that position around which an image rotates or scales. Moving the Anchor Point makes for much more interesting moves. Here's how.
Tip #1390: Put Text on a Curve
All curves in Motion are created using paths. But there's no "text-curve" tool. Here's how to give your text a curve.
Tip #1404: How to Comp a Shot in 3 Different Tools
There are many ways to achieve an effect. This article follows compositer Marijn Eken as he compares using Nuke, Fusion and After Effects to create a high-quality composite.
Tip #1402: Notes from “Mank’s” VFX Producer
Mank co-producer and VFX Producer Peter Mavromates shares his thoughts on creating the visual effects in "Mank."
Tip #1403: A VFX Workflow for “Mank”
X2X wrote four detailed articles on the Mank VFX workflow. Here's a summary, plus links to the entire set.
Tip #1370: intoPIX JPEG XS Now Supports Premiere
intoPIX announced the launch of its JPEG XS Plugin for Adobe Premiere for video editing and live streaming. Learn more.
Tip #1395: Saturation vs. Vibrance
What's the difference between Vibrance and Saturation? Something significant, actually. Learn more.
Tip #1396: Change a Specific Setting – FAST!
There's a fast way to change Motion settings in the Program Monitor. Here's a trick that prevents changing the wrong one.
Tip #1393: LTO 9 – Coming Soon
LTO 9 is coming in the first half of 2021. Learn what this new storage technology provides.
Tip #1400: Audio Butler: Automatic Audio Mixing
Alex Audio Butler just released an upgrade to its automatic audio mixing package for Adobe Premiere and DaVinci Resolve. Learn more.
Tip #1401: The Future of Media is Streaming
The powers that be at all of the major networks understand that the future belongs to streaming. Their goal is to make the switch-over as painless as possible. Learn more.
Tip #1391: Interesting Facts About Audio Meters
Most of us know that the audio meters measure the volume of our sound. But here are some facts about the audio meters you may not know.
Tip #1392: A Quick 3D Rotation
There is a hidden setting in the Flipped effect that makes it even more useful. Learn more.
Tip #1394: Track Your Changes – Faster
There's a new feature in Final Cut that can help you track project changes faster - but it is hidden by default.
Tip #1374: Unions Approve Resuming Production
SAG-AFTRA, PGA and JPC agree to resume media production in LA starting Feb. 1. Here are the details.
Tip #1378: Faster Ways to Edit Audio Files
The big problem with editing a documentary is the vast amount of material you need to sift through. There's only so much you can keep in your head. Builder NLE can help.
Tip #1379: Keys to Success from an Executive Producer
From being prepared to checking your ego, here are a few industry lessons from an executive producer to help you stand out and always make the cut.
Tip #1377: Create a Reflection
Reflections in Motion are off by default. Here's how to enable them.
Tip #1381: Precisely Control the Position of Anything
Most of the time, when we drag objects into position in Motion they look fine. But, sometimes, you need more precise control. Here's what you need to do.
Tip #1382: Playing With Gradients
This started by me asking: What happens if I change this? The end result? A simple effect to create the illusion of depth.
Tip #1375: Red Giant Offers Free Color Training
Red Giant, now a part of Maxon, announced "Demystifying Post-Production: Shooting for the Grade." Free color training sessions in February.
Tip #1383: New Ways to Educate Tomorrow’s Pros
When the pandemic scrambled classes, here's how several film schools responded to maintain instruction.
Tip #1384: Add Punch to a Dissolve
There is a lot of visual potential hidden even in the most mundane dissolve - if you know what to look for.
Tip #1371: Introducing intoPIX JPEG XS
JPEG XS is targeted at high-end video applications, such broadcasting, broadcast contribution, and virtual reality applications. Learn why.
Tip #1369: Premiere Pro, Big Sur and M1 Macs
Here's a quick update on Adobe Premiere Pro's support for Big Sur and M1 Macs.
Tip #1372: Premiere Pro Sundance NLE of Choice
Adobe Premiere Pro was used by more filmmakers taking part in the 2021 Sundance Film Festival than any other NLE. Here are the details.
Tip #1373: New Features in the Latest Premiere Release
Adobe announced new features in the latest releases of Premiere and After Effects. Here are the details.
Tip #1376: Avoid Image Degradation
How do you maintain image quality while changing the size of an image (aka "Scaling"). The answer is simple, in theory, but tricky in practice.
Tip #1380: Quantum Acquires CatDV
Quantum announced that it has acquired Square Box Systems, a specialist in data cataloging and digital asset management software. Learn more.
Tip #1385: Hidden Dissolve Options In Final Cut Pro
Normally, when we need a dissolve in Final Cut, we type Cmd+T, adjust the timing and move on. However, there is a wealth of creative options if you know where to look.
Tip #1386: Drop Zone Secret
I only discovered this tip this week and it is a huge time-saver when using drop zones.
Tip #1387: Calculating Clip Positions
All NLEs determine position using pixel coordinates. Where those coordinates start is called the 0,0 position. However, Final Cut has simplified where this is set.
Tip #1362: Create Stock Video That Sells
Shooting stock video footage can make you money. These tips explain how.
Tip #1360: Tips for Filming Undercover
For those interested in careers as documentarians, you’ll need to get used to filming undercover and undetected. Here are some tips.
Tip #1361: The Vocabulary of the Gimbal
Gimbals are replacing cranes - but good cinematography also requires your cast and crew know what you are doing. Here are key terms and images.
Tip #1364: Change the Motion Background
By default, the background in Motion is transparent, though it is displayed in the Viewer as black. However, you DO have options.
Tip #1363: Change Motion’s Project Properties
Normally, you set essential project properties when you create a project using the Project Browser. But, what happens if you need to change project settings after the project is created?
Tip #1365: Change Reflection Settings
By default, Motion does not allow one object - such as text - to reflect off another object. Not only can you change this, you can also modify the reflections themselves.
Tip #1368: Learn 3D in Cinema 4D Lite
Cinema 4D Lite is the free version of Cinema 4D that ships with Adobe After Effects. In these 31 free tutorials, learn how to use the power of Cinema 4D
Tip #1366: The New AI Frontier of VFX
If there’s a buzz phrase right now in visual effects, it’s “machine learning.” VFXVoice interviewed the experts to learn more.
Tip #1367: When to Use, or NOT Use, a LUT
A LUT is just a "lookup table." That's it. It's a table of values that changes grayscale or color values. But it has limits. Learn more.
Tip #1351: Creating 64-bit Media
Al asks: "I'm running 10.8.5 and have the Adobe CS6 suite. Can I use Adobe Media Encoder to convert my video to 64-bit so it’s usable on the newer Macs?"
Tip #1355: Create a Poster Frame for iPhone Video
This tip was suggested by Darcy Peters, who discovered a very cool way to add poster frames for iPhone movies.
Tip #1359: How to Find Available Shortcuts
Adobe Premiere Pro has hundreds of potential keyboard shortcuts - but only a fraction of these are enabled. Here's how to find what's missing.
Tip #1357: Customize the Timeline
The Timeline Wrench icon provides many ways to customize the timeline in Premiere. Here are your options.
Tip #1358: Save & Manage Timeline Presets
One of the challenges in any large edit is seeing what you've got across all the tracks you are working with. Track Height presets make this easy. Here's how.
Tip #1356: Fixing Unix Executable Files
Most of the time, your images, media and documents open when you need them on a Mac. However, if you discover your files are unopenable "Unix executables," here's how to fix it.
Tip #1352: Change Clip Speed with “Blade Speed”
When you want to change the speed of a clip, the Blade Speed option is a really good place to start.
Tip #1353: Disable Speed Transitions
When you change the speed of a clip segment, Final Cut adds speed transitions to smooth the speed change. Here's how to turn them off.
Tip #1354: Adjust a Speed Transition
By default, when you change the speed of a portion of a clip (Tip #1352), Final Cut inserts a speed transition to smoothly blend the speed change across several frames. Here's how to modify it.
Tip #1344: Which to Shoot – 4K or 1080p?
Nearly every new camera has the ability to film in 4K (even action cameras and phones!). So, this poses a question, “Should anybody be filming in 1080p anymore?” The answer is surprising.
Tip #1345: Creating an Improv Web Series in 7 Days
This might come as a surprise, but we shot a six-episode improv comedy web series in seven days. Here's how they did it.
Tip #1346: 11 Pre-Production Essentials
Got a big shoot coming up? Not sure how to prepare? Don't panic. Here's the ultimate pre-production checklist at your service!
Tip #1341: Add Texture to a 3D Object
Motion doesn't support texture mapping on objects, BUT, there's a clever work-around you can use for 3D objects that delivers a similar result.
Tip #1342: Two Channel Blur Tricks
In Tip # 1341 we learned how to apply a texture to a 3D object. in this tip, I'll show you an intriguing way make that texture more believable.
Tip #1343: Change Direction During Movement
Normally, when you create a motion path, an object will follow that path. However, if you add a curve, sometimes you want the object to change it's direction as it moves around the curve. Here's how.
Tip #1348: Moviola Training on Visual Effects
Moviola.com has a series of nine, free, online video courses on creating visual effects. Each lesson is deeply condensed to get you up to speed on the topic quickly. Learn more.
Tip #1347: The Miniature Models of Blade Runner
In 1982, Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner set a distinctive tone for the look and feel of many sci-fi future film noirs to come. Here's a behind-the-scenes look at how the effects were created.
Tip #1350: DaVinci Resolve Fusion
Fusion features a node-based workflow with hundreds of 2D and 3D tools. It handles everything from quick fixes such as retouching and repairing shots to creating Hollywood-caliber effects.
Tip #1333: Set vs. Scale to Frame Size
When placing an image, or video, that has a different size from the sequence, Premiere provides three different ways to scale it. But not all these choices are good ones.
Tip #1334: Frame Hold vs. Frame Hold Segment
In the past, when we needed to freeze the action, we created a stand-alone freeze frame by exporting a still, then, reimporting it and adding it to the Premiere timeline. But, there's a much better way: Frame Hold.
Tip #1335: Add Ease In / Ease Out to Keyframes
Motion keyframes in Adobe Premiere Pro support changing the speed of movement as you approach or leave the keyframes. Here's how.
Tip #1332: Spectra: High-Quality, Cloud Video
Last week, Streambox introduced Spectra, a high-performance streaming virtual media encoder. Now, remote editors can access high-quality images without proxies.
Tip #1336: Export Stills – Which Codec?
All NLEs support exporting a still frame from a project. But, given all the codec choices when you export, which format should you choose?
Tip #1337: What Does “Low Resolution Proxy” Mean?
We often talk about proxy files being "lower resolution." But what does that actually mean?
Tip #1338: Adjust a Smart Conform
Smart Conform converts clips in one aspect ratio to fit inside a project using a different aspect ratio. This is very fast and does a pretty good job. But you can make it better. Here's how.
Tip #1339: Adjust Thumbnails in Timeline
It's a small thing - but this new feature in the 10.5 update to Final Cut Pro can improve the look of your clips in the timeline; especially if you are editing on a very large screen.
Tip #1340: Something Playful
We are all familiar with chroma-key, removing the green and replacing the background. But, what if there's no green? I was playing with a Luma key and discovered this effect.
Tip #1323: 15 Image Composition Techniques
New tech is great. But it is still the person behind the camera that makes a difference. Here are 15 composition techniques that can improve any story.
Tip #1328: Rewrites & Script Doctors
A script doctor is “a writer or playwright hired by a film, television, or theater production to rewrite an existing script or polish specific aspects of it. Learn more.
Tip #1329: Sony a7R IV & DJI Gimbal Change Football
A small Sony a7 mirrorless camera, DJI Ronin-S gimbal and 24-70 mm lens are changing football coverage. Learn more.
Tip #1315: Maximize Image Gray-scale
One of the missing features in Motion that bothers me most is a lack of video scopes. Still, we can maximize the quality of our images without relying on scopes using Levels. Here's how.
Tip #1316: Change the Color of a Single Object
A "secondary color correction" is one where a portion of the frame changes color, without affecting the rest of the image. Here's how to do this in Motion.
Tip #1317: An Example of a B-spline Mask
Mostly, when we need a mask, we'll use the Bezier tool, to create very flexible, highly-precise masks. So, I wondered, when should we use the B-spline mask tool? Here's an example.
Tip #1327: Filmworkz Launches New Site & Pricing
Filmworkz launches a new website and new pricing for six color grading tools. Learn more.
Tip #1330: How to Start a VFX Studio
Like any business, getting a new visual effects studio off the ground can be a monumental effort. Here's what four VFX founders learned.
Tip #1331: Fast Answers to Hard Questions
Looking for a quick answer to a hard question? Check out these tutorials from ToolFarm.com.
Tip #1324: Test Compressed Image Quality – FAST!
Video compression ALWAYS removes data during compression. Always. Here's a fast way to see how much damage your compression settings are causing.
Tip #1318: Interesting Ways to Flip a Transition
The Flip Over transition in Adobe Premiere has several hidden settings that can make this transition more interesting. Learn more.
Tip #1319: Customize a Zoom Cut
A Zoom cut zooms into the middle of a clip, cuts to a second shot, then zooms back out. What you may not know is that this transition can be customized to make it even more effective.
Tip #1320: What Does “Ganging Monitors” Do?
When you click the Wrench icon in either the Source or Program monitors, the first choice is "Gang Source and Program." What does this do?
Tip #1322: What is Hardware-Accelerated Encoding?
In the past, when we needed to render or export a file, the software in the NLE did all the work. This worked, but took a long time. Now, we are moving to CPU- and GPU-accelerated encoding. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #1325: Why Is an Audio Fade Called +3 dB?
Unlike video, where everything is mostly linear, audio is logarithmic, which just makes understanding mixing much more complicated.
Tip #1312: The Comparison Viewer Saves Time
The Comparison Viewer displays two timeline images side-by-side, which can simplify color grading and other tasks where comparing two images is helpful.
Tip #1313: Copy a Library as Proxy-only
A new feature in Final Cut 10.5 is the ability to create a proxy-only Library. This is extremely useful when you need to share a project with a remote editor who doesn't already have access to the project's media.
Tip #1314: Delete Generated Media More Easily
Generated media are files created by Final Cut to enable your editing. The problem is that these files take a lot of space. Here's how to delete them.
Tip #1306: 5 Photo Books to Inspire Cinematography
It can be hard to find the right place to look for cinematography inspiration. Let us narrow your gaze to five exceptional photo books.
Tip #1307: Top 10 Streaming Movies in 2020
JustWatch.com, an international streaming guide, compiled a list of what people were streaming the most this year in the US.
Tip #1308: The Academy Film Archive
The Academy Film Archive is home to one of the most diverse and extensive motion picture collections in the world. Learn more.
Tip #1305: Groups Do More Than Organize
A group, in Apple Motion, is a folder that holds elements, behaviors and filters. But a Group does more than simply hold stuff. Learn more.
Tip #1303: Add a Curve to a Motion Path
All motion paths in Motion are a straight line. Here are three easy ways to add a curve.
Tip #1304: Secret 3D View Control
Switching to 3D view displays an innocuous 3D view controller. The magic happens when you roll over it.
Tip #1311: Toolfarm Top Ten Tutorials & Freebies
Here are the Top Ten VFX tutorials and freebie posts from Toolfarm.com
Tip #1309: Deep Fakes – A Creative Perspective
New ‘deep fake’ face-swapping videos seem to go viral on the internet with increasing regularity. But what does this technology mean for visual effects?
Tip #1310: The Path to Mograph – Free Course
This short 10-day course provides an in-depth look at what it takes to be a Motion Designer. And, its FREE!
Tip #1301: Enable High Quality Playback
Premiere allows control over playback quality and resolution. By default High Quality Playback is turned off. When should you turn it on?
Tip #1302: Surprising Preview Resolutions
Render file resolution can vary, depending upon two hidden settings. Here's what you need to know to avoid problems.
Tip #1300: A Hidden SSD Speed Boost
OK, I admit, I was playing. But I discovered something very intriguing about SSDs. Watch.
Tip #1298: Shortcuts to Move Clips
Here's a quick tip that allows you to move connected clips or storylines using only the keyboard.
Tip #1299: Transition Trimming Tricks
Ever wonder what the icons at the top of transition mean... or do? Here's the answer.
Tip #1283: Cool Tip to Improve Product Shots
The viewer's eye follows movement. But, what do you do when you are shooting a box? Here's a great - and simple - trick.
Tip #1293: Top Ten Tips of 2020 for Random Weirdness
Here are three "Top Ten Lists" for 2020: By readers, by ratings and by subject. This is a fascinating group!
Tip #1294: 5 Secrets to Film Pacing
Pacing is hard to define. This article from PremiumBeat, shares five key areas to consider to keep your projects moving.
Tip #1292: Top Ten Tips of 2020 for Apple Motion
Here are three "Top Ten Lists" for 2020: By readers, by ratings and by subject. This is a fascinating group!
Tip #1295: Motion Compositions are a Good Start
The next time you start Motion, check out the Compositions in the Project Browser - you'll find tons of creative ideas hidden there.
Tip #1291: Top Ten Tips of 2020 for Visual Effects
Here are three "Top Ten Tip Lists" of 2020: By readers, by ratings and by subject. A look back at highlights from the past year.
Tip #1296: The Fairy-Tale Effects in Pinocchio
Matteo Garrone’s Pinocchio, an Italian-made re-telling of the classic tale by Carlo Collodi, is an effect-heavy live-action puppet story. Here's a look behind the scenes.
Tip #1297: Super Alien Models of Valerian
Among the many aliens showcased in director Luc Besson’s "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets" are members of the Pearl, humanoid-like creatures who live in a picturesque beach setting.
Here's how they were created.
Tip #1289: Top Ten Tips of 2020 for Codecs & Media
Here are three "Top Ten Tip Lists" of 2020: By readers, by ratings and by subject. A look back at highlights from the past year.
Tip #1290: Top Ten Tips of 2020 for Adobe Premiere Pro
Here are three "Top Ten Tip Lists" of 2020: By readers, by ratings and by subject. A look back at highlights from the past year.
Tip #1278: Jump in Time
Here's a quick tip to help you move around Premiere's timeline more easily.
Tip #1279: Marker Tips & Tricks
Markers do so much in Premiere, it is hard to list all the options. But here are some of my favorites.
Tip #1280: Quick Project Panel Tricks
When you switch to List view in the Program panel, clips and sequences are sorted into rows and columns. This gives you lots of ways to look at the elements of your project.
Tip #1281: Larger Frame Sizes Protect Projects
We are in the middle of determining the "optimum" frame size for video projects as frame sizes continue to scale up. Still, there are benefits - even for HD projects.
Tip #1286: Optimize RAIDs for SSDs
RAIDs are collections of hard drives or SSDs designed for high-performance with high capacity. However, setting the wrong "level" can slow your system or put your data at risk. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #1287: What is Latency
Latency is directly tied to spinning storage media - the traditional hard drive - and determines how quickly you can access your data.
Tip #1251: Add & Resize Emojis
This holiday season, add some emojis to spice your visuals. Here's how to add, adjust and size them in your next project.
Tip #1276: Quickly Reverse or Flip a Clip
Lawrence Sobczak shared a very quick way to flip or invert a clip in Final Cut Pro.
Tip #1277: Trim – With More Options
I create a lot of picture-in-picture effects in my projects. Recently, I discovered a way to make this process faster. Here's how.
Tip #1288: Top Ten Tips of 2020 for Final Cut Pro
Here are three "Top Ten Tip Lists" for 2020: By readers, by ratings and by subject. A look back at highlights from the past year.
Tip #1267: Top Filmmaking Gear for 2020
Like most industries, the video gear market was inundated with new gear this year. Here is PremiumBeat's choices for top products in 2020.
Tip #1268: Revolutionary Sound Design and Mixing
This article from NoFilmSchool highlights two interviews with sound design leaders: Kami Asgar and Walter Murch.
Tip #1269: 5 Basic Filmmaking Principles
Editing is powerful, but good editing takes time, patience, and practice. Here are five tips to make it better.
Tip #1258: Change Keyframe Ease In/Out Speed
This is a trick I discovered while researching a recent webinar. We can change the ease-in / ease-out speed when animating objects using keyframes. Here's how.
Tip #1262: Change Behavior Ease In / Out Speed
I discovered this tip while researching a recent PowerUP webinar. We can also change the ease-in / ease-out speed when animating objects using behaviors. Here's how.
Tip #1263: Animate Lights in Motion
Motion has a full range of lights and, more importantly, lighting presets that can add drama and visual interest to any scene. Here's a quick way to animate them.
Tip #1271: How to Setup Network Rendering
The idea behind render "farms," or network rendering, is to distribute your renders over a network, or farm, of computers, to speed your render times. Here's how this works.
Tip #1270: Learning DaVinci Resolve 17
This DaVinci Resolve tutorial website has a host of tutorials on learning the brand-new DaVinci Resolve 17. Here's a list and a link.
Tip #1272: Art & Business of VFX for TV & Streamers
VFXV provides an in-depth look at the visual effects industry's transition into more complex effects for TV and streaming services.
Tip #1264: Where Premiere Stores Metadata
You spend all this time entering labels and other metadata for the clips in your project. Where does Premiere store this data and can you use it again?
Tip #1265: Dublin Core Metadata
I was wondering about what Dublin Core metadata actually is. So, I looked it up. Here's a quick summary.
Tip #1266: Interpreting an Alpha Channel
The process of adding an alpha channel to an image - as a developer - is highly complex. Fortunately, we don't need to understand how the channel is added to take advantage of it. Here's an overview.
Tip #1273: What is an MKV File?
An MKV container can incorporate audio, video, and subtitles into a single file. Here's more including software to play them and whether they work in Big Sur.
Tip #1274: Where a QuickTime Movie Stores Timecode
We often think of a QuickTime movie as a file. But, it actually isn't. It's a container for multiple files - each of which can be different. This means that timecode is one of the elements stored inside a QuickTime container. Learn more.
Tip #1275: How an AVCHD Folder is Organized?
AVCHD (Advanced Video Coding High Definition) is a format for digital recording and playback of high-definition video. An AVCHD file is actually not a single video file, but a hierarchical file structure dcontaining multiple video clips. Learn more.
Tip #1259: Change Keyframe Ease In/Out Speed
This is a trick I discovered while researching a recent webinar. We can change the ease-in / ease-out speed when animating objects using keyframes. Here's how.
Tip #1260: How to Burn Timecode Into Video
Final Cut Pro provides a fast way to add timecode to your review videos using a generator. Here's how.
Tip #1261: What is Automatic Speed?
You may have noticed "Automatic Speed" in the Retime menu. What does this do?
Tip #1248: The Creative Process of Filmmaking
Several years ago, Norman Hollyn and I created a 32-part web series called "2 Reel Guys." We called it: "Film School in a Box." Learn more about this free series.
Tip #1249: Use a Foil to Enhance a Character
This article details the purpose and use of foils to enhance dramatic characters.
Tip #1252: Essential Tips for an Indie Film
This article - "Essential Tips for Filming Indie Sci-fi on a Tight Budget" - focuses on a sci-fi film. However, these tips apply to just about any low-budget film. Learn more.
Tip #1243: Hidden Clip Control Options
There is a wealth of clip control options hidden in the Motion Viewer. Here's where to find them.
Tip #1239: Change Clip Speed by Dragging
Here's a way, suggested by MediaBox Productions, to increase the speed of a clip in Motion - without using the Inspector.
Tip #1244: Hidden Ways to Rotate Elements
Motion provides two hidden options which can simplify rotating a clip. Discover them here.
Tip #1250: Special Effects in Miniature
"The Mandalorian" turns to a tried-and-true special effect — hand-crafted miniature models - to create stunning visuals. Here’s how they did it.
Tip #1253: How to Light an Animated Film
Lighting animated movies isn’t just about making scenes look more stunning, it’s also about choosing an aesthetic. Here are some tips.
Tip #1254: Turn Your Kids Into Super-Heroes
Ben Eshagpoor of beMotion.dESIGN shows you how to turn your kids into Super Heroes using Premiere Pro and After Effects.
Tip #1245: What is the Assembly Workspace?
You've seen the text button: Assembly. But what is this workspace and how do you use it?
Tip #1246: Hand-painted Fonts for Premiere
Recently, I wrote an Inside Tip on some hand-painted fonts for Premiere. Richard sent me a note asking how to install them. Here's the answer - and it isn't what you expect!
Tip #1247: The Change to Color effect
In Tip #1246, I illustrated how to use some hand-painted fonts in Premiere. The problem is that these fonts are all black. How do you change their color?
Tip #1257: Repair a Broken QuickTime Movie
QuickTime is a very flexible media container, but, when it breaks, it breaks badly. Here are several ideas on how to repair or convert QuickTime files.
Tip #1255: Criteria for Buying a Computer System
So how would you answer this question: "I need a new system. What are your thoughts about the 2019 27" iMac?" Take a look at my response.
Tip #1256: What’s the “Ideal” Computer?
My wife has a saying: "The perfect is the enemy of the good." Nowhere is that more true than in technology; and it is driving us all nuts.
Tip #1240: Turn Categories Off or On
Effects are grouped into categories, displayed on the left of the appropriate browser. With a single click, you can hide or reveal them. Here's how.
Tip #1241: Shortcuts for On-screen Viewer Controls
The Transform, Crop and Distort inspector controls can all be adjusted using on-screen controls. There are actually two places these can be enabled. Here's where.
Tip #1242: How to Move a Generated Shape
I use Generators > Shapes frequently in my projects - especially the arrow. However, if I don't pay attention, when I scale the arrow smaller, then drag it around the screen, it disappears. Here's why.
Tip #1230: How to Use Insert Shots Effectively
An insert shot is not, necessarily, a close-up. But, in this article from PremiumBeat, you'll learn a variety of ways to use inserts to move your story forward.
Tip #1231: How to Break Down a Script
A script breakdown helps a film crew prepare for production. Here are some tips on how to prepare an effective and informative breakdown.
Tip #1232: What Should Be in Every Scene You Write?
Scenes: they're the backbone of every story, whether it be TV, film, or even on the stage. But, what should be in every scene?
Tip #1228: How to Burn-in Timecode
While Motion does not have the ability to burn-in timecode to a project, you still can. Here's how.
Tip #1227: Compare Two Images for Artifacts
Ever wonder what happens to your image when they are compressed? Well, Motion has a elegant way to illustrate these differences. Here's how to discover them.
Tip #1229: Enable Dramatic Lighting in Motion
Motion has some very dramatic lighting presets built into it. But, to use them, you need to turn the ambient lights off. Here's how.
Tip #1233: New Color Tools in DaVinci Resolve 17
DaVinci Resolve has long been respected for its color grading tools. In the Version 17 release, these were improved even more. Here's a quick summary of the new features.
Tip #1234: When to Use a More Powerful Chroma-Keyer
Both Adobe Premiere and Apple Final Cut Pro X include chroma-keyers. When should you consider using something stronger than your NLE?
