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Transitions and Keyframes
I am a recently converted Premiere user, and I am trying to find my way around FCP. I love it so far, but I am having a few problems.
1. Is there a way to automate a bin to the timeline with transitions in place? I do a lot of cheesy photo montage bits for weddings and such, so it is not unusual for me to use 300 + pictures, so to not have to manually insert a transition between each pic would be great!
2. When I add a transition to a picture that I have keyframed in the timeline, FCP pushes the keyframes inside of the transition, so when I play it back, the transition (cross fade) completes, then the photo begins to move, instead of fading into an already moving photo. I can manually move the keyframes back to the beginning of the transition, but this is going to take forever to do for all these pictures. If I insert the transition first, then add the keyframes, then I am unable to see the photo I am working on in the canvas because the previous photo is wht is being shown.
HELP!
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6 Replies
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#1 – Drag them to the canvas window, and in the popup choose overwrite with transition. You can set the default transition and length in the effects tab.
#2 – FCP doesn’t push your keyframes or move them one bit. It considers what you did with the keyframes to be exactly what you wanted. And when you add a dissolve, it must reach out into the previously unused portion of your clip (handles) to make the dissolve happen. It leaves the keyframes where they are INSTEAD of stretching them out as some systems do (Avid). If it were to stretch them out, then every frame of your clip would change, potentially making you rerender. But, as you’ve noticed, this method is annoying in other ways. The best solution I’ve found is to add your moves AFTER the transitions have been applied. No, you can’t see the start and end frame. But the ol Ken Burns thing isn’t exactly brain surgery. Wing it, preview it, adjust, etc. My steps… add transitons. Then double click to bring to viewer. Then press home to go to beginning of clip. Add keyframes and adjust. Press end, then the back arrow to go to end of clip. Add keyframes and adjust. 99% of the time it’s a pan or a zoom for me. Usually pretty easy to eyeball with the wireframe which is all you’ll see.
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Thanks a bunch! I knew there was a solution, and I was getting pretty frustrated looking for it. I am really liking the whole FC Studio package, and I will be glad to be on the other side of this learning curve.
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That’s funny because after upgrading to the CS3 production premium big box o stuff I’ve been playing with the Premiere/AE/Encore concept. Probably won’t actually use it for any projects, but it certainly seems capable enough.
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I bought the version of Premiere I was using right after the first Final Cut Pro came out, and I regretted that decision for a long time. I hope I haven’t done the reverse this time, but it doesn’t seem like it so far.
So, I have another question. I have all the transitions in place, but I can’t put a keyframe on the picture until the transition ends. Any ideas on how to solve that one?
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Another tip…if you drag the Motion tab from the Viewer and dock it into the Timeline window then you can view how the image looks in the Viewer’s video tab even if the playhead is on the start of a dissolve. The only downside is that the playhead position in the video tab and the sequence isn’t locked together but that doesn’t really matter if you only care about how it looks on the first frame.
Martin
Digital Heaven, London UK
Unique plug-ins and tools for Apple Pro Apps
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Avid2FCP
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Does anyone have an idea or solution.
in FCP – working with photos, put them in my timeline, move them by adding keyframes, then I add a transition to the clip…it automatically moves my keyframes from the head and tail of the clip to right after the transition ends.So I have to go back in and create the keyframes at the head and tail of the clip.
Any input is greatly appreciated.
Terry BTerry B
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