Final Cut Pro 6: Advanced Editing Techniques

Course Overview

This three-day course delivers hard-to-find advanced editing and finishing techniques. Learn how to create polished transitions, fix screen-direction errors, edit multicamera projects, work with nested sequences, create fantastic effects, use filters creatively, color-correct your video, and composite like a pro. This course also covers Soundtrack Pro, managing clips and media, and working with film.

Audience

This course is designed for existing Final Cut Pro users who want to increase their skill level through learning advanced features and efficient workflows.

Skills Gained

By attending this course, delegates will learn:

• Asymmetrical Trimming and Advanced Trim edit window techniques
• Multi-camera editing
• Working with filters, variable speed and slow-motion techniques
• Audio editing, mixing and creation
• Color correction and matching shots
• Finishing and final output

Examinations

• This course covers the requirements necessary to successfully become an Apple Certified Pro, Level Two, in Final Cut Pro.
• Level Two attests to a knowledge of more advanced features and a deeper understanding of the application.
• Students should first attend the FCP101 courses or have equivilent knowledge. Final Cut Pro Level Two certification counts towards the new Final Cut Studio (FCS) Master Pro certification.

Prerequisites

• Students must have a good understanding of Apple Mac OS and be existing Final Cut Pro users
• Ideally, students will have attended a Final Cut Pro 101, 200 or 250 course

Course Outline

Day 1

Lesson 1 - Timing Tools

• Loading Clips, Using Match Frame, Using Replace Edit and Gang Sync

Lesson 2 - Working with Trimming Tools

• Numeric Trimming, Split Edits, Trim Edit Window,and Trimming under Transitions

Lesson 3 - Multicamera Editing

• Editing Multicamera Footage, Working with Multiple Angles, and Applying Effects to Multiclips

Lesson 4 - Sound Editing

Normalising Tracks, Noise Reduction in Soundtrack Pro, and Compression and Limiting in SoundtrackPro

Lesson 5 - Sound Mixing

Using the FCP Meter, Setting Proper Levels and Dynamic Range, Performing Real-time Mixing, Mixing in Soundtrack Pro, and Mixing in Other Tools

Day 2

Lesson 6 - Compositing

• Reviewing Motion Basics, Creating a Multi-layered Show Open, Experimenting with Composite Modes, Adding Graphics from a Layered Photoshop File, using Generators, Copying Attributes and Creating a Travel Matte

Lesson 7 - Mastering Video Filters

• Applying and Modifying Filters, Modifying Filter Effects, Managing Filters, and Using Specific Filter Categories

Lesson 8 - Dynamic Effects

• Keyframing Basics, Keyframing in the Canvas, Keyframing in the Viewer, Keyframing in the Timeline, and Creating Favorite Motion Effects

Lesson 9 - Nesting Sequences

• Understanding Nested Sequences, Using Basic Nesting, Applying Effects to Multiple Clips, Applying Complex Geometrics, Changing Render Order, Reordering Motion Effects, Mixing Sequence Sizes, and Nesting as an Editing Tool

Lesson 10 - Variable Speed

• Using Basic Slow Motion, Understanding Variable Speed Effects, and Using the Motion Viewer

Day 3

Lesson 11 - Correcting Contrast

• Understanding Contrast, Controlling Contrast Using the Color Corrector 3-Way Filter, Setting Mood with the Mids, and Creating Artificially High Contrast

Lesson 12 - Controlling Colour

• Understanding Color Balance, Using Primary Colour Correction, Understanding the Colour Balance Controls, Identifying and Correcting Colour Casts, and Manipulating Colour Directly in the Blacks, Mids and Whites

Lesson 13 - Color Correcting for Scene Continuity

• Achieving Visual harmony, Comparing Two Clips, Setting Up for Scene-by-Scene Color Correction, and Color Correcting a Complex Scene

Lesson 14 - Clip Management

• Managing the Database, Working with Timecode,Merging Clips, Working with 16:9 and 24p, and Master Clip Relationships

Lesson 15 - Managing Media

• Mixing Formats, Locating Media Files, Using the Media Manager, Deleting Unused Media, Offline/Online Workflows, and Working with Motion Projects

Lesson 16 - Importing and Exporting

• Capturing from Non-Tape Sources, Exporting for the Web, Exporting for DVD, and Exporting Audio

Final Cut Pro 6: Advanced Editing Techniques / FCP 300