Visual QuickStart Guide [Electronic resources] : Final Cut Express HD for Mac OS X

Lisa Brenneis

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  • Locating and Applying Effects

    You can access Final Cut Express's effects features in a variety of places:

    • The Browser's Effects tab (Figure 14.1 ) displays folders containing all the types of effects available in Final Cut Express except motion properties.

      Figure 14.1. The Browser's Effects tab organizes available effects in folders.

    • The same effects found on the Browser's Effects tab are also available from the Effects menu (Figure 14.2 ).

      Figure 14.2. The same library of effects is available from the Effects menu.

    • Motion properties are applied to every clip automatically. Open a clip in the Viewer and click the Motion tab to access a clip's motion controls.

    You can apply effects to clips and sequences in the following ways:

    • Select a clip in the Timeline and then choose an effect from the Effects menu.

    • Select an effect from a folder on the Effects tab of the Browser and drag it onto the clip.

    • Select a customized effect or motion from the Favorites folder on the Effects tab of the Browser and drag it to the clip to apply it.

    • Choose a generator from the Generator pop-up menu in the lower-right corner of the Viewer.

    • Open a Timeline or a Browser clip in the Viewer; then use the controls on the clip's Motion tab to apply motion effects.

    • Open a Timeline clip in the Canvas; then use the Canvas's Image+Wireframe mode overlay to animate a motion path.

    Effects Production Shortcuts

    Chapter 10, "Editing in the Timeline and the Canvas."

    Nesting sequences: When you place a Final Cut Express sequence within another sequence, it's called

    nesting a sequence. Nested sequences can streamline and enhance your effects work in a variety of ways. You can use nested sequences to protect render files, to force effects to render in a different order, or to group clips so you can apply a single filter or motion path to all of them in one operation. Nested sequences are discussed in Chapter 4, "Projects, Sequences, and Clips."

    "Effecting" multiple clips: FCE allows you to adjust opacity levels for a group of clips. You can also adjust audio levels for multiple clips in a single operation. See "Setting a clip's opacity in the Timeline" in Chapter 15.

    Favorites: Favorites are customized effects presets. For example, if you need to apply the same color correction to a large group of clips, you can tweak the settings once, save that filter configuration as a Favorite, and then apply it to the whole group without having to make individual adjustments. Favorites are discussed in the next section.

    Onscreen effects controls

    You can make adjustments to effects you've already applied in the following ways:

    • Double-click the clip in the Timeline; then select the Audio, Filters, or Motion tab in the Viewer and use the controls to make your adjustments.

      Figure 14.3 illustrates the operation of the controls found on the Filters, Motion, and Controls tabs.

      Figure 14.3. Overview of the effects controls found on the Filters, Motion, and Controls tabs in the Viewer window.

      [View full size image]

    • In the Timeline, adjust opacity or audio level keyframe locations in the clip's clip overlay level line.

      Figure 14.4 shows an overview of the effects tools and procedures available in the Timeline window.

      Figure 14.4. Overview of effects tools in the Timeline.

      Chapter 15, "Motion."

    Tuning in Effects: Using Dial, Slider, and Point Controls

    Here are some keyboard/mouse combos you can use to enhance your control over any effect parameter with a dial interface:

    • Hold down the Shift key to constrain the dial to 45-degree increments.

    • Hold down the Command key to gear down the dial's movement and make precise adjustments.

    • Drag way, way out of the dial to reset the effect to the previous value.

    • Scroll-wheel mouse users can make precise dial adjustments by positioning the pointer over the dial and nudging the scroll wheel.

    Here are a few tips for effect parameters with slider interfaces:

    • Expand the horizontal throw of any slider by widening the Parameters column in the column title bar. A longer slider makes it easier to adjust values.

    • Hold down the Command key to gear down the slider's movement and make precise adjustments.

    • Scroll-wheel mouse users can nudge the scroll wheel to make single-digit adjustments to slider values.

    • Hold down the Shift key to add two decimal places of accuracy to a slider's value. (This command could be more useful if it incorporated gearing down as well.) You need to expand the horizontal throw of the slider by widening the Parameters column on the Filters or Controls tab before the double-digit accuracy becomes useful.

    • The Point control is that little crosshairs button you use to select location coordinates for a clip's center point. You can select the Point control and then click the Canvas to specify a center point. That's very handy, but here's a way to use the Point control that's even better: Once you've clicked, keep the mouse button pressed, and you can drag the center point location around the canvas until you find a position you like. The Canvas will update even while you hold down the mouse button.