Tip #1235: 6 Ways to Motion Track in After Effects
Motion tracking, in its simplest form, is the process of tracking the movement of an object within a piece of footage. Here's how to do motion tracking six different ways.
Tip #1224: Interesting – and Unassigned – Shortcuts
Here is a collection of unassigned keyboard shortcuts that you may want to add to your toolkit.
Tip #1225: Create the Illusion of Speed
You are editing an action scene, but elements in it don't seem to be moving fast enough. Here's filter that can help.
Tip #1226: Make Video Look Like a Button
There's a little known effect in Premiere that can turn any video into a 3D button. Here's how to use it.
Tip #1236: Compare ProRes 422 vs. 422 HQ
I got into a discussion recently about the differences between ProRes 422, 422 LT and 422 HQ. Here's some research I did to learn more.
Tip #1237: An Overview of GoPro Cineform
Cineform started development in 2001 and has several advantages over DNx and ProRes. Here's a quick overview.
Tip #1238: An Overview of Alpha Channels
The process of adding an alpha channel to an image - as a developer - is highly complex. Fortunately, we don't need to understand how the channel is added to take advantage of it. Here's an overview.
Tip #1214: Unlock the Timeline Index
Here's a very handy free utility that I use every edit. A key feature is that it unlocks the data stored in Final Cut's Timeline Index.
Tip #1222: Fix a Warbling Music Track
Here's a quick workaround from Phil Cutting that fixes audio artifacts when importing media.
Tip #1223: Create a Default Effect – FAST!
If you find yourself using the same effect over and over again, here's a fast way to turn it into a keyboard shortcut.
Tip #1207: I Need Your Help
I want to encourage you to submit a tip or two for "The Inside Tips." We all benefit when we take the time to share what we know. Learn more.
Tip #1216: A Split-Screen Movie – that Works.
There are gimmicks and there are stories. Here's a story told with a gimmick that works.
Tip #1217: Create Loglines that Sell Movies
Taglines intrigue audiences. Loglines sell films to investers. Learn how here.
Tip #1221: Interpreting the Alpha Channel
The alpha channel represents the transparency of each pixel, the same way color channels represent the amount of color in each pixel. But, how do you interpret what the alpha channel display shows?
Tip #1219: Split the Viewer into Multiple Views
In the top right corner of the Viewer is an icon composed of small boxes. This is actually a big benefit when working in 3D. Here's how.
Tip #1220: What is the Active Camera?
Apple Motion allows us to add multiple cameras to any project; which means we need to understand the "Active Camera."
Tip #1208: I Need Your Help
I want to encourage you to submit a tip or two for "The Inside Tips." We all benefit when we take the time to share what we know. Learn more.
Tip #1215: Create a Crash Zoom from Two Shots
The crash (or snap) zoom is a cinematography technique you’ll see quite often in big-budget films. Here's one way to create it in post using After Effects.
Tip #1218: Free After Effects Courses from Adobe
Adobe has created a series of courses to help After Effects users become more proficient. Here's a list and a link.
Tip #1209: I Need Your Help
I want to encourage you to submit a tip or two for "The Inside Tips." We all benefit when we take the time to share what we know. Learn more.
Tip #1164: How to Retime a Clip in AME
Retiming a clip means to change the frame rate at which a clip plays back. For example, from 24 fps to 25 fps. This can easily be done in Adobe Media Encoder. Here's how.
Tip #1205: Display the Compression Log in AME
Every compression job in Adobe Media Encoder is logged in a hidden log file. This shows how long it took to compress a file, where the file is stored and what settings were applied to it. Learn more.
Tip #1206: Reset a Compression Job in AME
When Adobe Media Encoder completes a compression job, it flags the task as Done and won't recompress it - unless you know this simple trick.
Tip #1211: What Is Clean Aperture
You may have seen the "Clean Aperture" check-box in Apple Compressor and wondered what it does and when to use it. Here's the answer.
Tip #1210: Tips for Faster Video Compression
Both Apple and Intel CPUs support hardware accelerated compression for H.264 and HEVC. However, it is possible to accidentally turn this OFF by changing one setting in either Apple Compressor or Adobe Media Encoder. Learn more.
Tip #1193: New On-screen Controller for Compressor
Once you've imported a clip into Compressor, if you zoom into the image in the Preview monitor so that it is bigger than the screen can display, a small "map" appears. Here's what this means.
Tip #1212: What Does This Icon Do?
In the top left corner of the Final Cut Pro X interface, you may see this icon. What does it do?
Tip #1213: Find & Delete Clips – Fast!
The Timeline Index is an underutilized feature of Final Cut Pro X. But, if you take the time to explore it, you'll find all kinds of interesting things it can do. Here's a quick list.
Tip #1198: 6 Tips to Improve Audio Quality
Not much is more distracting than bad audio in an otherwise good film or video. This article provides six ways to improve audio recording, plus a tutorial video.
Tip #1199: Video Creativity: Casey Neistat
This in-depth interview with Casey Neistat presents his philosophy of production, the tools he uses and what he thinks of our digital future.
Tip #1200: Filmic Pro Adds 10-bit Dolby Vision HDR
Filmic Pro updates the already stellar version 6 to now support 10-bit Dolby Vision HDR on the iPhone 12. Learn more.
Tip #1197: Stay Oriented in 3D Space
It is very easy to get disoriented when working in 3D space in Motion. Here's a tip that helps me stay oriented.
Tip #1195: Create a Watermark That Moves
We first looked at watermarks in Tip #1191. Here, I want to explain more about how to create a moving watermark in Motion.
Tip #1196: Replicators Can Use Multiple Shapes
Replicators are a great way to duplicate an element. What you may not know is that replicators can contain multiple elements. Learn how.
Tip #1201: Get Started with Nuke
The hardest part of learning effects software is getting started. Foundry, the makers of Nuke, created the free "Nuke Studio for Beginners." Learn more.
Tip #1202: BorisFX Sapphire Tutorials
Sapphire plug-ins, published by BorisFX, let you create stunning organic looks unmatched by any host native effect tools. Here are some tutorials to get you started.
Tip #1203: What is OFX?
OFX. Many visual effects tools reference this - but what is it?
Tip #1181: How Color Match Works
Color Match allows fast color matching between clips in Premiere. Here's how it works.
Tip #1192: What Are Compression Artifacts?
Compression artifacts are caused by a data rate that is too low. But what do they look like? Here's an example.
Tip #1189: New Features in Premiere Pro (Nov. 2020)
Adobe has quietly moved to monthly updates for all its media software. Here's what's new in the November, 2020, update.
Tip #1187: Using Quick Export
Quick Export is new with the Nov. 2020 update to Premiere and provides a fast way to create H.264 files. Here's how it works.
Tip #1190: Faster H.264 and HEVC Compression
Compression is getting faster due to new chips supporting hardware acceleration. Here's the latest news.
Tip #1191: Create Watermarks That Move
We are all used to video watermarks that identify the source of the video. But, did you know those watermarks can move? If you use the right watermark, they can. Here's how.
Tip #1188: Keyboard Shortcuts for Pasting Clips
Here are six handy shortcuts that move clips from where they are to where you want them.
Tip #1194: Sometimes, a Gap is More Than Black
This is a simple thing, but I find myself using it in almost every project: adding a gap in my timeline. Here's why I use these and how to create them.
Tip #1160: The Secret History of Clapperboards
Most of the time, the tips for this Tip Letter focus on production. Mostly. Recently, I came across a fascinating article on the history of clapperboards that fits right in. Take a look.
Tip #1183: Make a Film Using Zoom
This article, by Paula Goldberg, explores how to create a successful short film using Zoom.
Tip #1184: Music Videos, Point Clouds & LiDAR
The video for Andy Shauf’s “Clove Cigarette” has unusual visuals and complex workflow due to using Unreal Engine and photogrammetry. The creators discuss how they created it here.
Tip #1175: Apple Updates Motion to v5.5
Last week, Apple updated Motion to version 5.5 to support macOS Big Sur, along with the upcoming switch to Apple silicon. But there's more to the update.
Tip #1177: First Look: The New Motion
The Motion 5.5 interface is virtually identical to the prior version - with a bit more content in the library. Here is a first look.
Tip #1178: Colorize a Gadget
Here's how to create interesting custom colors for animated Motion gadgets.
Tip #1185: What Does LiDAR in an iPhone 12 Do?
LiDAR measures the distance between objects. This has benefits in photography, but even more in AR, games and shopping. Here's an overview.
Tip #1176: New VFX in DaVinci Resolve 17
DaVinci Resolve 17 - over 100 new features and 200 improvements - include visual effects. Here's the list.
Tip #1186: BorisFX Releases Mocha Pro 2021
Mocha Pro's world-class tracker just got better meshes, tracking & scripting. Learn more.
Tip #1170: Free Media Compression Webinars
Many editors have questions about media compression. Here are two upcoming free webinars that can help answer them.
Tip #1179: Double-click & Mouse Tricks
Hidden in Adobe Premiere are some interesting double-click mouse tricks. Here's what I've discovered so far.
Tip #1180: Color Tricks for Surreal Effects
I generally want my colors to look "real." But, what if you want them to look "surreal?" Time to meet the Channel Mixer.
Tip #1182: What Does Clamp Signal Do?
The Lumetri Scopes have a "Clamp Signal" checkbox. What does this do and how does it affect your video?
Tip #1173: What is ProRAW?
Apple announced ProRAW, a new still image raw format coming to the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max later this year. Here's what this means to photographers.
Tip #1174: Apple Updates Compressor to v4.5
Last week, Apple updated Compressor to support Big Sur and the upcoming switch to Apple silicon. Here are the details.
Tip #1149: Audio Effects Stacking Order is Important
When adding effects to audio clips in Final Cut Pro X (or Motion), the order in which those effects are applied makes a difference. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #1152: Tips for a Better Chroma-Key
Green-screen keys replace a green background with something more interesting. However, hidden inside Final Cut is a tool that makes selecting the background color a lot easier.
Tip #1171: Light Wrap Makes Keys Believable
Buried in a folder at the bottom of the Keyer effect is Light Wrap. This makes the edges of a key look more organic by blending them with the background. Learn more.
Tip #1172: Apple Updates Final Cut Pro X, et al.
Last week, Apple updated their suite of video applications to support Apple silicon, as well as Big Sur. Here's what's new.
Tip #1151: Rescue Your Storage Using Recovery Mode
There's a new way to keep your Mac running smoothly - it's called "Recovery Mode." Here's how it works.
Tip #1156: How to Organize Editing a Feature
Alan asked: What's the best way to organize editing a feature film? I told him that every editor ultimately creates their own system. But here are thoughts to consider.
Tip #1168: 10 Inspirational Tips from Spike Lee
I first saw these 10 inspirational filmmaking tips from Spike Lee posted to LinkedIn.com. I don't know who compiled them, but I thought they were deeply insightful.
Tip #1161: Create Burn or Scorch Marks
Recently, for a webinar, I needed to create the illusion of a child dragging a light saber across a carpet and setting it on fire. Here, I create a burn or scorch mark on carpet. Here's how.
Tip #1162: Particles Reflect Movement
When you move a particle system, say with keyframes, the particle system amplifies the movement.
Tip #1163: Fill a 3D Object with Texture
One of the new features in Motion 5.4.7 is 3D objects. They are their own category in the Library. Here's a better way to give them texture.
Tip #1165: Different Ways to Use Slow Motion
Slow motion is cool. There’s just something undeniably awesome about the slowing down of time. But there's much more to it than speed. Watch.
Tip #1166: Get Started with Cinema 4D
Cinema 4D is a leading 3D design tool. This series of 20 short video tutorials gets you started in the right direction.
Tip #1167: Learn Maya on “Maya Monday”
Toolfarm.com has created a series of video tutorials on using AutoDesk Maya 2020. Here's the link.
Tip #1150: Audio Effect Order is Important
When adding effects to audio clips in Premiere (or Audition), the order in which those effects are applied makes a difference. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #1154: Options for Converting Frame Rate
Ian asked: I shoot/edit in the UK at 25/50 fps with images up to 4k. At times I have B-roll either from an iPhone or GoPro 8 shot at 30 fps 4K. Should I retime these to 25/50 fps before importing or let Premiere do the job?
Tip #1157: Verify Your Audio Meets Spec
One of the reasons I create my audio mixes in Adobe Audition, rather than Premiere or Final Cut, is that Audition has a panel that precisely measures the technical amplitude (loudness) of my finished mix to make sure it meets spec. Here's how.
Tip #1155: Rescue Your Legacy Media
One of the challenges in keeping up with technology is media that can no longer be played. There may be a solution - learn more.
Tip #1158: File Size is NOT Image Quality
Lane is creating a 30-minute Christmas program. He's also worried about the ultimate file size. Here's why this is a misguided place to worry.
Tip #1132: Not All Thunderbolt Cables are High Speed
One of the most interesting things I learned recently is that not all Thunderbolt cables deliver the same performance. Even Apple's cables have significant limitations. Learn more.
Tip #1147: A Faster Way to Apply LUTs
Normally, we apply LUTs (color Look-Up Tables) to each individual clip. But, recently, a reader suggested a faster and better option. Learn more.
Tip #1148: Adjust List View Columns and Layout
Here are three tricks that make using List view in the Final Cut Browser a lot more useful.
Tip #1153: A Faster Way to Apply Keywords
Keywords are a fast, flexible and powerful way to organize clips in the Browser. Here's a faster way to create them.
Tip #1143: 5 Tips to Make Video More Cinematic
One of the most asked questions that come from beginner filmmakers is, “how do I make my films look more cinematic?” Here are five tips that can help.
Tip #1144: An Excellent Discussion of Plot & Story
This collection of examples and videos explores the fundamentals of story, plot structure and how filmmakers use them to create their own narratives.
Tip #1145: What Every Sound Utility Should Know
A sound utility is part of the production sound team and one of the most important staff on set. Here are some tips to learn more.
Tip #1140: Create a Hold (Freeze) Frame
Here's how to create a hold frame in Motion, as well as how to apply it to the middle or the end of a clip.
Tip #1139: Change the Speed of a Clip
Like anything in Motion that involves movement, changing the speed of a clip requires a behavior. Here's how to create a slow-motion effect.
Tip #1141: Loop a Video Segment
The Loop behavior loops a portion of a video over and over and... over. Here's how to use it.
Tip #1142: Tutorials from Toolfarm
When it comes to effects tutorials for a wide variety of products, there are very few equals to Toolfarm.com. Learn more here.
Tip #1120: Free Title Animations for Premiere
These ten free motion graphic templates for Adobe Premiere feature hand-drawn, eye catching animation, with lots of customization.
Tip #1146: 22 FREE After Effect Show Reel Templates
After a year like this one, any good news is welcome. So MotionArray has assembled twenty-two free After Effects showreel templates to kick-start your showreel.
Tip #1136: New Features in Adobe Premiere Pro
With the October, 2020, update, Premiere Pro adds several new features - most revolving around color management. Here's the list.
Tip #1137: Set vs. Scale to Frame Size. Which to Pick?
When I add still images to the timeline, I need to decide between using Set to Frame Size or Scale to Frame Size. What's the difference? Quite a lot, actually. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #1138: Quickly Change Clip Speed
There are three ways to change the speed of a clip... well, OK, four. But here's the coolest.
Tip #1126: How Much Does Journaling Slow a RAID?
In my continuing effort to optimize my network and local storage, I tested to see what difference journaling makes to data transfer speeds. Here are the results.
Tip #1131: Thunderbolt 4 = Thunderbolt 3 (Mostly)
Thunderbolt 4, which is announced but not yet released, is causing a lot of confusion in terms of performance and capability. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #1122: HDD RPMs Really Do Make a Difference
In my continuing effort to optimize my network and local storage, I tested to see what difference 7200 RPM drives make compared to 5400 RPM. Here are the results.
Tip #1133: Adjust the Pitch of a Musical Clip
Ed asks: "I have a karaoke song and want to lower the pitch. I know I use the PITCH in audio, but how do I know what numbers are a half step lower?" Here's the answer.
Tip #1134: Use EQ to Enhance Voice Clarity
Vowels are low frequency sounds, which give a voice its character, warmth and sexiness. Consonants are, generally, high frequency sounds, which make speech intelligible. Here's what you need to adjust.
Tip #1135: Boost and Smooth Dialog Levels
Probably the most powerful audio filter for dialog is the Limiter effect. Here's how to use it.
Tip #1121: 5 Hacks for Film & Video Lighting
Shooting a film or video without thinking about lighting is a recipe for disaster. Here are 5 lighting hacks for film and video that you can try when you need a few tricks to get the job done.
Tip #1119: Free Hand-Painted Animated Fonts
Free hand-painted animated fonts painstakingly painted frame by frame to give your titles and design a fun, energetic feel.
Tip #1123: Basic Camera Technique Tips
If you've just started learning how to operate a camera, this is the video for you. Camera operator Oliver Cary breaks down different shooting methods and how they impact the story.
Tip #1117: Adjustable Grid, Guides and Ruler
Inside the Motion Viewer are an adjustable grid, moveable guides and customizable ruler bar. Here's how to display and adjust them.
Tip #1116: A Design Thought on Depth
In other tips, I used Y-axis rotation to create the illusion of depth. However, sometimes, adding a design element can help sell that illusion even more. Here's an example.
Tip #1118: What is Ease In / Ease Out?
Most Motion effects that involve movement have a Speed setting that determines if and how the speed of that movement changes over time. Here are the options.
Tip #1124: Dozens of Free Cinema 4D Tutorials
GreyScaleGorilla.com is a website with dozens of free tutorials for Cinema4D artists. Here's the link to view these and learn more.
Tip #1125: Free Red Giant Tutorials
Red Giant is an industry leader in creating software for visual effects with a dedicated website for tutorials. Learn more.
Tip #1127: Re:Vision Effects Wins an Emmy
Re:Vision Effects wins an Engineering Emmy for its visual effects work. Here are the details.
Tip #1113: Mixed Frame Size Multicam Clips
Premiere has a secret trick that allows it to easily create multi-camera source sequences (multicam) that contain clips of different frame sizes. Here's how.
Tip #1110: Multicam Keyboard Shortcuts
Last week I presented a webinar on Multicam Editing in Adobe Premiere. As I was researching this, I discovered several little-known keyboard shortcuts that make multicam editing more fun. Here's the list.
Tip #1111: Adobe Sneak Peaks
Last week, at Adobe MAX, comedian Chelsea Handler co-hosted Sneaks, a preview of the futuristic tech Adobe engineers and researchers are exploring. Here's the full list.
Tip #1128: Apple Wins Engineering Emmy
Apple won an Engineering Emmy from the Television Academy for it's ProRes family of codecs. Here are the details.
Tip #1129: What is the Alpha Channel?
Invented in the 1970's, and used daily today, the alpha channel is an indispensable workhorse for visual effects. But, what is it?
Tip #1130: Not All Proxy Files are the Same
Not all proxy files are the same size, nor perform the same. Here are some things you need to keep in mind.
Tip #1109: Oversize Your Compound Clips
There's no rule that says compound clips need to be the same frame size as your project. In fact, there's a benefit when they aren't.
Tip #1114: A Simple Way to Add Depth to Text
Hidden in the Text Inspector is an easy way to add depth to text. Here's how.
Tip #1115: Add a Cast Shadow – Manually
We can use the Drop Shadow effect to create a variety of shadows, but sometimes, it's more flexible to create one manually. Here's how.
Tip #1101: Breaking into Documentaries at 40
Filmmaking can be a tough industry to break into. And in her case, she thought it would be especially difficult in her 40’s. But, at 40, Jia Wertz did just that. Here's what she learned.
Tip #1099: The Challenge of Perfect vs. Good
My wife has a saying: "The perfect is the enemy of the good." Nowhere is that more true than in technology; and it is driving us all nuts.
Tip #1100: What is a Showrunner?
The show-runner is the lead producer on a film or video project who oversees every element of the project’s creation, from the initial pitch to the final edits and marketing. Learn more here.
Tip #1093: Audio is Motion’s Achilles Heel
Audio is Motion's Achilles heel. The audio controls in Motion are terrible. However, here's a trick that can bail you out when you are in a hurry.
Tip #1094: Secret Spinning
Spin is a very popular Behavior that gets elements in a Motion project to spin. What you may not know is that there is a hidden keyboard shortcut that helps you make the most of this move.
Tip #1095: Playful, More Effective, Colors
Coloring an element is something we do all the time. But, it is often much more interesting to color using gradients. Here's how.
Tip #1108: Beginner’s Guide to DaVinci Resolve
Earlier this year, Paul Saccone and Dion Scoppettolo co-authored the "Beginners Guide to DaVinci Resolve." Here's how to get your free copy.
Tip #1106: Share Your Favorite Tutorials
With so many effects packages out there, and so many website providing tutorials, I'm curious about which tutorial and web sites you find the most helpful.
Tip #1107: Boris FX Tutorials
I was exploring the Boris FX website and discovered a gold mine of video tutorials for 22 different host applications and spanning more than 23 categories. Here's the link to learn more.
Tip #1096: Select the Right Proxy Format
Premiere continues to improve its proxy workflow, most recently by adopting ProRes codecs for both Windows and Mac. When it comes to creating proxies, we can now choose between four different codecs. Here are the options.
Tip #1097: Creative Color Tints
There's an unlimited range of looks and emotions we can evoke with the color tools in Premiere. Here's a technique using two tools I haven't worked with before to boost the emotion in a scene.
Tip #1098: Move Clips Faster!
OK, I confess, this is a long-time feature in Premiere that I've never used: Lift and Extract. Sigh... so much to learn. Here's how these work.
Tip #1102: What is a Render File?
We create them all the time, but what, exactly, is a render file? And can we delete them?
Tip #1104: Generate More Viewers on YouTube
The reason we post videos to YouTube is that we want people to watch them. Here are six tips you can use to help viewers find your videos.
Tip #1105: What is Sharpening?
We have all heard the term "sharpening." But what is it and how do we apply it?
Tip #1090: An Even FASTER Way to Zoom
There are keyboard shortcuts to zoom into the timeline - but this trick is faster than all of them.
Tip #1091: What are Color Looks?
Looks are a very fast way to change the color "look" of a clip without requiring you understand how the color tools in Final Cut work.
Tip #1092: View Proxy vs. Proxy Preferred
Proxy Preferred is a new feature in the 10.4.9 update. What does it do and when should we use it?
Tip #1078: Discover PostPerspective.com
If you haven't explored the PostPerspective.com website, you are missing a treat. Learn more.
Tip #1079: How to Get More YouTube Subscribers
If you've tried all the obvious things, but your subscriber count is still low, take a look at these seven tips.
Tip #1080: Filmmaking Fundamentals: Blocking
When watching amazing cinema, there are many elements to watch. But blocking, though often ignored, is often the most important. Learn more.
Tip #1086: Turn on Motion’s Grid
Motion has a grid you can use to align elements. Here's how to turn it on, then configure it for your next project.
Tip #1084: Effects Playground: Time Tunnel
Ever wanted to travel through a worm hole? Now you can - and Motion creates it. Here's how.
Tip #1085: What’s a Replicator?
A Replicator creates a pattern from a single object or a group of objects. Traditionally, we think of a pattern as a rectangle, but, with Motion, we have a lot more options.
Tip #1087: Get Started with DaVinci Resolve 16
In recent years, DaVinci Resolve has steadily gained interest from professionals and hobbyists alike. Whether you are new to video editing or looking to jump ship from other software, this tutorial shows how to get started.
Tip #1089: Learning Fusion in DaVinci Resolve
Fusion, in DaVinci Resolve, is different from many other effects systems in that it is node-based. This requires a different way of planning and executing an effect. Here are some tutorials that can help.
Tip #1088: Animated Titles in DaVinci Resolve
If you’ve spent time with DaVinci Resolve, you may be curious about different ways to create animated titles. DaVinci Resolve Fusion titles are a great way to build your own animated title sequence. Learn more.
Tip #1072: Preserve Your Projects – Long-term
Looking for ways to archive your project for the future? Here's what you MUST do.
Tip #1075: Adobe Beefs Up Learning
Adobe continues to improve its training and tutorial access inside Premiere. If you haven't seen what's available lately, here's where to look.
Tip #1076: Favorite Icons in the Button Editor
Over the years, Adobe has significantly slimmed down the Premiere interface. However, that doesn't mean you can't customize it. Here are some favorites of mine from the Button Editor.
Tip #1083: Pick the Right Version of ProRes
Apple ProRes comes in a variety of formats. Which one should you pick for your projects? Here's some advice.
Tip #1081: Improve the Responsiveness of a Server
Here's a relatively inexpensive way to improve the responsiveness of a server, even for smaller workgroups.
Tip #1082: Thunderbolt 4 is Coming!
When Thunderbolt first came out in 2011, it was a niche interface. But technology doesn't stand still. Recently, Intel provided details in the soon-to-be released Thunderbolt 4. Learn more.
Tip #1071: Preserve Your Projects – Long-term
Looking for ways to archive your project for the future? Here's what you MUST do.
Tip #1073: What Do These Transition Controls Do?
If you zoom into the timeline far enough, you'll discover three icons at the top of a transition that can save you time. Learn more.
Tip #1074: Timeline Title Secrets
A new feature in the 10.4.9 update to Final Cut is located at the top of the timeline. But it is not easy to find.
Tip #1062: Accusonus Releases ERA 5
Accusonus just released ERA 5, a high-power bundle of audio tools to repair and improve your audio. Learn more.
Tip #1063: Robert Yeoman, ASC: Lighting Comedy
This collection of videos explores how cinematographer Robert Yeoman keeps his comedies light and helped develop Wes Anderson’s quirky aesthetic.
Tip #1064: MotionArray Announces Team Plans
MotionArray announced the launch of Team Plans to provide better account options for groups of two or more editors needing access to the same MotionArray resources.
Tip #1059: Animate a Line
This is a fun and fast way to animate any path, line or paint brush in Motion using the Write On behavior. Here's how it works.
Tip #1061: Create HDR-compatible Projects in Motion
We can create HDR-compatible projects in Motion by changing only two settings. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #1060: Shape Styles Are Magic
Any shape, path or element that supports a border can have its boring white border replaced with one of hundreds of much more interesting styles. Here's how.
Tip #1065: Introduction to Particle Effects
Creating effects with particle systems is a fun way to learn visual effects. This article illustrates how to create a Magic Orb, using an updated tool the Babylon.js team just released: Particle Editor.
Tip #1066: Creating Fog on Set
There are many different ways fog can help create a specific look and set a tone for your film. This article, featuring a video from Ryan Connally, explains more.
Tip #1067: Animating a Gothic Horror Anime Series
In this detailed article from VFXVoice.com, the production team describes how Castlevania came to NetFlix, how the show is created and discusses many of the creative challenges along the way.
Tip #1056: Move a Mix from Audition to Premiere
When sending an audio mix from Audition back to Premiere, don't use Multitrack > Export to Adobe Premiere. Why? Because you don't know what you are getting. There's a better way.
Tip #1057: What Does this Blue Button Do?
