Final Cut Pro Tutorial.

Final Cut Pro (FCP) is a special editing software that’s only compatible on Apple Macs. It is used to edit sequences and combine different scenes together through the many different functions and uses of the program, to produce a high quality, cinematic sequence. In the tutorial that we received in class we were taught the basics of the program - how to place clips onto a timeline, how to add transitions, etc.

When you first open Final Cut Pro, you are introduced to a complicated-looking program full of many different buttons and tabs and screens. When the located drive folder has loaded onto one of the boxes, you are ready to start editing. All the clips and unedited footage within the box are called Rushes. To view one of the clips, you simply double click on it and it will play on the second screen box, next to the box with your unedited footage. The third screen to the right plays the footage that you have edited.

To begin editing, you click on the rush you want to begin playing it. To pinpoint where you want to begin the edit, you simply press the letter i on the keyboard, and the letter o to pinpoint where you want the edit to end. You should have 2 arrows on the timeline of the other video player which indicates where you start and stopped your edit. You then hover your mouse over the video player and simply drag clip down below onto the timeline. If you go onto the second viewing screen, to the right you can see your edited clip. There is also an easier way to place clips onto the timeline without having to drag it. On the second viewing screen, underneath the play functions, there is a red and yellow envelope-like icon. The red icon places the edited clip onto your timeline wherever the cursor is regardless if there is a clip there or not - it will overwrite it, and the yellow icon, inserts the rush in between two scenes. It’s handy because you don’t have to manually move scenes up and down to make room for the rush.

To add transitions in such as fade, dissolve etc. you would need to go back to the screen where your footage and rushes are – on the top there is a tab called Effects. From here there will be a selection of transitions you can choose from to add to your sequence to create emphasis at certain areas. Press on the transition and drag it onto your timeline to where you wish to place it and press play on the second viewing screen to see it in action. You can also access the effects tab by pressing a shortcut on your keyboard - Cmd + T (Command and T) and this will take you into the tab where the transitions are.