MediaStorm’s Guide to Using Apple’s ProRes 422 Codec

One of the questions I'm asked most frequently about Final Cut is, "When do I use Apple's ProRes 422 codec?" To tackle this question it's first necessary to understand a few things about codecs. Shooting video is a very intensive digital capture process. It requires cameras to capture lots of information in a short amount of time. To handle so much raw data, most cameras need to compress what they capture. A codec is essentially a compression scheme, a way to encapsulate so much material into a containable format. Standard DV footage, for instance, uses a compression scheme referred to as the DV codec. Similarly, HD footage -- 1080i60, 1080p, etc. -- uses the HDV codec. Codec takes its name from “encoder” and “decoder” since your computer must now decode the encoded file during playback. When you create a new sequence in Final Cut, you are building what will become a new…

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MediaStorm’s Guide to Final Cut Pro Resources on the Web

Final Cut Pro is a rich application, offering vast possibilities to those who take the time to learn it well. With that goal in mind, here is a list of some of the most important Final Cut Pro resources on the web. Apple Final Cut Pro Support - Apple's repository for Final Cut white papers as well as troubleshooting information and how-to documentation. Final Cut Studio Resources - Apple's comprehensive list of support and resource links related to Final Cut Studio. Apple Final Cut Studio Discussion - This is the best place to turn when looking for answers to very specific technical problems. Final Cut Video Training Lynda.com - The fountainhead for all video training. This subscription-based site offers extensive classes on all of Final Cut Studio's applications; a great place to learn the basics. Ripple Training - Ripple Training sells both DVD-based tutorials as well as screencasts that are downloadable via…

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MediaStorm’s Guide to One-Frame Audio Fades

In previous blog posts, I've described the cure-all properties of the one-frame fade. (See Ten Ways to Improve Your Multimedia Production Right Now and Ten Tips for Working with Music in Multimedia). Here's how to set up a one-frame fade as your default audio transition: Open the Effects window (command-5). In the Audio Transitions folder, note that one of the transitions has a line beneath it. The line indicates that it's the default transition. If you have not previously changed the fade time, you'll see '00:00:01;00' in the length column. That's a default time of one second, zero frames. Highlight the number in the length column and enter '1' (just the number, no quotes). Then, press return. Your default transition time should now be set to one frame. Sometimes though, due to a Final Cut bug, you may find that when you now select an audio edit point and add the default…

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MediaStorm’s Multiclip Workflow

One of the benefits of shooting two-camera interviews is the ability to cut between angles without having to use b-roll to cover an edit.

For an example of this technique see On the Road with Danny Wilcox Frazier, an interview with the Driftless photographer.

Final Cut syncs two-camera interviews by creating multiclips. Multiclips act as a sort of wrapper, bundling two or more angles into one clip so that you can seamlessly edit between them.

(NOTE: This workflow assumes that you have asked your subjects to clap their hands at the beginning of the interview as a way to sync your cameras during the editing process.)

The first step in editing a two-camera interview is to make sure both tapes will be in sync when you create the multiclip.

To do this, load the clip from the first camera angle into Final Cut’s Viewer.

Mark an IN point (I) at the first frame of your subject clapping. You may need to scrub
back and forth with the arrow keys to find it. On occasion, the visual may appear to be a frame or two off from the actual clap. Mark IN based on the sound, not the picture.

Repeat this process with your clip from the second camera angle. Mark an IN where you hear the clap here, too.

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Eric Maierson interviewed in Edit Well Newsletter

MediaStorm producer Eric Maierson is interviewed in the current issue of Larry Jordan's rich-media newsletter, Edit Well, (vol. 2 no. 8). Maierson discusses how he uses Final Cut Pro and Aperture, as well as an overview of MediaStorm's production workflow. Edit Well is published monthly by Peachpit press. For subscription information, please visit editwell.com. Learn more about our approach to producing multimedia by purchasing MediaStorm's Post-production Workflow. Spanning more than 200 steps, the workflow covers every phase of editing, from organizing and editing assets in Final Cut Pro 7 through backing up and archiving your project. The workflow includes exclusive access to our Aperture Workflow and our Final Cut Asset Parser. Learn more about MediaStorm's Post-production Workflow.

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