I've been using Premiere for years and have never paid attention to this timeline button. But, it provides a very useful service! Learn more.
Tip #1058: What is the Events Panel
The Events panel is located in the Windows menu. Here's what it does.
Tip #1068: When to Choose JPEG, PNG or TIFF
There are about a billion - maybe more - still image codecs for us to choose from. Which ones should we use? Here are some suggestions.
Tip #1069: Create a Custom Poster Frame
Poster frames are a visual indicator of the contents of a media clip. Here's a fast technique to create a custom poster frame for a media clip, regardless of your editing software.
Tip #1070: What Determines Storage Performance?
The speed of your storage is based upon aerial density, RPM and whether an SSD is part of the mix. Learn more.
Tip #1052: Two Key XML Conversion Utilities
As long as you can create XML, you can move your data from one media application to another. However, the XML Final Cut Pro X uses is not compatible with many other applications. Here's how to move your files.
Tip #1054: Be Careful of the Spell-Check Trap
I fell into a trap this week, spell-checking titles in Final Cut Pro X. I thought I was correcting spelling, instead I was only correcting a list. Be cautious here.
Tip #1055: Create a Small Movie Fast
Here's a fast way to create a small file you can use for client reviews, audio mixing or wherever image quality is less important than small file size.
Tip #1036: Rough Cut Interviews in 6 Steps
Editors on interview projects face an overwhelming task: reducing hours of footage into just minutes for the final cut. Eliminate that stress with these six steps.
Tip #1037: On-set Wireless Video Monitoring
The folks at Teradek, who make wireless video monitors, created a blog illustrating the benefits of wireless video monitors on-set. Here are the details.
Tip #1050: 7 Tips to Spice Up a Demo Reel
Most people have some experience in throwing together a demo reel. But as your body of work continues to evolve, so too should the 90-second video compilation you use to represent it.
Tip #1045: Bug Fixes in Two Recent Updates
Two recent updates to Motion 5 fixed a lot of bugs. Here's what's new.
Tip #1047: Create a Vertical Video Project
Since the beginning of television, video used a horizontal aspect ratio. Since the beginning of cell phone photography and video, mobile users shot vertical video. Sigh...
Tip #1048: What Does Publishing a Template Do?
If you find yourself creating similar projects time after time, creating a custom template can save you time. Here's how.
Tip #1051: 6 Mocha Pro Tutorials
The team at ToolFarm, a leading third-party reseller of After Effects Plugins and visual effects tools, published a blog showcasing tutorials to improve working with Mocha Pro. Here's a summary.
Tip #1053: 50 Ways to Create Different Effects
This post presents a round-up of 50 Adobe After Effects video tutorials showing how to generate dynamic and expressive motion graphics.
Tip #1034: 60 Years of NASA – in 60 Seconds
Here's a detailed write-up on how a new creative team pitched NASA and won the contract to create the brand identify for Launch America.
Tip #1035: Bugs in Automatic Scene Detection
There are two significant bugs in the new automatic scene detection feature in the 14.4 update to Adobe Premiere Pro. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #1042: Multiple Bugs in Proxy Export
New in the 14.4. update to Adobe Premiere Pro is the ability to export proxy files, instead of high-resolution camera masters. The only problem is, it doesn't work. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #1044: What Does “Clamp Signal” Do?
The Lumetri video scopes have a "Clamp Signal" checkbox. What does this do?
Tip #1043: Comparing HDR Grayscale to SDR
With both Premiere and Final Cut supporting HDR HLG media, I wanted to find out what makes it special. Here's a quick overview.
Tip #1046: For HDR, Shadows are More Important
Human beings are more sensitive to changes in darker region compared to changes in brighter regions. This has a direct impact in both SDR and HDR. Learn more.
Tip #1049: HDR HLG vs PQ on SDR Monitors
Tip #1043 compared the grayscale differences between HDR HLG and PQ. This tip illustrates the differences between watching HLG and PQ on an SDR monitor.
Tip #1038: Apple Releases Bug Fix Updates
Thursday last week, Apple released bug-fix updates to Final Cut Pro X, Motion 5 and Compressor 4. Apple also updated the ProVideo codecs. Here's what's new.
Tip #1040: New! Stabilize 360° Video
New with the 10.4.9 update is the ability to stabilize 360° video. Here's how.
Tip #1041: New! See What You Are Missing
Smart Conform is a quick way to reframe existing clips for the different aspect ratios of social media. However, there's a button that makes this easier - and better.
Tip #1026: Creating Video in Lockdown
The team at IPV, which makes media asset management software, just published four free webinars on "Creating Video Remotely in Lockdown."
Tip #1027: Writing Tag Lines that Work
A tagline is a short phrase marketers use to sell a product experience to a customer. Here's an article from PremiumBeat showing how to make these work for you.
Tip #1028: 4 Tips to Better Natural Lighting
Digital cameras today make using natural light easier than ever. These four tips can make you next project look even better.
Tip #1019: Effects Playground: Circle
This week, I decided to explore some of the filters included with Apple Motion. This article looks at the Circle filter.
Tip #1020: Effects Playground: Add Textures
While we can't apply textures to 3D objects in Motion, then have them move with the object, we can create the illusion of texture mapping, Here's how.
Tip #1021: Effects Playground: Sunset Butterfly
OK, I confess. I didn't plan this effect, I just kept asking "What happens if I do this?" And I ended up with a sunset butterfly. Watch.
Tip #1031: TotalFX: NewBlueFX Effects Bundle
Last week, NewBlueFX announced TotalFX - a collection of titling compositing, polishing and styling effects tools. Here are the details.
Tip #1032: Free Google Fonts for Motion Design
Here's how to download fonts from Google Fonts and use them in all of your personal and commercial projects for print, video, or anything else.
Tip #1033: Introducing the Visual Effects Society
The Visual Effects Society (VES) is the entertainment industry's only organization representing the full breadth of visual effects. Learn more.
Tip #1022: The Pen Tool
The Pen tool allows us to draw shapes directly in the Program Monitor, fill them with color, add a border or drop shadow, then animate them. Here's how.
Tip #1023: Tricks of the Zoom Tool
Hidden, but accessible with a keyboard shortcut, is the Zoom tool. This is often faster than using keyboard shortcuts to zoom into the timeline! Here's how.
Tip #1024: Moving the Anchor Point
The Anchor point is that spot in an element around which it rotates or scales. Here's how to move it.
Tip #1029: HDR Playback to TV Screens
Steven asks: I want to produce a deliverable HLG movie that I can watch on my HDR TV, an LG OLED. What format should I use?
Tip #1025: RAW vs. JPEG: Which is Better?
The folks at NightSkyPix.com compared shooting RAW vs. JPEG from the point of view of astrophotography. However, their results also apply to shooting video more down to earth.
Tip #1030: What’s the Difference: Cat5e, 6 or 6e?
I want to upgrade my office network to 10 gigabit Ethernet. But that requires replacing my Category 5e cables with either Cat6 or 6e. That got me wondering: What's the difference?
Tip #1016: Caution: Color Flickering in FCP X 10.4.9
I have received multiple reports from editors reporting color shifts or color flickering when editing camera native media in Final Cut Pro X 10.4.9 which did not exist in Final Cut 10.4.8.
Tip #1017: Chapter Marker Export Option Missing
Another problem that surfaced with the 10.4.9 update to Apple Final Cut Pro X is that chapter markers can no longer be exported - the checkbox is missing.
Tip #1018: New! Adjust ISO for ProRes RAW
A new feature in the 10.4.9 update to Final Cut Pro X is the ability to adjust ISO and, for some cameras, the white point. Here are the details.
Tip #1000: Are Your Skills Craft or Commodity?
Many jobs today are threatened by automation. For many of us, the market saturation of video producers has had a dramatic effect on jobs and rates.
Tip #1006: NewBlue FX: Live-Streaming Software
The folks at NewBlueFX announced a new program specifically designed for live streaming, with graphics integration: NewBlue Stream. Learn more.
Tip #1010: BMD: ISO Recording for Live Streams
Blackmagic Design recently released the ATEM Mini switcher. While designed for live streaming using up to four cameras, there's a hidden benefit. Learn more.
Tip #999: Change the Direction of a Gradient
I was asked recently how to change the direction of a gradient in Motion. It is easy to do, but not easy to find. Here's how.
Tip #1011: Create Unique Backgrounds FAST!
Motion has a filter that can create a unique, visually-interesting background out of any still or video clip. Here's how to use it
Tip #1012: Create a “Ripple in Time”
Here's another Motion filter that's fun to play with - especially if you are creating a science fiction story where things are moving through time.
Tip #1009: Getting Started with After Effects
Adobe After Effects is an exceptionally versatile piece of software. But, it is also extremely intimidating. If you’re just starting with it, here are five things to help you get oriented.
Tip #1007: Maxon Announces New Software
Last week, Maxon announced the availability of Cinema 4D Release 23. The next generation of Maxon’s professional 3D software delivers powerful enhancements, learn more here.
Tip #1008: Industry Spotlight: Identity Visuals
Here's an interview with Zac Dixon, creative director for Identity Studios, on how they grew from an apartment to a team of amazing creative professionals.
Tip #1004: A Faster Way to Jump
As projects get bigger, finding faster ways to move around means you can get more done in less time. Here's a cool trick.
Tip #1003: The Slide Tool – Relic of the Past
Last week, I wrote about the Slip tool (Tip #969). Loren took me to task asking why I didn't write about its cousin: the Slide tool. So, now, I am.
Tip #1005: The Vertical Text Tool
Adobe Premiere Pro provides the opportunity to create vertical text. Learn more.
Tip #1013: The Coming File Size Tsunami
What's the impact on file size when both the frame size and frame rate increase? Pretty stunning - especially as frame sizes grow larger than 4K!
Tip #1015: Guidelines for Planning Media Needs
Media file sizes are exploding in size and number. Here are some guidelines to help you plan the media needs for your next project.
Tip #1014: Premiere & Avid Now Collaborate
With the June, 2020, update to Avid Media Central, Premiere Pro editors can now connect and collaborate with Avid editors—no matter where they are located. Learn more.
Tip #997: A Faster Way to Jump
As projects get bigger, finding faster ways to move around means you can get more done in less time. Here's a cool trick.
Tip #998: Slip Your Way to Better B-roll
There's a tool hidden in Final Cut that offers a faster way to select the best section of B-roll for your projects. We know how to trim the edges of a clip. But, Final Cut also allows us to trim the content of a clip - using the Slip tool. Here's how.
Tip #1001: The Little Red Box
Ever wonder what that red box is that appears periodically on the right side of the Viewer? Well, here's the answer.
Tip #976: 11 Practical Tips to Film Yourself
As production equipment has become more accessible, the amount of people looking to regularly film themselves is on the rise. However, there’s a real art to filming yourself successfully.
Tip #983: What Are ND Filters?
ND (neutral-density) filters reduce the amount of light passing through a lens, making it easier to shoot in brightly-lit conditions. This articles illustrates how they can help your shots.
Tip #984: Tips to Fix Creative Burnout
There are few things more frustrating in an artist’s life than creative burnout. Truth be told, even the most productive creatives need a break sometimes. Here are some tips.
Tip #990: Add Reflective Paint to 3D Text
As I was playing with distressing 3D text (Tip #989) I discovered another setting: Reflective Paint. Here's how to apply it.
Tip #988: Add Custom LUTs in Motion
One of the key new features in the Motion 5.4.6 update is the ability to add custom LUTs to any imported video. Here's how this works.
Tip #989: Add Character – Distress Your 3D Text
Nothing adds character to text like making it look worse. A lot worse. A hidden feature in Motion makes "distressing" your text simple and fun. Here's how.
Tip #992: Mask Basics in Adobe After Effects
In Adobe After Effects, masks are one of the tools you will likely use the most. They either hide or reveal elements of a layer, and can be used in conjunction with animation to create fun, stylish wipes. Here are the basics.
Tip #993: Tutorials to Repair Video – from Adobe
Adobe posted a series of tutorials on how to repair footage in After Effects. This webpage has sample files and short video tutorials.
Tip #994: Top 50 After Effects Tutorials
The team at CreativeBlog compiled the Top 50 best After Effects tutorials for motion graphics, animation and more. Here's the link.
Tip #985: Hidden Sort Options
Hidden in the Project panel is a wealth of sort options for all the elements in the Project panel or a bin. Here's how to access them.
Tip #986: The Slip Tool is My Favorite
The Slip tool is one of those tools in Premiere that you either use constantly, or you puzzle over what it does. For me, it's my favorite trimming tool. Learn more.
Tip #987: Share Creative Cloud Libraries
Creative Cloud libraries got a bad rap for Premiere users when they were first introduced because they were optimized for Photoshop and limited to still images. Since then, Adobe added new features and, now, they may be worth a second look.
Tip #991: HDV vs. “Normal” Media
The big difference between HDV and "normal" media is the aspect ratio of each pixel. Even today this can trip you up. Learn more.
Tip #995: Apple Compressor Supports ProRes RAW
In a recent update, Apple added support for ProRes RAW in Compressor. Learn more.
Tip #996: More Proxy Options in Compressor
With the 4.4.7 update to Compressor, Apple added more proxy options to Compressor. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #980: Final Cut Adds Custom Overlays
A new feature in Final Cut Pro X is custom overlays. These are PNG or TIFF graphics that can be superimposed in the Viewer to help frame shots - especially for different aspect ratios. Learn more.
Tip #981: Discover the Hidden Comparison Viewer
Hidden in an unusual place inside Final Cut Pro X is Comparison Viewer. This can make effects like color matching a whole lot easier. Here's how it works.
Tip #982: The Event Viewer Offers Preview
Another feature that is often overlooked in Final Cut is the Event Viewer. This provides playback and preview of Browser clips. Here's how it works.
Tip #975: How to Succeed Even With Competition
A couple of years ago I wrote an article: "How to Succeed When There's So Much Competition." Finding consistent paying work back then was hard, today it is even harder. Here are my thoughts.
Tip #973: Frame.io Announces Big Updates
Last week, Frame.io announced a new version and several new features, along with updated support for Final Cut Pro X 10.4.9, released the same day. Here are the details.
Tip #974: A Master Class in Vertical Video
If you, like me, were skeptical about the value of "vertical video" (that is, with an aspect ratio of 9:16, rather than 16:9), Apple, in conjunction with director Damien Chazelle, has created a video that will change your mind.
Tip #963: Apple Updates Motion
Last week, Apple continued the evolutionary growth of Motion – to version 5.4.6 – along with updates for Final Cut Pro X and Compressor. Here are the details.
Tip #969: New! 3D Objects in Motion
A key group of new features in the 5.4.6 update to Motion are 60 new 3D objects in the Motion Library. Each of these elements can be rotated in any direction, unlike video, which is always 2D.
Tip #970: Colorizing 3D Objects
3D Objects are new with the 5.4.6 update to Apple Motion. However, many of the these objects are pure white. Here's how to change that.
Tip #978: Better Ways to Create Custom LUTs
We can create LUTs using Photoshop. However, what if you need a radically different look for your media? That requires a 3rd-party LUT utility. Learn more here.
Tip #979: Rotoscope Basics in After Effects
Rotoscoping is the process of drawing around an object, character, or other part of your scene so that you can isolate it. This tutorial covers the basics.
Tip #977: Create a LUT in Photoshop
LUTs are a great way to take log or RAW images and convert them into something pleasing to look at. Here's a technique that creates LUTs that work in Premiere, After Effects, Final Cut, Motion or DaVinci Resolve.
Tip #952: Adobe MAX 2020 is Now Free!
Adobe MAX, the world’s biggest creativity conference, will take place virtually October 20 – 22nd and, for the first time ever, the event is entirely FREE!
Tip #971: A Secret Tip to Moving Markers
There's a feature in Premiere that's turned off by default that you might want to enable if you use markers a lot. Here's what it does.
Tip #972: A Second Secret Marker Tip
There's another marker secret hidden in plain sight in the Markers menu. Here's what it does.
Tip #964: Apple Updates Compressor
Last week, Apple continued the evolutionary growth of Compressor – to version 4.4.7 – along with updates for FCP X and Motion. Here are the details.
Tip #965: Thoughts on the Mac T2 Chip
The Apple T2 Security Chip is Apple's second-generation, custom silicon for Mac. While principally providing system security, it also has a role in media encoding.
Tip #968: Add Custom LUTs in Compressor
One of the big new features in the Compressor 4.4.6 update is the ability to add custom LUTs. This means that LUTs can be added before editing even starts, as part of the DIT process.
Tip #962: Apple Updates Final Cut Pro X
Last week, Apple continued the evolutionary growth of Final Cut Pro X releasing its 33rd free update – to version 10.4.9 – along with updates for Motion and Compressor. Here are the details.
Tip #966: Fast Fades & Other Secrets
With the latest update to Final Cut Pro X, we can now quickly apply audio crossfades between two or more selected audio clips. Here's the process.
Tip #967: Final Cut Adds “Smart Conform”
One of the new features in the 10.4.9 update to Final Cut is "Smart Conform." This takes an existing clip or clips and "crops" it to fit into a different aspect ratio. Here's a quick overview.
Tip #949: 6 Film Funding Tips
Funding a film is like getting a startup off the ground: Get ready to pick up the phone, put yourself way out of your comfort zone, and ask for the money. Here are six tips to get you started.
Tip #950: Blackbird: Fast, Cloud-based Editing
According to the emails I'm getting, Blackbird is "the world’s fastest, most powerful professional cloud video editing and publishing platform." Learn more.
Tip #951: 5 Easy Hacks for a Solo Shoot
Clients are looking for every opportunity to cut costs and save money. Here are five tips to improve your next solo shoot.
Tip #953: So, What’s the Difference?
When you open the Project Browser to create a new Motion project, you are confronted by five project choices before you can start creating. What's the difference between them?
Tip #955: Shift the Anchor Point
The Anchor Point is that part of an element that determines where it will scale or rotate. By default it is at the dead-center of an element. Here's how to move it.
Tip #956: Well… THAT was Obvious
Sometimes you overlook something REALLY obvious. I sure did and here's what it does.
Tip #959: Draw & Annotate Live Videos
Here's a quick, ten-minute tutorial on how to use an iPad to create a system for real-time, on-screen graphics perfect for live videos.
Tip #960: Motion Array: A Filmmaker’s Platform
Motion Array is an all-in-one professional filmmakers platform, with unlimited asset downloads, exclusive Premiere Pro plugins, real-time video collaboration and more. Here's an overview.
Tip #961: An Overview of Mocha Pro
Mocha Pro is is the world’s most powerful planar tracking tool for VFX and post-production. Here's an overview.
Tip #943: What is a Stacked Panel Group?
In the fly-out menu for most panels, there's an option for "Stacked Panel Groups." Ever wonder what this does? Here's the answer.
Tip #947: When to Use the Work Area Bar
The work area bar is a hold-over from the days of slower computers, but, even today, it can save you time. Here's how to use it.
Tip #948: What’s a Rectified Waveform?
Another timeline display option in Premiere is "Rectified Audio Waveforms." Any guesses what these are - and why you might use them?
Tip #954: VP9 Refresher
VP9 is a codec, supported in Windows, Android and Linux, and coming soon to the Mac and iOS, that was designed to improve compression efficiency while reducing file size. Learn more.
Tip #957: Apple Supports VP9 in macOS Big Sur
Last week, Apple introduced support for the VP9 codec in Safari (Mac version) in the fourth beta of macOS Big Sur. Learn more.
Tip #958: How Do Audio Cables Prevent Hum?
OK, so this is a bit off topic, but... I've known for years and years that audio cables with XLR connectors don't have hum, while cables with RCA connector so. Today, I wondered why?
Tip #944: Change Library Storage Locations
By default, Final Cut Pro X either stores media in the library file, or points to its current storage location somewhere else on your system. But... there's a third option that may make more sense for your project.
Tip #945: Consolidate Your Media
You've been editing like a mad fiend and the project is done. Now, you need to gather everything together for final backup and archiving. But, with media and files scattered across your system, just how are you going to do this? Easy, watch.
Tip #946: Organize Custom Motion Projects
When creating custom motion projects for Final Cut, you have two storage locations. Here's what they are and what they mean.
Tip #924: Dropbox Simplifies File Transfers
There's a new feature in Dropbox that allows easily collecting files from iPhones, Android phones, PCs and Macs. Learn more here.
Tip #935: 8K is Coming – Time to Get Ready
Jourdan Aldredge has compiled an excellent discussion on the benefits and challenges of 8K. This new format is coming - now we need to get ready.
Tip #937: Tips to Great Interviews
A while ago, I wrote an article on interviews and asking the right questions. An interview is not a conversation; it is a directed conversation to get useful content.
Tip #934: Working with Regions
When you are working on a complicated transition, Motion has a hidden control feature that allows you to focus on just a portion of a project. Here's how this works.
Tip #932: Where Motion Stores Custom Effects
When you create a custom effect, transition, generator or title in Motion, where does it get stored?
Tip #933: An Easier Way to Time Audio
I've written before that working with audio in Apple Motion is a frustrating experience. However, this hidden interface makes finding and timing multiple audio clips a lot easier.
Tip #936: 10 Must-Know After Effects Shortcuts
These simple key combinations let you perform commands that you’d typically execute with your mouse - except these make you much faster!
Tip #938: 10 Essential After Effects Tricks
These 10 quick and easy After Effects tricks are essential for any motion designer!
Tip #939: 25 After Effects Tips
The world of motion graphics can be a bit daunting. These shortcuts are geared to help you become more comfortable working in the wonderful world of Adobe After Effects.
Tip #930: A Quick Way to Focus Faster
A new feature in the July, 2020, update to Premiere Pro is the ability to close all projects EXCEPT the one you are working on. Here's how this works.
Tip #929: Create & Remove Proxies FAST!
A new feature in the July, 2020, update to Premiere is the ability to remove proxies from your clips. Here's how this works.
Tip #931: What is a Project Shortcut?
Something new in the File menu appeared in the spring of 2020: a Project Shortcut. What is this?
Tip #940: Just How Fast is Apple Silicon?
Jim Turley, writing for the Electronic Engineering Journal takes a deeper look at the upcoming Apple silicon transition and how an ARM CPU is able to run x86 software.
Tip #941: Deep Dive into Metal on Apple Silicon
Apple released a developer video focused on the benefits and performance of moving to Apple GPUs for upcoming Macs. Here are links and details, especially for graphics and games.
Tip #942: An Overview of Apple Silicon
Here are two links - one contemporary and one historical - on the upcoming change to Apple silicon.
Tip #925: Create a “Master Clip” for Efficiency
Final Cut Pro X doesn't actually support Master clips. But, here's a little-known technique you can use to "create" one - along with significant efficiencies when you use these.
Tip #926: The Benefits of Compound Clips
Most of the time, when you make changes to a clip in the timeline, it does not change the source clip in the Browser or any other iterations of the source clip in the timeline. With one exception...
Tip #927: Make Compound Clips Independent
By default, when you change the contents of a compound clip in the timeline, you change every occurrence of that compound clip wherever it appears. Sometimes, that's what you want. Here's what to do when it isn't.
Tip #916: 10 Books to Spur Your Creativity
James Thomas, writing for RitualMusic.com, created a collection of essential books for filmmakers. Not one talks about technology; instead, each inspires creativity.
Tip #917: Promote Your Blog on Social Media
Cision recently discussed how to promote your blog content across social media platforms. This included Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. Learn more here.
Tip #918: Types of Lighting for a Film Set
Anthony Najera, writing for Shutterstock.com, created a breakdown of the different types of lights you might see on a film set. Learn more.
Tip #913: A Quick Way to View Media
This is something I just discovered today as I was writing tips. There's a "Quick Look" viewer buried in Apple Motion. Here's where to find it.
Tip #914: Interesting Freehand Mask Tricks
When you use the Freehand mask tool to hide, or reveal, portions of an image, you are actually creating a Bezier curve. This leads to some very interesting options.
Tip #915: Add Texture to a Color
We've long known how to add texture to text, or even replace white text with an image, using the Stencil Alpha blend mode. But, did you also know we can add texture to plain colors. Here's how.
Tip #921: Cinema 4D Quick Tips
The rebranded Cineversity, part of Maxon, has published a variety of free QuickTips on using Cinema 4D. Here's where they are.
Tip #922: FX Tutorials for All Major NLEs
FXFactory publishes visual effects software and tutorials for major NLEs. If you haven't visited their News & Tutorials website, your are missing some great tools.
Tip #923: Introducing SyncSketch
SyncSketch started as a tool to help Animation tutors review student work but has since evolved into the media review tool of choice for a number animation, post-production, VFX and games studios. Learn more.
Tip #910: Vibrance vs. Saturation
Ever wonder what the difference is between "vibrance" and "saturation?" Well, for video, the difference is significant. Learn more.
Tip #911: The Skin Tone Line is Your Friend
One of the most powerful color correction / grading tools that we have is the skin tone line. Once you know how to use it, it is easy to quickly fix color problems and make your on-screen talent look great.
Tip #912: The Hidden Dynamic Search Bin
Hidden in plain sight in Premiere's Files panel is the ability to create bins that dynamically search all clips based on specific criteria and display the results - dynamically - in the Files panel. Learn more.
Tip #907: Why Can’t I Subclip H.264 Media?
I got an email recently asking for a way to export subclips from an H.264 video without losing any image quality. The problem is that this can't be done. Here's why.
Tip #919: What is a Macroblock?
Macroblocks are at the heart of MPEG and H.264 video compression. But, what is a Macroblock?
Tip #920: What is the AV1 Codec?
AOMedia Video 1 (AV1) is an open, royalty-free video coding format designed for video transmissions over the Internet. Here's more about it.
Tip #906: How to Display 360 VR Video
360 VR shoots video with the camera at the center of a sphere. You can look around, up or down inside the image as if you were standing still and turning your head. Here's how to display it in Final Cut.
Tip #908: Add Transitions to 360 VR Video
The key concept you need to understand about 360 VR video is that you edit as little as possible. However, you can still add transitions. Here's how.
Tip #909: Add a 360 VR Title
In traditional film, titles are fixed in relation to the frame. In 360 VR, they are locked to the image. This means titles don't "float," they appear or disappear depending where in the VR sphere the viewer is looking.
Tip #897: The Real Reason for a 12K Camera
Adam Wilt wrote an intriguing commentary on why Blackmagic Design created a 12K camera. And it isn't for the reason you think.
Tip #898: Top Ten Single Take Music Videos
We often focus on the art of editing, but what about the art of not editing? Here is a list, and links to, the top ten one-take music videos, according to MotionArray.com
Tip #899: Essential Gear for a Production Company
From 4K cameras and gimbals to editing software and computers, here’s a look at the essential gear you’ll need to start your own video production company.
Tip #894: What is the HUD?
The HUD, originally called the "Heads-up Display," is a floating, interactive control panel for whatever you have selected. It's worth exploring if you haven't used it yet.
Tip #896: Don’t Use the Rectangle Tool…
Don't use the Rectangle tool in Apple Motion to change an existing shape. Your options are much too limited.
