FCPX placeholder -> Storyboard?

[Steve Connor]

You can put titles and key graphics over the placeholders

“My Name is Steve and I’m an FCPX user”

[T. Payton]

Ben – yes, placeholders could help with a storyboard, but they are very basic and right now only have people standing and scenery.

FWIW we do storyboards with hand drawn panels or photos and type assembled in InDesign or other layout program. We then import that series of stills into our edit system, and add VO, music, etc. We can then show the client a preproduction version of a spot (I’m in advertising) that is pretty spot on. (pun intended). Then as the actual shooting comes in we inset them over the storyboards and we’ve got a very quickly assembled timeline, showing holes etc. This basic workflow is going to work in any NLE.

FCP X does has some specific pros and cons with storyboards:

Pros:

– FCP X magnetic timeline probably makes it the fastest NLE for do an assembly edit. eg. rearranging shots, adding SFX without concern of tracks, etc.
– Ken burns effect will let you show camera movement very fast: pans, pushes, pulls and tilts (again faster and easier than any other NLE at the moment)
– pre canned motion templates that could speed up your workflow. For example this: https://www.fcpeffects.com/products/action-storyboard. There are other tools, just google.
– Roles could let you create a dialog stem and a “production comments” stem for simplified communication throughout production

Cons:

– difficult time getting your timeline to other software (not impossible but you have to jump through hoops)
– Bug could effect title typing performance https://fcp.co/forum/4-final-cut-pro-x-fcpx/2063-very-slow-response-when-typing-in-titles

In the end, you can probably do storyboards, especially animatics, faster in FCP X that other NLEs, but if the timeline needs to be transferred to another NLE (not just a flattened movie) be sure to checkout your workflow first.

——
T. Payton
OneCreative, Albuquerque

[Ben Oliver]

Interesting, I will give it a whirl.

Basically I would really like to make storyboards for a few productions I have going on, I just can’t draw…..

[T. Payton]

This might be what you are looking for:

https://www.martiniquickshot.com/

Of course if you have no money:

For iPad:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/storyboards/id392533504?mt=8

——
T. Payton
OneCreative, Albuquerque

[Johnny Terrell]

Martini is very cool. Now I use it for all my projects to show the director what exactly is needed for pickups.

JT