FCP they tweaked something!

[David Roth weiss]

Mark,

There is no dissolve problem, only pilot error in understanding the implementation and thus when adding dissolves where no video frames exist.

FCP’s implementation is based upon the very same method of creating transitions that has been the standard since the days of film, and it is the same implementation required for online tape to tape editing as well. Both may seem farfetched and ancient if everything you do takes place inside FCP, but someday if you need to interface with a another editing facility, create a film cut, or do a reversioning of a cut on another editing system, you will be happy that FCP forced you to do it right.

As Walter explained to you in previous posts, if there are no frames of video underlying one side or another of a dissolve that a user adds in error, the dissolve will, quite correctly, reflect that error. This happens either by not applying the dissolve if there are no frames, or by adjusting the length of the transition to cover the number frames that do exist. If that didn’t happen in just that way, a film matchback or an online edit would in most cases contain gross errors that could later cause huge (and expensive) problems.

So, while the implementation of transitions in FCP may seem like an inconvenience, the application actually provides accurate feedback to the editor in the case of pilot error, preventing that error from becoming a much more costly mistake at a later stage of post-production. Any alternative that would make automatic adjustments to a transition would just cover-up the error, creating a virtual minefield that could be frought with potential disaster.

I hope this helps to give you a better understanding of the way FCP and other NLEs work.

David

David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los Angeles

POST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY™

A forum host of Creative COW’s Business & Marketing, and Indie Film & Documentary forums.

[Mark Cookman]

Thanks for your reply to an enquiry about a method to open an audio transition in the viewer window …I since remembered that one doesn’t do that!

Regarding the comments about dissolves; with all respect it may be yourself who has misunderstood:

Unlike white coated men at early 1980’s film labs, or Sony BVE9000, or the old Quantelbox; FCP has never been happy to perform after splice dissolves when the incoming clip is sourcing the very first frame of Media, however it will do so if you twat around in the viewer for a while.

I hope this helps to give you a better understanding of Walter’s good suggestion in the referred thread.

[Arnie Schlissel]

In your timeline, right click on a dissolve. Choose “Start on Edit”.

Or, better still, give yourself some pre-roll next time.

Arnie
Now in post: Peristroika, a film by Slava Tsukerman
https://www.arniepix.com/blog

[Arnie Schlissel]

So, change that to “Give yourself some pre-roll, whenever possible” 😉

Arnie
Now in post: Peristroika, a film by Slava Tsukerman
https://www.arniepix.com/blog

[Joe Murray]

Would be nice if FCP had the option of a dialog that would popup whenever the user hits command-T or option-command-T (for audio) that would allow the user to set the duration and alignment of the dissolve. Maybe using the arrows left, middle and right to indicate where the dissolve should sit relative to the cut.

Now where’s that link to the FCP feedback form when I need it…

Joe Murray
Edit at Joe’s
Charlotte, NC

[Michael Hancock]

A dialog box was what I was expecting when I moved to FCP. I came from Avid, and they offer a “Quick Transition” button. Park your playhead where you want your transition, hit the Quick Transition key, a dialog box pops up that lets you set the duration, where it starts in relation to the cut, and you can choose whether you want a dissolve, film dissolve, fade from color, fade to color, or dip to color. Plus you can save custom transitions to show up in the list.

Where is the link to the FCP feedback forum? I’d love to see this option available in FCP. It sames an enormous amount of time.

Michael.

[David Roth weiss]

[Joe Murray] “Would be nice if FCP had the option of a dialog that would popup whenever the user hits command-T or option-command-T (for audio) that would allow the user to set the duration and alignment of the dissolve.”

Joe,

Try right clicking on a transition and see what pops up…

David

David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los Angeles

POST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY™

A forum host of Creative COW’s Business & Marketing, and Indie Film & Documentary forums.

[Joe Murray]

I already know about the right-click. You have to right click once to set the duration, then right-click again to set the position of the dissolve relative to the cut. It’s not as quick or efficient as using the keyboard in a dialog where you can set both whenever you create a dissolve, just by hitting tab and quickly entering a number.

I know, it’s not an Avid. But this is a good idea that’s been requested before.

Joe Murray
Edit at Joe’s
Charlotte, NC

[Joe Murray]

just google “Final Cut Pro feedback form.”

Joe Murray
Edit at Joe’s
Charlotte, NC

[David Roth weiss]

[Joe Murray] “I know, it’s not an Avid. But this is a good idea that’s been requested before.”

Trust me, I’m not saying FCP is perfect by a long shot. But there are many, many things that need to fixed before this one in my opinion if FCP is to lose its reign as the workaround champion of the NLE world. But, I still like it anyway.

David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los Angeles

POST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY™

A forum host of Creative COW’s Business & Marketing, and Indie Film & Documentary forums.