Trim Tools… AGrrrrR

[Tom Wolsky]

Sure it does. You have to Command click on the edit you want to trim or on the edit on the edge of the empty space.

All the best,

Tom

Author: “Final Cut Pro 5 Editing Essentials” and “Final Cut Express 2 Editing Workshop” Class on Demand “Complete Training for FCP5” and “Final Cut Express Made Easy” DVDs

[Kevin Downer]

It may seem a little frustrating at first used to AVID.

Mr. Wolsky is great at being succinct. Unfortunately, I am not. 🙂

In my opinion, the trim tools are just more refined and elegant in AVID. Now that we got that out of the way, here are some things that might help you adjust:

-To get a more AVID style of trimming, you will want to enable “Dynamic Trimming” in the FCP User settings under the Editing sub-menu.

-There is a pretty big drawback in FCP when trimming blank space between clips. One can go into dynamic trim mode and use I or O to shuttle the space, but jkl dynamic functions will not work. I, O Shift Delete for a specific amount, diddle with the roll edit mouse/numeric keypad number method or highlight the space and Delete to lose it all.

-One could also introduce slug for blank space with clip characteristics. This allows one to manipulate the blank space a bit more and make add edits (with the blade tool) for using tail space as synch positioning for multi-layer reference.

-In roller or ripple mode, one can select unlinked clips by holding the command button while you select. Holding Shift as well changes roller to ripple if you need to. One can then promote to your more familiar dual trim windows by the Trim Edit command (Command-7 by default). This is also handy if you use G to lasso a bunch and then want to asynchronous trim to get back the dynamic mode. Sometimes it will switch out of that mode if you mouse-click erroneously.

It’s clunky compared to AVID, but FCP has some handy functions and tricks that AVID could take some lessons from.

Editing on FCP isn’t AVID, but it’s not crap either. It will hopefully improve with more fundamental editorial needs in mind with future updates.

[Andy Mees]

[alichek] “and can you select unlinked clips together to trim?”

sadly not. one of those things that Avid can do but FCP can’t …. not to say there aren’t many things that FCP can do that Avid can’t, but trimming multiple unlinked clips is not one of them

[Tom Wolsky]

Unless I’m misunderstanding, you can Command clip on the edit points of multiple clips, linked and unlinked, on different tracks, press Cmd-7, and load the edit points for those clips into the Trim Edit window and ripple and roll them together, including the edit points on empty space.

All the best,

Tom

Author: “Final Cut Pro 5 Editing Essentials” and “Final Cut Express 2 Editing Workshop” Class on Demand “Complete Training for FCP5” and “Final Cut Express Made Easy” DVDs

[Kevin Downer]

I guess I was too wordy. Succinct as always Tom.

[Andy Mees]

well hush my mouth!
i had taken the request to mean slipping/sliding a block of clips as a single item … must remember to engage brain before posting in future … or perhaps just go ahead and start answering random questions that haven’t been asked yet and see if anyone can guess the question (made even more difficult by actually getting the answers wrong). 🙂

[Tom Wolsky]

You can slide a block of clips in the timeline. Select the group of clips you want to use. Activate the slide tool and then move the clips with the bracket keys, or Shift-brackets, or numerically.

All the best,

Tom

Author: “Final Cut Pro 5 Editing Essentials” and “Final Cut Express 2 Editing Workshop” Class on Demand “Complete Training for FCP5” and “Final Cut Express Made Easy” DVDs

[Kevin Downer]

Andy, you are partially right so don’t feel bad. The dynamic slip/slide in AVID is not currently present in FCP. There is also not the 4-Frame display mode that one may be used to. Not a bash, just a case of circumstances.

Tom, just to clarify your solution presented: While the shortcut method you described is sound, I think it only applies to the Slip function of multiple clips.

If one tries the same method with Slide, FCP for some reason, decides to slide the multiple clips but also erroneously decides to slip the cut points of the clips. The result is the clip edit points do some weird staggering duration change. It’s a real pain.

Any idea why this occurs? It sure leaves me confused and can seriously mess an edit in a big way with large sections of clips selected.

To Slide, I find it is best just to multiple highlight clips, drag and then quickly extend edit the blank space left behind. A better method would be helpful if someone knows of one.

[Nick Meyers]

Tom:
“You can slide a block of clips in the timeline. Select the group of clips you want to use. Activate the slide tool and then move the clips with the bracket keys, or Shift-brackets, or numerically.”

last time i tried this, it messed with the content of the shots.

nick

[Bret Williams]

[Kevin D] “-There is a pretty big drawback in FCP when trimming blank space between clips. One can go into dynamic trim mode and use I or O to shuttle the space, but jkl dynamic functions will not work. I, O Shift Delete for a specific amount, diddle with the roll edit mouse/numeric keypad number method or highlight the space and Delete to lose it all.”

What about JKL doesn’t work for you? Trimming in FCP is almost identical to avid. Easier in some ways, less powerful in others. But dynamic trimming operates just like Avid in my experience.

I’ll admit though, that on avid or fcp I hardly ever go into trim “mode.” Generally I use extend edit on either quite a bit, or just roll the edit in the timeline, tweak and play, tweak and play.

Slightly missed is the 4 window popup for slip/slide. But it’s not that big of a deal usually.