Tip #895: Add a Curve to a Line
Whether you draw a line with the Paint Brush or the Pen tool, once you've drawn the line, you can still make changes to it. Here's how.
Tip #901: Better Screen Replacements in After Effects
Shooting a screen almost never looks right. A much better option is to replace the screen with a whole new image. Here's a tutorial that explains how, using After Effects
Tip #902: More Free VFX Tutorials
I was looking for free visual effects tutorials and discovered Envato Tuts+. These self-paced tutorials allow you to learn at your own pace.
Tip #900: Putting Text Message on Screen
Our personal world may be awash in text messages, but figuring out the best way to put text on screen is a BIG challenge. Here are three creative ideas.
Tip #891: Hmm… So, What’s the Benefit?
For years, I've thought there was a benefit to changing Playback Resolution. Then, I measured the results. Hmm... surprising.
Tip #892: The Little Known Overlay Menu
At the bottom of the Wrench menu in both the Program and Source Monitors are the Overlay and Overlay Settings menus. These provide very useful information about your clips during editing. And they can be extensively customized.
Tip #893: Timeline Mouse Shortcuts
One of the problems of being a keyboard shortcut junkie is that I can easily overlook interesting mouse shortcuts. Here's one; well, two, actually.
Tip #903: A Caution About Frame Rate Conversions
During this last week, I've gotten more email than usual about frame rate conversions. Here's a few thoughts to solve problems.
Tip #904: Why You Should Avoid HDV
HDV was one of the first, if not THE first, consumer-oriented HD video format. As such, it was an eye-opening opportunity to discover the benefits of HD. However, compared to media formats today, HDV has three serious limitations.
Tip #905: What’s a Media “Container?”
QuickTime, MXF and MPEG-4 are all media containers. But, what's a container and why is it used?
Tip #888: Secrets of the Custom Title
With hundreds of titles to choose from in Final Cut Pro X's Titles Browser, it is easy to overlook a single title. However the Custom title has more animation controls than any other title in Final Cut. Learn more.
Tip #889: A Fast Instant Replay
If you need to create a highlights reel with slow-motion effects, Instant Replay can save you a ton of time. Here's how it works.
Tip #890: Better Effect Previews
Final Cut Pro X allows you to preview effects two different ways before you apply them to a clip. One you probably know, the other you probably don't.
Tip #879: 5 Key Corporate Video Client Types
Here are the five most common clients in corporate video production, with tips on how you can convert them into steady work.
Tip #880: Insights on Being a Producer
These five interviews break down what it’s actually like to be a seasoned producer in Hollywood, with comprehensive insight into how to get started and how to truly grasp that, in the film industry, producing is ultimately a business role.
Tip #881: Starting a Motion Graphics Studio
MotionArray interviewed Yesael Sumalave, owner of Witness, about starting a motion graphic studio. Running a studio is more than art - it's a business. Read his comments here.
Tip #878: Get More Space for Layers
At the bottom of the Layers panel is a nested rectangle shape. Here's what it does.
Tip #876: Hiding Keyframes in Motion
Keyframes are essential for many effects in Motion. But, sometimes, there can be just too darn MANY of them. Here's how to get them under control.
Tip #877: Avoid Problems – Change This Setting
Since it's first release, Motion has used "A" to activate keyframe recording, which causes no end of grief. Here's how to fix it.
Tip #885: Pixotope Unveils Mixed Reality Advances
The Future Group released Pixotope version 1.3 last week. A major feature is using the position of moving tracking locators in the real-world environment and attach them to digitally created objects. Learn more here.
Tip #886: Explaining VR, AR, and Mixed Reality
Rumors abound about Apple's work in Augmented Reality (AR). Another article in this newsletter talks about Mixed Reality. And we are currently wrestling with how to tell stories using Virtual Reality. Here's an explanation of all three terms.
Tip #887: Current Examples of Mixed Reality
Suddenly, we are hearing about Mixed Reality. Here are some real-world examples of where it is in use now and in the near-term.
Tip #873: The Magic of Auto-Ducking
Auto-ducking is the process of automatically creating keyframes to reduce the level of a musical background when someone is talking. Here's how it works.
Tip #884: Include Transparency in HEVC Video
Here's a way to create HEVC video files with transparency using the macOS.
Tip #874: A Faster Way to Add Presence
There's a setting that can be applied to either Ambience or Sound Effects that enables them to better match the image. Here's where it's hidden.
Tip #875: The Slip Tool Simplifies B-roll
B-roll, which are images that reinforce what the speaker is talking about, are essential to most documentary and feature films. Here's a tool that helps us work with it.
Tip #883: Don’t Turn Your Hard Disk Into a Camera
Be careful copying files from a camera card, otherwise you can turn your hard disk into a camera. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #882: What is Resolution?
When you create a new image in Photoshop, one of the parameters you need to set is Resolution. But, is resolution even relevant for digital media?
Tip #870: Change the Look of a Dissolve
There are two hidden settings in every cross-dissolve that will change the look of a transition. Here's what they are and how to find them.
Tip #871: A Faster Way to Change Durations
We all know that we can change the duration of a clip, title or transition by grabbing an edge and dragging. But, there is a faster way - using timecode. Here's how.
Tip #872: The Strange Case of the Yellow Dots
Most of the time, when you add a transition to a clip, all you need to do is adjust the timing and, maybe, tweak the settings in the Inspector. But, in a few cases, strange yellow dots appear. Here's what they do.
Tip #861: NewTek Launches Training Site
Last week, NewTek announced exclusive learning and certification opportunities through NewTek University. Here are the details.
Tip #864: 5 Things to Build Trust with Clients
"We are not keyboard monkeys, we are storytellers." ACE editor, Zack Arnold, shares his thoughts on building a successful career.
Tip #862: How the Lockdown Affects Production
A number of major video productions have managed to continue despite having their workflows disrupted by COVID-19, TV Technology writes.
Tip #858: A Faster Way to Configure a New Project
Hidden in plain sight, "Import as Project" imports a movie file, then configures a project around it. This can be a big time-saver when you need to add effects to a clip. Here's how it works.
Tip #859: What is a Clone Layer?
Control-click any element in Motion's Viewer and you'll see the option to "Make a Clone Layer." Um, what is a clone layer?
Tip #860: Transform vs. Transform 3D
Control-click an image displayed in Motion's Viewer and an interesting menu presents itself. The top two choices are: Transform and Transform 3D. What do they do?
Tip #867: Four Tips to Improve VFX Compositing
Here are four tips that can improve compositing for visual effects, from Javert Valbarr.
Tip #868: Lighting Effects for Better Backgrounds
Built into Photoshop is a very capable lighting effect generator. This is particularly useful when you need to convert a stock footage image into a background plate for a green-screen key, then match it to the lighting needed for your story. Learn more.
Tip #869: 5 DIY In-Camera Stylized Effects
There are plenty of ways to edit your videos and enhance them in post. But, there are also many tricks that help you do it in-camera. Here are five to consider.
Tip #857: Customize Your Playback Controls
One of Adobe's goals over the last several releases was to simplify the Premiere interface. This took the form of removing buttons. But... what if you need one of those buttons back? Here's how.
Tip #853: Hidden Access to Photoshop Layers
When importing Photoshop images into Premiere, you are given four choices. Here's what each of these mean.
Tip #856: Create a New Sequence Preset – FAST!
The problem with creating sequence presets is that you need to know a LOT of technical specs to accurately create one. Wouldn't it be great if there was an easier way? There is! Here's how.
Tip #863: What HDMI 2.1 Means for 8K and HDR
HDMI 2.1 was confirmed in 2017, but slow to be adopted. When it does, it promises greater support for 8K and HDR. Learn more.
Tip #865: What is HDMI?
We've used it for years, but what, exactly, is HDMI? Here's a quick overview.
Tip #866: A Better Way to Upscale Media
Normally, up-rezing standard definition media to HD - or beyond - is an exercise in blurry pixels. However, Topaz Labs released Video Enhance AI - which is worth a look.
Tip #850: A Quick Way to View Photoshop Layers
One of the benefits to using Photoshop images in your projects is that FCP X allows you to access each layer in the Photoshop document separately. But how?
Tip #854: A Hidden Search Feature
There's a hidden feature in Final Cut that can make your searches more effective. However, it's hidden in plain sight. Here's more.
Tip #855: Apply Common Keywords Faster!
There's a hidden feature in the floating Keywords palette that makes applying keywords to selected clips, or ranges, much faster. Here's how it works.
Tip #843: Free Guide to Music Licensing
Licensing music is complex and what you don't know CAN hurt you. Here's help - and it's free.
Tip #844: What Does a Film Producer Do?
Saul Zaentz gave an interview on what film producers do. Here's the link.
Tip #846: 8 Reasons Why You’ll Fail in Media
As if life wasn't stressful enough, the folks at MotionArray.com have compiled a list of eight reasons why you'll fail as a filmmaker. See how many of these apply to you.
Tip #842: How to Improve Apparent Focus
Given the state of today's technology you can't refocus an image after it's been shot. However, you can create the illusion of focus, which may bail you out when an image is "just a bit soft." Here's how.
Tip #841: A Faster Way to Preview Effects
In the top right corner of the Motion Viewer is a small "grid" icon. Ever wonder what it does? It's pretty amazing...!
Tip #840: Simple – But Eye-catching – Text
I was playing in Motion the other day and discovered a fast way to add an eye-catching effect to text - in just two steps.
Tip #845: New Tutorial on Visual Effects
Maxon and Red Giant have teamed up to create a new visual effects tutorial on how to create an alien invasion. And, it wouldn't be Red Giant if there wasn't a twist.
Tip #847: 5 “Old School” Effects That Still Work
Special effects have come a long way since the black and white films of yesteryear. Nevertheless, there’s still a handful of techniques pioneered over a century ago that are still alive and well in Hollywood today.
Tip #848: 10 Essential After Effects Plugins
Whether you’re an After Effects veteran or an AE newbie, these ten plugins are a fantastic addition to your motion design toolkit.
Tip #834: An Even Faster Way to Change Clip Speed
When you need to change the speed of a clip, you can use the Rate/Duration window. Or... you can use this tool - which is MUCH faster!
Tip #838: A Visual Way to Animate Effects
You probably know that you use keyframes to animate effects and that you can create keyframes in the Effects Panel. But... there's a faster way, hidden in plain sight.
Tip #839: FX Badge Colors Actually Mean Something
The colors of the FX badges for timeline clips mean something. Here's a translation.
Tip #849: 8 Reasons Why You Should Shoot Raw
RAW is a file format that captures all image data recorded by the sensor when you take a photo. While it requires a color pass before output, there are many benefits to shooting it.
Tip #851: A Comparison: Frame Size vs. File Size
Here's a chart that compares how file size changes as frame size increases - up to 8K.
Tip #852: What is ProRes RAW?
Apple ProRes RAW is based on the same principles and underlying technology as existing ProRes codecs, but is applied to a camera sensor’s pristine raw image data rather than conventional image pixels. Here's a summary of what it is.
Tip #835: Create a Favorite Import Location
If you frequently go to the same storage location to import media, Final Cut has a handy shortcut that gets you there faster. Here's how.
Tip #836: Automatic Keyword Creation
There's a huge benefit to clearly naming the folders where you store media before you import them. The reason? Keywords. Here's the secret.
Tip #837: A Simply Useful Shortcut
This is one of those techniques that, if you know it, you say "Everyone knows that." And, if you don't, you say: "How come nobody ever told me about this?"
Tip #825: Handling Unexpected Location Setbacks
Knowing how to quickly and safely solve problems on set can save an entire production. Here are the critical areas to focus on. This article provides videos and links to handling problems.
Tip #826: Capture Stunts Better with a Long Lens
Shooting on long lenses is an easy way to capture normal actions and make them appear as dangerous stunts. Because, ultimately, a director’s first duty is making sure everyone gets home safely at the end of the day.
Tip #827: When Is It Time to Fire Your Client?
The truth is, everyone wants to work, and everyone wants to make money, but sometimes it’s not worth the hassle to deal with a bad client. So, when do you know when it’s time to let go of a client?
Tip #819: Use Motion’s Motion Tracker
Motion has an OK motion tracker built into it. It's much better than Final Cut, which has none, but not as good as Mocha Pro. Here's how to use it.
Tip #820: Weird Fun with Bulges
OK. This has no social redeeming quality whatsoever, but it made me laugh. Here's a cool trick using the Bulge filter.
Tip #822: Photoshop-like Image Control – in Motion
Hidden deep within Motion is an image tool that would feel comfortable to most Photoshop users: Levels. Here's where to find it.
Tip #831: Beginner’s Guide to Visual Effects
This Beginner's Guide to Visual Effects is for absolute beginners who are trying to find a career that compliments their passion for film, technology, design, coding and digital art. Best of all, it's free.
Tip #832: Free Software for VFX Artists
Here's a list, published by TheRookies.co, of free VFX software to get you started learning new skills.
Tip #833: More About TheRookies.co
TheRookies is a community for non-professional digital artists. A place for artists with a passion for film, games, animation, immersive media, and other creative industries.
Tip #821: Export a Sequence Range
When you need to export just a portion of a sequence, Premiere makes it easy - but not obvious. Here's how.
Tip #828: What is Hardware Acceleration?
As media compression codecs get more complex, compression starts taking longer and longer. Hardware acceleration comes to the rescue, but... what, exactly, is it doing?
Tip #829: Why Are Some Codecs “Inefficient?”
One of the key reasons for transcoding highly-compressed camera masters into an intermediate (or mezzanine) format is to make the media more "efficient." But, what makes some codecs efficient and others not?
Tip #823: Voice-Over Recording Settings
Another hidden feature inside Premiere is the voice-over recording settings. To quickly create narration scratch tracks, nothing beats recording directly in Premiere. Here's how.
Tip #824: A Fast Way to Change Clip Speed
A lot of key features in Premiere are hidden - unless you know where to look. Here's another one: the Clip Speed/ Duration dialog. Here's what it does.
Tip #830: Count the Timecode Formats
Timecode is a unique label, expressed as a time value, for each frame of video. But there is more than one format and more you need to know about it.
Tip #816: A Baker’s Dozen Better Shortcuts
When you start doing the same tasks over and over, keyboard shortcuts can make you more efficient. Here are the keyboard shortcuts I use everyday when editing in Final Cut.
Tip #817: Here’s How to Consolidate Your Media
A hidden feature for any library in Apple Final Cut Pro is: "Consolidate Media Content." You only see this option when Control-clicking the library name in the library sidebar. Here's what it does.
Tip #818: Change Media Storage Locations
It used to be that Final Cut only gave us two choices when importing media: Leave it where it is, or move it into the library. However, now, we have new options.
Tip #807: Create Looped Video for Live Streams
You’ve probably seen video loops on so many live streams that you don’t even give them a second thought. Here's a tutorial on how to create them for yourself.
Tip #809: A Beginner’s Guide to Frame Rates
I've written a lot about frame rates, with my key point being that changing frame rates in post is, almost always, difficult and unsatisfactory. This PremiumBeat article describes where they came from and how they are used.
Tip #811: Talent & Location Releases – What’s Needed?
Nothing ruins a great production like a lack of releases. In this article, learn what talent and location releases are, how to use them and where to get them.
Tip #805: Control the Shape of Path Curves
Using the Pen or Paint Brush tool we can create lines with curves. In this tip, learn different ways to adjust how those curves looks.
Tip #804: The Secret Identity of a Drop Zone
Drop zones are objects created in Motion that allow you to include video when using a Motion template in Final Cut. However, there's more to drop zones than first meets the eye. Learn their hidden role here.
Tip #806: Adjust Projects with Project Properties
Once you've created a Motion project, you can always go back and adjust its basic settings. Except... Well, learn more here.
Tip #810: Quickly Transfer iPhone Media
Here's a tutorial that illustrates how to quickly and securely transfer files from an iPhone to a Mac using a free utility from Apple.
Tip #812: BorisFX: Tips to Improve Green Screen Keys
The folks at BorisFX have published a guide covering production techniques to improve green-screen key results. These extensive tips will help any production.
Tip #808: How to Change Adobe App Icons
If you are one of the many, many people offended by Adobe's bland application icons, here's a step-by-step tutorial on how to change them back.
Tip #801: Change the Default Video Transition
The default video transition is a cross-dissolve, but you can change this at any time. Here's how.
Tip #799: A Faster Way to Remove Keyframes
During a recent webinar, I found myself with a number of audio keyframes that I needed to remove. I wondered if there was a faster way to remove these as a group. There is!
Tip #803: Optimize the Audio Meters
The configuration settings for the audio meters in Premiere aren't "bad," but they can be optimized to better monitor audio for the video editing most of us do. Here's how.
Tip #813: What is Handbrake?
HandBrake is an open-source video transcoder available for Linux, Mac, and Windows. Everyone can use HandBrake to make videos for free. Here's more about this ubiquitous software.
Tip #814: What is the VP9 codec?
VP9 is a codec, supported in Windows, Android and Linux, but not Mac or iOS, that was designed to improve compression efficiency while reducing file size. Learn more here.
Tip #815: Download the Safari Technology Preview
Apple's Safari Technology Preview provides an early look at upcoming web technologies in macOS and iOS. Learn more, with a free download link, here.
Tip #789: The Floating Source Timecode Window
Most of the time, we don't need to pay attention to the specific timecode of the clips in a project. However, for those times when we do, Final Cut makes it easy. Learn how here.
Tip #800: Reset Clip Effects Quickly
Have you ever wanted to reset a clip quickly; say, to remove an effect or position change? You can. Here's how.
Tip #802: Remove Attributes vs. Remove Effects
In the Edit menu for Final Cut Pro X are two options, both of which relate to removing effects. The key question is: what's the difference?
Tip #779: Why a Lens is Worse at f/22 than f/8
It’s common knowledge that most lenses are at their best (i.e. sharpest) between f/5.6 and f/8, depending on the lens. But why?
Tip #790: Why Use Fluid Tripod Heads
What is a fluid tripod head exactly, do you really need a fluid tripod head and how does this kind of tripod head work? Here are some answers.
Tip #791: Tips for Better Battle Scenes
If you think about it, every battle scene comes down to one thing: one side wants something that the other side doesn’t want to give up. Here are five tips on how to improve your action.
Tip #794: The Texture Adjuster
Hidden at the bottom of the Material section for 3D text - below where you select surfaces - are additional controls that allow changing the texture of each surface. Learn more here.
Tip #793: What Is a Light Setup
Part of the Object menu is "Light Setup." What is this and how do we use it?
Tip #795: Rotate Text in 3D
A hidden feature in Motion is the ability to rotate individual letters of 3D text. Here's how.
Tip #795: Rotate Text in 3D
A hidden feature in Motion is the ability to rotate individual letters of 3D text. Here's how.
Tip #792: Stunning Light Effects
Recently, I was playing with the fascinating Spectrum plugin from Luca Visual FX. Learn more and get a free trial here.
Tip #796: Particle Illusion – the App – Now FREE!
The new Particle Illusion standalone application makes creating real-time motion graphics and particles a breeze. And it’s now FREE!
Tip #798: The 3D Motion & Design Show Premieres
The team at Maxon - Cinema 4D, RedGiant & RedShift - have created a new online training and education website: 3DMotionShow.com. Here's what's going on.
Tip #766: Faster Ways to Import Media
As I was researching last week's webinar on Adobe Premiere, I re-discovered two tips for faster imports and easier clip organization. Here they are, again.
Tip #769: Two Keyboard Shortcut Secrets
Keyboard shortcuts in Adobe Premiere Pro are far more flexible than you might first imagine. Here are two tips that can save you time.
Tip #787: Change Label Color Defaults
As I was researching last week's webinar on Adobe Premiere, I re-discovered some interesting facts about labels. Here are three tips.
Tip #778: Delete Render Files to Save Space
Final Cut Pro X creates render files whenever you apply an effect to a clip, or change a setting in the Inspector. These render files take up a lot of extra storage space. Fortunately, it is easy to get rid of them, here's how.
Tip #786: Get Rid of Multiple Markers – Fast!
While we can't copy or paste multiple markers in Final Cut Pro X, we can select multiple markers and delete them. Here's how.
Tip #788: The Floating Timecode Window
There are two floating timecode windows in Final Cut Pro X. Here's how to access the Project Timecode window.
Tip #767: Import Media From an iPhone – FAST!
Importing media from an iPhone into a Mac is fast and easy ... if you know the secret.
Tip #773: Add Atmosphere to Your Shots
If you do a quick search on cinematography blogs, you’ll find that one of the most common questions is: "How do I create the texture of light?" Here are three options.
Tip #774: The Best A-cam and B-cam Combos
Speaking from experience, when Jourdan Aldredge worked in-house with a video production company, there were often times when he needed at least a couple of cameras for a shoot. Here are three camera combos to consider.
Tip #775: Examine and Alter Media Clip Properties
Have you ever selected a clip in Motion, then looked at the source media controls in the Inspector? Yeah, me neither. But there's some cool stuff there. Take a look.
Tip #776: Copy & Paste Into a Region in Motion
In Motion, we can make changes to a range of frames, known as a region. For example, you can cut or copy a section of time to remove it, or just move it to a new location in Timeline. Here's how.
Tip #777: Keyframes vs. Behaviors
When should you use keyframes instead of Behaviors? This Apple KnowledgeBase post has the answer.
Tip #783: Red Giant Tutorials
Wondering how to create a specific effect? Or hoping to find a faster and easier way to create the effect you see in your imagination? Here's a great place to go first.
Tip #784: NewBlueFX Titling Tutorials
NewBlueFX is not well known on the Mac, but they've been creating effects for Windows systems for years. They are best known for titling and effects. Learn more here.
Tip #785: A Good Green-screen Tutorial
The best way to improve a green-screen key is to improve the quality of your lighting and background. Here's a tutorial that will help.
Tip #770: Enable Automatic Project Saving
A hidden feature in Premiere is the ability to save projects whenever Auto Save creates backups. However this feature is off by default. Here's how to turn it on.
Tip #771: Add Keyboard Shortcuts for Marker Colors
A new feature in Premiere allows us to use keyboard shortcuts to color-code markers. However, by default, these keyboard shortcuts are not assigned. Here's how to enable them
Tip #772: A Preference for Faster Trimming
There is a trimming preference setting that can speed trimming your clips. And, it is off by default. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #782: Compare Proxy Files to Source Media
Here's a table that compares proxy files to source media for both bandwidth and storage needs.
Tip #780: What’s a Proxy File?
We know that proxy files help when editing large files. But, what actually is a proxy file?
Tip #781: What is Debayering?
Debayering, or demosaicing, is a digital image process that reconstructs a complete image from the incomplete color samples recorded by virtually every video camera. Here's a description.
Tip #763: Compound clips hide markers
Here's a tip that I discovered this week: if you add chapter markers to a clip, then wrap that clip in a compound clip, the markers won't export. Learn more.
Tip #764: The Orange Thingy
Ever wonder about that little orange "thingy," hanging off the end of a chapter marker in the Final Cut Pro X timeline? Worry no more, here's the answer.
Tip #765: Customize Your Timeline
Final Cut offers several ways to customize the look of the timeline. Here are some tips.
Tip #760: 6 Categories of Documentary Films
Documentary filmmaking is a cinematic style dating back to the earliest days of film. While there’s a lot of variation within, these are the six main categories of the genre into which all documentary films can be placed.
Tip #761: 5 Tips to Make Your Deadlines
Deadlines are the bane of every video creator’s existence -- but they are also often the only way we can get our work done. Here are five ways to avoid missing those deadlines and having angry clients breathing down your neck.
Tip #762: How Lens Focal Length Affects a Video Image
We can learn a lot from studying what happens to an image at different focal lengths. Here, Mike Wilkinson discusses the visual effects created when choosing a wide versus telephoto lens for documentary-style interview productions.
Tip #751: 16 Simulation Behaviors & What They Do
Here are the 16 simulation behaviors in Motion and what they do.
Tip #750: What Are Simulation Behaviors?
Simulation behaviors perform one of two tasks. Some Simulation behaviors simulates a real-world phenomenon. Other Simulation behaviors affect the parameters of objects surrounding the object to which they’re applied. Learn more.
Tip #752: 3 Highly-Intriguing Simulation Behaviors
Here are three simulation behaviors that are fun to play with in Apple Motion.
Tip #754: Set Grayscale Values FAST!
The most frequent color adjustment we need to make to a clip isn't color at all, but grayscale. Here's a one-button trick to set grayscale values faster and better in Premiere Pro.
Tip #753: Basic Color Correction
Using controls in the Basic Correction section, you can correct video that’s too dark or too light, and adjust both the hue (color or chroma) and luminance (exposure and contrast) in your clip. Here's how the Basic Color Correction controls work.
Tip #755: What the Creative Looks Adjust
The Looks section of the Lumetri Color panel provides quick settings to adjust the creative look of a clip. Here's what the different options do.
Tip #756: AME: New Adobe Stock Encoding Presets
Adobe Media Encoder (AME) has new Adobe Stock encoding presets in the latest (May, 2020) update. Here are the details.
Tip #758: AME: New ProRes Encode Presets
The May, 2020, update to Adobe Media Encoder now includes twelve new ProRes compression presets for both Windows and Mac versions. Here are the details.
Tip #759: AME: New HEVC Encoding Presets
The May, 2020, update to Adobe Media Encoder now includes seven new HEVC (H.265) compression presets for both Windows and Mac versions. Learn more here.
Tip #747: Video Analysis Options
Final Cut Pro provides video and still-image analysis options that can automatically balance color in video and detect people and shot angles in video or still images. This tip discusses your available options.
Tip #748: Audio Analysis Options
Final Cut Pro provides automatic analysis options that can fix common audio problems, analyze and group audio channels, and remove silent channels. Learn more here.
Tip #749: Introduction to Clip Analysis
You can have Final Cut Pro analyze your media (video, audio, and still images) and automatically correct common problems. Learn how here.
Tip #743: 3-Step Pricing Formula for Videographers
Luckily for all you free agents out there, we have a quick little formula that’ll help you tackle the supremely uncomfortable task or pricing so you can quit stressing and get back to doing what you love most—making video magic!
Tip #740: 5 Affordable Fisheye Lenses
The fisheye look has been a go-to staple of cinema for ages. And while fisheye lenses can stylistically express both openness and containment, as well as distort perceptions of height, size, and importance, wide-angle lenses also have a very practical purpose. They’re great for filming in small, tight places.
Tip #742: The Best Advice to Keep Your Cool
It’s funny how a simple conversation can change everything. A colleague or a friend says something that just sticks. You probably don’t realize the power of the moment while you’re in the moment, but then, even years later, their words pop into your head.
Tip #721: Secrets of the Spin Behavior
There's a hidden feature in the Spin behavior for Apple Motion that can add visual interest to your movement: Pseudo-3D. Here's how it works.
Tip #720: Motion Path vs. Throw
Apple Motion has two behaviors that seem to do the same thing: Throw and Motion Path. What's the difference?
