Home > Articles > Digital Audio, Video > Final Cut Pro

Working with Projects, Sequences, and Clips in Final Cut Pro 7

Oct 6, 2009

📄 Contents

␡

⎙ Print

< Back Page 8 of 11 Next >

This chapter is from the book 

Final Cut Pro 7: Visual QuickPro Guide

Learn More Buy

About Clips

Final Cut Pro has always used clip types—audio, video, graphic, and generated—to identify clips that reference different types of source media. FCP uses a different class of clip types—subclip, merged clip, and sequence—to identify clips that reference a portion of another clip (like a subclip) or multiple clips (like merged clips, multiclips, and sequences).

FCP 4 introduced three new clip types—master, affiliate, and independent—to identify clips that are linked by shared properties (like master and affiliate clips) or clips whose properties and behavior are independent of other clips (like independent clips). The master/affiliate/independent clip type classifications and behavior are designed to make the linkage between FCP clips and their media files more bulletproof by automatically updating all affiliated clips when you make a change to a shared property on any of the individual affiliates anywhere in the project.

The master/affiliate clips' shared properties are all related to media management; clip properties that remain independent—In and Out points, markers, and applied effects—are all modified during the normal course of editing and must remain independent in each clip copy you use.

Here's an example: You have a master clip in the Browser, and you edit it into your sequence. An affiliate copy of that master clip appears in the sequence. The In and Out points you set when you edited that clip into your sequence can be adjusted independently of the master clip, but if you rename that affiliate copy, the name of its master clip is also renamed. Change the reel name of the master clip, and the reel name of the affiliate clip in the sequence reflects the same change.

The master/affiliate clip-handling scheme keeps your clip duplicates in sync, which can simplify your life when you're media-managing certain types of projects. Projects best suited to master/affiliate clip handling are well logged, with discrete clips that you don't plan on subdividing much.

If your preferred editing method is to capture large chunks of media and then subdivide and rename the clips post-capture, there's no easy way to rename a portion of an affiliate clip without renaming its master and all other affiliates. You could convert your subdivided clip into a subclip before renaming, or you could convert your master clips to independent-type clips before you start dicing them up.

Converting your clips to independent-type certainly makes it easier to rename the selected portions that appear in your sequence; however, Apple warns that independent-type clips can be trouble when you go to media manage your project later because each independent-type clip copy's offline/online status is tracked independently of the master clip they were derived from. It's safer for editors who prefer to work with large chunky clips to heed Apple's warning and go the "subclip first, then rename" route.

For more information on clip affiliation protocols, see "Working With Master and Affiliate Clips" in Apple's Final Cut Pro User Manual (PDF page 1521).

Here's a rundown of FCP's clip types:

Format-based clip types

Audio, Video, and Graphics clip: These clip types are determined by the type of source media the clip is referencing.
Generated clip: Create a generated clip by opening a generator from the Viewer's Generators pop-up menu. Generated clips are created as master-type clips. For more information, see Chapter 17, "Titles and Generators."

Relationship-based clip types

Master clip (Figure 4.47): Any clip that can generate affiliate clip copies is a master clip. See Table 4.1 on page 121 for a complete list of ways to create one.

Figure 4.47 It's not easy to identify master, affiliate, and independent clips in the FCP interface. Master clips are easiest to spot; a checkmark in the Master Clip column identifies a master clip in the Browser and on the Logging tab of the clip's Item Properties window. Master clips never appear in a sequence.

