Final Cut Pro HD | H•O•T Hands-On Training [Electronic resources]

Larry Jordan

نسخه متنی -صفحه : 182/ 102
نمايش فراداده

What Is a Motion Effect?

A motion effect is a special visual effect where an image, or text, changes its size, shape, opacity, or position during the course of the effect. Sometimes, just one image changes. Other times, many images are moving all over the place. It all depends upon the needs of your project.

Which brings to mind a quote from my favorite professor when I was studying television production in graduate school at the University of Wisconsin. Dr. Richard Lawson kept stressing: "Never make an aesthetic decision for technical reasons." Or, as I like to say, "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should."

Just because these effects exist doesn't mean you should use them. Many programs are produced without any special effects. But, for those times when you are editing a deadly dull show, and you are praying for something, anything, to move, it's nice to know that Final Cut can deliver the goods.

There are two types of motion effects: the first is where images don't change during an effect, and the second is where they do. The classic example of the first type is a newscaster with graphics over his or her shoulder. The size and placement of the graphic is preset and nothing changes position. This is the effect you'll create in the first exercise.

The second effect is where an image changes size, shape, opacity, or position during its time onscreen. Examples of this include virtually every commercial and music video on the air today. You'll create these type of effects starting with the second exercise.

Our eyes and brain are programmed to respond to movement. If something moves, our eyes move to it instinctively. As editors, we can use this to lead the viewer's eyes to the specific part of the screen we want them to watch.

NOTE | Programs Are Horizontal, Effects Are Vertical

So far, you have created programs that start on the left of the Timeline and finish on the right, one clip immediately following the other. In other words, everything is horizontal.

When you are working with effects, though, you start working vertically in the Timeline. In other words, to put multiple images on the screen at the same time, you stack them.

Chapter 7, "AudioThe Secret to a Great Picture." Clips on higher numbered tracks are in front of clips on lower numbered tracks. Final Cut allows up to 99 video and 99 audio tracks.

So, in order for multiple images to be onscreen at once, in addition to stacking clips on multiple tracks, you also need to change the size, shape, position, or opacity of the clips on higher numbered tracks so the clips beneath them can be seen.

NOTE | Tips to Creating Effects

As you can probably imagine, entire books are devoted to creating effects. Still, here's a quick set of guidelines you can use to help make your effects work easier.

    Start by planning your effecteven if only for a minute in your head. Thinking about what you want to do helps to clarify how you want to go about doing it; especially in deciding what clip goes on what track.

    The best effects are short in length. The goal in creating an effect is to have your audience believe your effect is real. An effect is a failure if your audience turns to you and says, "Yep, by golly, that was really an effect!"

    I've found it faster to start at the end of a motion effect and construct it backwards. In other words, start where you want to end up.

    Finally, create your effect in small steps. This allows you to check things in process and fix them before they get out of control.