Project folder structure
Recommended from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tes_SjT9eM8
- FINAL CUT
- FOOTAGE
- AUDIO
- IMAGES
- DELIVERABLES
Learning resources
Learn Final Cut Pro in Under 60 Minutes
10 Essential Tips for Final Cut Pro
Great tips:
bp
Effects:
- video: add "Crisp Contrast" and "Vibrancy".
- audio: add "Voice Over Enhancement".
How to export a clip: R to select the range, then Cmd + E to export.
15 Hacks Every Editor Should Know
incl.:
00:00 15 Editing Hacks Every FCP User Should Know
00:08 Fixing Clipped Audio in Final Cut Pro (Expand Audio)
01:04 Make Soundbite Stand Out over Music
02:05 How to Fake a Multicam in FCP
03:04 Editing to Music Shortcut in Final Cut
04:06 Fixing Exporting Errors in FCP
05:09 Simulated Typing Effect
05:47 Recording VOs with Voice Memo App
06:34 Fixing Popped Ps in Final Cut
07:09 Cutting Out Logos in FCP
10:08 How to make 3D Text look Vibrant in Final Cut Pro
10:56 How to wrap 3D Text in a Pattern in Apple Motion
11:52 How to perfect text spacing in Apple Motion
Freeze frame: Shift + H (HOLD)
Lower volume on segment: I/O and then use the arrow in the audio wave to lower volume.
Ultimate Talking Head Videos Guide | Cameras, Editing & AI Tools
Keyboard shortcuts
| Shortcut | What It Does | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Command + N |
New project | |
Command + Shift + N |
New event | |
Command + I |
Import media | |
Command + E |
Export project | |
Command + Z |
Undo | |
Command + Shift + Z |
Redo | |
Command + X |
Cut | |
Command + C |
Copy | |
Command + V |
Paste | |
Command + A |
Select all | |
Command + Shift + A |
Deselect all | |
Command + S |
Save library | |
Command + = |
Zoom in timeline | |
Command + - |
Zoom out timeline | |
Shift + Z |
Fit timeline to window | |
Option + Shift + Z |
Fit content to timeline | |
Home |
Move playhead to start of timeline | |
End |
Move playhead to end of timeline | |
Arrow Left |
Move playhead left one frame | |
Arrow Right |
Move playhead right one frame | |
Spacebar |
Play/pause | |
J |
Play backward | |
K |
Pause | |
L |
Play forward | |
Shift + Spacebar |
Play backward | |
Command + B |
Blade tool (cuts at playhead) | |
Command + R |
Show retiming controls | |
V |
Toggle clip visibility | |
A |
Select tool | |
T |
Trim tool | |
R |
Range selection tool | |
I |
Mark In point | |
O |
Mark Out point | |
E |
Append clip to timeline | |
Q |
Connect clip to timeline | |
W |
Insert clip into timeline | |
P |
Position tool | |
Control + D |
Adjust duration | |
Command + Shift + G |
Group clips into a compound clip |
Export
12 Oct 2024
Finally found how to get the best exports from Final Cut Pro, with the lowest file size.
None of the baked in presets in FCP are good enough.
eg. importing a 34Mb .mp4 file, editing it to remove half of it and exporting out again as a .mp4 file, maintaining all controllable settings as the input (eg 1920x1080, 25fps), the file sizes are between 100Mb and 200Mb+!
So best workaround is to export as a Master File (Apple ProRes 422), then use ffmpeg to compress to best output possible, with:
ffmpeg -i /input/folder/file_raw.mov -c:v libx264 -crf 23 -preset medium -c:a aac -b:a 128k /output/folder/file_light.mp4
Could be automated as:
- set a watched folder with Hazel
- trigger a Python script to run the ffmpeg command & delete the original file
- export all files out of FCP as Apple ProRes 422 to the watched folder