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Speaking of FCP X editorial speed…
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[Oliver Peters] “OK. Detach (or expand) two clips. Extend the length of each clip to create an overlap between the two. Add fade to each. I’m trying to understand how that would be fewer clicks.
“I wouldn’t “detach” the audio. I prefer break apart clip items
1. select both clips or as many as you like
2. break apart clips items
3. select audio
4. hit dissolve
That’s only 4 clicks
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In a high pressure business editing commercials with deadlines you need to be fast. Yes he took the time to organize his footage and FCP X helps you work faster. Time is money. Try making a shorter cut with traditional tracks. What a mess that would be. Same with a feature. The way FCP X organizes media makes way for you to have more time to be creative and edit with a Blink of an Eye. No pun intended.
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Sorry Oliver I just don’t know why you need to extend and overlap audio clips to create a fade. In your example of a video cut with audio fade only, after detaching audio they are butted together. Select one of the clips and then add fade, FCP X will automatically add the handles needed for the fade. No need to overlap or extend. Of course this is your scenario of a cut on a video with a fade on audio only. Yes you have one extra step in FCP X, but not all the clicks you mentioned. Lets say you have 5 interviews and you want to fade the audio only between them. Select all video clips and choose detach audio. Select all audio clips and then add fade to add to all audio clips. I think you can do all this with keystrokes.
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Use Alex 4D’s Sound Only transition to get a cut with an audio crossfade. Expand audio with Control S if you want to adjust the audio i/o points. Select the clips and use Command Option F to apply fades. Or create your own command for Toggle Audio Fade In or Out if that’s what you need. It’s not that difficult nor does it take any significant amount of keystrokes or time.
What Thomas has done is to REALLY LEARN how FCPX works and he leverages that knowledge in everything he does. Anyone can do that if they want to make the commitment to learning the tool as Thomas has instead of focusing on the fact that it doesn’t work exactly as they think it should.
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[Brian Seegmiller] “Sorry Oliver I just don’t know why you need to extend and overlap audio clips to create a fade.”
I’m sure this is an exercise in futility ☺ , but here are the steps. See image below. Starting with a series of dialogue-based edits on a storyline (e.g. interview clips), make straight-cut, L or J-cut edits. Expand to reveal audio.
Next you have to extend the audio clips in both directions at each cut. This is a keystroke for each edge, plus a few keystrokes to extend these to create the overlap.
Lastly, lasso all clips that you want to select and “apply fade”. This part is automatic (i.e. only 2 strokes), except you also get a fade at the beginning and end of clips where you might not want them. So I’m not seeing where applying a fade automatically creates an extension of the clip.
BTW – detaching sync audio should be avoided at all costs, because there are no out-of-sync indicators in FCPX.
– Oliver
Oliver Peters Post Production Services, LLC
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com -
[Nick Toth] “Use Alex 4D’s Sound Only transition to get a cut with an audio crossfade.”
I have it. I don’t like the fact that it gunks up the picture part of the timeline with icons for non-existant dissolves (0-frame dissolves). So I don’t find it useful and would really like to find a proper solution.
[Nick Toth] “What Thomas has done is to REALLY LEARN how FCPX works and he leverages that knowledge in everything he does. “
I think that’s beside the point. He’s talented, good and fast. I’m sure he would demonstrate this same ability on any system that he chose as his primary tool. I’ve seen plenty of similar impressive demos by seasoned Avid editors, too.
[Nick Toth] ” instead of focusing on the fact that it doesn’t work exactly as they think it should”
It’s important to know the strengths and weaknesses of any application.
– Oliver
Oliver Peters Post Production Services, LLC
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com -
Since I know Tom a bit I think I can make this observation.
I don’t think he sees editorial speed as an end in itself as this discussion seems to imply.
What he’s doing is using the speed to get the mechanics of assembly done properly as quickly as possible – so that he can THEN more efficiently switch from mechanical to creative thinking mode.
Editors at his level aren’t paid for assembly skills – they are paid for conceptual skills. Basically for knowing when you have the best possible assembly of images and narrative flow to tell the story.
The whole concept of magnetic editing drives friction out of refinement and revision – probably even more than out of actual assembly.
So I suspect the reason he likes X so much isn’t because he wants to do more editing, faster. But because getting the basic editing done faster leaves more time to REFINE the edit.
Big difference.
Creator of XinTwo – https://www.xintwo.com
The shortest path to FCP X mastery. -
[Bill Davis] “What he’s doing is using the speed to get the mechanics of assembly done properly as quickly as possible – so that he can THEN more efficiently switch from mechanical to creative thinking mode. “
I would certainly agree with that 1000%.
[Bill Davis] “The whole concept of magnetic editing drives friction out of refinement and revision – probably even more than out of actual assembly.”
When I made my first comment about fades, it was an offhanded remark that – like so many things on the COW – has taken on its own life. However, after working with X for 5 years now, I agree that the magnetic timeline reduces friction in some areas. But I also strongly feel that it adds new friction in others. For me, audio handling is one of those. But, nothing’s perfect.
No matter what, Bill, thanks for drawing attention to the video here.
– Oliver
Oliver Peters Post Production Services, LLC
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com -
I see your point. Thanks for sharing. That being said, I still think FCP X is better than others.
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[Brian Seegmiller] “That being said, I still think FCP X is better than others.”
For me, all NLEs are a love-hate relationship. I really like the organizing and rough-cutting capabilities of X, but I prefer the finishing/finessing/on-lining side of Premiere Pro. Oh well…
– Oliver
Oliver Peters Post Production Services, LLC
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com
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