Table 4.1. FCP Clip Type Relationships

Type	How to Create	Behavior
Master clip	Capture new video or audio. Import video or audio. Create a subclip. Create a freeze-frame. Create a merged clip. Drag a merged clip from the sequence back to the Browser. Import an EDL or batch list. Use the Duplicate as New Master clip command. Use Modify > Make Master Clip on an affiliate or independent sequence clip. Use Tools > Create Master Clips on a sequence composed of affiliate or independent clips. Delete an affiliate's master clip. Affiliate clips in the Browser are converted to master clips.	Synchronizes clip name, reel name, source timecode, labels, Master comments 1-4, log notes, subclip limits, and online/offline state with all affiliate clips. Does not synchronize markers, In and Out points, Comments A-B, Description, Thumbnail, applied effects, or motion properties. Master clips appear only in the Browser.
Subclip Parent	Create a subclip. The original full length master that subclip is derived from is now the subclip parent of that subclip.	The View > Reveal Subclip Parent Clip command will highlight the original master clip containing the subclip footage.
Affiliate clip	Edit a master clip into a sequence. Edit a subclip into a sequence. Duplicate a clip in the Browser or in a sequence. Copy and paste a clip in the Browser or in a sequence. Drag a sequence clip back into the Browser.	Synchronizes clip name, reel name, source timecode, labels, Master comments 1-4, log notes, subclip limits, and online/offline state with all affiliated clips and the master clip. Does not synchronize markers, In and Out points, Comments A-B, Description, Thumbnail, applied effects, or motion properties. Affiliate clips can appear in the Browser or Timeline.
Independent clip	Delete an affiliate's master clip. Use the Make Independent Clip command on a sequence clip. Edit a clip opened outside the project directly into a sequence. Open a FCP 3 project in FCP versions 4-7; all project clips will be independent.	Maintains independent clip name, reel name, source timecode, remove subclip limits, online/offline state, markers, In and Out points, and applied effects or motion properties. Independent clips appear only in the Timeline, except when a pre-FCP 4 project is opened.

Affiliate clip (Figure 4.48): An affiliate clip is a copy of a master clip that is created by inserting the master clip into a sequence or duplicating the master clip in the Browser. Copies of affiliate clips remain linked to their master clip originals; the linked relationship extends to the clip name, reel name, source timecode, labels, subclip limits, and online/offline state of all affiliate clips. Change one of these shared properties in any one of the affiliated clips, and the change will appear in all the affiliated clips. Markers, In and Out points, and applied effects or motion properties remain independent in master/affiliate clips. See Table 4.1 for a complete list of ways to create an affiliate clip.

Figure 4.48 Affiliate clips have no checkmark in the Browser's Master Clip column. In a sequence, the only way to identify an affiliate clip is to open the clip's shortcut menu. If the Make Independent Clip command is available and not dimmed, the clip is an affiliate clip.
Independent clip (Figure 4.49): Each copy of an independent clip refers directly back to its source media and does not synchronize clip naming or any other properties with any other independent clip copy. All clips in pre-FCP 4 projects are independent clips. See Table 4.1 for a complete list of ways to create an independent clip.

Figure 4.49 In a sequence, you can identify an independent clip by opening the clip's shortcut menu. If the Make Independent Clip command is dimmed, the clip is already an independent clip. Independent clips appear in the Browser only when you open a pre-FCP 4 project file.
Merged clip: Create a merged clip by combining video and audio from separate sources into a single clip. Merged clips are always created as master-type clips. For more information, see "Working with Merged Clips," later in this chapter.
Subclip: Subclips are shorter clips you create from a section of a longer master clip. A subclip is always created as a new master-type clip, with no affiliate relationship to the clip it was created from. For information on subclips, see Chapter 8, "Working with Clips in the Viewer."
Multiclip: Like merged clips, multiclips are created by grouping and synchronizing multiple clips (called multiclip angles) into a structured unit. In multiclip editing mode, you can create your edit by switching between multiclip angles in real time. For more information on multiclip editing, see Chapter 9, "Basic Editing."
Offline Clip: Any clip that currently has no valid link to its source media file is considered an offline clip. A clip can be offline because it has been logged but not captured yet, or a clip's status can switch from online to offline because its source media has been moved or deleted. See "Reconnecting Offline Files" in Chapter 20 for more information on offline clips.

FCP Protocol: Sequence Clip Terminology

FCP uses slightly different terminology when referring to clips that have already been placed into a sequence:

A sequence clip is simply a clip that's already been edited into a sequence in the Timeline. When you double-click a sequence clip in the Timeline, it opens in the Viewer with two rows of dots in the Scrubber bar, indicating that you've opened a sequence clip.

Recent versions of Final Cut Pro have started to refer to the video and audio tracks that comprise a sequence clip as clip items. A standard DV clip edited into a sequence would be composed of one video and two audio clip items. FCP's clip-handling scheme tracks all clip items independently—even those captured together as a single clip—in order to accommodate the need to reliably track complex merged clips and multiclips where a video clip can be linked to multiple tracks of audio from different sources.

FCP Protocol: Clips and Sequences

A clip is the basic unit of media in Final Cut Pro.

