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Edit multiple connected clips at once
So here is what I am doing: I’ve got an interview situation and I am adding subtitles to that interview. Underneath my subtitle is a grey scale box so that you can read the text way better. So I have 2 connected clips: 1 Subtitle 2 Grey Box.
Now the size of my grey box changes depending on the length of the displayed subtitle text.So here is what I have to do: Select Subtitle – pull the right edge of that clip to make it longer (so that its longer in the time line) – later CUT it by using the blade tool and replacing the text with a new text and so on. You get the idea.
Now here is the annoying part: I have to pull BOTH same subtitle clip to make it longer and than the grey box clip to make it longer. I can NOT pull both clips to make them longer at the same time- at least I have not figured out how to do so. Do you have any idea how to do that. I’ve already tried different shortcuts to select both but it doesn’t seem to work.
The same goes for using the blade tool. I want to add an edit/cut BOTH clips at the same time. If I use the double blade I will cut EVERYTHING but I just want to cut those two at the same time. Is this possible?
I do not want to have to do the same task twice because there is no way of selecting more than 1 clip at the same time.
If that’s the way FCPX works let me know but I feel like there must be an option and I am just not aware of it.
Thanks
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7 Replies
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To lengthen both clips – drag select both clips and set duration (Control D) to plus how ever many seconds you want to add. For example – to add 5 seconds – select clips, Control D, +, 5, period, enter.
To blade both clips – drag select both clips, position the playhead or skimmer where you want to blade and hit Command B. Select and delete the unneeded part of the clips
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Which means that I constantly have to do the math? It’s an interview situation. I want to drag it to exactly the position where I’ve stopped with my playhead. A simple: Select both at the same time and drag them both at the same time ie Adobe Premiere style does not exist?
So my only option would be to just add a long enough number and then blade it and add a new text to the then newly created subtitle. -
You can’t select both and drag. You can position your playhead, select the end of one clip, hit Shift X and repeat. It’s less fiddly than dragging.
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Hi Michael,
Your approach is wrong – you use the wrong kind of subtitle.
There are several subtitle plugs available. There is one from Digital Heaven called Subtitle-X ( around 40 Euro), one from Simon Ubsdell TKY Subtitle and one from me TextUp Box. Latter 2 are free.
All of them create a box behind the text. Subtitle-X offers more options for the kind and handling of these boxes.Working with any of them frees you from the trouble you describe.
– Andreas
Spherico
https://www.spherico.com/filmtools“He who fights with monsters should be careful lest he thereby
become a monster. And if thou gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will
also gaze into thee.” – Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil -
Thanks a lot for this. I was not aware that there are special subtitle tools or simply didn’t think of looking into it because I believed FCPX would do it just fine. I thought dragging multiple things at once would not be a problem like in other programs like Avid or Premiere. I have to admit creating text is way more fun and easier in FCPX though. I do not constantly have to send it to a title tool (something I have to do both in Premiere and Avid) and than save it and all that hassle. I can just copy the clip and change the text and that’s all. Easy and simple. I have seen a lot of FCPX tutorials so far but no one ever really seems to touch editing the connected clips in detail. They all focus on the main story line. Seems like they are even afraid of connected clips and just avoid them. It also seems like for a lot of stuff you want to do you need to buy extensions to make FCPX better like Colarista (is that the name again?) for colour corrections with curves. Shame something like that isn’t build into FCPX. I will look into the free subtitle extensions once I am back at work.
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Your assertions are completely correct. It’s a ridiculous PIA and every NLE has some. That’s one of FCP X’s. If you’re only extending a couple layers, drag em. If, like me, you end up needing to extend 10 at a time, extend them all with a super long duration, then move the play head and slice them and delete. It is what it is.
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https://BretFX.com Plugins & Templates for FCP X Editors & Motion Graphics Artists -
Bret I don’t think it’s too complicated.
Just select the tracks/lanes you need, press ctrl-D enter a time, go to the desired time press cmd-B. Then select the ends and delete them.– Andreas
Spherico
https://www.spherico.com/filmtools“He who fights with monsters should be careful lest he thereby
become a monster. And if thou gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will
also gaze into thee.” – Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil
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