Tip #722: Apple Motion: The Move Behavior
The Move behavior (Basic Motion > Move) moves the selected element to or from a target. This is a really easy way to create directed movement. Here's how it works.
Tip #728: Improve Landscapes with Gradients
This trick was invented by Ansel Adams almost 100 years ago. You can use it yourself to improve exterior shots. Here's how.
Tip #736: Auto Save Secrets
Auto Save makes backups of your projects. But, what do all the Auto Save preference settings do? Here are the details.
Tip #737: 5 Interesting Audio Preferences
The last time you looked at all the audio preference settings, you probably just wondered what these did and moved on. Well, let me explain five of the most interesting.
Tip #739: Premiere: No Support for FireWire DV Capture
Starting with macOS 10.15 Catalina, Premiere Pro, Audition, and Adobe Media Encoder no longer support the capture of DV and HDV over FireWire. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #744: What is Interlacing?
Even in today's world of 4K and HDR, many HD productions still need to distribute interlaced footage. So, what is interlacing?
Tip #745: What is HDR Rec. 2020 HLG
High-dynamic-range video (HDR video) describes video having a dynamic range greater than that of standard-dynamic-range video (SDR video). There are two formats: PG and HLG. This tip describes HLG.
Tip #746: What is HDR Rec. 2020 PQ?
HDR capture and displays are capable of brighter whites and deeper blacks. There are two formats: HLG and PQ. Here's a quick overview of PQ.
Tip #715: How to Reset FCP X to Fix Problems
When Final Cut Pro X is acting up, there is a hidden keyboard shortcut that fixes most problems. Here it is.
Tip #734: What is Tone-Mapping
HDR looks lovely - the problem is that our computer screens don't display HDR media. Tone-mapping solves this problem. Here's more.
Tip #735: Select Your Fastest GPU
Starting with the FCP X 10.4.7 release, Final Cut now supports multiple GPUs. And, using preferences, you can pick which GPU it uses for render and export. Here's how.
Tip #716: 3-2-1 Backup Rule
Can you afford to lose your media? Here's an effective backup strategy to keep your priceless media safe.
Tip #729: 4 Top-Quality Prime Lenses Less than $1K
Capture beautiful images with these high-quality, low-cost prime lenses. Here are four to consider.
Tip #730: Tips to Control Depth of Field
Depth of field (DOF) is one of the most important factors in determining the look and feel of a photograph. You should know how to utilize this effect. Here are some tips.
Tip #717: Particle System Timing in Motion
When you create a particle system, its duration can be as long or short as necessary, regardless of the duration of the original source layers used to create the particle system. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #718: Use Slip to Change Shot Content in Motion
Slipping adjusts a clip so that, while the duration remains the same, the in and out points shift to different positions in the clip. Here's how this works.
Tip #719: Secrets of the Sequence Text Behavior
The Sequence Text behavior animates text attributes; such as scale, position, color, opacity and so on. Learn more.
Tip #723: 5 Highly Creative Edits
This video highlights some unusual and creative edits that can add value to your next video project.
Tip #727: Enhance images – Gradients & Blend Modes
We can use gradients applied using blend modes to enhance our shots; especially exteriors. Here are some examples.
Tip #697: What Is the Alpha Channel?
The alpha channel defines the amount of transparency each pixel contains. Here's how to display it - and what the colors mean.
Tip #725: Change Your Look – Use Lighting Effects
You can use up to five lights to introduce creative effects. You can control such lighting properties as lighting type, direction, intensity, color, lighting center, and lighting spread. Learn more here.
Tip #726: How to Set the Video Scopes
By default, the Lumetri Scopes in Premiere have "Clamp Signal" checked and the drop-down menu set to "8-Bit." What do these options mean?
Tip #733: How Much Resolution is Too Much?
Phil Platt wrote an article in 2010 discussing how the human eye perceives image resolution. Here are the highlights.
Tip #731: What is a Watermark?
Watermarks are used for branding, identification and to deter theft. In this article, learn about the two types of watermarks.
Tip #732: How Many Megapixels is the Eye?
Just how many megapixels is the human eye. Dr. Roger Clark decided to find out.
Tip #712: How to Export Multiple Projects at Once
One of the new features in Final Cut Pro X is the ability to export multiple projects at once. Here's how.
Tip #713: Color Picker Secrets
There are TWO different color pickers in Final Cut and Motion. Here's how to access each of them.
Tip #724: Background Tasks Window
The Background Tasks window is a great way to monitor what Final Cut Pro X is doing behind the scenes. Here's how to open and use it.
Tip #706: 7 Rules for Better Composition
Framing and composition are essential concepts to understand if you want to get incredible footage in the first place. Here are seven rules that can help.
Tip #707: The Basics of Lenses
The job of the lens is to focus the light, so that when it hits the sensor of your camera, there’s a discernible image. Here's what you need to know to pick the right lens for your next shot.
Tip #708: How To Shoot Great Aerials
Aerial footage is one of the most versatile types of footage you can use in your projects. Here's more about how to shoot and use aerials successfully.
Tip #704: What Does 3D Transform Do?
The 3D Transform tool controls element position and rotation in 3D space. Here's how to enable and use it.
Tip #683: How Motion Processes Behaviors and Keyframes
There’s no limit to the number of behaviors you can add to an object. Multiple behaviors applied to a single object work together to create a final animated effect. But, what happens when you have multiple behaviors, keyframes and simulations applied? Here's how Motion handles this.
Tip #705: 3 Functions of the Hand Tool
The Hand menu in Motion, has three different options: Pan, Zoom and Walk 3D View. Most of the time, we use the hand (Pan) tool. But, there's a lot more you can do. Watch.
Tip #709: Lifesaving VFX Tips
Eran Dinur's experiences as a visual effects supervisor who works on a variety of film and TV projects caused him to write "The Filmmakers Guide to Visual Effects." Here are five VFX tips to consider.
Tip #710: (More) LifeSaving VFX Tips
Eran Dinur's experiences as a visual effects supervisor who works on a variety of film and TV projects caused him to write "The Filmmakers Guide to Visual Effects." Here are his remaining VFX tips to consider.
Tip #711: 5 Tips for Getting a Job in VFX
These days, almost every major show out there has some level of VFX. However, VFX is an extremely competitive market, so here are some tips to help you get ahead.
Tip #658: Tips for Working with Photos
Working with stills in Adobe Premiere Pro is a little bit of a different workflow than when you’re editing video. With images, you’re often dealing with a variety of resolutions and framing, you may event want to add some movement. Here are some tips.
Tip #699: A Fast Way To Color Balance
Hidden in the Lumetri Color panel is a tool that makes removing color casts a snap... well, ah, actually, a click. Here's how it works.
Tip #700: Vibrance vs. Saturation
What's the difference between Vibrance and Saturation? Something significant, actually. Learn more here.
Tip #701: How to Export an Alpha Channel
The alpha channel determines transparency in a clip. However, no compressed codec supports alpha channels. Here are codecs you can use.
Tip #702: Is GoPro Cineform Still Useful?
GoPro Cineform was the original full-frame wavelet compression video codec, similar to DNx and ProRes. Here's how to get a free copy for yourself.
Tip #703: What is GoPro Cineform?
Here's a quick overview of the GoPro Cineform codec.
Tip #695: Display the Event Viewer
Hidden inside Final Cut Pro X is the Event Viewer, which allows us to compare images in the browser with images in the timeline. Here's how to turn it on.
Tip #696: What Does the Alpha Channel Show?
The red, green and blue channels determine the color of a pixel. So, what does the alpha channel show?
Tip #698: Playback Shortcuts
Hiding in plain sight are seven shortcuts that can making previewing and playing your projects a lot easier. Here they are.
Tip #669: Add Subtitles to YouTube
Adding subtitles to your clips on YouTube expands the number of people that can benefit from watching your projects. Here's how to add subtitles and closed captions.
Tip #687: Motion Graphics Freelancing Tips
Recently, the team at MotionArray.com sat down with freelancer Owen Chikazawa, also known as We Wander, to learn his thoughts on how to be a successful freelance motion graphic designer. These are the highlights.
Tip #688: Using a Split-Field Diopter
The split-field diopter is a practical lens attachment that can add an unusual and visually exciting effect to your movie. Here’s what you need to know.
Tip #649: Convert a Motion Project for Final Cut
Normally, you need to decide when you first create a Motion project whether you want to save it as a template for Final Cut Pro X. However, there's a hidden menu that gives you other options. Here's how.
Tip #672: Checkbox Widget in Motion
Checkboxes are a control structure, created in Motion, that allow an editor in Final Cut to toggle something on or off. Here's a quick description.
Tip #671: Combine Behaviors and Keyframes
Any object can have behaviors and keyframes applied to it simultaneously. When this happens, the values generated by the behavior and the keyframed values applied to the parameter are combined. this can create some unusual effects.
Tip #692: 10 Tips for Shooting Media for VFX
Visual effects is not some software magic that works with any footage. Here are 10 quick tips on the importance of having appropriate video content in order to help easily create more realistic visual effects.
Tip #693: 3 Quick Motion Tracking Tips
Ever have trouble getting good motion tracks for your visuals? The problem usually lies in the camera settings! Here are three quick tips on how to ensure a great track.
Tip #694: What is Parallax?
Parallax defines how the position of objects change as we change the position of where we view them. This plays a role in 3D video and VFX.
Tip #691: Compare Post-Production Codecs
The team at Frame.io has pulled together a list of the most common intermediate codecs used in video post-production, so that you can compare codecs against each other. Here's the link.
Tip #684: System Compatibility Report
Have you ever wondered if your hardware is optimized for Premier Pro? The System Compatibility Report holds the answers.
Tip #685: Troubleshoot Premiere Pro Issues
Having problems with Premiere Pro? This trouble-shooting guide has tips on solving common issues.
Tip #686: Optimize Your Premiere Pro System
The four key variables for a great video production system are memory, storage, graphics, and your processor. Here are tips from Adobe on how to optimize your system.
Tip #689: What Does Video Bit-Depth Determine?
So, what is bit depth? Well, essentially it determines the range of possible colors your camera is capable of capturing. Here's a quick tip to learn more.
Tip #690: H.264 vs. HEVC – What’s the Difference?
Conceived to boost video streaming, High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), or H.265, is a video compression standard designed to substantially improve coding efficiency when compared to Advanced Video Coding (AVC), or H.264. Here's a quick overview.
Tip #664: What is a Smart Collection?
You see them listed at the top of every library: Smart Collections. But, what are they and how can they help us? Learn more here.
Tip #682: My Rocking Horse Move
Don White writes: Connection Override allows you to move a Primary Storyline clip without moving any connected clips attached to it. Here's how it works.
Tip #676: 7 Best Digital Film Festivals & Challenges
From the folks at PremiumBeat.com, here are seven online film festivals and challenges where you can compete from home, complete with links.
Tip #677: A Guide to On-Set Film Terms – Part 1
The intrepid team at MotionArray has compiled a glossary of film terms. Here's a sample that relates to the gear on set.
Tip #678: A Guide to On-Set Film Terms – Part 2
There's the producer, who's the money, and the director, the creative force, but who are all the rest of these people? MotionArray.com compiled a quick list.
Tip #661: Lock Text Height, But Not Width in Motion
Don Smith creates templates in Motion for use in Final Cut Pro X. He needed a way to lock the height of a text box vertically to accommodate a descender character, but not horizontally. Here's how he did it.
Tip #663: Motion Cinema Workspace
Evan Fitzer's tip isn't really a tip, per se. He's just pointing out that Motion has two different workspaces available. And the second one is really useful.
Tip #665: B-spline Masks in Apple Motion
There are five different masks in Apple Motion. The B-spline mask is probably the most misunderstood.
Tip #673: Create VFX in Photoshop
Here are a few Photoshop tricks you can pull off to quickly and easily add a little life to your video projects. Use these for specific shots, don't try editing video in Photoshop.
Tip #674: 51 Free Accent Animation Graphics
With these FREE motion graphics, you can easily add elegant motion and animation accents to your titles and designs in any project.
Tip #679: 9 Free After Effects Templates
From the folks at PremiumBeat.com, these free After Effects templates include hundreds of free elements and options to use in any project. Most have AE project file!
Tip #666: Productions Overview
Productions is a new way for editors to organize and collaborate on projects. Here's a quick overview of this new feature.
Tip #667: Productions: What the Icons Mean
This is a summary of what the icons and colors mean in the Productions folder in Adobe Premiere.
Tip #668: Productions: Toggle Read-Write
Switching a project between read-write and read-only (and back) is a single mouse click. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #675: Which Codecs Support Alpha Channels
To include transparency in video, you need to create it in software which supports alpha (transparency) channels. Then, you need to choose a codec which also supports alpha channels. Here's the list.
Tip #680: What is the Alpha Channel
An alpha channel is essentially any channel other than the channels that define color values for pixels in an image. Here's a quick description.
Tip #681: When Does Using High Sample Rates Make Sense?
When should you consider recording on-set audio at sample rates greater than 48K? This informative article from Hugh Robojohns has the answer.
Tip #641: The Secret is Blend Modes
Here's a straight-forward technique to put video inside a text clip, then key the results over a second video clip. And, for extra credit, I'll show you how to add a drop shadow.
Tip #642: Add a Cast Shadow to Text
You can add a cast shadow to any clip, however it is most effective with text. Here's how to create it.
Tip #645: Update a Smart Collection
Smart Collections are saved searches; though "Smart Collection" is a much cooler name. Did you know you can quickly update them? Here's how.
Tip #662: Sustaining a Musical Chord
Brian Thomas shares a very cool tip on how to stretch a closing musical chord, without damaging the music.
Tip #657: The Importance of Creating a Sizzle Reel
Typically, a sizzle reel is a three to five minute summation of your story’s main plot points, narrative approach, direction, and introduction to your main characters. Learn more.
Tip #659: Build Your Own Raspberry Pi (Computer)
The Raspberry Pi is a solid, low-cost computer with several uses for video editors - from storage servers to portable editing workstations. Learn more.
Tip #660: Test Yourself: 25 Common Grip & Electric Terms
Have you ever been puzzled by the lingo floating around the set? Test your knowledge. Here are 25 grip and electric terms used on virtually every set. Test yourself.
Tip #643: Change the Default Settings of an Effect
Virtually all the effects in Final Cut Pro X were first created in Motion and saved as a template for Final Cut Pro X. This means that, in many cases, if you don't like the default settings, they are easy to change. Here's how.
Tip #648: Keyframe a 3D Move
Behaviors make it easy to animate text. But, many times, the behavior is just too manic - especially 3D text. In those situations, keyframes are a better choice. Here's a quick tip.
Tip #653: Adjust Keyframe Landing Speed
Normally, keyframes move at a linear rate. However, this can be altered. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #654: What is a B-spline curve?
Did you know that a Bezier curve is a subset of B-splines? Nope, me either. Here's a short description of B-spline curves.
Tip #655: Control Keyframe Speed
In After Effects, when you animate a property in the Graph Editor, you can view and adjust the rate of change (speed) of the property in the speed graph. Here are other ways to control keyframe speed.
Tip #656: Keyframe Interpolation Tips
Keyframe interpolation is often used to make animation seem more natural. But, what is it?
Tip #624: Not All Captions Look Alike
SRT closed captions are designed for readability and flexibility, not formatting. Avoid problems - read this first.
Tip #651: Make Adjusting Color Curves More Precise
Here are two tips to help make color adjustments more precise using Curves in the Lumetri color panel.
Tip #652: The Five Lumetri Color Curves
Premiere Pro offers five color curves in the Lumetri color panel that you can use to make different types of curve-based color adjustments to your clip. Learn more.
Tip #646: When Does Video Compression Use the GPU?
One of the never-ending debates is how to configure the "best" computer. While this question is unanswerable in general, when it comes to video compression, here's what you need to know.
Tip #647: What is ffMPEG
ffMPEG is everywhere - yet invisible. Here's a quick background on this very powerful media technology.
Tip #650: What is a Raw file format
Ever wonder what Raw files actually are? Here's a quick description.
Tip #638: Store One Clip in Multiple Events
Here's a fast - but hidden - way to store the same clip in more than one event.
Tip #639: All vs. any
When searching for files using keyword search you have two main options: "Any" and "All." Here's what they mean.
Tip #640: Faster Freezes in Final Cut
Here's a fast way to add freeze frames to the timeline in Final Cut Pro X.
Tip #631: Get Freelance Work From Video Marketplaces
We are living in an on-demand video economy during very challenging times. Here are four companies that can help you find work.
Tip #629: What Makes a Video Tripod Different?
What exactly is a video tripod, and how does it differ from one that’s used primarily for shooting still pictures? Basically, it’s what’s on top that counts—namely the head. Learn more here.
Tip #630: 5 Tips About iPhone Gimbals
Here's a look, from a PremiumBeat article, at the capabilities of an iPhone gimbal and how to incorporate it into your next project.
Tip #620: Clone vs. Copy in Apple Motion
Clones are an easy way to make multiple elements all look the same and change their look in sync with each other. Here's how they work.
Tip #627: Use Replicators for Repeating Effects
This is a tip where I'm giving you a recipe, but you will need to figure out the ingredients.
Tip #628: Cool, Pre-Built 3D Lighting Effects
Motion has extensive lights and lighting controls available within the app. But, while powerful, they also require an understanding of 3D space, which is confusing to many. Here's a way to get started with lights, without causing your brain to explode.
Tip #632: Crop vs. Trim: What’s the Difference?
It's a simple thing that confuses a lot of people: What's the difference between crop and trim?
Tip #633: Storyboarding Visual Effects
From the very beginning of the creative process, imagination is in play. Before a thing exists, it must be visualized in the mind. Here are five common VFX techniques.
Tip #634: Three Easy Recipes for Fake Blood
We all gotta die sometime - however most actors prefer that it not happen on camera. For those situations, we need FAKE BLOOD! Here are three recipes.
Tip #626: How to Easily Edit SRT Captions
SRT captions are text files which are both easy to read and easy to edit. Read more here.
Tip #609: What Does Uniform Scale Do?
By default, when you scale (resize) an image, Premiere maintains the aspect ratio. This means the image gets larger or smaller, but retains its overall shape. But, what if that's not what you want?
Tip #621: Color Management Secret in Premiere
Colors often look darker in Premiere than in other software. Here's what you need to know to fix this problem.
Tip #635: HTTP Live Streaming
The problem with mobile devices is that the bandwidth that connects them to the web changes as they move from one cell tower to another. This becomes important when watching movies that are longer than 10 minutes.
Tip #637: Compressor: Job Chaining
There is a hidden feature in Apple Compressor that can save time when creating multiple versions of the same master file. It's called "Job Chaining" and here is how it works.
Tip #636: Compressor: What is a Job Action?
A "Job Action" in Apple Compressor is an automated activity that occurs when a compression task is complete. It is assigned to the job, not to a compression setting. Here's how it works.
Tip #622: Two Ways to Import Captions
Recently, I was writing a tutorial on how to create, add and modify closed captions for Final Cut Pro X and I discovered this cool trick.
Tip #623: Not All Captions Look Alike
SCC and SRT closed captions are designed for readability and flexibility, not formatting. Avoid problems - read this first.
Tip #625: How to Easily Edit SRT Captions
SRT captions are text files which are both easy to read and easy to edit. Read more here.
Tip #617: Benefits of a Tilt/ShiftLens
Traditional lenses project a circular image onto a rectangular sensor to create an image. A tilt-shift lens allows us to modify where that circular image lands in relation to the sensor. Learn more here - along with an excellent demo video.
Tip #618: Five Free Script-writing Programs
If you are looking for a cheap way to get into script-writing, take a look at these five recommendations from PremiumBeat.
Tip #619: Five Tips to Better Stock Media
Here are five tips to help you find exactly the stock shots you need.
Tip #606: Motion: Password Protect Still Frame Exports
It's easy to export a still frame from a project in Motion. But... what if you need to password protect that still frame so that only the people who need to see it can see it? Simple. Watch.
Tip #604: Fill Elements Fast in Motion
The Fill filter replaces an element in Motion with either a solid color or gradient. Here's how it works.
Tip #605: Add Motion Blur to Animation
Motion Blur smoothes animation and reinforces the illusion that an object is moving. Once your animation is complete, here's what you need to do
Tip #607: Autodesk Flame & Smoke Shortcuts
Autodesk published a searchable list of keyboard shortcuts for both Flame and Smoke, organized by function. Find them here.
Tip #614: What is the Alpha Channel
An alpha channel is essentially any channel other than the channels that define color values for pixels in an image. Learn more here.
Tip #615: Node vs Layer Compositing
There are two radically different digital compositing workflows: node-based compositing and layer-based compositing. Here's a description of each, with links to learn more.
Tip #591: In-Depth Overview of USB
The folks at Juiced Systems have created an excellent overview of USB. Here are their key takeaways.
Tip #602: Premiere: Color Wheel Secret Tip
Here's a secret tip when working with the macOS Colors window to choose a color.
Tip #610: Kerning is Turned Off in Premiere
Kerning is the ability to adjust the space between to letters to make it look more pleasing. Except... kerning is turned off by default in Premiere. Learn more.
Tip #611: Tracking Adjusts Letter-spacing
Tracking adjusts the spacing between letters. This is a helpful technique for titles in video because opening letter spacing often makes text more readable. Here's how.
Tip #612: The Background of Blu-ray Disc
I've gotten a fair amount of email recently asking about Blu-ray Discs. Here's some background.
Tip #613: Blu-ray Disc File Formats
Continuing our look at Blu-ray Discs that we started in Tip #612, here's a list of supported codecs for Blu-ray Discs.
Tip #600: Store the Same Clip in More Than One Event
Normally, we can only store one clip in one event. Here's a new technique that allows us to create independent copies of media without increasing storage needs.
Tip #601: FCP X: Color Wheel Secret Tip
Here's a secret tip when working with the macOS Colors window to choose a color.
Tip #608: Enable On-screen Inspector Controls
In the Video Inspector are three icons that enable on-screen control to create or modify a variety of visual effects. Learn more here.
Tip #584: 5 Tips When Picking an HDR Monitor
When picking an HDR monitor, here are some top considerations, along with a link to learn more.
Tip #598: How to Set Up a Live Streaming Studio
As we look to move our studios to our homes and start live streaming, it is useful to get a guide on what gear to use and how to use it. Here's some advice from YouTuber Curtis Judd.
Tip #599: Some Inspired Exterior Photographs
I've always liked lighting. Now, with tiny LED lights, we can do more than ever before. Here's an amazing image gallery using LumaCube lights.
Tip #595: Create Unusual Borders in Motion
You are probably familiar with using Fill and Outline for shapes. But there is a wealth of other options hiding in Shape Styles. Here's a look.
Tip #596: An Easy Way to Create a 3D Look
Motion provides a very easy way to create 3D effects, where one element passes through another. Best of all, it just takes one mouse click. Here's how.
Tip #597: Create Striking Duo-Tone Images in Motion
If you want to create striking, duo-tone backgrounds, the Threshold filter in Apple Motion is exactly what you need. Here's what it does.
Tip #593: Opacity vs. Levels to Darken
Backgrounds are wonderful, especially for info-graphics. But, all too often, they are too bright. (Especially backgrounds from Apple.) We can "dim" them using opacity - but that isn't a good idea. Here's an explanation of why.
Tip #592: Make Zooms More Interesting
All of us a familiar with how scaling works: as you scale an image it gets larger or smaller. But, there's a little known setting you can tweak that will make your zooms or rotations much more interesting. Here's how.
Tip #594: What Is Feathering?
Feathering softens edges. Here are a few facts you may not know.
Tip #575: Work Faster with Pancakes in Premiere Pro
Stacking timelines not only speeds your workflow, but will also help you keep a bird’s-eye view on your work. Here's a closer look at this technique.
Tip #586: Reorganize Multicam Sequences
There's a hidden menu in Premiere that allows you to edit and reorganize multicam clips. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #587: Easier Multicam Storytelling
When editing multicam sequences in Premiere, we have the option of specifying how many camera streams we want to display during the edit. There's a hidden benefit to this. Learn more here
Tip #588: What is ProRes?
Apple ProRes codecs provide a combination of multistream, real-time editing performance, impressive image quality, and reduced storage rates. Here's more about what they are.
Tip #589: Pick the Right Version of ProRes
Here's a quick description of the six different versions of Apple ProRes, along with recommendations of which to pick.
Tip #590: What is a Proxy File?
Proxy files are designed to be smaller, easy-to-edit media files when compared to camera native. But what does "easy-to-edit" and "smaller" actually mean?
Tip #570: 3 Ways to Create Split Screens in FCP X
Split screen videos can be a fun stylistic choice for a variety of video types, but they also allow you to display more information on-screen than a single clip. Here are some options to consider.
Tip #585: Hide Jump Cuts with Flow
The best way to hide a jump cut is using B-roll or a cutaway. However, when you don't have those options, the Flow transition in Final Cut can bail you out of a tricky situation. Here's how.
Tip #569: Tips for Buying Used Lenses
Used lenses provide a cost-effective way to get quality equipment, but know what to look for before you buy. Here are ten tips from Karl Taylor.
Tip #548: What Is ISO?
ISO is probably THE most misunderstood term as it relates to digital photography. It doesn't affect exposure at all. Here's a quick tip.
Tip #580: The History of Storyboards
A storyboard is a graphic organizer that consists of illustrations or images displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualizing a motion picture. Here's a quick history to learn more.
Tip #571: Useful Motion Keyboard Shortcuts
The folks at ShortCutWorld.com have compiled a list of 300+ keyboard shortcuts for Apple Motion and grouped them into 29 categories! Here's the link.
Tip #581: Create Colorful Lighting for 3D Text
There's a hidden lighting secret in Motion for 3D text that is worth learning: colored light! At the top of the screen shot is an example of lighting 3D text with colored light. Here's how to create it.
Tip #582: Make a Better Background
The problem I have with most of Apple's default backgrounds is that they are too BRIGHT and too in-focus for text. Well, yeah, they are too busy, too. Here's how to fix this.
Tip #572: Tips to Create Better Titles
You don't have to be a master motion graphics guru to create effective, and thematically relevant looking titles for your videos. Here's how to approach graphical title design even if animation and typography isn't your primary skillset.
Tip #573: Create a Speckled Light Effect – Cheap
Dappled light doesn't require a lot of fancy gear. It only requires about $4. See the results here.
Tip #579: What Do “Looks” Do?
Looks are color-grading and effects presets that quickly change the look of a video clip to something different. Here's more.
Tip #567: YouTube Compression Settings for Premiere
In Tip #561 I shared YouTube's optimized compression settings. Here's how they translate into Adobe Premiere Pro CC.
Tip #566: Vintage Software, NLEs and Mac OS
Robert Withers shares his thoughts on the challenges of finding a system to run FCP 7 and Premiere CS6.
Tip #574: The Power of Master Clips
Here’s the beauty of Master Clip effects. You can make changes to the full original media clip, then when you drag a clip out of it onto your timeline, the changes travel with it. Learn more here.
