Final Cut Pro: Technical Audit of Bait Tutorial

I underwent a tutorial in Final Cut Pro to acquire basic skills in editing. During the tutorial I learnt how to mark rushes to obtain relative footage; the importance of the two screens; how to overwrite, insert and replace; how to add effects and music; add transitions; how to split footage and how to create different editing techniques such as a match cut.

There are several key features infinal cut. Such as: the canvas which is the first screen on the left of the programm that contains the original unedited footage; the viewer,which is the remaining screen and shows you the sequence you have created thus far. the time line is at the bottom of the screen is where footage can be rearranged and seen precisely at different intervals; the tool bar at the right side enables the users to switch between different tools such as the cursor or razor blade tool music can also be chosen on that side of the screen; the panel it the top left show the user a list of all the footage (which can be renamed to give a more descriptive definition); additioanlly the tool bar at the top enable the user to vary they're settings and that of the time line.

To obtain relative footage you would have to mark in and out points on the rush, to show the program exactly which pice of material needs to be extracted. This can be done by pressing 'I' for 'in' and 'O' for 'out' on the keyboard. Then dragging the footage from the canvas screen onto the time-line. You can then press 'play' on the viewer to see your extracted material.

Data can also be split using the razor blade tool, this can also you to implement transition rearrange data or delete unwanted material.

Three buttons which appear on the viewer: yellow, red and blue stand for 'inset', 'overwrite' and 'replace' respectively. This too helps when editing footage.

Transitions should be added before effects and music and a popular choice is 'Dissolve' which can show a change in time. Effects can also be used by selecting 'Command T' where an array of special effects can be used to highen the intensity of our thriller film.

Editing techniques, such as, a match cut can be created with meticulous editing and careful mark points.

Its important to make sure editing runs smoothly and that a match cut correctly shows the action; no prop or character must disappear when the action is completed.