Some tips from Chris New and Eric Blesie for working with Final Cut Pro & associated FCStudio apps, presented at the Jan '09 meeting of the Iowa Professional Videographers Association.

1. Tips for Final Cut Pro
Chris New & Eric Blesie

2. Chris
Use keyboard shortcuts
Learn the keystrokes for
the tasks you do over
and over again
Reference a keyboard
layout for editing
Program your own
shortcuts for special
tasks
J-K-L for scrubbing
My setup of multicam editing on the laptop

3. Edit TS files directly
Eric
from DVD
No need to rip
into some other
format if you
need it done
quick (will loose
audio)

4. Use drag-n-drop to add
Chris
clips quickly w/ options
Pull the clip
with the
mouse from
the viewer to
the canvas for
quick-access to
editing options

5. Always use log &
Eric
capture
Don’t use
“Capture
Now”
You can
recapture
later (if
using tape)

6. Different exports for
Chris
different jobs
Single project: use
Compressor directly
from FCP
Batch export: create
reference files and
process in Compressor,
leave FCP open form
more work
Don’t delete render files until you’re done w/ the reference file – it is tied to
the original media; also don’t bother w/ a reference file if almost all the
media is in a format different than the original

7. Use higher codecs for
Eric
your timeline
ProRes 422
DVCPro50
Uncompressed
...feel free to disregard if there’s
no discernible difference in quality
& you’re concerned about drive
space

8. Use different display
Chris
setups for different tasks
Audio editing
Color correction
Multiple edits
Set up your
own!

9. Chris
Link & unlink audio
tracks for faster editing
Command-L
Separate mono tracks can be
combined & edited as one
Split tracks if recorded as
dual mono
Settings for my system are dual mono, often need to combine L + R

10. Use iPhoto, iMovie &
Chris
Aperture for specific
quick workflows
Specific uses
Easy to utilize
Free!!! (mostly)
Photo slideshows in iMovie ’08/’09

11. Questions?