| Digital Cinema Preview | | | | If done right, your shot will slowly move forwards. You |
| Especially when you don't have a second (or third) | | | | can also reverse this by putting in the numbers the |
| display for playback, this is a really useful feature for | | | | opposite way around, so that the shot 'pulls back' |
| watching back videos in full screen. First make sure to | | | | instead. A useful little trick for any form of video |
| go to VIEW, then EXTERNAL FRAMES and click on | | | | production, I'm sure you'll agree! |
| ALL FRAMES. You might find that this is ticked | | | | Make a Freeze Frame Still Image, and Export (optional) |
| already, but worth checking anyway as it's key to | | | | In Post-Production, chances are you'll be asked to pull |
| making this work. | | | | still images out either to use in your edit, or to export |
| Following this, whilst still in the VIEW drop-down menu, | | | | for a client. It's really quite simple, and there's a couple |
| click on VIDEO PLAYBACK and select DIGITAL | | | | of ways to do it. |
| CINEMA DESKTOP PREVIEW - MAIN. Your canvas | | | | The first way is through Final Cut Pro of course, and |
| will then fill the entire space of the monitor, allowing you | | | | this is particularly great if you want to freeze frame a |
| to watch your work back in all its glory. | | | | shot. The first thing to do is position your playhead at |
| This is also a great thing to do before delivery | | | | the frame you would like to turn into a still; this can be |
| completing any piece of work, because it's very easy | | | | done in any of the Viewer, Canvas, or Timeline. Then |
| to miss things in the canvas that become apparent | | | | go to MODIFY, and then select MAKE FREEZE |
| once you blow it up to full screen. | | | | FRAME. |
| Using Dissolves and Transitions Effectively | | | | Your freeze frame will show up in the viewer window |
| Just because you have a large amount of transitions | | | | with a default duration of 10 seconds (unless you've |
| to throw into the mix, doesn't mean you should. The | | | | set it otherwise). You can adjust the in and out point |
| best editors allow the transitions to seamlessly move | | | | here, to the duration you want. For speed I typically |
| the edit along without distraction, and at the points | | | | drag the clip straight into my TIMELINE and trim from |
| where you do see one, it's been put there for a good | | | | there. |
| reason. | | | | With the same clip selected, you can also choose |
| Noise Industries (FX Factory) do a great mix of funky | | | | EXPORT, then USING QUICKTIME CONVERSION, |
| transitions and effects in their plugins, but you would | | | | and choose STILL IMAGE from the Format |
| really only want to use these sparingly and with | | | | drop-down. This will save a still image to your |
| purpose. The last thing you want to do is pull the | | | | computer as a JPEG for example) to use outside of |
| audience out of the experience by 'twirl' wiping the | | | | FCP. |
| screen, or by throwing in paint splashes that do nothing | | | | The second way, is more for those who want a still |
| but distract. | | | | that they can use outside of the edit specifically. So for |
| There's a good reason that simple dissolves are still so | | | | example when your client wants a few stills from their |
| popular (and my most used transition), especially when | | | | finished video. In that case I recommend purchasing |
| it comes to showing a movement of time/setting in my | | | | DV Kitchen, which amongst other things has a |
| edited piece. Whether it's a film, a corporate video or a | | | | Timefreezer option where you can save a high quality |
| music video, as an editor it's important to always be | | | | still image to your hard drive, at your desired frame |
| thinking about the purpose and target audience of the | | | | size. There's also a quality slider, which you can alter |
| film, and reflect that in your work; in most cases, less is | | | | as per your ouput requirements. |
| more! | | | | Batch Export |
| Camera Moves & Static Shots | | | | A final handy tip, when you have lots of sequences |
| A really simple trick this... It's similar to the Ken Burns | | | | videos to export, and don't want to have to do it |
| effect, and will help to add steady movement to a | | | | individually. |
| shot, that can be impossible for a cameraman to get | | | | Highlight all the clips/sequences you need to export in |
| without the right equipment. | | | | your BROWSER, then right click (or CTRL+click) and |
| To dolly forward/push/zoom a shot, firstly load your | | | | choose BATCH EXPORT. Your videos will load into |
| clip up into the VIEWER; a good example to test with | | | | another window, at which point you'll want to select |
| might be a wide shot of a building or a room. In the | | | | SETTINGS (at the foot of the window) and set the |
| MOTION tab, under BASIC MOTION, add a keyframe | | | | format, codec, aspect ratio as required. Once done, |
| (by clicking on the diamond) next to SCALE. Then | | | | click EXPORT and you're away. |
| within the window, move to the end of the same clip | | | | Worth noting that if you are exporting sequences |
| and add another keyframe. Set the scale (which by | | | | marked with in and out points, you'll need to tick that |
| default is at 100 to most clips) to 105 or 110 (depending | | | | option in the Batch Export settings. |
| on the length of the clip). | | | | |