A clip can represent a movie, still image, nested sequence, generator, or audio file.

A clip is a reference to the actual media file stored on your hard disk. But a clip can also reference material that is not currently online. If you delete the original media file, the clip will still appear in the Browser and Timeline, but you won't see its frames and you won't be able to play it.

When you apply special effects and perform edits on clips, you are not affecting the media file on disk.

Before FCP 4, all clips were governed by the same clip-handling protocols. FCP Versions 4 and later use three clip types: master, affiliate, and independent. Master and affiliate clips use one set of behavior protocols; independent clip behavior is governed by a different set of rules.

Using Master and Affiliate Clips in Sequences

When you insert a master clip from a project into a sequence, FCP inserts a copy of the master clip, known as an affiliate clip. That affiliate copy in the sequence shares certain properties with the master clip but maintains independent control over other properties.

This protocol is important to understand because it affects how and where you should make changes to master/affiliate clips, and it illuminates what's different about independent clip behavior. So, let's lay out the rules.

When you modify a master or affiliate clip's name, reel name, source timecode, or labels; remove its subclip limits; or change its online/offline state:

The change you make is applied to all affiliated clips in the project. It doesn't matter if you make the change to the master clip or its affiliate—the result is the same.
Master and affiliate clips' shared property behavior only applies within a single project; your changes will not be applied to other projects.

When you apply markers, In and Out points, effects, or motion properties to a master clip or its affiliate clip copy:

You can open the clip from the Browser (outside a sequence) or from the Timeline (within a sequence).
If you make changes to the clip in the Browser and then insert that clip into a sequence, the clip copy that is placed in the sequence includes the changes that have been made in the Browser.
Any changes you make to a clip from within a sequence are not made to the clip in the Browser.
After you've inserted a clip into a sequence, any further changes you make to that clip from the Browser will not be reflected in any sequence where the clip is used.
Clips that appear in multiple sequences are independent of one another. Changes to one will not affect the others.
If you want to make further revisions to a clip that's already in a sequence, open the clip from the Timeline and then make the changes.
If you want to make changes to a clip and have the changes show up in all the sequences in which that clip is used, open the clip from the Browser and make the changes. Then reinsert the revised clip into each sequence in which you want the updated clip to appear.
Final Cut Pro identifies clips that have been opened from the Timeline by displaying two lines of dots in the Scrubber bar. No dots appear in the Scrubber bar of clips that have been opened from the Browser.

Using Independent Clips in Sequences

When you convert an affiliate-type sequence clip to an independent-type clip, that independent clip refers directly back to the source media file on the disk, and any clip property can be modified independently from any master or affiliate clip referencing the same source media file.

Because each independent clip copy maintains independent control over all its properties, the same rules that apply to the In and Out points of master and affiliate clips (listed above) apply to all properties of independent clips.

Master Clip Identity Travels Across Multiple Projects

Copy a clip from one FCP project to another, and FCP will check to see if the added clip shares a master clip identity with any clips in the destination project. If FCP detects a match, the added clip will become an affiliate of the existing master clip. If FCP detects a conflict between the master clip properties of the added clip and the existing clip, it will display the Copy Master Clip dialog, where you can sort out which master clip properties to preserve and which to replace; the same dialog offers the option of resolving this conflict by creating a new master clip and preserving both sets of master clip properties.

If you're copying an entire sequence into a project, FCP will check every clip in that sequence in the same way. You can choose to deal with your clips individually or globally.

To locate a sequence clip's master clip:

Select the clip in the Timeline, then choose View > Reveal Master Clip (Figure 4.50); or press Shift-F.

Figure 4.50 Select a clip and choose View > Reveal Master Clip.

FCP highlights that sequence clip's master clip in the Browser.

To locate a clip's affiliates in a sequence:

Select a clip in the Timeline or Browser, then choose View > Reveal Affiliated Clips in Front Sequence.

In the frontmost sequence displayed in the Timeline, FCP highlights all sequence clips that are affiliated with the clip you selected (Figure 4.51).

Figure 4.51 Select a clip and choose View > Reveal Affiliated Clips in Front Sequence. FCP will highlight all sequence clips that are affiliated with the clip you selected.

