Michael Wohl - Apple Pro Training Series: Final Cut Pro X Advanced Editing

Final Cut Pro X Advanced Editing

Michael Wohl / Alexis Van Hurkman / Mark Spencer

Apple Pro Training Series: Final Cut Pro X Advanced Editing
Michael Wohl, Alexis Van Hurkman, Mark Spencer
Copyright 2012 by Michael Wohl, Alexis Van Hurkman, and Mark Spencer

Published by Peachpit Press. For information on Peachpit Press books, contact:
Peachpit Press
1249 Eighth Street
Berkeley, CA 94710
(510) 524-2178
www.peachpit.com

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Peachpit Press is a division of Pearson Education.

Apple Series Editor: Lisa McClain
Project Editor: Nancy Peterson
Development Editor: Bob Lindstrom
Production Editor: Kim Wimpsett, Happenstance Type-O-Rama
Technical Editors: Brendan Boykin, Klark Perez
Copyeditor and Proofer: Darren Meiss
Compositor: Chris Gillespie, Happenstance Type-O-Rama
Media Reviewer: Eric Geoffroy
Indexer: Jack Lewis
Cover Illustration: Kent Oberheu
Cover Production: Happenstance Type-O-Rama

Notice of Rights

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. For information on getting permission for reprints and excerpts, contact .

Greenscreen clips used by permission of iJustine (ijustine.com). All rights reserved. Footage from The Endless Feast provided by Film Garden Entertainment. 2010 Film Garden Entertainment. All rights reserved. Africa Footage provided by Talkingstick Pictures LLC 2012. All rights reserved. Footage from Romantic Night and Supergirl Rocks! provided by Peachpit Press 2012. All rights reserved.

The projects and footage supplied with this book may only be used for educational purposes in association with the lessons included. Any other use, including but not limited to incorporating footage into another project, duplicating, or distributing footage, is expressly forbidden and requires explicit permission from the copyright holders listed above.

Notice of Liability

The information in this book is distributed on an As Is basis, without warranty. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of the book, neither the authors nor Peachpit Press shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the instructions contained in this book or by the computer software and hardware products described in it.

Trademarks

Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book, and Peachpit was aware of a trademark claim, the designations appear as requested by the owner of the trademark. All other product names and services identified throughout this book are used in editorial fashion only and for the benefit of such companies with no intention of infringement of the trademark. No such use, or the use of any trade name, is intended to convey endorsement or other affiliation with this book.

ISBN 10: 0-321-81022-8
ISBN 13: 978-0-321-81022-9
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Printed and bound in the United States of America

to go to last page in this eBook for the download location and instructions.

Welcome to the official Level Two Apple Pro Training course for Final Cut Pro X.

This book is an in-depth journey into the advanced editing techniques and effects of Final Cut Pro X. It uses diverse footage ranging from the feature film SuperGirl Rocks to the music video One Night in Jordan (based on a live concert performance by internationally renowned artist Zade Dirani). It also explores creating promotional spots and show bumpers to demonstrate application features and practical techniques youll use daily in your editing projects.

Whether youve been editing for years or are just beginning to work in film and video, this book will enhance your knowledge of Final Cut Pro X while it enhances your editing skills. So lets get started!

This book takes a hands-on approach to using the software. Its divided into projectsbased on footage on the accompanying DVDthat teach you advanced techniques as you work through the lessons. Every exercise is designed to get you editing and creating effects professionally in Final Cut Pro as quickly as possible.

Each lesson builds on previous lessons to guide you through the applications functions and capabilities. However, if youre already familiar with Final Cut Pro, you can go directly to a specific section and focus on that topic because every lesson is self-contained.

This book is designed to improve your skills both as an editor and as a Final Cut Pro user. Youll begin by learning editing techniques designed to streamline your workflow and allow you to effectively perform complex editing tasks. Then youll focus on sound editing and multicamera footage. Next, youll explore the world of effects, covering such diverse topics as compositing, filters, keyframing, compound clips, titling, and speed changes. Finally, youll finish your studies by learning a variety of techniques for color correcting clips, balancing scenes, and creating deliverables using Compressor.

The lessons are grouped into the following categories:

In addition to the exercises, some lessons include project tasks that provide an opportunity to practice what youve learned. Throughout the book, other valuable sections will guide you in evaluating your project before moving to the next editing stage.

Final Cut Pro X is available as a download from the Mac App Store. Because installation can begin immediately after purchase, you should read the Apple best practices (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4722) prior to installation to ensure the best performance of the application. The exercises in this book are based on Final Cut Pro version 10.0.3. If you have an earlier version of Final Cut Pro X, update your software or some exercises may not work as described.

The Apple Pro Training Series: Final Cut Pro X Advanced Editing DVDs (included with the printed book) contains the project files and media youll use for each lesson. After you transfer the files to your hard drive, each lesson will instruct you in the use of the project and media files.

On the DVDs, youll find three files: APTS FCP X ADV Part 1.sparseimage, APTS FCP X ADV Part 2.sparseimage, and APTS FCP X ADV Part 3.sparseimage. These disk image files function like virtual disks. You will use their contents for the exercises in the book. Specific instructions in the lessons will explain which disk image to load.

Insert the Apple Pro Training Series: Final Cut Pro X Advanced Editing, Disc One DVD into your DVD drive.

Depending on which version of OS X youre using and the Finder preferences, you may not see the DVD on your desktop. If you dont see the DVD, take a quick look in a Finder window to see all the mounted volumes (such as hard disks or DVDs) that are available.