Using Automator (Leopard) with FCP for repetitive tasks

[Jamil Aziz]

Thanks very much Dustin, my new mac pro will be arriving this week, i will report back soon as i have cracked the above steps.

Much appreciated
Jamil

[Jamil Aziz]

Hi dustin

Just to let you know my apple mac pro has arrived.

I am just doing some testing at the moment and it looks good.

I have another question in relation to capturing entire tapes and automatically setting handle points for all the clips captured, so when i transfer the entire clips into the timeline they are in segments and allow me to add transistions. I can split the clips easily using DV/Start stop detection.

Any help would be appreciated?

Thanks
Jamil

[Dustin Lau]

Hi Jamil,

I’m not sure I understand your question. You can capture an entire tape, run DV Start/stop detect on it and select the markers in the browser, then click and drag them into the timeline.

I’m not sure if that’s what you want to achieve as I’m not entirely clear about what you’re trying to do. Do elaborate more and I’ll tell you more, but I don’t think this is a step that requires automation.

https://www.luminoir.com

[Jamil Aziz]

Hi Dustin

Sorry for the confusion.

I will try and explain abit more, i have captured an entire tape which has 150 clips into FCP using DV start and stop detection.

When i add the 150 clips into the timeline and try to add a transition in between them, FCP will not let me. I understand this is because each clip needs to have a mark ‘in and out’ point or ‘handles’ to allow the transisition to be inserted.

so my question is i have 150 clips in FCP, how can i add transitions between clips without physically going to each clip and adding mark in and out points?

Any help would be appreciated

Thanks
Jamil

[Dustin Lau]

don’t drag it in using the markers.
write the entire clip onto the timeline, it should have the markers in it.

then select the clip. go to the end and run this keystroke sequence.

shift ↑
ctrl v
v
cmd t

you start from the back so when ctrl v cuts the clip, the section earlier in the timeline remains selected, so you don’t have to reselect it.

https://www.luminoir.com

[Jamil Aziz]

Hi dustin

i have just tried this

i tested with just 4 clips which i dragged into the timeline, with no markers

i then placed the playhead on the last clip and followed your keystrokes

the result was a transition was inserted just at this point only, no transitions were inserted in between the other clips..any further thoughts please?

much appreciated
Jamil

[Jamil Aziz]

Hi dustin

i have just tried this

i tested with just 4 clips which i dragged into the timeline, with no markers

i then placed the playhead on the last clip and followed your keystrokes

the result was a transition was inserted just at this point only, no transitions were inserted in between the other clips..any further thoughts please?

much appreciated
Jamil

[Dustin Lau]

Jamil, this keystroke combination works on a single clip with markers in it.

if you want it to work on multiple clips, use the up arrow instead of shift up arrow to navigate to the edit point.

basically, you record the keyboard shortcuts you would use to navigate to the relevant edit points and add the transitions there.

https://www.luminoir.com

[Jamil Aziz]

Hi Dustin

Many thanks for your help.

I have found a slightly different way which works…Just to share with you…

If i capture my footage in imovie it can automatically add cross fade dissolves between clips…..once i have captured all my clips…i then export my movie as an XML file…

In FCP i then do file import, change the file type to ‘all files’ which then allows me open the saved XML file from imovie with all the clips AND transistions in between clips…Majic!

Thanks for your assistance

Jamil