FCP 101 - An Introduction to Final Cut Pro 7 July 25, 2011

Course Description

(This is a 3 day class. The same content is covered in FCP 200 -- a 5 day class -- but at a more relaxed pace)

This three-day, hands-on course teaches students to perform basic editing functions while becoming familiar with the Final Cut Pro user interface. In this course, you will cut a scene from the TNT television series Leverage, create a promo for Seaworld’s Believe documentary, as well as master filters and effects as you edit a segment of Playing for Change, the international music-creation event.

Start with basic video editing techniques and work all the way through Final Cut Pro’s powerful advanced features. Learn to mark and edit clips, mix sound, add titles, create transitions, apply filters, and more. Topics include basic setup, customizing preferences and settings, capturing video and audio, various editing and trimming techniques, Ripple, Roll, Slip, and Slide tools, audio editing and audio creation, finishing and final output.
The book for this course is Apple Pro Training Series, “Final Cut Pro 7,” by Diana Weynand.
Who Should Attend?
This class is designed for anyone looking to edit professional-quality video with Final Cut Pro and who prefers hands-on and interactive instruction to best explore its functionality.
Prerequisites
Students should have the following prerequisite knowledge prior to attending the course:
• Knowledge of Mac OS X and basic computer navigation
• Basic knowledge of editing terminology is recommended

Course Outline - Day 1

Note: The curricula below comprise activities typically covered in a class at this skill level. The instructor may, at his/her discretion, adjust the lesson plan to meet the needs of the class.

Lesson 1: Editing in Final Cut Pro
• Launching Final Cut Pro, Final Cut Pro Interface, Following a Workflow, Starting a Project, Importing Clips, Navigating Clips, Marking and Editing Clips, Playing and Navigating a Sequence, Organizing Project Elements, Saving, Hiding and and Quitting Final Cut Pro.
Lesson 2: Building the Rough Cut
• Working with Projects, Editing a Rough Cut, Making Overwrite Edits, Managing Timeline Tracks, Making Insert Edits, Editing Audio Clips, Moving Clips in the Timeline, Creating a New Version, Drag-and-Drop Editing and Changing the Volume of Edited Clips.
Lesson 3: Finishing the Rough Cut
• Adding Cutaways, Editing to Narration, Editing to Music, Copying, Cutting, Pasting, and Positioning Clips, Screening and Sharing a Sequence.
Lesson 4: Trimming Clip Duration
• Understanding Trimming, Rippling Edit Points, Rippling in the Viewer and by Numbers, Trimming Clips on the V2 Track and Trimming One Track of a Linked Clip.
Lesson 5: Refine Edit Points
• Trimming Two Edit Points, Slipping One Clip, Rolling Two Edit Points, Sliding Clips to Refine Position, Dragging Clips to New Locations and Keeping Linked Clips in Sync.

Course Outline - Day 2
Lesson 6: Refining the Editing Process
• Labeling Project Elements, Creating Subclips, Adding Markers to Clips, Using Markers to Align Actions, Using Storyboard Editing, Performing Replace Edits and Editing Multicam Footage.
Lesson 7: Customizing Final Cut Pro
• Reconnecting Media, Working with Mixed Format Sequences, Working with Master Clips, Logging Information in Browser Columns, Finding Project Items, Customizing Shortcut Keys and Button Bars, Saving and Loading Layouts and Optimizing User Preferences.
Lesson 8: Capturing & Transferring Files Footage
• Connecting Sources for Capture, Choosing Preset Format Settings, Previewing and Marking Your Source, Logging Clips, Choosing Clip Settings, Choosing Capture Settings, Choosing Capturing Options, Setting Capture Preferences and Transferring Files from Tapeless Sources.
Lesson 9: Applying Transitions
• Evaluating the Project, Understanding Transitions, Viewing Transition Options, Applying Transitions, Modifying and Copying Transitions, Using the Transition Editor, Changing Transition Parameters, Previewing and Rendering Effects.
Lesson 10: Mixing Audio Tracks
• Preparing the Project for Mixing, Organizing and Editing Audio Effects, Monitoring and Adjusting Audio Levels, Applying Transitions to Fade Volume, Setting Keyframes to Change Volume, Using the Audio Mixer, Recording a Narration Track and Importing Audio Files

Course Outline - Day 3
Lesson 11: Creating Titles
• Working with Video Generators, Adding a Lower Third, Applying a Boris Title, Adding Mattes, Effects and Still Images, Creating a Credit Roll and Using Master Templates.
Lesson 12: Changing Motion Properties
• Entering Speed Changes, Using the Speed Tool, Creating a Freeze Frame, Changing Motion Parameters, and Animating Motion Parameters.
Lesson 13: Applying Filters
• Applying and Viewing Video Filters, Viewing and Modifying Filter Parameters, Applying Audio Filters, Using a Color Correction Filter and Animating Filters.
Lesson 14: Finishing and Outputting
• Detecting Audio Peaks, Adjusting Video Levels for Broadcast, Sharing Clips and Sequences, Exporting a QuickTime Movie, Using Other Export Options, Exporting a Still Frame, Outputting to Tape, Making a Timecode Window Burn and Backing Up Projects.