This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Mark Clips
Marking clips begins the editing process. This determines the start and end of each clip when edited into the timeline.
192. Playback Shortcuts
There are a variety of ways to play clips.
The easiest way to play any clip is to press the spacebar.
Shift-spacebar. Plays a clip in reverse.
J. Plays a clip in reverse.
J-J. Plays a clip in reverse at double-speed.
J-J-J. Plays a clip in reverse at 4X speed.
L. Plays a clip forward.
L-L. Plays a clip forward at double-speed.
L-L-L. Plays a clip forward at 4X speed.
J-K. Plays a clip in reverse in slow motion.
L-K. Plays a clip forward in slow motion.
Here are more playback shortcuts that work in the timeline:
/. Plays the selection.
Shift+?. Using the durations set in Preferences > Playback, shifts the playhead from its current location back to the pre-roll duration, plays through the edit, then stops at the end of the post-roll duration. It then returns the playhead to its original position. This is often used to review continuity through an edit point.
Shift+Option+I. Plays from the beginning of the Browser clip or timeline to the end.
Shift+Option+O. Plays from the current playhead (skimmer) position to the end of the selected region or timeline.
Shift+Cmd+F. Displays and plays the timeline full screen. (Press Esc to exit.)
Cmd+L. Toggles playback looping on or off. When enabled, this jumps the playhead from the end of a clip or selected range back to the beginning. You won’t see the effect of this shortcut until playback resumes.
193. Snapping—the Secret to Precision
This “snaps” the playhead (skimmer) to an In or a marker.
You enable snapping (shortcut: N), which is off by default, by clicking the Snapping icon in the top-right corner of the timeline (see 4 in FIGURE 4.1). When enabled, it “snaps” the playhead, or skimmer, to the In at any edit point, the In or Out of any marked range, or the location of any marker.
FIGURE 4.1 Click the Snapping icon (4) in the top-right corner of the timeline to enable snapping. (See Tip 96, Timeline Control Icons, for definitions of the rest of these controls.)
Snapping works in both the Browser and the timeline. It ensures that the playhead is correctly positioned at the In of a timeline clip when doing an insert or overwrite edit.
194. Marking a Clip Sets the In and Out
Marking reduces the time you spend trimming.
To mark a clip means to set an In and/or an Out. This marked area is called a range. Clips are marked in the Browser. Move the playhead, or skimmer, where you want the clip playback to start, and press I. Then, move the playhead (skimmer) where you want playback to end, and press O. If no In is set, FCP defaults to the start of the clip. If no Out is set, FCP defaults to the end of the clip.
Final Cut indicates this area, called a range, in the Browser by surrounding it with a gold box; see FIGURE 4.2. That gold box does not indicate the image you are editing; rather, it indicates the duration of the clip you are editing into the timeline.
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FIGURE 4.2 A selected range (top) for a Browser clip. The numbers in the box indicate its duration.
You can also select a range in a Browser clip by dragging across the clip with the Select (arrow) or Range tools. If the clip extends to a second row, either drag across the break or extend it by Shift-clicking. Option-drag to replace an existing range with a new range.
Here are some other useful shortcuts:
X. Select the entire clip.
Option+X. Remove the marked range.
Shift+I. Jump the playhead to the In.
Shift+O. Jump the playhead to the Out.
Click-drag one of the yellow vertical lines to adjust the In or Out.
195. Select Multiple Ranges in One Clip
You don’t need to create just one range at a time.
A range is that part of a clip with an In and/or an Out. Although it is normal to use multiple ranges from the same clip, Final Cut has a unique feature: You can select more than one range in a clip at the same time, provided the ranges don’t overlap.
To create a single range, drag the playhead, or skimmer, across a Browser clip.
To create multiple ranges, create the first range either using the Range tool or entering an In and Out. Then Cmd-drag to select additional ranges in the same clip; see FIGURE 4.3.
FIGURE 4.3 (top) Multiple selected ranges in a single clip. The lower clip has no ranges in it.
To select a single range, click a range.
To select multiple ranges in one clip or across several clips, Cmd-click.
To deselect a selected range, Cmd-click it.
To delete a selected range, Option-click it.
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196. Browser Clip Icons
Here’s what these strange clip icons mean.
Once you mark a clip, new icons appear in the corners of clips; see FIGURE 4.4. These frame markers are visible in the Browser and Viewer when the playhead (skimmer) lands on the appropriate frame. None of these icons export.
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FIGURE 4.4 The playhead is parked on the In (top) or Out (bottom) of a Browser clip.
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Here’s what they mean.