Tip #578: Media Codec Issues on Windows
Windows Media Player includes some of the most popular codecs, but it doesn't include all of them. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #565: Frame Rate Does Not Create Motion Blur
A frequent email from filmmakers asks about how to change their project's frame rate to make it more "cinematic." Specifically, they are looking to convert to 24 fps. The problem is that this will only make their video look worse. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #577: VoIP Audio is Not High-Quality
We've all heard of codecs. These convert audio, or video, from analog into digital signals and back. Just as codecs are the heart of digital visual media, they are also at the heart of VoIP, with an interesting limitation.
Tip #531: How to Delete Render Files in FCP X
When you need to recover storage space, deleting render files can recover gigabytes. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #549: What Is Optical Flow?
Optical Flow is a way to generate artificial frames to smooth extremely slow motion video. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #568: YouTube Compression Settings for Compressor
Apple Compressor's YouTube settings change based upon the frame size of the source media. While close, they need some tweaks to provide best results.
Tip #576: Retime Audio to Match Dialog
Allen Rowell shows how we can retime audio to match dialogue to a video clip that was recorded at a different time.
Tip #544: 7 Tips for Better Shooting
Caleb Pike, with DSLR Shooter, provides seven tips to improve your shooting by thinking like an editor.
Tip #547: 6 Tips to Better Foregrounds
My favorite type of foregrounds are where you have something a little bit special. It may be some foliage or a rock that stands out. Be careful about the surroundings and make sure there are no distractions. Here are six tips you can use today.
Tip #545: 10 Quick Tips to Spot Fake Gear
Not sure if that equipment is legit? Does that deal feel too good to be true? Avoid getting scammed and learn to spot counterfeit camera gear with these ten quick tips, provided by Canon.
Tip #537: Add Curves to Keyframes
Apple Motion keyframes have a lot of flexibility in their playback options, if you know where to look. Here's a quick tip to discover the secret.
Tip #550: Find Animated Settings in Motion – Fast!
As projects get more complex, tracking which elements are animated and how they are animated gets tricky. Fortunately, Motion has a menu option that quickly allows you to see any modified settings or keyframes applied to a selected element. Learn more here.
Tip #555: Create Custom Curve Sets in Motion
In Tip #552, we illustrated how to access the default curve set in Apple Motion to see which settings have been modified or animated. However, we can also create our own custom curve set. Here's how.
Tip #552: 8 Tips to Improve VFX Shots
VFX artist, Brad Hamilton, created a YouTube video presenting eight tips to improve VFX shots. Here's a summary, with a link to his video.
Tip #551: 5 Easy In-Camera Effects
Ryan Connolly, at Film Riot, came up with five in-camera effects you can easily do yourself.
Tip #556: Blend Modes in Brief
Blend modes allow us to combine textures, and sometimes colors, between clips or elements that are stacked vertically on top of each other. These are arithmetical expressions, with nothing to adjust. You either like the effect or you don't. Here's what they do.
Tip #564: Master a Linked Selection
Most of the time, linking is a good thing. Except, ah, when it isn't. Here's a description of what it is and two ways to unlink a clip.
Tip #561: Optimize Compression Settings for YouTube
Here are settings you can use to optimize video compression for YouTube.
Tip #562: The Timeline’s Magic Wrench
In the top-left corner of the Timeline is a wrench icon. This contains a wide variety of configuration settings to enable the timeline to look the way you want for your style of editing.
Tip #563: What’s a Through Edit?
There's a hidden feature in Adobe Premiere that highlights unnecessary edits. But, it's turned off by default. Here's how to turn it on.
Tip #559: What is “Frame Reordering” in Apple Compressor?
Ever wonder what Frame Reordering does in Apple Compressor? Me, too. So, I did some research. Here's what I learned.
Tip #560: What is “Clean Aperture” in Apple Compressor?
One of the checkboxes in Apple Compressor is "Add clean aperture information." What is this and should it be checked or unchecked?
Tip #529: Add Keyframes with the Range Tool
With Final Cut Pro, you can use keyframes to create simple changes to audio over time, such as fading the volume or an effect in or out in the middle of a clip. The Range Selection tool makes adding keyframes faster.
Tip #530: Enhance Audio in Final Cut
Final Cut Pro includes several powerful tools for automatically analyzing and enhancing the audio in your projects, including: Loudness, background noise reduction and hum removal. Here's how these work.
Tip #553: Add Audio Effect Keyframes in FCP X
We can use the Range tool to quickly add volume keyframes to a clip. However, we can also use the Audio Animation editor to add keyframes for audio effects, such as reverb or distortion. Here's how.
Tip #527: 5 Tips to Run a Smooth Set
Here are five tips to avoid the catastrophe of a badly-run video shoot.
Tip #528: A Look at YouTube’s NLE
While the NLE giants dominate the marketplace, YouTube has quietly created an NLE for first time vloggers, or those needing to quickly edit tons of videos or long-form streams. Learn more here.
Tip #534: What is Shutter Angle?
Here's a discussion on the influence of shutter angle along with how it can be used as a creative tool for accomplishing one's artistic goals.
Tip #536: Add an Audio Fade in Apple Motion
Apple Motion really doesn't like audio. The basic rule is:Only import final mixes into Motion. Don't try to do a mix in Motion itself; it will drive you nuts. However, sometimes you need to add a fade. Here's how.
Tip #522: The Missing Motion Shortcut
Of all the keyboard shortcuts that have ever existed in the history of the world, NONE have bothered me more than these two in Motion. Fortunately, there's a quick and easy fix.
Tip #538: What Does Four-Corner Do?
When you select an object in Motion, one of the adjustments you can make is Four Corner. Inspector > Four Corner allows you to distort whatever you have selected. Here's how it works.
Tip #509: How to Create Line Boil Animation
"Line boil" animation is where lines in an animated figure shiver, or "boil,"" as though every frame was drawn by hand. It gives life and energy to a line drawing by emphasizing rough edges. Here's how to create it.
Tip #542: What is Rotoscoping?
Rotoscoping is an animation technique that animators use to trace over motion picture footage, frame by frame, to produce realistic action. Originally using glass, today we use computers. Here's more about this technique.
Tip #543: What is Planar Tracking?
A planar tracker uses planes and textures to track as opposed to points or groups of pixels. This allows the tracker to stay on track even if your shot contains motion blur or a very shallow depth of field. Here's a quick overview.
Tip #532: How to Use the Rate Stretch Tool
What if you need your clip to fit an exact space in your edit? The Rate Stretch tool allows you to click and drag a clip to an exact duration, and Premiere will adjust the speed to fit the duration. Here's how it works.
Tip #533: Normalize Master Track Audio
Most of the time, we adjust audio levels for each clip, or create a bus and apply effects to the bus. However, you can also monitor and adjust levels in the Master track. This is a fast way to guard against excessive levels in your mix. Here's how.
Tip #523: What is Multicam Flattening?
Flattening disconnects unused multicam clips from the timeline. The big benefit is that it decreases the load on your storage system during playback. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #535: How to Convert 32-bit Media
Since the release of macOS Catalina (10.15) older media based on 32-bit codecs no longer plays. If you were able to convert all your media before updating, great. If not, read this.
Tip #539: What is a Sidecar File?
A sidecar file is an XML file that contains metadata. These are useful when the media format does not support storing this data internally. Here's a quick tutorial.
Tip #541: What is Bit Depth?
Bit depth determines the the number of steps between the maximum and minimum of a value. Here's a quick explanation.
Tip #524: Assign Multiple Shortcuts to a Menu
A hidden feature in Final Cut is the ability to assign multiple shortcuts to the same menu option. Here's how this works.
Tip #525: Replace Missing Audio – Fast
Have you ever deleted the audio or video of a clip, only to realize later that you need it back? Yup, me too. Here’s a blindingly fast way to replace the timeline clip.
Tip #526: Top and Tail Trimming
It seems I’ve gotten lazy and always trim my clips by dragging the In or the Out. However, there is a much faster way to trim the top or tail of a clip.
Tip #492: Creative Truths From Real Editors
For several years, I ran the "Creative Truths Contest." This invited readers to send in aphorisms that best represent the editing process. Here are five of my favorites.
Tip #520: Tips for Using Shotgun Mics
There's no "perfect" mic, but shotgun mics are ideally suited for video production. Here are some tips on how to use them.
Tip #521: What is Color Temperature?
Color temperature is the measure of the perceived color of white light on a scale from warm (gold) to cool (bluish). These lighting facts might interest you, 'cause I found them interesting.
Tip #495: Use Gradient Blur to Imply Depth-of-Field
One of the challenges in using cell phone cameras is that too much of the image is in-focus. The amount of the image that's in-focus is called "depth-of-field."
We use depth-of-field to control where the eye looks first in the frame. Here's a way to fake it.
Tip #507: Create 360° Projects in Motion
If you are looking to experiment with 360° video, Motion can convert a normal Motion project into 360° video without shooting new video. There are limitations, but here's how it works.
Tip #515: Using the Active Camera Menu
As you move into 3D space in Motion, the Active Camera menu becomes an essential navigation tool. Here's what the menu options mean.
Tip #512: Animate With a Multi-Plane Camera
When photographing traditional cell animation, all elements are painted onto a single cell. The problem is that you can't create a sense of depth through movement. The multiplane camera fixes this. Here's a quick look back at very famous history.
Tip #510: 10 Tips for Shooting Visual Effects
The CG Geek posted a YouTube video presenting "10 Tips for Shooting Visual Effects." Here's the summary
Tip #504: Comparing a Framing vs. Tripod Camera
There are two ways to pivot a camera: around the tripod or around the subject. Here's a quick tip to explain the difference.
Tip #470: How to Improve Chroma-keys in Premiere
Premiere has an excellent chroma-keyer in Ultra Key. But, once you've applied the effect, how do you get the best key? Here's the tweaks you need to know.
Tip #511: Relink Missing Media in Premiere
Media can go offline for a variety of reasons. However, once you show Premiere where the media went, relinking is straight-forward. Here's how it works.
Tip #463: Nests Help Organize Timelines
Nesting combines multiple elements, like clips, into one "thing," called a nest. It’s easier to perform a task on a single nest than repeat the same task on multiple clips. Nests are not only more organized, they are also more efficient. This is the basic theory of nesting in Premiere Pro. Here's how to create a nest.
Tip #513: How Changing Frame Rate Affects File Size
This tip compares the increase in file storage with increasing frame rates. These ratios hold true regardless of frame size.
Tip #514: The Brave New World of 8K Media
Technology continues its relentless advance and we are hearing the drumbeats for 8K media. Editing 4K takes a lot of computer horsepower. Editing 8K requires 4 TIMES more than 4K! Which is why Apple is promoting the new Mac Pro for use with 8K workflows. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #508: Pick the Best Audio Format for Editing
When using various audio files in your video edits, such as music tracks and sound effects, does the audio file type really make a difference? (Spoiler: yes, it does.) But the real question is why are there so many different audio file formats? Here's what they are and which to pick.
Tip #491: What is Broadcast Safe?
"Broadcast Safe" refers to luma and chroma levels that are within long-established bounds required for broadcast, cable and digital cinema. The problem is that most digital cameras - both still and video - record levels in excess of these amounts. This tip describes your two options.
Tip #518: Super-Secret, Super-Fast Export Trick
Imagine you need to get multiple highlights of breaking news/sports/weather/life up to the web like, ah, yesterday. Final Cut has a very fast way to make that happen. Watch...!
Tip #519: Use XML to Archive FCP X Projects
Most of the time, the easiest way to move media, projects and data in Final Cut Pro X from Point A to Point B is to copy the library. However, there are four main reasons to use an XML file instead. Discover what they are and how it works here.
Tip #476: Better Content Aware Fills in Photoshop
Content-Aware Fill, in Photoshop, is amazing. This tip makes it even better.
Tip #478: Break Out of a Creative Rut
Photographer Jamie Windsor shares five tips he uses when creative ideas just aren't coming.
Tip #494: Pick the Right Microphone
Understanding microphone technology can help you pick the right mic for your project. Here are some tips.
Tip #497: A Hidden Map in Motion
Hidden deep inside Motion are three world maps that can be used for effects. Here's where they are and an idea on how to use them.
Tip #498: Create a Spinning Globe
Tip #497 showed how to create a glowing map. This tip explains how to take those elements and turn them into a globe that spins.
Tip #496: A Very Cool Time-Warp Effect
Here's a very cool way to create a time-warp effect. I've never used this in real-life, but I teach it in all of my Motion classes, because it is fun to play with and teaches an important lesson. Here are the steps.
Tip #500: When is a Green-Screen Key Red?
A chroma-key removes a background by making all the pixels of a certain color transparent so we can put something else in its place. But it doesn't need to be green. Here's why.
Tip #501: Lighting for Green-Screen
One of the challenges that new cinematographers face in lighting green-screen shots is that there is almost no correlation between the lighting of the background versus the foreground. In fact, they should be lit separately. Here's why.
Tip #502: The Challenges of Changing a Color
Replacing colors in selected objects allow us to change hue and saturation, but not gray-scale values. This tip explains why.
Tip #444: Automatic Audio Ducking
Auto-ducking automatically applies audio level keyframes to a music or sound effects clip in response to dialog clips above it. It generates keyframes very quickly and, even better, each keyframe is fully adjustable after they are applied. Here's how it works.
Tip #445: More Mask Tricks in Premiere
While we can't combine masks in Premiere, nor select multiple masks at the same time, we can create multiple masks to create unusual shapes. Here's how.
Tip #417: How Do Color Wheels Work?
Color wheels adjust all three color elements of a pixel: gray-scale, hue and saturation. Each wheel affects one-third of the image: shadows, mid-tones and highlights separately. Here's how they work.
Tip #503: Why Timecode Starts at 01:00:00:00
Back in the old days of video tape, all programs originating in North America (and, perhaps, elsewhere) started at timecode hour 01. A tradition that often continues today for broadcast, mostly out of habit. Why?
Tip #505: Why HDV Media is a Pain in the Neck
HDV (short for high-definition DV) media was a highly-popular, but deeply flawed, video format around the turn of the century.
Tip #499: What is Pixel Aspect Ratio?
One facet of standard definition digital video was that pixels were not square. This caused all kinds of issues. Learn why here.
Tip #471: Create Visual Effect Keyframes Automatically
You may know that we can set audio level keyframes quickly by selecting a range within a clip, then dragging the audio level line up or down. But did you also know you can use this same trick for visual effects? Here's how.
Tip #472: What Are Auditions in Final Cut Pro X?
In Final Cut Pro, you can organize related clips into sets, called auditions, from which you can choose one clip to use. Here's a summary of what auditions can do.
Tip #490: What is Range Check?
Have you ever wondered what "Range Check" does in the View menu? It's actually really useful - it flags excessive white and chroma (color) saturation levels. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #462: Lighting Day for Night
Day for night interiors can be tough. However, with the right approach, you can sell the effect by controlling, shaping, and cutting out the daylight. Here are some tips to keep in mind.
Tip #473: 3 Tips for Perfect Exposures
One of the first things beginning photographers learn is the relationship between ISO, aperture and shutter speed. Known as the “exposure triangle,” this is the basis of the photography world. Here are three tips to improve your exposures.
Tip #477: How to Test the Lenses You Buy
You may not be aware that no two lenses are exactly the same. Why? Sample variation. Performance can vary widely from edge to edge or from wide to tight. Here's an easy way to test them.
Tip #475: Fill Text with Video
Text with animated video inside it is always fun to watch. Motion makes it easy to fill any text with any background. Here's how. (Part 1 of 3)
Tip #484: Put a Background Behind Filled Text
When text is filled using a blend mode, any backgrounds disappear. Here's what you need to know to display them again. (Part 2 of 3)
Tip #486: Add Drop Shadows to Text
This is the third of three tips on creating a text effect. Here, I show how to add drop shadows to text that uses a blend mode to fill itself with a background. (Part 3 of 3)
Tip #489: Simulate Speed with a Channel Blur
The channel blur effect blurs one, two or all three color channels in a clip. By selectively blurring a single channel you can, for example, imply speed or create a halo, without sacrificing apparent focus. Take a look.
Tip #487: What’s a Tilt/Shift Blur
A tilt-shift blur simulates depth of field or the softening of edges with distance from a source. Here's what it looks like.
Tip #488: Tips to Improve Color Tints
All editing software has an effect that tints a clip, such as sepia. But, when you apply it, it looks awful. Why? Here's what you need to know.
Tip #480: Advanced Mask Controls
Mask feather, opacity and expansion allow you greater control over the look of your mask. Here's what each of these does.
Tip #407: Highlight Your Favorite Fonts in Premiere
Your Mac holds hundreds of fonts, here's a quick tip to help you find your favorites.
Tip #479: Copy and Paste Masks in Premiere
There are two ways to apply the same mask to more than one clip: an adjustment layer or copying and pasting a mask. Here's how to use copy/paste.
Tip #474: DNxHR vs. ProRes
The Avid DNxHR and Apple Prores codec families are designed to meet the needs of modern, streamlined post-production workflows. Here's how they compare.
Tip #483: Adobe Supports ProRes on Mac and Windows
ProRes has long been popular on Mac-based editing systems, including those from Adobe. But, support on Windows has been much weaker. That changed with this announcement from Adobe.
Tip #456: Uncompressed Audio File Sizes
Here's a table, courtesy of Sweetwater Sound, of the file size requirements of uncompressed audio files at different sample rates and bit depth.
Tip #440: Secrets of the Range Tool
The Range tool in Final Cut Pro X can speed your edits, if you know its secrets. These tips will help you decide if this tool is useful to you.
Tip #481: The Power of a Back-time Edit
Back-time edits are used when you care more about the end of a clip than the beginning. Final Cut provides two very fast ways to create these.
Tip #482: How to Create a 3-point Edit
A 3-point edit is one where the duration of a range in the Timeline determines where a clip from the Browser will begin and end. These edits provide both precision and speed. Here's how they work.
Tip #460: 5 Tips to Improve a Boring Documentary
The primary goal of any good documentary is — first and foremost — to inform. However, to inform it also has to entertain. If your documentary project is starting to get boring, here are some quick tricks to help you get back on track.
Tip #461: 3 Tips to Shoot a Conversation in a Car
There’s something about the cinematic road scene that is deeply embedded in American film and culture. However, from a DP’s perspective, it can be one of the most difficult and taxing set-ups to tackle. Here are three tips to help.
Tip #457: Low-Tech Perfomance Boost
Brian Thomas has a tip to boost the performance of older laptops - and it doesn't cost any money!
Tip #466: How to Display a Grid in Motion
Hidden in Motion is the ability to display a grid in the Viewer, which greatly simplifies aligning elements. Here's how to display and adjust it.
Tip #467: Render Settings Improve CPU Performance
We can choose the render quality and resolution of the canvas display, and enable or disable features that can impact playback performance. But there are a lot of options. Here's what they mean.
Tip #465: What is a Rig?
Rigs are used to pass controls for Motion template effects from Motion to Final Cut Pro X. But they are also useful in Motion, itself. Learn more here.
Tip #468: How to Add Lens Flares
Lens flares, when you can control them in post, add life to an otherwise bland scene. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #459: Improve Your Visuals with Pre-Viz
Pre-visualization is critical for any visual project. The script is your foundation, while the art for pre-production is the frame that rests upon that foundation.Learn more about it here.
Tip #469: What is a Bump Map?
Typically, bump maps are used to apply texture to a smooth object. In this tip, we illustrate what they are and how they work.
Tip #404: 6 Tips to Crop Images More Effectively
The Crop tool is an important tool in the video editor's toolkit. Here are six tips to help you get more out of it.
Tip #455: Audio Compression Settings for YouTube
Last week, in Tip #451, I presented compression settings for audio you were posting for a podcast. YouTube and other social media settings are different, however. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #458: Video Compression Settings for YouTube
YouTube, and other social media services, always recompress your data. To compensate, you need to create an intermediate file specifically for social media. Here's how.
Tip #389: Two Fast Ways to Configure a Sequence
Premiere's Sequence Settings panel is daunting. Even experienced editors scratch their heads over some of these options. Fortunately, Premiere has two fast ways to configure a sequence. Learn more here.
Tip #393: How to Create Effects Presets in Premiere
Saving effects presets can save a lot of time, if you find yourself using the same effects settings over and over. But creating them isn't obvious. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #452: What is Ogg
Ogg is an open-source container format for media assets. Here's a quick sketch of what you need to know.
Tip #437: Secrets of the Skimmer
The Skimmer in Final Cut Pro X allows us to quickly review clips in the Browser. But, did you know it has a hidden feature that's just a keystroke away? It does.
Tip #438: Secrets of the Precision Editor
The Precision Editor in Final Cut Pro X is an incredibly useful teaching tool. If you haven't played with it, you are missing a treat. Here's what it does.
Tip #439: Tips on Using the Position Tool
When Final Cut Pro X was released, editors were aghast that the Magnetic Timeline prevented them from leaving gaps in the timeline. The answer is that FCP X has always had the ability to create gaps in the timeline. It just isn't obvious. Here's how.
Tip #441: Lighting for a Cinematic Look
A common misconception among aspiring or soon-to-be filmmakers is that you need a lot of huge, expensive lights to really pull of a professional, cinematic look. That was true once, but not anymore. Here are some tips.
Tip #443: Shooting Night-time Car Scenes
Shooting night-time car scenes can be tricky when working with a micro-budget. Fortunately, there are a few key techniques that can help you pull it off without leaving the garage.
Tip #442: Find the Funny
Here are some helpful tips and tricks for shooting, directing, and editing comedy shorts to capture that magic for the world to see.
Tip #448: How to Use LUTs in Motion
LUTs are very fast and very flexible ways to change the look of your video. Here's what you need to know to use them in Motion.
Tip #447: Move Text Along an Unusual Path
Most of the time, we want text in Motion to travel in a straight line. But, when you want that text to take strange shapes, Motion makes it easy. Here's how.
Tip #446: Move Text on a Path
Text can move around paths or shapes. This tip explains how to get text to follow a path.
Tip #394: Why Use Vignettes
A vignette, in film, darkens the edges of the frame to focus the attention of the eye on the brighter portion of the image at the center. Here are more thoughts on its use.
Tip #340: Quick Green Screen Lighting Tip
Looking for a fast way to evenly light a green-screen background. Here's a tip: Look up!
Tip #450: What Does Sharpening Do?
Sharpening adjusts the apparent focus of a clip, without actually changing its focus. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #337: Three Ways to Sync Audio to Video
Recording audio and video separately on set ensures you get the highest quality sound for your project. Using an external shotgun microphone and syncing your audio with a slate, snap, or a clap is essential. Here's how.
Tip #375: Tips for Better Auto-Reframing
Auto Reframe intelligently identifies the actions in your video and reframes the clips for different aspect ratios. Here are some best practice tips from Adobe.
Tip #298: 2 Tricks to Moving Clips
Once we have a rough cut complete, it is often necessary to move or replace clips in the timeline. Here are two tricks - swap and replace - that make that easier.
Tip #451: Audio Compression for Podcasts
If you are posting audio to your web site, streaming it live where bandwidth requirements make a difference, or posting it to services that charge for storage, you want to make your audio file as small as possible, without damaging quality. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #453: What is WebM?
Developed and owned by Google, WebM is an audiovisual media file format. It is primarily intended to offer a royalty-free alternative to use in the HTML5 video and the HTML5 audio elements. Here's a quick summary of what it is and how it's used.
Tip #454: More Than You Need to Know – About Codecs
Here is a comparison table of twenty popular media "containers," their features and related codecs. This is fascinating to explore, simply due to the diversity this represents.
Tip #392: How to Use a Second Display with FCP X
... for Apple Final Cut Pro X
Tip #392: How to Use a Second Display with FCP X
Larry Jordan - LarryJordan.com
The Secondary Monitor display menu only appears when you have a second monitor connected.
This tip is from an Apple…
Tip #406: What’s the Best Way to Backup a Project?
One of the big benefits of Final Cut Pro X is its ability to instantly save whenever you do something. Which is fine, most of the time. But, what if you want to make a protection copy of just a single project?
Tip #449: Scopes on a Second Monitor
One of the benefits of using a second computer monitor is that it allows us to display both a larger video image in the Viewer and much larger video scopes. Here's how.
Tip #422: 4 Tips to Researching Your Topic
Research is essential to any documentary. Strong research ensures a successful and captivating documentary film. Here are some resources to consider as you research your own projects.
Tip #424: Tips for Lighting Different Skin tones
Lighting different skin tones in the same scene is really tough. Here are some tricks to consider.
Tip #423: 7 Reasons to Add Narration
For filmmakers, narration is truly a powerful tool — voice-over narration helps us understand what we’re seeing. Regardless of where you are in production, here are seven reasons you should consider using voice-over narration in your project.
Tip #432: Create Your Own Templates in Motion
If you find yourself creating the same projects over and over in Motion, here's fast way to create a template to speed your work.
Tip #434: Create Smoother Gradients in Apple Motion
The default gradient settings create very abrupt changes. Here's a tip that allows you to create much smoother gradients in Motion.
Tip #433: Why Display Alpha Channels
One of the options in the top right corner of the Motion Viewer is the ability to display the alpha channel of the current project. But, why would you need this? Here's an example.
Tip #338: How to Create Retro Looks
A "retro" look is one that looks like your footage was shot years ago, using older technology. Red Giant Universe provides three different plug-ins to help you achieve the look you want.
Tip #435: Faster Still Image Rotoscoping
Rotoscoping allows you to select a portion of an image by tracing the edges of the subject you want to isolate. The problem is that rotoscoping is really, really tricky; especially when hair or other soft edges get involved. Here's a trick that makes this really simple.
Tip #436: What is a B-spline Curve?
B-spline curves (short for Basis spline) are frequently used to create shapes because, unlike Bézier curves, B-splines have no corners. Here are a few more cool facts.
Tip #428: Better Ways to Create LUTs
Tip #427 showed how to create LUTs using Photoshop. However, what if you need more, or want to create a radically different look for your media. That requires a 3rd-party LUT utility. Learn more here.
Tip #297: Multiband Compressor Improves Dialogue
The best way to control the levels in your dialog is to use the Multiband Compressor filter. This raises the softer passages in your audio, without causing the louder passages to distort. Here's a simple way to use it.
Tip #412: Secret Multicam Setting Tip for Premiere Pro
Last week, I was talking with Adobe about multicam editing in Premiere Pro and discovered a secret configuration tip for multicam editing that I didn't know. Here's the tip.
Tip #431: A Fast Way to Build a Premiere Sequence
Let's say you are building a montage or music video where the audio determines where the edits need to be. Wouldn't it be cool if you could automatically build a sequence to match the beat? You can.
Tip #427: Create a LUT in Photoshop
LUTs are a great way to take log or RAW images and convert them into something pleasing to look at. You can even use this technique for Rec. 709 media, which we use every day in HD projects. Here's a technique that creates LUTs that work in Premiere, Final Cut or Resolve.
