Final Cut Express quick orientation. Enjoy.

1. Circus Wagon Project
Jon Corippo
jcorippo@mychawanakee.org
Twitter: @jcorippo

2. A quick orientation to FCE
No shooting
No script
No story
Just cutting and orientation

3. A quick orientation to FCE
Important:
No story
Focus on the interface

4. HOW TO GET AN A
(and get a quick start on FCE)
1.Your teacher will supply you
with a 1 minute video clip
2.Your teacher will supply you
with a 1 minute video clip
3.You will make:
20 cuts (about 2 sec each)
20 effects (pick any)
20 titles (name the effect in your title)
It won’t be pretty, but it will be fun.
That’s why it’s called the Circus Wagon. =)

5. First: Go to Easy Setup, make it look like this:
Click here:

6. Drag in the footage
DO NOT MOVE OR DELETE THE ORIGINAL FOOTAGE
UNTIL THE PROJECT IS DONE AND EXPORTED

7. Click on command+option+W to turn on wave forms for audio
Click here to use the PEN tool to
adjust OPACITY and sound
(bottom left)
Click on the select tool to make changes (a)
Click on the blade tool (b) to make cuts

8. Click either end to ZOOM the timeline
Click to SLIDE the timeline

9. MAS IMPORTANTE!
THE SCRUBBER
Use the blade to make some cuts
This turns snapping on!
(with it off you can cut ANYWHERE,
with it on, it snaps to ends)
Snapping on is
usually good, but
to be flexible turn
it off

10. Click on Effects
Pick one you like
drag it over the
clip you want to
apply it to
(make sure that clip is
“selected” and the
scrubber is on it)

11. Double click on the clip, and observe
both windows are the same - Drag a filter that you like
onto the clip you want to edit

12. NOW click on “filters”

13. Slide sliders until you get the look you like...

14. Make some more cuts and repeat Do one every three seconds
every 3 or four seconds...... for 60, that’s 20 changes

15. Use the crop
tool to change
the frame, like
Masking in Keynote
Use the distort
tool to change
the frame
Click on the corners

16. Try a filter from each folder
(some won’t make sense, and that’s ok)
Try a transition from each folder
(some won’t make sense, that’s ok)

17. Fast and SLOOOW motion
Hit Command+J
To adust speed
(120% is 20% faster
80% is 20% slower)

18. Click here to add text

19. You’ll get this
Click on controls
Type!
Always CHANGE
THE FONT

20. Switch back to video
Drag it over the clip you
want, pick “Superimpose”

21. Pick Image+Wireframe to
move it around

22. Use the pen tool to add
control points for
opacity
Same trick works on audio levels

23. Tired of rendering? Change the system settings

24. Optional: Keyframing 1
Make stuff move, especially still pics
Click at the
beginning of a clip
Get a green indicator

25. Optional: Keyframing 2
Make stuff move,
especially still pics
Click at the END of a clip
Get a green indicator

26. Grab the clip on the end, and move it or spin it;
It’ll move to where you end it.
The little blue line means IT’S
WORKING!
One SQUARE per FRAME
Click at the END of a clip
Get a green indicator

27. Exporting 1
FULL SIZE VIDEOS
When you are done, render ALL, then......

28. Exporting 2
SMALL VIDEOS
When you are done, render ALL, then......

29. What’s it look like done?
Paint Effect Blur Effect
Bad TV Video Camera
20 cuts (about 2 sec each)
20 effects (pick any)
20 titles (name the effect in your title)