L&T handles?

[Shane Ross]

You want to import between the IN and OUT points you set…but you want FCP to add, say, 1 second handles to the choice you made? Sorry, it doesn’t do that. You’ll need to add the handles yourself. mark IN and OUT a few seconds from the actual footage you want.

Shane

GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
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[Dan Wolfe]

yeah, and that’s what’s silly. I don’t want to set i&o in L&T and then set them again in the project. when you re-batch capture from previously L&T’d stuff you have the option of adding handles, but not the first time you L&T? stupid oversight. the preference should be in there, makes no sense.

[Shane Ross]

[Dan Wolfe] ” I don’t want to set i&o in L&T and then set them again in the project. “

What? Serious? Do you know how to edit? You capture ALL, or most of the footage you want. WITH HANDLES. Always…always capture/import more than you need…prepare for the handles. This is how it works. You don’t capture ONLY what you cut into the project…that’s just plain silly…and plain wrong. Time to learn how to do things right.

[Dan Wolfe] ” when you re-batch capture from previously L&T’d stuff you have the option of adding handles, but not the first time you L&T? “

Yup…correct. Because FCP knows where the handles are. You have the full clip captured, so the handles exist. So you tell FCP “I want just this clip, with 1 second before and 1 second after.” FCP looks at the footage already captured…sees that it has footage on either side, and prepares that footage. If you tell someone at the lumber store “I want sixteen 6×4’s each 6 feet in length,” that is what they will give you. They won’t know that you want handles. If you want handles then you tell them I want sixteen 2×4’s, each 8 feet in length.” YOU plan for it. YOU tell them what you want.

It’s not that difficult. Just import everything and then edit. Mark the IN and OUT points you want to use in the VIEWER. That’s how you edit. You don’t capture JUST what you need. That’s insane.

[Dan Wolfe] “stupid oversight. the preference should be in there, makes no sense.
“

No, what you are doing makes no sense. None at all. It doesn’t exist because it makes zero sense. So learn to do things right and all will be good with the world.

And yes, I am being snarky.

Shane

GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def

[Dan Wolfe]

um, wow, ok hot shot. yes, I do know how to edit, and I know how to do things right. we are using computers after all, and computers should be able to improve our workflow & organization. I would like to mark the i&o points that I will likely use and have final cut also import a few seconds on the head and tail of each clip (handles) so that there is enough of each clip there for needed video and audio fades, etc. I usually know what part of each clip I’m going to use in the L&T window but would just like to automatically have the handles added for safekeeping. I don’t see the reason for marking i&o points in L&T for the entire clip, then having to go back and set the actual (trimmed) i&o points after the clip has been imported. I typically work with many short clips and this would be a huge timesaver.

now please cool your jets, what I’m saying makes perfect sense, you just don’t completely understand what I’m requesting, which is clear based on your response, and really? with the lumberyard analogy? you’re telling me to account for the handles in my i&o points in the L&T window, which is what I think is inefficient, because then I have to go in a second time and set my trimmed i&o points. I’d like to mark the ACTUAL i&o points and have final cut automatically add the elbow room that I might need, but have the ACTUAL i&o points ready to go when I start dropping things on the timeline. and please, don’t insult my knowledge or ability as an editor thank you very much. take a little more time to digest my point of view before you spout off again.

[Shane Ross]

[Dan Wolfe] “you’re telling me to account for the handles in my i&o points in the L&T window, which is what I think is inefficient, because then I have to go in a second time and set my trimmed i&o points.”

Well, I think editing during the capture phase is inefficient. Ingest all the footage, or with plenty of wiggle room, and then edit in the Viewer and timeline. If you know you want the handles, why not do it when you capture? What you want to do make no sense to me.

Whatever, we disagree. As does every NLE…as this isn’t an option on any of them.

Shane

GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def

[Dan Wolfe]

just bc ‘every NLE doesn’t do this’ doesn’t mean it’s a worthless idea and that I make no sense.

let’s say I filmed evel knievel jump a bus 100 times. I start each recording when he revs his engine and stop the recording when he’s way beyond the landing ramp. the producer wants an edit of all 100 jumps in a quick succession, so I know that my trimmed in point will probably be when evel is at the bottom of the takeoff ramp, and the out point is when he’s at the bottom of the landing ramp. with a ‘handles’ option in L&T I could mark the i&o point IN the L&T window (start of the takeoff ramp and end of the landing ramp), but still import handles in case I need extra for crowd reaction, etc. then once the 100 clips are imported I could select them, drop them on the timeline and be much closer to the edit that I need to deliver. I’d only have to hit ‘i’ 100 times and ‘o’ 100 times in the L&T window.

with the current workflow I have to set 200 in points and 200 out points (once in L&T and then again to trim in viewer/timeline, etc). it’s really a very simple idea and would probably only take one line of code.

now tell me that that makes no sense?

I usually like most of your knowledgable responses here on the cow but your dismissive, know it all attitude regarding this topic is really aggravating.

[Shane Ross]

OK, I see your point. But I still think that capturing fat and then editing normally isn’t inefficient. What if you suddenly wanted MORE of the footage? Something that happened before, or after? Producers change their minds often, and it is nice to have options.

But I get your point. Still disagree with the workflow.

Shane

GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def

[Michael Gissing]

Dan,

Why not contact Apple and add your ideas to feature requests. If others want that option in L&T then it might happen.

You could always write a macro that highlights the timecode of the In/Outs and minuses or pluses the handle length you require.

[Louis Mclellan]

I think Shane is correct. To me it’s better to add a little extra and cut where needed rather than just what I think I need at the time. I’ve done it dan’s way and realized that maybe a little extra may be needed or the client changes their minds and wants more footage of the shot.

Editor, Sound Designer, Stop-Motion Animator, Lighting, and Pack Mule

[Dan Wolfe]

I don’t think the issue here is the length of the handles, it’s about being able to have handles at all. when working with P2 for instance I’d love to be able to import entire clips but have the i&o points set from the get go via L&T. that way editing is sped up but I still have the whole clip on disk if I ever need to go back to it and use more or a different section.

I’m going to submit a feature request to apple