To generate a master clip for single sequence clip:

Select the clip in the sequence, then create its master clip by pressing Option as you drag the sequence clip out of the Timeline, and then adding the Command key as you drop the clip in the Browser (Figure 4.52).

Figure 4.52 A special pointer (with an for master) appears when both the Command and Option keys are held down, alerting you that you're creating a duplicate master clip.

To generate a new set of master clips for a sequence:

Select the sequence's icon in the Browser, then choose Tools > Create Master Clips.

FCP generates new master clips for the clips in your sequence in a new Browser bin.

To break an affiliate clip's relationship with its master:

Do one of the following:

In the Browser, delete the master clip associated with that affiliate clip.
Copy the sequence containing the affiliate clip into another project.
In the Timeline, use the Make Independent Clip command to convert the affiliate clip into an independent clip.

To make a sequence clip independent:

In the Timeline, Control-click the sequence clip, then choose Make Independent Clip from the shortcut menu (Figure 4.53).

Figure 4.53 Choosing Make Independent Clip from the sequence clip's shortcut menu converts an affiliate-type clip to an independent-type clip.

The affiliate sequence clip is converted to an independent-type clip.

To make all clips in a sequence independent:

Select the sequence icon in the Browser, then choose Make Sequence Clips Independent from the shortcut menu (Figure 4.54).

Figure 4.54 Control-click a sequence's icon in the Browser and choose Make Sequence Clips Independent, and you convert all the clips in that sequence to independent clips with a single command.

To rename a clip to match its media file:

Select the clip in the Browser, then choose Modify > Rename > Clip to Match File.

To rename a media file to match its clip name:

Select the clip in the Browser, then choose Modify > Rename > File to Match Clip.

< Back Page 8 of 11 Next >

🔖 Save To Your Account

Peachpit Promotional Mailings & Special Offers

I would like to receive exclusive offers and hear about products from Peachpit and its family of brands. I can unsubscribe at any time.

Privacy Notice

Overview

Pearson Education, Inc., 221 River Street, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, (Pearson) presents this site to provide information about Peachpit products and services that can be purchased through this site.

This privacy notice provides an overview of our commitment to privacy and describes how we collect, protect, use and share personal information collected through this site. Please note that other Pearson websites and online products and services have their own separate privacy policies.

Collection and Use of Information

To conduct business and deliver products and services, Pearson collects and uses personal information in several ways in connection with this site, including:

Questions and Inquiries

For inquiries and questions, we collect the inquiry or question, together with name, contact details (email address, phone number and mailing address) and any other additional information voluntarily submitted to us through a Contact Us form or an email. We use this information to address the inquiry and respond to the question.

Online Store

For orders and purchases placed through our online store on this site, we collect order details, name, institution name and address (if applicable), email address, phone number, shipping and billing addresses, credit/debit card information, shipping options and any instructions. We use this information to complete transactions, fulfill orders, communicate with individuals placing orders or visiting the online store, and for related purposes.

Surveys

Pearson may offer opportunities to provide feedback or participate in surveys, including surveys evaluating Pearson products, services or sites. Participation is voluntary. Pearson collects information requested in the survey questions and uses the information to evaluate, support, maintain and improve products, services or sites; develop new products and services; conduct educational research; and for other purposes specified in the survey.

Contests and Drawings

Occasionally, we may sponsor a contest or drawing. Participation is optional. Pearson collects name, contact information and other information specified on the entry form for the contest or drawing to conduct the contest or drawing. Pearson may collect additional personal information from the winners of a contest or drawing in order to award the prize and for tax reporting purposes, as required by law.

Newsletters

If you have elected to receive email newsletters or promotional mailings and special offers but want to unsubscribe, simply email ask@peachpit.com.

Service Announcements

On rare occasions it is necessary to send out a strictly service related announcement. For instance, if our service is temporarily suspended for maintenance we might send users an email. Generally, users may not opt-out of these communications, though they can deactivate their account information. However, these communications are not promotional in nature.

Customer Service

We communicate with users on a regular basis to provide requested services and in regard to issues relating to their account we reply via email or phone in accordance with the users' wishes when a user submits their information through our Contact Us form.

Other Collection and Use of Information

Application and System Logs

Pearson automatically collects log data to help ensure the delivery, availability and security of this site. Log data may include technical information about how a user or visitor connected to this site, such as browser type, type of computer/device, operating system, internet service provider and IP address. We use this information for support purposes and to monitor the health of the site, identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents and appropriately scale computing resources.