Tip #430: Compressing 10-Bit HEVC Media
A reader asked this week why it took so long to compress 10-bit HEVC media. At first, I thought it was because Intel CPUs did not support hardware acceleration, but the answer is more complex than that. Learn more here.
Tip #411: What Do the Color Wheel Controls Do?
Each color wheel in Final Cut Pro X has four controls. These color controls can apply either to a selected clip, a group of clips, or a mask within a clip. Here's what they do.
Tip #425: Apply LUTs in Final Cut Pro X
A LUT (Look-Up Table) is a data table that converts raw camera sensor data into an attractive image. While we generally don't use them for Rec. 709 HD footage, we use them all the time for RAW, Log, and other HDR media. Here's how they work.
Tip #426: How to Add a 3rd-Party LUT to Final Cut Pro X
A LUT (Look-Up Table) is used to convert camera sensor data into an image worth looking at. While FCP X ships with a number of LUTs, here's how to add custom LUTs to your system.
Tip #419: Shooting Exteriors at Night
The nighttime exterior shot is one of the greatest challenges for filmmakers on a budget. Nighttime exteriors typically require a ton of powerful lights (and generators) to illuminate your scene, but what if you don't have the budget?
Tip #420: Shoot Better Vertical Video
"Vertical" and "Cinematic" are two words that don't belong together. But, all too often, we need to convert a 16:9 masterpiece into a 9:16 deliverable. How?
Tip #421: Improve Your Filmmaking Creativity
It's not your gear, but your creativity that will set you apart. Consider these five ideas and see if they can help you.
Tip #402: Enable or Disable Layers in Motion
In the Layers list, you can enable or disable layers or groups to make them visible or invisible in the canvas without removing them from your composition. Here's how.
Tip #401: Define a Play Range in Motion
Ordinarily, clicking the Play button plays your project from the current position of the playhead to the last frame. However, you can change the play range of your project by modifying the In and Out points in the Timeline. Here's how.
Tip #410: Solo or Lock Layers in Motion
Solo hides everything except the soloed elements. Locking prevents accidental changes. Here's how they work.
Tip #413: Mask Multiple Clips with an Adjustment Layer
An adjustment layer affects all clips under it in the Timeline. Whether you use Premiere or FCP X, this masking tip can save you a ton of time.
Tip #418: What is an Anchor Point?
When it comes to altering the position of an image, both Premiere and Final Cut allow us to adjust the "anchor point." But what does it do?
Tip #403: Blue or Green: Which Keys Better?
Chroma key compositing is the actual technique of layering two images together based on color hues. Today, we use both green and blue. Read here to learn which is the best choice for your project
Tip #296: Reveal the Clips Inside a Multicam Clip
A multicam clip in Premiere isn't a "clip," it's a sequence. And, like all sequences, you can see the clips inside - if you know where to look. Here's where.
Tip #295: Save Time – Use Master Effects
You've editing a flock of clips into your sequence in the Timeline - only to discover a problem. Fixing all these clips at once is what master effects are designed to do. Here's how.
Tip #409: Select the Best Audio Options for a Multicam Clip in Premiere
After you've created your multicam clip, what options to you pick for best results during your audio mix? Here's the answer.
Tip #414: What is a Container Format?
QuickTime and MXF are often described as media "containers." But, what is a container? Here's a quick definition.
Tip #415: Everything Starts With an IFF
Back in WWII, an "IFF" was a radar signal used for "identification friend or foe." But, in the media world, IFF has an entirely different meaning - one that we use everyday. Let me explain.
Tip #416: Closed Caption Formats for Social Media
Erin Myers at Rev.com, a transcription company, has compiled a list of supported closed caption formats at leading web sites. Read more here.
Tip #367: How to Render a Portion of the Timeline
Rendering is the process of creating temporary video and audio files for segments of your project that Final Cut Pro cannot play in real time. Here's how to render all, or part, of your timeline.
Tip #378: Rename Clips in Batches
When you import media into Final Cut Pro, the clips often contain meaningless names, such as those assigned by the camera. Although you can rename clips individually, you can also rename a selection of clips as a batch in the browser. Here's how.
Tip #400: Speed Your Audio-mixing in FCP X
These shortcuts help to adjust audio levels in a fast and precise way, from changing entire clips to just a short range. Here's how.
Tip #368: 12 Tips for Better Locations
Picking the right location can make all the difference for your film. Here is a list of 12 tips to consider, from "The Guerrilla Film Makers Pocketbook," when trying to find the right location on a budget.
Tip #372: 5 Prep Tips for Directing Commercials
Here are five tips, from PremiumBeat, of ways to improve your preparation before directing your next commercial.
Tip #395: 4 Cameras Hacks That Save Time
Here are four filmmaking camera hacks for great effects without spending more than five bucks for each tip.
Tip #386: Filters that Blur Alpha Channels
Blurring the alpha channel allows you to blur a foreground object into a background element. Here are two filters that can help.
Tip #388: Garbage Masks in Motion
Garbage masks are really useful because they help you, ah, get rid of the garbage such as light stands, or portions of the background. Here's how it works.
Tip #387: Motion Tracking Strategies
Motion tracking in Apple Motion isn't always perfect. Here are some tips that can improve the quality of your tracks.
Tip #390: Super-slow Motion in DaVinci Resolve
Using some fancy new AI, DaVinci Resolve 16 can take your 60p footage and slow it down significantly by guessing what would be in-between the missing frames. Here's how.
Tip #391: Simulate Poor Streaming Connections
This features an effect called: Glitch, which is part of Red Giant Universe. This plug-in runs on all major NLEs.
Tip #396: Mask Your Microphone
You might know that one thing that’s essential to getting high-quality audio is to get your microphone as close to your subject as possible. This is one of the reasons that Lavalier mics are such a great tool! Here's how to make a shotgun mic disappear.
Tip #399: Add Metadata to your Movies
You can embed metadata (labels) into files transcoded using the Apple Devices, Apple ProRes, MP3, MPEG-4, and QuickTime settings in Apple Compressor. Use metadata to annotate a media file with information that’s important for your workflow or for the person viewing your output file. Here's how.
Tip #385: Build Multicam Clips Faster
If you need to assemble clips with different frame sizes, frame rates or codecs into the same multicam clip in Adobe Premiere Pro CC, here's a fast way to create a multicam clip with exactly the format you need.
Tip #289: Create a Hold Frame
Hold frames are still images created in a clip in Premiere's timeline that allow you to pause the action. There are two versions of a Hold frame - here's how to create both.
Tip #290: Dynamic Trim: Trim Clips in Real-Time
Hidden in the Premiere interface is the Dynamic Trim window, which provides the ability to trim an edit point in realtime. This is a great way to trim an action scene when you need to see it in realtime to figure out the best places to change shots. Here's how it works.
Tip #397: What Do Compressor Frame Sizes Mean
The Frame Size setting in Apple Compressor determines precisely how your images are scaled during compression. Here's what the settings mean.
Tip #398: Use Watch Folders in AME for Automation
If you are creating lots of movies that always get the same compression settings or want to automatically compress and transfer files to social media - using Watch Folders in Adobe Media Encoder can make your life a lot easier.
Tip #342: Uses for Emoji in Final Cut Pro X
It started in macOS Sierra, but for those, like me, who didn't notice, we can now add emojis to titles in Final Cut Pro X. It couldn't be easier - here's how.
Tip #379: Change Gradient Colors
Normally, text in a title or generator has only one color - and the default is white. However, you can replace the solid color with a gradient, then change the colors of the gradient. We have LOTS of options! Here's how.
Tip #383: Quick Fix Using Add Freeze Frame
Recently Patrick Flaherty opened a project that he had finished. When he played it on the timeline he got the "Sorry I lost your media" red card warning. Here's how he solved it.
Tip #324: Improve Your Video Interviews
Shooting a video interview can be one of the most challenging aspects of the filmmaking process. Here are seven tips to take your interview skills to the next level and avoid nasty surprises on set.
Tip #336: 5 Essential Tips for Editing Soundbites
Quality audio is the key to any interview. Yet, working with sound bites is always a challenge because they are filled with pauses, interruptions and awkward phrasing. Here are some tips to keep in mind.
Tip #361: Ask Better Questions
There's the production side to an interview, then there's the content. This is a summary of how to improve the content of your interviews.
Tip #376: Use Walk 3D View to Position Cameras
The Walk 3D View tool lets you position a camera in 3D space as you would in a computer game, using a keyboard-and-mouse navigation method. Here's how.
Tip #341: Uses for Emoji in Motion
You may have missed the memo, I certainly did, but we can now add emojis in any field that accepts text; including layer labels! Here's how.
Tip #377: The Record Button Easily Adds Keyframes
There are two ways to apply keyframes in Motion: Automatically and manually. Here's the automatic method.
Tip #370: 4 Steps to Better Skin Tones in Resolve
These four quick steps will improve skin tones in Resolve, without damaging the rest of your color grade. Here's how.
Tip #371: Changing Clip Frame Rates in Resolve
Do you need two clips from the same video file to play at different frame rates in your DaVinci Resolve timeline - say to create slow-motion? Here's how.
Tip #382: Stacking Order Makes a Difference
Whether you use Adobe Premiere or Apple Final Cut, the stacking order of your effects makes a difference. Let me illustrate.
Tip #283: AAF vs. EDL vs. OMF vs. XML Export
Most of the time, when the time comes to export our finished project, we select File > Export > Media. Sometimes, though, we need to move our project to a different program, say for color correction or audio mixing. Which export option should we choose?
Tip #287: What Do These Blue Boxes Do?
The Track Header on the left side of the Premiere timeline has two columns of blue buttons. Here's what they do.
Tip #288: How to Do a Match Frame Edit
Let's say you are editing the video of a clip into the timeline, only to realize, later in your edit, that you also needed the audio. How do you fix this quickly?
Tip #350: Isaac Newton’s Color Wheel
The color wheel that we use virtually every day was invented by Sir Isaac Newton in 1666. Here's a quick trip back in time.
Tip #374: Constant Bitrate vs. Constant Quality
Here's a quick look at two new encoding options for Blackmagic RAW media.
Tip #380: Apple Compressor vs. Adobe Media Encoder
Recently, I compared the compression speed of Adobe Media Encoder with Apple Compressor, both running on the same 27" iMac (i5) and macOS Catalina. Here's what I learned.
Tip #320: Should You Copy or Link to Media?
There are two options when importing media into Final Cut Pro X: "Copy to library" and "Leave files in place." Which should you use?
Tip #331: Export and Translate Subtitles
Carsten Ress was looking for a way to export subtitles (in the closed captions format) from FCP X as text, send it to translation then import it back again as subtitles. He found this workaround that saved him a lot of time.
Tip #366: How to Create Proxy Files After Import
Proxy files transcode camera native media into Apple ProRes 422 Proxy. These provide high-quality files at the original frame rate and aspect ratio, but at one-half the resolution. Here's how to create them.
Tip #271: Examples of USB Connectors
USB is known for its variety of connectors. Recently, I was reading Wikipedia and discovered this illustration which helps explain the options.
Tip #166: 8 Camera Hacks
Peter McKinnon, writing in DigitalRev, shares eight different tips we can quickly use on set to create a different look or fix a problem. Discover them here.
Tip #323: Practical Tips to Avoid Film-making Stress
Often, stress during a project starts as a small thing that can be easily managed. Here are some common sense tips to help you manage your stress
Tip #344: Copy a Motion Preset to Another Computer
Each custom project preset you create (such as Broadcast HD 720) is saved as a separate file in your computer. Here's how to move them.
Tip #325: Add a Widget and Parameter in One Step
Rigging is the process of creating effect controls in Motion that can be used in Final Cut. Normally, you create a rig, then add a widget (effect control), then add one or more snapshots (settings for the widget). Here's a faster way to work.
Tip #343: Move Motion Assets to a Different Computer
To move a Motion project file to another computer, you must also move all media that the project uses, including all QuickTime, still image, and audio files. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #335: Remove Black Backgrounds & Blend Clips
Here's a tip to make your light and smoke effects look more believable.
Tip #345: Add Perspective
If your NLE does not support adjusting text in 3D space, there's an easy way to create the effect of text receding into the distance. Here's how.
Tip #339: Inexpensive Green-screen Kits
The key to a successful key is an absolutely smooth and flat-lit background. Then, use separate lights to light the talent. Any of these three kits can help.
Tip #286: Slicing and Dicing
In addition to the Razor tool, which cuts individual timeline clips wherever you click it, there are two keyboard shortcuts which can cut multiple clips at the same time. But they don't behave the same way. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #280: Adjustment Layers are Magic
An Adjustment Layer is a special kind of video clip that is placed above one or more clips in the Premiere timeline to which, when you apply an effect, those effects apply to every video clip under the adjustment layer. Here's how they work.
Tip #281: Enable On-Screen Image Adjustments
Premiere provides the ability to resize, move and scale elements on screen in the Program Monitor, but you need to turn this feature on. Here's how.
Tip #346: Compressor is Not Faster in Catalina
Here are the results of an initial compression speed test using Apple Compressor comparing Mojave with Catalina.
Tip #347: Codecs – Explained (Part 1)
Ever wonder what a codec is, or where the term came from? Here's a quick explanation.
Tip #348: Codecs – Explained (Part 2)
There are two types of codecs: lossy and lossless. This tip quickly explains the differences.
Tip #332: How to Edit Export Tags
You know those project "tags" that appear on the Info screen when you Share a project? Well, not only are they displayed during export, but they are embedded in the metadata for your project on export. Here's how to change them.
Tip #333: Favorites are Faster
Apple made a big deal of Favorites when Final Cut Pro X was first launched. Now, you need to know where to look to find them. But, they are absolutely worth learning, because they can make finding the right clip a lot faster. Here's how.
Tip #334: What is Continuous Playback?
Continuous playback allows you to quickly review clips in the Browser without constantly selecting them and pressing Play. Here's how.
Tip #147: 5 Tips for Handling & Storing Fiber Optic Cables
Here are five tips from Camplex Fiber Optic Solutions to help fiber optic cables provide years of reliable performance.
Tip #175: Lighting Tricks with Your Cell Phone
A cell phone is not a light kit. But, in a pinch, these lighting tricks can salvage a shoot.
Tip #227: Place Audio Before Video in Motion Graphics
When it comes to creating animation or a motion graphic video, the hardest thing for folks new to the art is to figure out the timing. How long should a scene last? Or a piece of text hold on screen? How fast are the transitions? Here are some thoughts that can help.
Tip #330: What’s a Parameter Behavior?
Parameter behaviors are a very intriguing part of Motion that allow you to animate a setting, not just an element. These provide unlimited creative potential and the best way to see what they can do is to play with them. Here's how.
Tip #315: Use the Snap Alignment Behavior in Motion
The purpose of the "Snap Alignment to Motion" behavior is to keep moving objects, like arrows, pointing in the direction of their movement, regardless of how their position changes. Here's how this works.
Tip #326: Animate a Shape Using Behaviors
In another tip (#330), we learned how to apply a Parameter Behavior to a filter. In this tip, we'll learn how to apply a parameter behavior to another behavior; and, along the way, we'll create our own version of a friendly ghost. Here's how.
Tip #327: Red Giant Universe: Create Chromatic Effects
A "chromatic aberration" effect separates an image into it three main color components - red, green and blue - then shifts each one horizontally by different amounts. Most NLEs have some form of color shifting. Here's how a version from Red Giant Universe works in Premiere.
Tip #328: Track & Blur Faces
When you need to hide a logo or face, a blur is a great way to do so. While no longer a safe way to protect identity (Tip #329), all NLEs provide a way to apply a blur to a portion of the image. Premiere also provides an easy way to motion track it. Here's how.
Tip #329: Blurs and Mosaics are No Longer Safe
For years, editors have used mosaic and blur effects to hide the identity of on-screen talent. However, recent research has found a way to reverse-engineer a high-quality image of the speaker's face. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #278: How to Burn-in Timecode
Often, a client needs to see a review copy of the current state of an edit. The easiest way to provide this is using burned-in timecode. Here's how.
Tip #265: Smart Rendering in Premiere Pro CC
Smart rendering is, essentially, media optimization before and during editing. It allows you to create better quality output by avoiding re-compression where possible. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #279: A Faster Way to Enable Tracks
The blue boxes in the timeline track headers in Premiere Pro CC have two very different functions. Both are essential to fast editing. Here's a cool trick to disable, or enable, them.
Tip #310: A Fast Way to Set a Poster Frame
A reader pointed out a very fast way to create a poster frame for a QuickTime movie. Here are the steps.
Tip #308: Archive Active Versions of Compressor
It is often necessary, especially if you are working with different clients, to have earlier versions of Compressor available to you. However, only one version of Compressor can be active on your system at a time. Here's how to create an archive.
Tip #321: Blend Modes in Brief
Blend modes allow us to combine textures, and sometimes colors, between clips or elements that are stacked vertically on top of each other. These are arithmetical expressions, with nothing to adjust. You either like the effect or you don't. Here's what they do.
Tip #306: Archive Active Versions of FCP X
It is often necessary, especially if you are working with different clients, to have earlier versions of Final Cut available to you. However, only one version of FCP X can be active on your system at a time. Here's how to create an archive.
Tip #317: Working with Chapter Markers
Chapter markers are a standard feature in DVDs, Blu-ray discs, and podcasts. Similar to a regular marker, chapter markers enable editors to move around inside a project. Unlike regular markers, the text and location associated with a chapter marker can be exported. Here's how they work.
Tip #319: Automatically Adjust Audio Levels
There's a very cool feature that allows you to quickly adjust audio volume across a selected range of clips. But, it isn't where you expect. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #160: Measure Mac Network Performance
Activity Monitor allows us to measure up- and down-load speeds over the network. Not just to the Internet, but servers as well. Here's how.
Tip #291: 12 Documentary Editing Tips
Here are twelve tips that will help you manage the massive amount of media that any documentary generates.
Tip #163: Measure GPU Performance on Your Mac
Activity Monitor has obvious controls for monitoring CPU, RAM and storage. However, in a hidden menu, is the ability to monitor GPU performance in real-time. Here's how.
Tip #301: Stabilize a Shaky Clip in Motion
Use the Stabilize tracking behavior to smooth shaky motion in a movie or image sequence. Here's what you need to know to use it.
Tip #313: Animate a Generator with a Behavior
The big benefit to using behaviors to create movement in Motion is that they can be applied without also using keyframes. Behaviors are fast, easy and flexible. Here are two different ways to use them.
Tip #307: Archive Active Versions of Motion
It is often necessary, especially if you are working with different clients, to have earlier versions of Motion available to you. However, only one version of Motion can be active on your system at a time. Here's what you need to know to create an archive.
Tip #121: Quickly Create Tracking Masks in Mocha
A tracking mask allows you to put a moving object into a different background. Mocha Pro 2020 makes this much easier than before. Here's how.
Tip #314: Faking a Stop Motion Effect in Premiere
As you are probably aware, it takes a bit of time to set up, shoot, and edit a proper stop motion shot. But, what if the video is already shot? Can we create a similar effect? Yes, and here's how.
Tip #316: Working with Vertical Phone Footage
Shooting vertical phone footage is a cardinal sin in film-making. However, that doesn't mean we won't be working with it in post. Here's how, using settings that work in Premiere or Final Cut.
Tip #253: What is Comparison View?
Comparison View is a relatively new feature in Premiere that allows you to compare two different frames in the same sequence at the same time. Here's how it works.
Tip #254: Fix It Quick
You are in mid-edit, when you discover there's a typo in a Photoshop image. Or, a missing keyframe in an After Effects comp. Here's what you need to know for a quick fix.
Tip #255: Multiple Shortcuts for One Menu
I use both Premiere and Final Cut on a regular basis. And if there's one thing that drives me nuts it's trying to remember which keyboard shortcuts apply to each program. Premiere provides an amazingly elegant solution. Learn more here.
Tip #282: When to Use HEVC vs. H.264
As media creators, there's a lot of confusion over whether we should use H.264 or HEVC to compress our files for distribution on the web. Here's my current thinking.
Tip #284: What is a Proxy File?
A Proxy file, regardless of the codec that created it, is designed to meet three key objectives: save time, save money and use less expensive gear. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #304: What is FFmpeg?
FFmpeg underlines much of the media technology we use every day, including VLC and YouTube. Here's a quick description of what it is.
Tip #285: Tips for Library Management
The Library in Final Cut is the master file that holds everything related to a project. However, what you may not know is that you have a lot of control over where FCP X actually stores files for a library. And many of them don't even need to be in the Library! Here's what you need to know.
Tip #309: Export Multi-Channel Audio
Whether you need to export multichannel audio for a ProTools session, or include stems with your master mix, here's what you need to know.
Tip #312: New Export Options
New with the 10.4.8 update to Final Cut Pro X are new, and simplified, export options. This explains what they are.
Tip #158: Monitor Energy Usage
For users running their laptops on battery, energy conservation is critical. Activity Monitor makes monitoring energy usage of your apps easy. Here's how.
Tip #159: Monitor Local Storage Performance
Probably the most useful function of Activity Monitor is its ability to monitor data transfers between RAM and local storage. This is a great way to test storage speed and discover bottlenecks. Here's how.
Tip #039: A Project Code System to Organize Media
Larger production companies use a system of naming and organizing media to enable editors to find the media they need quickly. If you are looking for a system, here's one that works for me.
Tip #205: Quickly Add Motion Blur to a Motion Project
Motion Blur softens the edges of moving objects. Whether you use it or not is purely a matter of personal taste. But creating it is easy in Motion. Here's how.
Tip #206: Export a Still Frame From Motion
You are in the middle of creating the perfect motion graphic... except, the client wants to see your interim work before everything gets locked. No problem. Here's a fast way to create a high-quality still.
Tip #208: How to Use the Bezier Tool in Motion
Motion has a Bezier tool that can be used to draw paths, create shapes, or define a non-geometric mask. It is both flexible and powerful. Here are some tips on how to use it.
Tip #275: Faster Trims by Changing a Preference
Recently, Adobe added a preference setting that makes timeline trimming much faster and easier, but this preference is turned off by default. Here's what happens when you turn it on.
Tip #276: A Faster Way to Create a Split Edit
A split edit describes an edit where the audio and video edit at different times. Here's a fast way to create one.
Tip #277: Source Monitor Audio Zooming…!
The Source Monitor can tell us a lot more about our audio than you might, at first, suspect. It all relates to "zooming" and here's how it works.
Tip #294: Automate Stills Using FCP X Image Exporter
There's a simple, effective little utility that quickly exports an unlimited number of stills from FCP X. Learn more here.
Tip #302: How to Reset a Color Wheel
I'd been using Final Cut Pro X for years before I discovered this tip. So simple. So helpful...!
Tip #305: What’s the “Skin Tone Line?”
How do you make the skin of your actors look "normal" if you are fixing a color cast? It requires an understanding of a single line. Here's how.
Tip #211: 5 Creative Ways to Use Mirrors on a Video Shoot
Mirrors are surprisingly helpful on video shoots - and for far more than checking hair and makeup. As cameras get smaller, mirrors can help you get shots you'd otherwise miss. Here are some examples.
Tip #181: The New Area Brush in Mocha Pro 2020
Tracking moving shapes is hard. The new Area Brush simplifies selecting different shapes. Here's how.
Tip #176: 3 Better Chroma Key Tips
It is impossible to over-state how important flat, even lighting is to creating a clean chroma-key. However, these four tips also need to be considered
Tip #292: Cool Tip to Improve Product Shots
The viewer's eye follows movement. But, what do you do when you are shooting a box? Here's a great - yet simple - trick.
Tip #272: Trim Faster with Dynamic Trim
Hidden within the Premiere timeline is a powerful trimming tool: Dynamic Trim. This feature shows the last frame of the outgoing clip and the first frame of the incoming clip, allowing you to easily trim between them. Here's how it works.
Tip #273: Organize Clips by Color
Hidden in plain sight in the Project panel is a very cool organizational tool - colors! Not only can we organize clips by bins and file names, but also by color. Here's how.
Tip #274: Caution When Using AAF to Export Multichannel Audio
The easiest and best way to move sequences from Premiere to ProTools is AAF. However, the audio track labels are wrong. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #112: How to Update Apple’s Pro Video Codecs
The Pro Video codecs benefit all Mac-based editors, but they aren't available through the Mac App Store. Here's how to get them - free!
Tip #303: What is MXF OP1a?
MXF is an industry workhorse. Here's a quick way to learn more about it.
Tip #267: Improving Green-screen keys
Explaining how to use the Keyer effect in Final Cut is more than a tip, it's an entire article. But, here are three things to keep in mind when you use it.
Tip #293: Export Still Images
Your 4K video can do double-duty as a still video shoot. Stills won't be as "perfect" as a high-resolution still camera, but they can be pretty darn good. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #299: Set Custom Audio Roles During Import
Audio roles are assigned automatically by Final Cut during import. But, you can save time and simplify your life by assigning them manually. Here's how.
Tip #156: Measure CPU Performance on Your Mac
Hidden in Applications > Utilities is a powerful measurement tool called: Activity Monitor. Here's how to use it to measure how hard your CPUs are working.
Tip #157: See Which Apps Use More Memory
Hidden in Applications > Utilities is a powerful measurement tool called: Activity Monitor. Here's how to use it to measure the amount of RAM your system uses - and which applications use the most.
Tip #165: Turn Old Phones Into Wireless Mics
An old phone is not useless - it just needs a new reason for living. For example, as a wireless mic. Here's how.
Tip #203: Create Split Screen Animation – Fast
This technique uses Apple Motion to create an animated split screen template for Final Cut Pro X. If you only need to create split screens once, use Final Cut. If you need to create split screens more than once, it is much easier to create them as a template in Motion. Here's how.
Tip #204: Fill an Element with a Gradient or Color
This technique allows you to quickly fill an element or all the elements in a group with a gradient or color, the only difference is whether you first select an element or a group.
Tip #190: Fast Green-Screen Keys in Motion
The chroma-key filter, also called a "green-screen key," in Motion and Final Cut Pro X is excellent at creating a clean key, generally without needing to touch any settings. Here's how.
Tip #237: Prevent Accidents – Lock It Down
Have you ever had that sinking feeling that you just destroyed an edit because you deleted/moved/adjusted something you shouldn't? Yeah, me, too. Here's how to prevent it.
Tip #251: Change the Sequence Starting Timecode
Timecode is a label for every frame of video in a clip, or the sequence itself. Think of timecode as the address of a house, it allows us to quickly find any frame in a clip. But, what if you need to change it? Here's how.
Tip #252: What’s the Reference Monitor?
The reference monitor acts like a secondary Program Monitor. You can use it to compare different frames from the same sequence side-by-side, display video scopes, display different text overlays, or view the same frame using different viewing modes. Here's how.
Tip #235: Faster YouTube Compression
Your project is done and you need to get it to YouTube, Facebook or Vimeo. You are looking at the Share screen and debating between Faster Encode and Better Quality. You spent a LOT of time on this project - which should you pick?
