Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
Hovering over a clip turns the cursor into a hand icon. If you click and hold a clip, the start or end point is high-
lighted as a yellow bracket. This enables you to perform a Ripple edit by dragging the clip earlier or later in the
Precision Editor and repositioning the edit point at the location required. Another way to perform a Ripple edit
is by clicking and holding the yellow bracket and dragging the edit point to the position on the clip where you
want it to start or end. To perform a Roll edit and trim both clips at the same time, click and drag on the gray
button separating the clips at the edit point. (
Note:
Clicking the gray button separating the clips selects the Out
point of the outgoing clip and the In point of the incoming clip.)
A quick and easy way to perform a Ripple edit inside the Precision Editor is to skim to the point where you
want to trim and click. This trims the clip to the skimmer position in the sequence. You also can trim numeric-
ally in the Dashboard or use the same Ripple keyboard shortcuts that were discussed earlier.
To exit the Precision Editor, press the Close Precision Editor button at the top of the screen, double-click the
edit point, or press Return or Esc.
Let's use the Precision Editor to trim a clip in the Bump in the Night sequence. After Katie shines the lamp and
sees the scattered alphabet blocks on the floor, there is some superfluous action as she puts the lamp back on to
the dresser. This slows down the pace of the scene, so let's trim this out:
1.
Open the Bump in the Night Project in the Timeline.
2.
Double-click the edit point between the sixth and seventh clips in the sequence (Scene 8 Slate 58 Take 2
and Scene 8 Slate 57 Take 2) to open the Precision Editor. This should be at 1 minute, 9 seconds, and 1
frame in the Timeline.
3.
Perform a Ripple edit on Scene 8 Slate 57 Take 2 on the bottom lane. Click on the clip to select it, and
drag the yellow bracket to the right by 4 seconds and 9 frames while you watch the clip on the second
screen. Stop trimming the clip just before Katie is about to get out of bed. (To help make a frame-accurate
edit, you could place the playhead or a marker at exactly 4 seconds and 9 frames into the clip, so when you
drag the edit point, provided that Snapping is activated, Final Cut Pro will snap the new edit point to the
playhead or marker.)
4.
Play back the clip to see the result, and press Return to exit the Precision Editor.
Manipulating Media in the Timeline
Trimming individual clips in an edited sequence is the main preoccupation of the editor, because these little
tucks and tweaks are what help make a scene play. Even the trimming of a few frames from a clip can be
enough to make two shots flow perfectly together, so becoming conversant with the trimming tools discussed in
the previous section will stand you in good stead for future projects.
As you work on the rough cut, you'll most likely encounter a myriad of other challenges that require more than
trimming. Some shots may need to be substituted for different takes and angles or even be eliminated altogether,
while others may need to be reordered into different arrangements until the best shot sequence is found. This is
all part of the discovery process that an editor goes through when shaping the material she has into a compelling
piece of work. The next section explores the other tools and functions that Final Cut Pro provides an editor to
manipulate media.
Cutting clips with the Blade tool