Web Analytics

Pearson may use third party web trend analytical services, including Google Analytics, to collect visitor information, such as IP addresses, browser types, referring pages, pages visited and time spent on a particular site. While these analytical services collect and report information on an anonymous basis, they may use cookies to gather web trend information. The information gathered may enable Pearson (but not the third party web trend services) to link information with application and system log data. Pearson uses this information for system administration and to identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents, appropriately scale computing resources and otherwise support and deliver this site and its services.

Cookies and Related Technologies

This site uses cookies and similar technologies to personalize content, measure traffic patterns, control security, track use and access of information on this site, and provide interest-based messages and advertising. Users can manage and block the use of cookies through their browser. Disabling or blocking certain cookies may limit the functionality of this site.

Do Not Track

This site currently does not respond to Do Not Track signals.

Security

Pearson uses appropriate physical, administrative and technical security measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use and disclosure.

Children

This site is not directed to children under the age of 13.

Marketing

Pearson may send or direct marketing communications to users, provided that

Pearson will not use personal information collected or processed as a K-12 school service provider for the purpose of directed or targeted advertising.
Such marketing is consistent with applicable law and Pearson's legal obligations.
Pearson will not knowingly direct or send marketing communications to an individual who has expressed a preference not to receive marketing.
Where required by applicable law, express or implied consent to marketing exists and has not been withdrawn.

Pearson may provide personal information to a third party service provider on a restricted basis to provide marketing solely on behalf of Pearson or an affiliate or customer for whom Pearson is a service provider. Marketing preferences may be changed at any time.

Correcting/Updating Personal Information

If a user's personally identifiable information changes (such as your postal address or email address), we provide a way to correct or update that user's personal data provided to us. This can be done on the Account page. If a user no longer desires our service and desires to delete his or her account, please contact us at customer-service@informit.com and we will process the deletion of a user's account.

Choice/Opt-out

Users can always make an informed choice as to whether they should proceed with certain services offered by Adobe Press. If you choose to remove yourself from our mailing list(s) simply visit the following page and uncheck any communication you no longer want to receive: www.peachpit.com/u.aspx.

Sale of Personal Information

Pearson does not rent or sell personal information in exchange for any payment of money.

While Pearson does not sell personal information, as defined in Nevada law, Nevada residents may email a request for no sale of their personal information to NevadaDesignatedRequest@pearson.com.

Supplemental Privacy Statement for California Residents

California residents should read our Supplemental privacy statement for California residents in conjunction with this Privacy Notice. The Supplemental privacy statement for California residents explains Pearson's commitment to comply with California law and applies to personal information of California residents collected in connection with this site and the Services.

Sharing and Disclosure

Pearson may disclose personal information, as follows:

As required by law.
With the consent of the individual (or their parent, if the individual is a minor)
In response to a subpoena, court order or legal process, to the extent permitted or required by law
To protect the security and safety of individuals, data, assets and systems, consistent with applicable law
In connection the sale, joint venture or other transfer of some or all of its company or assets, subject to the provisions of this Privacy Notice
To investigate or address actual or suspected fraud or other illegal activities
To exercise its legal rights, including enforcement of the Terms of Use for this site or another contract
To affiliated Pearson companies and other companies and organizations who perform work for Pearson and are obligated to protect the privacy of personal information consistent with this Privacy Notice
To a school, organization, company or government agency, where Pearson collects or processes the personal information in a school setting or on behalf of such organization, company or government agency.

Links

This web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every web site that collects Personal Information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this web site.

Requests and Contact

Please contact us about this Privacy Notice or if you have any requests or questions relating to the privacy of your personal information.

Changes to this Privacy Notice

We may revise this Privacy Notice through an updated posting. We will identify the effective date of the revision in the posting. Often, updates are made to provide greater clarity or to comply with changes in regulatory requirements. If the updates involve material changes to the collection, protection, use or disclosure of Personal Information, Pearson will provide notice of the change through a conspicuous notice on this site or other appropriate way. Continued use of the site after the effective date of a posted revision evidences acceptance. Please contact us if you have questions or concerns about the Privacy Notice or any objection to any revisions.

Last Update: November 17, 2020

Email Address