The document describes the process of editing a music video using Final Cut Express software. Key steps included importing footage as MP4 files, cutting footage to match the intro of the song using the blade tool, copying and pasting edited sections, adding cross dissolves between clips to make them flow seamlessly, and adding the song to the timeline below the video clips. Rendering was required when adding clips to the timeline and applying effects to prepare the video for playback.

1. Music Video Construction

2. The programme we used to create and construct our music video was Final cut express on the
Apple Mac. On this we edited footage that we took for our music video over the past few
weeks.

3. In order to begin editing the music video , we had to make sure that the footage we took was
converted to a MP4 file, otherwise known as Quick time. To bring the footage on to Final Cut they had
to be imported similar, to other programmes through pressing file, import then choosing the folder or
files.

4. After listening to the intro of the song and the length of it, we decided to use fireworks at
the start, this way we would engage the audience from the beginning. After looking
through the fireworks we found one video which contained a section that didn’t look like
conventional fireworks due to it being filmed as a extreme close up. Also while listening
to the song, and how there are distinct beats in the intro we wanted to edit the footage
to complement this and therefore emphasising the that it is the start of the song. The
first thing that needed to be done was cutting the image using the blade tool to fit the
length of the intro.

5. Stages of editing the intro
Before the cutting the image, it had to be rendered this was
signalled through the two red lines, the first line We repeatedly had to use the blade tool in this
represented the video and the second was for the audio. process to get the section that we needed. After
doing so , to get the effect we needed we had to
copy the edited footage by selecting the
video, pressing edit then copy and paste.
After putting the videos side by side, we thought we should an a
transition, to the make the videos flow together seamlessly. While
trialling different video transitions we came across a cross dissolve
which effectively executed what we envisioned.

6. Also throughout the video we used cross dissolving with videos of fireworks to the scene
involving the actors, this allowed us to evoke feelings and emotion and emphasis in each
scene. As fireworks can represent different feelings, such as passion, love, anger we used
this as a way to captivate the audience. We done this at the start of the music video,
because we show images that reflect different aspects of there relationship.

7. Tools on Final Cut Express
This is used in general
to select and move clips
One of first thing we did on final cut was adding the song Edit selection tool
Katy B ‘Broken record’ on the time line. As you can see
This tool is the select track
that the audio and videos were separated on different forward tool.
time lines, the video on top and audio underneath, this Roll tool
was helpful as this allowed us by using the lock buttons
Slip tool
on the side to lock either the audio or footage so it
Blade tool, cut
wouldn't be affective it were to cut the footage if needed videos
whether the duration was too long etc.
Zoom in and zoom out tool.
This tool cropped
videos
Pen tool

8. We used the cutting tool a lot, in the process of editing our music video as it helped us to use
specific parts of the clips/footage needed and to discard parts of the clips we didn’t feel was
needed to be included to our video, this also allowed us to piece different clips together which
where either a retake or of the same shot.

9. When we added video’s to final cuts we had to render them we had to do this at 2 main places.
1) when we added them to the timeline . 2) when we added an effect to them to make them
work when playing them. To render the clips you had to go on the tab ‘Sequence’ then click on
Render only ‘Needs render’ if it was the video that specially need to be edited or ‘Render all’ if
the music and video clip that need to be rendered.