naming, finding, labelling clips in timeline.. i need to find clips easily visially

[Mark Dobson]

Excuse me if I’m describing a method you have already know but you need to sort your clips out in the event browser.

A couple of pointers:

If you want you can rename the clips either directly in the event browser by double clicking the file name or change it in the in the info section in the inspector.

With each clip you can select sections as favorites ( or reject them ) – In list view these show up sequentially under the clip. You can retitle these favorites, this information does not show up in a project timeline, alternatively you can add Notes in the notes field, this information does show up in the timeline index.

If you were to retitle the favorites with a description and as good bad or indifferent takes, for example you could then then set up a more refined set of keyword collections and simply assign all the good takes to the ‘good take’s keyword collection etc etc

That way when you are ready to edit you can simply open up the specific keyword collection: For example ‘Good Takes’ and have immediate access to the best clips or sections of clips.

Hope that’s of some help.

[Anita Sancha]

thanks for your help.. I do use keywords and favourites… but it is still a very WORDY method. Is there no way to colour label clip. so it is VISUAL.? I will have another go at this… perhaps because I am VERY dislex i have an aversion to words anyway.

So I dont use them much I prefer to bring in and BLADE cut and sortout there. seem more creative.

If I work in the event browser and favourite and keywords. I would still need to find the clips easily in the timeline. “open in timeline” only opens the clip…. not where it IS in the timeline. Or am I wrong?

Thanks for your time.

Thanks for all your help
Anita Sancha.

http://www.anitasancha.co.uk

[Oliver Peters]

[anita sancha] “If I work in the event browser and favourite and keywords. I would still need to find the clips easily in the timeline. “open in timeline” only opens the clip…. not where it IS in the timeline. Or am I wrong?”

You want a reverse match frame function. It doesn’t exist in FCP X. There’s also no clip color coding. Other NLEs do that, but not X. Send Apple a Feedback request. Some of these needs *might* be cover by using the timeline index, but I’m not sure.

– Oliver

Oliver Peters Post Production Services, LLC
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com

[Bret Williams]

That is not the function of open in timeline. Open in timeline steps into the guts of a clip. It’s only used in special situations. Unfortunately color labeling clips remains near the top of many wish lists. REVEAL in timeline is too.

[Mark Dobson]

Hi Anita,

Yes, as others have pointed out unfortunately there is not way to color code clips in either the Event Library or within a project.

However, and I know this uses words, if you edit a clip into project time line and have the Time line Index open ( which you open up either by clicking the ‘File symbol’ on the left beneath the project window, on the pulldown window menu on the top bar or by the keyboard command Shift/Command/2 )

You will then notice that every time you slice or cut the clip that instance is reflected in the Timeline Index and that you can add a note against any note worthy sections or clips.

If you then want to find that cut or section within the Event Browser, click on it and prose Shift F and it will appear in or Event Browser Window.

An alternative solution would be to create compound clips of any sections you want to use again. These will be stored in the Event Browser and you can create a smart collection to easily group them together.

I have attached an image showing a sliced clip in the timeline and corresponding notes against some of the new clips in the TimeLine Index

[Anita Sancha]

thanks every one…. i will look into all those options and send apple a request for inclusion in net upgrade THANKS

Thanks for all your help
Anita Sancha.

http://www.anitasancha.co.uk

[Craig Alan]

I too have trouble keeping track (pun intended) of all my clips of the same flavor. One thing I find useful is to name them with a number sequence.

First go to your event browser and rename all your clips and favorites. For example: One could name your first clip 1 BLUE NET and the first favorite under that clip 1A Blue net the second one 1B Blue net etc.

Then go to your timeline and right clip and choose reveal in event browser. Then you figure out which clip it is and rename the timeline clip the same name by changing it in the index.

It’s way easier to have a number sort then remembering which blue net twisted or blue net zoom in etc you have used before. Some editors can keep all this stuff in their heads like great chess players do. But a good organization system can level the playing field.

The timeline index is very useful to see a list of your clips in the timeline before or instead of zooming in the view.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[James Cude]

Also you can tag specific clips with Roles and then use the Timeline Index to sort/solo/disable specific Roles. It’s not quite the same as color labeling but it can be useful if you spend some time to try it.

[Bill Davis]

[anita sancha] “Is there any quick way of label colour highlighting .cuts …changing the clips from the blue grey default so I can VISUALLY see the ones I like or am working on, in the same way a custom solid is orange. colour labelling would be VERY useful.

How do other editors deal with masses of clips that are similar and how to rate clips from the same take.

Thanks for all your help
Anita Sancha.”

Anita,

I know other editors will tell you that clip color tags are “missing” in X. But don’t get misled by that. X is about as VISUAL a system as you could devise. The issue is that it sounds as if, like most editors, you’re coming from an orientation where you did virtually all your editing IN the timeline. X is NOT like that. Others have mentioned that in X, the Event Browser is where visual search is best done. And while that’s DRIVEN by text keywords, the USE is anything BUT textural. If you learn and use the database correctly, you can have a typed letter or two instantly call up the exact clips you want with full, playable thumbnails – instantly. It just requires some preparation and keyword assignment.

I’ve attached a screen cap of a very small project I did for a neighbor’s daughter recently (and used for my users group demo last night.)

She’s a competitive equestrian and in building her demo, we assigned a lot of keywords – including the names of the horses she was riding in each clip. One horse, Illux, is keyword highlighted in my sample screen cap in the list at the left.. As you can see, what that presents to the user is all the clips that that particular horse is tagged in, as VISUAL clips. No hunting for anything on a timeline. No squinting or trying to see which clip is which. No TEXT at all – just pictures. Once the database delivers them for inspection, you can SCRUB the thumbnail and see it in the viewer instantly. If you want to add a part of the source clip to your storyline, you just make a range selection and hit a single keystroke, and that clip gets added to your project.

It couldn’t be simpler once you know how the system works. And it couldn’t be more visual. The only thing blocking you is that you’re trying to do in the Storyline – what X has a tremendously better system for doing in the Event Browser.

X takes some learning. But the biggest part of that learning is to NOT think it’s going to work like any other editing software.

Hope that helps.

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[Anita Sancha]

Thanks every one…. Yes it does seem that I am still using old style editing in the timeline…. The next project I will use all these suggested new ways to sort before hand. And I’ll start from scratch. And use all the suggested tags etc. it would have made my problem mush easier.perhaps because I’m looking at so much SEA it’s highlighted the issue. So back to the training videos and give it a deeper try. Ido use it but not to a very deep level. And it’s got me into a bit of a mess. However I still have sent a feedback request to apple and hey ho… Maybe we will get it. Even if I can colour the clips I’m happy with tight edits etc… It, would be useful.

Thanks again.

Thanks for all your help
Anita Sancha.

http://www.anitasancha.co.uk