The Replicator in Motion is a very cool tool for creating patterns out of shapes. It also happens to be a cool way to create a custom transition. Worried you don’t know Motion? Don’t worry, we’re simply going to use Motion’s prebuilt Replicators to create a semi-custom transition.

1. Launch Motion and create a project to match your FCP project size.
2. In the Utility pane click the Library tab (Command + 2).
3. Choose Replicators > Transitional.
4. Click on one of the prebuilt Replicators listed. As you choose different ones, they will be previewed in the top part of the Library tab.
5. Choose one you like (we chose Dots Burst Edge Out) and drag it to the Canvas
6. Play back the Canvas with the space bar. Pretty cool right? Problem is, it’s just a little boring. Let’s fix that.
7. Click on the Replicator in the Canvas.
8. Choose the Inspector tab in the Utility pane (Command + 3) and then the Replicator tab.
9. About three quarters of the way down, find the Color Mode pulldown. Here you can keep the original (white); Colorize it, which lets you pick a color; Over Pattern, which lets you create or choose a pattern of color by picking a number of repetitions; or Pick From Color Range, where you can choose or create a range of colors for the Replicator.
10. Lets choose Over Pattern. Notice below the Color Mode pulldown a new parameter appears called Color Gradient. We could make our own gradient but for simplicity’s sake, lets choose a prebuilt one from the Gradient pulldown to the right of the display of the gradient.
11. Choose one you like (we chose Candy Corn).
12. Next, setup the Timeline for export. To do this simply drag the playhead in the mini Timeline (which is right above the transport controls).
    

Like this tip? It comes from the book
Final Cut Studio On the Spot from Focal Press.

Join Apple Certified Trainer Chris Phrommayon as he explains how to use markers as sync references in Final Cut Pro so you can be more precise with timing your edits.



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Seems like everyone is talking about making their video look more like film these days. One characteristic of film is grain. There are lots of fancy (read expensive) filters out there for simulating film grain, but here is an easy and free method for creating grain.

1. Determine the clip you want to effect.
2. Select either the Generators pulldown in the Viewer or choose the Video Generators bin in the Effects tab of the Browser and choose Render > Noise.
3. 
   Edit the clip on the track above the video clip you want to effect, making sure it’s the same length as the video clip below.
4. Toggle your clip overlays on (Option + W).
5. Adjust the opacity of the Noise generator in the sequence down to a low value (10–15).
6. Right-click on the Noise generator and Choose Composite Mode > Screen.
7. If needed, go back and adjust the opacity level of the noise generator to taste.
   

Note: You might have two Noise generators in the Render category. One of them is a native to FCP (FxScript) and the other is from Motion (FxPlug). It’s easy to distinguish them, the FCP as one is black and white and the Motion one is color. This tip used the FCP Noise generator.


Like this tip? It comes from the book
Final Cut Studio On the Spot from Focal Press.

Join Apple Certified Trainer Abba Shapiro as he explains how you can get material of the highest quality on your DVD by adjusting your audio compression settings in Compressor.



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All of the major applications in Final Cut Studio support the use of an external video monitor. However, each application is a little different in how you set it up and not all applications will support every configuration of hardware cards or decks. Be sure the hardware is powered on and properly connected before launching an application.

Final Cut Pro

1. Choose Final Cut Pro > Easy Setup. Pick the profile that matches your hardware.
2. Choose View > External Video > All Frames (Command + F12).
3. If you have more than one device, you can specify it by choosing View > Video Playback > and choosing the device.
   

Color

1. Choose the Setup Room by pressing Command + 1.
2. Locate the Video Output menu toward the right edge.
   

Note: Color currently does not support FireWire monitoring of any kind including DVCPRO HD and AJA IO devices.

Motion

1. Choose Motion > Preferences and click the Output tab.
2. Select an Output path based on your active hardware.
   

Soundtrack Pro

1. Choose Soundtrack Pro > Preferences and click the Video Out tab.
2. Select a device from the popup menu.
   

DVD Studio Pro

1. Choose DVD Studio Pro > Preferences. and click the Simulator tab.
2. Choose a Video and Audio path for the Simulator and click OK.
3. To invoke, click the Simulator button and use the virtual controls on the Simulator window.

Like this tip? It comes from the book
Final Cut Studio On the Spot from Focal Press.

Join Apple Certified Trainer Richard Harrington as he explains how you can quickly edit to music by customizing your keyboard so you can"tap out"the beat. This is part 1 of 2.



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In the past few years, tapeless acquisition and post–production have really taken off. One really popular tapeless format is Panasonic’s P2. Capable of shooting DV all the way up to 1080p, it’s one cool format! Apple recognized this format and built the Log and Transfer window (although Log and Transfer does support other tapeless formats).

It’s called Log and Transfer because you’re simply just transferring digital files from disk to disk. This is unlike tape-based media that you have to capture into a file on disk, i.e. Log and Capture. To launch Log and Transfer choose File > Log and Transfer or Shift+Cmd+8.

Overall, the Log and Transfer window operates like the Log and Capture window. The big difference, of course is how it ingests the media. Unlike Log and Capture where you have a few options for how to get the footage on to disk, with Log and Transfer you simply log your clip and then click Add Clip/Selection to the Queue to begin the transfer to your scratch disk.

Like this tip? It comes from the book
Final Cut Studio On the Spot from Focal Press.

Join Apple Certified Trainer Abba Shapiro as he explains how you can customize the template menus in DVD Studio Pro to better fit your needs.



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If you need to put together a storyboard, you have lots of options. But the process of laying out the pages and dealing with changes to shot order or selection can get tedious. Fortunately there is a free solution called Directors Boards which alleviates most of the challenges (no, it won't draw for you).

This great program is based on Filemaker, but doesn't need you to have the full program installed in order to run. You essentially load in information regarding the shots including the audio and video columns, shot number, and a thumbnail image. Directors Boards then allows you to organize the shots as well as create a sldieshow presentation or print out professional looking storyboards. The product is cross-platform and free... what more do you need? Well there is a more robust version called Directors Notebook, which we are putting through its paces and will have a detailed review soon.