Tip #262: Libraries: Combine or Split
So which is better: putting lots of assets in one library, or splitting assets across multiple libraries. The answer is: "It Depends." Smile... Here are the details.
Tip #264: Set Opacity Keyframes in the Timeline
Hidden in the Final Cut timeline is the Video Animation bar. In it, you can set keyframes for opacity, cropping, distortion and position. Here's how to find it.
Tip #170: How to Capture Motion and Moving Subjects
Some of the best and most memorable moments in life are in motion. Unfortunately, digital cameras hate movement. Here's how to avoid blur and get some great shots.
Tip #177: Ten Tips for Better Slow Motion
Regardless of how you edit, here are ten tips that can improve how you shoot and use slow motion.
Tip #101: What’s the Difference Between Color Grading and Color Correction?
Color correction is almost always the first step, but, in most projects, it isn't the last.
Tip #167: 3 Tips to Picking Stock Footage
When picking stock footage, remember that our first mission is to tell a story. Here are three things to keep in mind.
Tip #223: What Do Render Bar Colors Mean
Most of the time, Premiere can play back your sequence in real-time displaying high-quality, full frame-rate images by harnessing the power of the Mercury Playback Engine. But, when it can't, it needs to render. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #240: See the Forest for the Trees
You've got your head buried in the details of your edit, but you need to take a quick look at the big picture of the entire Timeline. The problem is typing Plus or Minus takes forever...! What to do?
Tip #241: 3 Faster Ways to Render
The only problem with rendering is that it takes time. Sometimes a LOT of time. Worse, Premiere wants to render the entire sequence, when that may not be what you need or have time for. Here are three options.
Tip #228: How Much RAM Do You Need For Editing?
Here's a chart and table that illustrates how much RAM you need for video editing.
Tip #150: USB Bandwidth
The speed of USB has increased significantly since its initial release. However, recently, the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) just renamed virtually all USB versions and made things REALLY confused. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #213: Secrets of the [Hidden] Delete Key
Whether you edit on a laptop or full-size keyboard, there are two Delete keys at your disposal. One is above the Return key, the other is... hidden. Here's what they do.
Tip #215: Tricks to Moving Stuff
You can easily drag clips or projects from one Event to another in the same library. But, what happens if we want to move media or projects between libraries? Well, we have options.
Tip #236: Faster Color Correction
There are several color correction commands that are inaccessible, if you don't create custom keyboard shortcuts for them. Here's how.
Tip #148: Which USB Version Does Your Mac Support?
The USB interface has evolved over the last several years. And, since many USB protocols use the same connector, it's impossible to look at your computer and know which version of USB you have. Here's a fast way to find out.
Tip #149: The Five Types of USB Connectors
Ever wonder how many different USB connectors there are and what they are called? Here's a quick illustration.
Tip #155: Change the Dock Icon to Show Disk Activity
Hidden in Activity Monitor is the ability to display disk activity in the dock. Here's how to turn it on.
Tip #151: Export a Transparent Effect from Motion
Motion has the ability to create effects for any NLE, not just Final Cut. Here's how to export an effect from Motion and retain its transparency.
Tip #153: The Inspector Adds Perspective
There are two ways to add perspective to elements in Motion: the Inspector and the 3D Transform tool. The Inspector is more precise, the 3D Transform tool is faster and more intuitive. Here's how the Inspector works.
Tip #187: Quickly Create Transparent Graphics
Transparent backgrounds are the default setting in Motion 5.x. But, if not, here's how to create them.
Tip #217: Growing Files Grow on You
A Growing file is a file that has not yet finished recording. Premiere has special settings for these files. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #221: Shortcuts to Extend and Trim Edits
It is almost always easier to drag an edit point. But it is faster and, more often, more precise to use a keyboard shortcut. Here are some powerful shortcuts.
Tip #222: Offline Does Not Mean Inaccessible
Normally, when we think of "offline clips," we think of media that is inaccessible. While it is true that we can't edit or playback offline clips, we can still organize them. Here's how.
Tip #199: 4 Keyboard Shortcuts That Save HOURS!
I am SUCH a fan of keyboard shortcuts. Once you start using them, you'll be amazed at how much time they save so you can concentrate on telling your story.
Tip #212: The Best Way to Duplicate a Project
Because Final Cut instantly and automatically saves your work, to preserve an edit from accidental changes you need to first duplicate a project. Final Cut Pro X provides two ways to do this. But, is one better?
Tip #214: Event Secrets
An Event is similar to a folder in the Finder. But, in Final Cut, they do more - as you'll learn here.
Tip #171: 7 Tips To Better Timelapse Shots
Time-lapse photography is a great way to capture motion, plus, it's eye-catching! Here are seven tips that can help improve your next shoot.
Tip #173: 4 Tips to Better Chroma-Keys
The first rule of great keys is great lighting. But, there are other things you can do improve the quality of your keys. Here are four tips that can make your keys cleaner and easier.
Tip #117: Create a Custom HDR Effect
Dave Casselman shares a custom effect that makes working with HDR media faster and easier.
Tip #110: Set a Default Location in Apple Compressor
Two simple steps and you'll never lose a compressed file again. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #216: Determining “Indeterminate”
"Indeterminate" sounds pretty squishy. But, when it comes to Premiere, it is a fancy word for still images, or any other file that doesn't have a definite duration. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #218: Shortcuts that Move Titles
The new Title tool in Premiere is really great, when it isn't also driving me nuts. The problem is that I can never remember when I can edit the text and when I can move it. Here's how to tell.
Tip #219: The Coolness of the J-K-L Keys
Most of us are total mouse junkies. But, there are things you can do with the keyboard that are hard to do with a mouse. One of these involves timeline playback. Here are some tricks.
Tip #126: Set a Default Location in Adobe Media Encoder
Simply change one preference and all your compressed files end up in the same place. Very fast and very easy. Here's how.
Tip #108: Speed Test: i5 vs. i7 CPUs for Video Compression
Conventional wisdom states that, since video compression is primarily CPU-driven, the i7 CPU with vastly more cores and better threading should compress files significantly faster than an i5. Reality disagrees.
Tip #196: Library Properties Give You Control
Library Properties, in Final Cut Pro X, allow you to control where almost all media and work files are stored for each library. Best of all, these settings can vary by library. Here's how they work.
Tip #197: Much Faster Ways to Trim Tops and Tails
Trimming the start (top) and end (tail) of a clip is something that we need to do SO OFTEN, that this tip alone can save you hours.
Tip #198: A Faster Way to Edit Audio – or, um, not
Here's both a keyboard shortcut and menu choice to let you select between editing audio, video or both for a clip into the Timeline.
Tip #132: Use QNAP Servers for FCP X
A reader shares his experiences using QNAP serverts to store and edit Final Cut projects. The results have been good so far.
Tip #138: More RAM Isn’t Always Better
Adding more RAM affects more than just performance - especially on laptop systems. Learn more here.
Tip #144: 4 Steps to Editing Better Interviews
This four-step interview/documentary workflow helps you focus on the immediate task at hand, without getting distracted on stuff you don't need to do... yet.
Tip #137: Why Use Handles in Project Manager?
The Project Manager lets you effectively manage media and projects, especially large projects with many clips and different media formats, by transcoding all relevant files in projects and sequences into an intermediate codec. Here's how.
Tip #139: Customize the Project Panel
The Project Panel display hasn't changed much since the initial release of Premiere - until recently. This tip showcases some new options.
Tip #164: 6 “Trim to Playhead” Shortcuts
Hidden in Keyboard Settings are special keyboard shortcuts that make trimming clips to the playhead a LOT faster. Learn more here.
Tip #154: 3D Transform Tool Adds Perspective
There are two ways to add perspective to elements in Motion: the Inspector and the 3D Transform tool. The Inspector is more precise, the 3D Transform tool is faster and more intuitive. Here's how the 3D Transform tool works.
Tip #189: A REALLY Fast Way to Copy Settings
As projects get more complex, matching settings becomes increasingly tricky. Here's a fast way to copy one or more settings from one element to another.
Tip #188: Move Layers with a Keyboard Shortcut
This is one of those shortcuts that, once you learn it, you wonder how you ever lived without it.
Tip #192: Faster Ways to Show the Audio Meters
There are three different ways to display the audio meters in Final Cut; but only one truly qualifies as a "secret tip."
Tip #194: What is Audio Skimming?
Audio skimming, and clip skimming, allow you to preview clip audio at high-speed. Here's how to use them.
Tip #195: What is an Audio Component?
Audio components allow us to see and modify individual audio channels in a clip. This can be done from the Browser or Timeline. Here's how.
Tip #140: What’s the Minimum Duration of a Clip?
A duration can't be zero. Here's what it CAN be.
Tip #174: How to Fix a Crooked Horizon
Here are three steps to quickly level the horizon in Adobe Premiere Pro CC.
Tip #141: How to Set a Poster Frame in the Project Panel
Poster frames are a great way to illustrate the contents of a clip. All to often, though, they simply display the first frame in the video, which generally shows us nothing.
Tip #014: Optimize Audio Levels for MP3 Compression
MP3, as an audio standard, was invented a while ago. Because of this, it is optimized for analog audio levels lower than 0 dB. Here are the details.
Tip #078: For Best Quality, Export a Master File
There are many ways to export media from any NLE. But only one provides the highest-quality with the greatest flexibility for later use.
Tip #031: What Determines Storage Speed?
As you might expect, storage performance is dependent upon multiple factors - and how it connects is only a part.
Tip #186: Download Your Free Stuff!
FCP X ships with lots of free sound effects and other media. But you need to download it to get it. Here's how.
Tip #191: What’s In An FCP X Library Backup?
Library backups, like saving, are automatic. However, they may not contain everything you expect. Read more here.
Tip #193: When Can Audio Levels Exceed 0 dB?
Audio levels must never exceed 0 dB - except, ah, there are a few places where they can. Read more here.
Tip #012: Easy vs. Hard Frame Rate Conversions
The basic rule of frame rates is: "Shoot the frame rate you need to deliver," because then you never need to convert anything. But sometimes, you don't have a choice. Here are some options.
Tip #019: Pick the Right CPU for Video Editing
All CPUs can edit video, but not all edit, render or compress equally well. Here's how to pick.
Tip #145: Three Tips to Focus Your Editing
Here are three tips to help you stay focused when editing non-scripted material.
Tip #152: Motion Templates Speed New Projects
Using templates means that you can create a master project with all elements in place, then save it so that when you reopen it, the elements are already there and it prompts you to save it using a new name.
Tip #136: Hidden Voice-Over Settings
There's a hidden menu to configure audio voice-over settings. This explains where it is and how to use it.
Tip #143: What Do These Audio Track Header Icons Do?
The audio track headers in Premiere provide lots of control over what happens when editing in your sequence. This tip explains the audio controls.
Tip #146: Secrets of Freeform View
Freeform view was added to Premiere recently and allows you to organize, group or display clips in a variety of helpful ways. Here's how this works.
Tip #093: Create Better Gradients
Even when you tweak the settings, gradients created by Motion are pretty poor. Here's a workaround.
Tip #091: A Faster Way to Fine Tune
Sometimes, creating the perfect effect requires very small adjustments. The problem is that dragging a slider often causes more problems than it solves. Here's a better way.
Tip #066: Pick Your Fastest GPU
New in the 10.4.7 version of Final Cut Pro X is the ability to select one or more GPUs for rendering and output. Here's how and where to set this.
Tip #161: Final Cut Now Includes Sound Effects
Recently, Apple added a whole library of sound effects to Final Cut Pro X. Then, they hid them to make them hard to find. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #162: Two Fast Ways to Change Project Properties
Most of the time, once we create a project, we don't need to change its settings. But, when we do, here are two fast ways to open the dialog.
Tip #130: Edit Without Touching the Mouse
The Source Monitor allows you to open multiple clips at once, then quickly review and edit them into the Timeline. This is a BIG time-saver. Here's how.
Tip #129: Hover Scrub Tricks
There are three ways to view a clip in the Program panel: play it, drag it, and hover it. Hovering is fastest. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #134: What Do These Video Track Header Icons Do?
The video track headers in Premiere provide lots of control over what happens when editing in your sequence. This tip explains the video icons.
Tip #088: Where Should You Store Media
There's no perfect place to store your media. But here are some thoughts to consider for your next project.
Tip #107: Speed Test: Apple Compressor vs. Adobe Media Encoder
Recently, we tested the compression speed of both Apple Compressor (v.4.4.5) and Adobe Media Encoder 2019 to see which was faster. The
Tip #056: Use Motion to Tweak Your Effects
Virtually all the effects, transitions, generators and titles in Final Cut were first created in Motion. This technique shows how to return them to Motion for customization.
Tip #095: Apply Keywords Faster!
Here's a faster way to apply keywords to one or more clips that doesn't involve any typing.
Tip #131: YouTube Share Settings Use Wrong Colors
For some reason, when exporting a 4K project using YouTube share settings, the export settings default to the wrong color space. Here's the work-around.
Tip #073: When Do You Need a RAID?
RAIDs are high-speed, high-capacity storage devices. When should you consider adding one to your system?
Tip #118: Walkie-Talkie Radio Codes
Walkie-talkies are essential on set. But keeping conversations short is also essential. Here are the meanings to some of the basic radio codes you'll hear in production.
Tip #128: 9 Hidden Mac Keyboard Symbols
Not every symbol is an emoji. In fact, there are dozens of useful symbols hidden in every Mac keyboard. Each is just a key-press away. Here's how to find them.
Tip #033: What Is the Mercury Playback Engine?
The Mercury Playback Engine first showed up in Premiere CS5 and has been growing faster and bigger ever since. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #047: Pretty Panel Moves
Moving panels in the Premiere interface is a great way to create just the interface you need. And, it's fun! Every panel can be moved. Here's how.
Tip #051: Pick Your Favorite (Shortcuts)
Premiere comes pre-installed with four sets of keyboard shortcuts. Here's how to select the ones you like the best.
Tip #109: Solve the “Missing Camera” Alert
The Missing Camera icon appears when FCP X thinks you imported the media from a camera that is no longer attached. If you actually transferred the file to a local hard drive, here's the work-around.
Tip #113: Remove a Yellow Alert – Option 2
Yellow alerts, indicating missing media, drive us all nuts. Especially when all the media in our project is present and accounted for. Here's another option to consider.
Tip #119: Move Around in Final Cut – Hands-Free!
The Hand tool allows you to move around the Timeline, but there are much better ways to move. Read this.
Tip #124: Update the Browser When a Multicam Clip Changes
The Final Cut Browser may not update when you change the length of a multicam clip you are editing. Here's how to get the Timeline and Browser in sync.
Tip #022: 2 Export Options You Don’t Need
Ever wonder how or when to set "Maximum Bit Depth" and "Maximum Render Quality" when exporting in Premiere? Here's the answer.
Tip #086: How to Create Custom Poster Frames
Poster frames are a visual indicator for the contents of a media clip. Here's a fast technique to create a custom poster frame for a media clip.
Tip #122: What is Auto Save Actually Saving?
Auto Save saves a copy of your Project file every 15 minutes in the same location as your project. But it doesn't actually save your project. Learn more here.
Tip #133: Open Sequences Between Projects
While it is true that Premiere now supports opening more than one project file at a time, sometimes you don't need to create a new project. You only need to access a sequence in a different project. Here's how.
Tip #104: Why Is a Smooth Audio Fade Called +3 dB?
Unlike video, where everything is mostly linear, audio is logarithmic, which just makes mixing much more complicated.
Tip #100: Optimize Media for YouTube
The reason we post videos to YouTube is that we want people to watch them. Here are six tips you can use to help viewers find your videos.
Tip #055: When to Pick Optimized or Native Media
Different media formats provide different benefits. Here's a quick summary to help you decide which to use in your next project.
Tip #090: A Faster Way to Create Audio Fades
Adding audio fades is a very common editing technique. Now you can add them even faster. Except... by default, these are not turned on.
Tip #103: Add an Audio Fade Without Using Keyframes
You probably know that you can change audio levels by adding keyframes to the audio volume control line. What you may NOT know, though, is that you can add a fade without adding keyframes. Here's how.
Tip #125: Edit Vertical Video – Fast
Yes, vertical video drives all traditional editors nuts. But, with kajillions of cell phones out there, vertical video is now a common format. Here's how to edit it in Final Cut Pro X.
Tip #023: Eight Tips to Help You Pick the Right Gear
As technology gets more and more complex - and impenetrable - it gets harder to make a good decision on what hardware to buy - or even where to set priorities. These eight ideas can help guide your thinking.
Tip #072: Where Should You Store Media
There's no perfect place to store your media. But here are some thoughts to consider for your next project.
Tip #098: What’s the Best Way to Repair the Boot Disk?
Normally, when we have problems, we open Disk Utility and perform First Aid on our boot disk. But, that won't fix many problems. Here's a better way.
Tip #007: Magic Markers
Markers can do more than simply indicate a timeline position. Here are five marker tricks that will make you more efficient.
Tip #041: Optimizing Premiere Transition Preferences
Preferences are exactly that - your preference on how you want Premiere to work. Based on my experience, I change a variety of preference settings. In this tip, I show you how I set preferences for transitions.
Tip #094: Premiere and ProRes
Highly-compressed media often requires transcoding into an intermediate codec for editing. With the latest versions of Premiere, you now have more options.
Tip #076: Save A Custom Search (Part 4)
Smart Collections are saved searches that update as you add, remove or relabel media. They are fast, powerful and worth learning - especially for larger projects.
Tip #018: Export Multiple Segments or Clips at Once
While you can only export one segment from the Timeline at a time, this is NOT true in the Browser. Here's the secret.
Tip #074: Automatic Keywords Using Finder Tags
Finder tags allow you to organize media before it is even imported. Given today's cameras, this can be a great time-saver. Here's how.
Tip #089: Create Subclips Using Keywords
Keywords provide more and better ways to find clips, but they also allow us to create subclips. Here's how.
Tip #114: Optimize Your Content with Auto-Frame
Auto Reframe, powered by Adobe Sensei AI technology, automates the process of reformatting video in Premiere Pro for square, vertical, cinematic 16x9, or custom aspect ratios - all from the same master sequence or clip. Learn more here.
Tip #115: Finally! Gain Worth Talking About.
The range for audio gain was expanded to +15 dB. Here's how to make the adjustment.
Tip #116: Premiere Now Exports HDR-10 Media.
Premiere now supports exporting HDR material in HDR 10 format. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #067: Which Files Should Be Copied From a Camera Card?
All too often, we only copy the files we think we need from the camera card. In general, this is a really bad idea. Here's why.
Tip #099: Benefits of working with 4K in 1080
4K is all the rage - even though there is a lot of doubt on whether we can actually SEE that additional resolution. Still, here are five significant benefits to using 4K in post.
Tip #105: Why Do We Need Intermediate Codecs?
We are now in a "three codec world." But why are intermediate codecs necessary? Here's a quick explanation.
Tip #085: Narrow Your Search (Part 3)
Boolean selection allows finding clips that contain any combination of keywords - from one to all... to none. Here's how to use this very powerful feature.
Tip #058: You Can’t Have Too Many Great Shortcuts
Premiere has long had the ability to create multiple shortcuts for the same command. What you may not know is that Final Cut does too! Here's how to create them.
Tip #065: Faster Ways to Apply an Effect
There are multiple ways to apply an effect. Here are two (and a half) ways that can save you time immediately.
Tip #102: Change the “Shape” of an Audio Fade
Dissolves between audio clips are common, but sometimes you need more options. Final Cut has four different audio fade shapes built-in. And the one you need to fade to or from black is not the default.
Tip #071: An Editing Workflow to Boost Efficiency
The purpose of a workflow is to make you more efficient by answering this key question: "What should I be doing right now to be as efficient as possible?"
Tip #053: Safe Zones
There's no reason to risk losing that critical phone number or URL simply because you put your text too close to the edge. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #030: What Do RAID “Levels” Mean?
RAIDs are collections of hard drives or SSDs designed for high-performance with high capacity. However, setting the wrong "level" can slow your system or put your data at risk. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #032: What’s A Cache?
Cache files are work files used by Premiere to find, display, edit and render media. However, they take up space and aren't needed all the time. Here are some maintenance tips.
Tip #045: Preview Faster
This keyboard shortcut makes it fast and easy to preview a transition or other short segment.
Tip #049: Customize Monitor Buttons
Over the last several versions Premiere has been removing buttons and cleaning up its interface. However, all those missing buttons are not lost - they are simply hiding... here.
Tip #069: Create a Default Effect
Wouldn't it be cool to apply your favorite effect with a single keyboard shortcut? Well, you can. But, by default, this feature isn't turned on. Here's how to enable it.
Tip #084: Find What You Need (Part 2)
The first challenge is that the icon for detailed searches is very hard to find. The second is that the number of choices is almost overwhelming. Here's what to pick.
Tip #096: A Faster Way to Rename Keywords
You've applied a bunch of keywords, only to discover that one of them is spelled wrong. Sigh... BUT, you are not out of luck. Here's a fast way to rename an existing keyword.
Tip #043: Optimize Premiere Preferences for Performance
Preferences are exactly that - your preference on how you want Premiere to work. However, as this tip illustrates, here are five preference settings that can materially affect performance.
Tip #060: Set vs Scale to Timeline
There are two options to automatically fit larger or smaller images into a project timeline. One better maintains image quality, but it isn't the default setting. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #064: Secrets of Premiere’s Dock Icon
The Premiere Dock icon does more than just launch Premiere. But, you have to know where to look...
Tip #024: Trim Clips Without the Mouse
We spend more time trimming clips than we do reviewing or editing them. So, anything we can do to speed trimming saves hours of time; even on short projects. Here are some tricks.
Tip #075: Display a Custom Search (Part 1)
We often find clips by typing their file name into the search box in the Browser. But, there is a much more powerful option lurking just to the right.
Tip #087: Get Rid of a Yellow Alert
The yellow warning alert tracks more than just the media in your project. Here's what to do when that warning just refuses to disappear.
Tip #029: Which Files Should Be Copied From a Camera Card?
All too often, we only copy the files we think we need from the camera card. In general, this is a really bad idea. Here's why.
Tip #038: Magic Maintenance: Do a Safe Boot
This three-step weekly maintenance procedure goes a long way to keeping your Mac running smoothly.
Tip #061: When To Choose JPG, PNG or TIFF?
There are about a billion - maybe more - still image codecs for us to choose from. Which ones should we use? Here are some suggestions.
Tip #021: A Fast Way to Export Part of a Sequence – or Clip
Here are two ways to export just part of a sequence or a clip from Premiere Pro. This technique also gives you the most options in export.
Tip #046: Create a Custom Workspace
Premiere ships with eight workspaces. Here's how to create one more customized exactly the way you want.
Tip #044: Optimize Premiere Preferences for Cache Files
Preferences are exactly that - your preference on how you want Premiere to work. Based on my experience, I change a variety of preference settings. In this case, I show you how I set preferences for media and cache files.
Tip #028: A Faster Way to Export – Part 2
A recent new feature in Final Cut allows exporting multiple files at the same time. This vastly speeds the process of sharing a file. Here's how this works.
Tip #057: Move Between Projects Faster
The Timeline History provides a fast way to move between projects, once they've been opened in the timeline. However, they are almost impossible to see. Here's what they can do.
Tip #068: Remove Specific Effects Fast!
Adding effects to a clip is easy. What you may not know is that removing effects - even individual effects - is equally easy - if you know where to look. Here's how.
Tip #035: How to Display the Dropped Frame Indicator
Dropped frames are bad. They indicate your system is not able to play the current video format smoothly in real-time. However, the dropped frame warning is turned off by default. Here's how to turn it on.
Tip #040: How to Delete Premiere Preference Files
Deleting preference files for Premiere isn't hard. But why and how to delete them isn't easy to find. This tips explains how to delete them and what happens when you do.
Tip #083: Float a Panel in It’s Own Window
Undocking a panel works great for two monitor systems, or where you want one panel to have its own place on your screen - such as a timecode display.
Tip #027: A Faster Way to Export – Part 1
Apple makes it possible to speed an export (Share) by using a keystroke. Except that shortcut is turned off by default. Here's how to turn it on.
Tip #063: Secrets of the FCP X Dock
Final Cut's Dock icon holds a lot of secrets - but they are easy to unlock if you know where to look. Um, here, actually.
Tip #081: Create a Custom Default Transition
There's a simple keyboard shortcut that applies a transition to any selected edit point(s). It's enabled already, AND you can customize it. But you may not know how.
Tip #009: Counting Words for Voice-Over Timing
Here's a table to help you determine how many words will fit into a specific amount of time.
Tip #020: 9 Ideas to Explain Media Technology
Technology is fraught with unanswerable questions. Why? Because the answer to most tech questions is: "It depends." So, let these thoughts help improve how you think about your computer gear and media in your next project.
Tip #062: Secrets of the Audio Meters
Audio meters are essential to keeping your sound clean and distortion-free. However, you need to understand what they are showing you. Here are some tips.
Tip #004: Little-Known Secrets of the Font Menu
These three tips simplify finding the font you need, or building a collection of favorite fonts.
Tip #037: Fixing Dropped Frame Errors
Dropped frames are serious business. It means that something in your system is too slow to play the media in your sequence. But where do you look? Here's a list of things to check.
Tip #050: Don’t Repeat Yourself: Use a Template
A project template is a Premiere project with customized workspaces, settings, bins, even clips saved for use in repetitive projects. The only problem is that Premiere does not create them. Here's how you can.
Tip #006: One Click to Better Color!
Out of time and your colors look bad? With a single mouse-click you can work magic and get your project looking great! Here's how.
Tip #025: Let Final Cut Do the Math
One of the fastest ways to move anything is using the keyboard and that means using timecode. If calculating durations using different frame rates drives you nuts, this very cool tip will make your life a lot easier - and faster
Tip #052: A Better Way to Preview an Effect
This tip illustrates two tricks in one: how to see an effect without first applying the effect. Then, how the look of an effect changes as you change its principle parameter, again without first applying an effect. Very useful!
Tip #005: A Fast Way to Fix Color Problems
The secret of this tip is understanding what the color "gray" actually means. And the best place to look is the Vectorscope.
Tip #013: Adjust Spacing Between Two Letters
When two letters don't seem evenly spaced, you adjust them using "kerning." Kerning moves the selected pair of letters ("glyphs") - and only those two letters - closer or farther apart.
Tip #002: 10 Keyboard Shortcuts To Make You Faster
Larry Jordan selected these Top Ten keyboard shortcuts based on what he found to improve his efficiency the most. (Then, he added two more!!)
Tip #036: Changing Monitor Resolution Means Faster Previews
Changing the display resolution in either the Program or Source Monitors will help with a slow CPU - but may not solve the bigger problem. Here's what you need to know.
Tip #003: 12 Keyboard Shortcuts You REALLY Need to Know
Larry Jordan selected these Top Twelve keyboard shortcuts based on what he found to improve his efficiency the most. (Then, he added two more!)