FCP using WACOM tablet & pen

[Walter Biscardi]

Wacom tablet works fine in FCP. Been using tablets almost 9 years now and can’t edit with a mouse to save my life. I run the Intuos 3 in our suites.

FCP is not a roto tool. AE or Shake is where you want to do that.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com
HD Editorial & Animation for Food Network’s “Good Eats”
HD Editorial for “Assignment Earth”

“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters

[Steve Voyk]

Thanks Walter. Yes, I too have been editing with pens for about the same time, hence my question.

Can you give me a simple workflow example of how I would export a shot from the timeline to AE for example. Is it a cse of making it into a TIF sequence etc. or is there any easier way, similar to exporting to Shake?

I’d prefer not to learn Shake given it’s dead future, rather AE, Silhouette or Toxik but would appreciate a streamlined workflow.

Regards,
Steve

[Walter Biscardi]

If you just have a few shots, you can simply open the shots directly in AE.

If you have entire timelines you need to send somewhere, you can send them directly to Shake from FCP. Or you can export an XML from FCP and use the Automatic Duck Pro Importer to open the FCP XML directly in After Effects. You get the full timeline right there with each shot a different layer. That’s the best way to send shots from FCP to AE.

While Shake the application is dead, there is another compositing tool coming from Apple so I would be surprised to see the entire workflow disappear. I now have Shake in the shop and figure if we do a few jobs with it, that’s all I need from it. But I should have a leg up on whatever it is Apple decides to release in the future. Word is 2008 we’ll see the new app.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com
HD Editorial & Animation for Food Network’s “Good Eats”
HD Editorial for “Assignment Earth”

“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters

[Aaron Neitz]

I’ve been using Export to Shake, and AE for a long time… But you’ve got to be good about naming clips and keeping track of them going into/out of FCP. You can usually just Export-> QT Movie (with self-contained turned off). Open that straight in AE and off you go.

Just recently got Silhouette roto & paint…. LIFESAVER. For those quick rotos and paint-outs it’s such a huge timesaver. It’s got great rotomask features, and a pretty good paint module.

The 8 point mask in FCP is absolute junk IMHO.

[Ron James]

I could never go without a Wacom tablet again! I use it not only in FCP, but for almost everything else, too, especially web browsing. It allows you to move very fast.

The only glitch I’ve personally come across in FCP is when trying to select filters in the filters tab of the Viewer. For some reason, I can’t get them to stay selected sometimes (say, if I want to delete it) so I have to just right-click with the pen and cut it. I tried it with the mouse, though, and it seemed clunky to me, so I don’t think it’s a Wacom problem. One other thing…on a few older G5’s, I’ve had freeze-ups when using the Canvas shuttle slider with the pen. Works absolutely fine on my iMac Intel, but it would just freeze (for about a minute or so) on these G5’s. One was a dual and one a single G5, but both had stock graphics cards, which I’m thinking could be the incompatibility? Walter has mentioned in the past that he’s never come across this.

All in all, the tablet rules! I had a Graphire, but ultimately ended up with an Intuos (thanks to Walter) and it’s worth every extra penny.

HTH

[Jeremy Garchow]

[reel2reel] “For some reason, I can’t get them to stay selected sometimes (say, if I want to delete it) so I have to just right-click with the pen and cut it.”

I have to do that too.

[reel2reel] “I’ve had freeze-ups when using the Canvas shuttle slider with the pen.”

FCP 5.1.1 fixed that on my g5.

Steve, I have a wacom and it’s tuff when i need to edit with a mouse. I’m thinking about getting a smaller one to carry around with me when I need to travel on the road. You won’t regret it. I had to trace some letters the other day for a cc effect and there’s no way I could have achieved the results with a mouse.

Jeremy

[Steve Voyk]

Many thanks guys.. I appreciate the insight into the WACOM, Shake, AE and Silhouette areas.
Guess I better add a few more things to my shopping list !!
Regards,
Steve

[Ron James]

Hey Jeremy…

Thanks for letting me know I’m not just experiencing pilot error.

Do you have an Intuos or Graphire tablet? One thing I do miss about the Graphire is the ability to trace directly on the tablet (by placing a sheet or whatever under the plastic cover).

I think Wacom recommends, with the Intuos, scanning the image, then tracing in photoshop. Haven’t tried that, yet, though.

James

[Jeremy Garchow]

I have an intuos. I’ve never traced an image on the tablet itself, but the wacom way sounds pretty good.