Basic Editing Techniques in Final Cut Pro

Make sure to have your files set up as described in the "Introduction to Final Cut" tutorial.

Once you have a project and sequence open with all video and audio files available, you will be able to edit as follows:

1) Choose a file and drop it on the Sequence timeline (usually at the bottom of your interface:

If your file is a still image, it will default to 10 seconds. To make it less than ten seconds, double click the image file on the timeline, and this one will appear on the "Viewer" (middle window). You may adjust the time on the time box located on the upper left hand side. If you will be working with a large number of stills and you want them to start with a specific duration, go to the top menu bar of Final Cut, and select: User Preferences, then click on the "Editing" tab. The first option will be "Still/Freeze Duration." You will notice it is default set to 10 minutes. Change it to your preferred setting. Note that any files imported prior to your adjustment will have the default setting.

If you want to cut part of a sequence, select the razor tool from the Tool Palette (Window > Tool Palette) and on the sequence timeline cut as desired.

To close a gap, once you cut part of your footage, right click on the corresponding video track gap, and select from the menu "close gap."

2) Moving across an image or footage:

If you want to move across or zoom out of a still image, or video footage, make sure the still is bigger than the overall size of the frame. You may than zoom out by creating in and out points as follows:

Place the image on the timeline, double click it and it will appear on the Viewer. Make sure the still image has the desired time length, then select the motion tab at the top of the viewer and make in and out points in the desired areas. The points will appear on your Motion tab. Select them and make the adjustments with your "Scale" option. You may enter a number manually, or you may also move the corresponding handle back and forth. Watch for changes on your sequence monitor (the window on the right of your Final Cut Interface).

To develop more indepth adjustments, you should select the wireframe on the Sequence Monitor. Do so by selecting from the drop down menu of the third button to the right at the top center of the window. When the menu drops down select "Image and Wireframe." when you click on the image, an "X" will show up. This means that now you can move the footage as desired. Experiment.

3) To separate sound from video:

Select your video footage on the Sequence timeline, then on the top menu go to Modify, and deselect "Link." If you want to link footage with a particular soundtrack, do the opposite: Modify > Link.

4) To make a copy of a video on your bin: Select the file and right click, then select from the drop down menu "Copy."

To make a file edited on the Sequence timeline: right click on the file select "copy" from the drop down menu, then move your mouse over to your bin. Make sure your mouse is on the "Name" area, then right click and choose "paste." A new file will show up. Name it so that it is different from the name of your original file.

You can also drag the file from the Sequence timeline to the bin, just make sure you are dropping it on the "Name" area. Otherwise, Final Cut will not acknowledge your action.

5) To add audio and video tracks:

Place your mouse above the video or audio track and right click. You will get the option "Add Track"

6) Edit sound:

You may edit sound to a limited degree on Final cut. To edit sound that is linked to your video footage, once you have placed it on the timeline, double click the sound. The Viewer window (middle top) will switch to show your sound file in wave form.

You may adjust your levels and pan with corresponding controls at the top-center of the window.

Once you identify the parts of the sound that you want to adjust, you can also create key frames where the adjustment will begin and end. These options are on the right side of the Level and Pan controls.

To edit sound more extensively, you will need to export it to the corresponding application known as Soundtrack.

You may want to de-link the sound from the clip, as previously explained, then go to the top menu of Final Cut and select: File > Send to > Soundtrack Pro Multitrack Project.

Soundtrack Pro will appear. You may adjust sound effects and edit as you desire. If you find that you will be doing extensive editing in Soundtrack Pro, you may want to create a separate file, then edit it in Soundtrack Pro and bring it into Final Cut when this one is ready.

There will be a separate tutorial on how to edit sound in Soundtrack Pro and link it to Final Cut.