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3rd party alternatives to FCP5’s “Basic 3D”
I’m attempting to create a template using the Basic 3D filter, and am frustrated by the lack of bezier curves on the keyframed position setting. I know I can solve this by using Motion, but the project at hand requires literally thousands of short sequences that will make use of this template, and it must happen in an editorial setting where changes to content happens on the fly. It’s really an elaborate pre-visualization tool, as the final comps will happen in After Effects once the content and layout approvals are completed in FCP.
Does anyone have any tips? Have I missed something new in FCP5 (I’ve been a regular user since FCP2)? Can anyone suggest a solid 3rd party filter that can do similar things to Basic 3D but is bezier curve capable throughout?
Thanks in advance.
Splice Heist Inc.
Toronto, ON -
5 Replies
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You can add bezier curves to the keyframes in your viewer. Right-click the keyframe and select “Smooth”. You then get a curve that you can work with. You might want to maximize the viewer to work with them.
That being said…
I have never really gotten the “curves” to work well for me in FCP. Even if they do what they are supposed to, the “keyframe editor” part of FCP leaves much to be desired. I understand using it for pre-viz, with the actual work being done in AE, but you will probably find it very “clunky” to use. Just my $.02
-Todd Beabout
Vazda Studios -
Thanks for your feedback, Todd. Unfortunately, you can’t apply beziers to the position or “center” keyframes. You can use beziers with just about everything else. I’ll never understand why a solution to something this simple has eluded FCP’s design team for so long – it’s incredibly frustrating.
Splice Heist Inc.
Toronto, ON -
Now, you actually can do this, but not with the “Basic 3D” filter, and ironically not in the keyframe editor. If you set keyframes for your position/center in the “Motion” tab, you can then right click the position points in your Canvas and select “Ease In/Ease Out”, which will give you curves on your motion path. You can affect the actual path with a bezier, or you can adjust how close the little dots are together to adjust speed coming in and leaving the position keyframe. Closer the dots are together, slower your graphic is moving.
While technically FCP can do this, again it is extraordinarily frustrating to try to use in any real-world situation. But if you must, you can. To apply this to multiple clips you can use the Copy/Paste Attributes>Basic Motion function. But that will only work if all the graphics need to be in the same position, as you probably know.
Hope this helps…
-Todd Beabout
Vazda Studios -
I was really hoping ver. 5 would have fixed this GLARING problem. Does anyone know if Apple is even working on this? Is there still a list of priorities for fixes and features that Apple maintains or refers to?
I find that not only the movement is hard (or impossible) to get smooth at times, but the quality of the image is horrible as well especially with a little z rotation. It’s like subpixel processing is disabled or something. Jaggies everywhere (we use 4:2:2 uncompressed 10-bit exclusively). What is up with that. Same setup in AE, video quality is silky smooth, not to mention so are the moves. Apple, please fix this!!!!!
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Boy don’t I feel like an idiot! Thanks Todd. 🙂
Splice Heist Inc.
Toronto, ON
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