Working With Markers

[Kevin Hedin]

This has been one of my biggest complaints/feature requests since FCP 1.0. I use markers extensively, and it’s crazy that MOTION allows me to slide markers, but FCP won’t. I’m sorry to report that there is not an easy way to adjust the Sequence markers, however, here is a way to work around it (kind of). When clients come to view the progress of their project, they will typically have changes for me. I use the sequence markers to add notes/comments like color correct this shot, swap this shot with the previous, delete this clip, etc. Once I start making changes, I leave any ripple deletions until the very end, and take care of the other changes first. This way, I maintain the marker/clip relationship as long as possible. Then, if I do delete clips, I will LIFT the clip instead of RIPPLE delete for the same reason. Not until I have make all my changes, do I close my gaps.

Not really a solution, but it helps.

Personally, I think markers should play a double role. They should move when you want them to move, and stay when you want them to stay. Some people add markers that represent points in time that don’t change regardless of the edit. And some people use markers to make notes or chapter points like I do. If the sequence markers had some sort of TOGGLE between fixed and relational, it would be a great thing. Apple….are you listening????

[Frank Pledge]

i’ll raise ya one…or two!

they should work like avid locators 100%. meaning:

– they should open as a ‘list’ in a seperate ‘marker window’ – you should be able to double click the marker (in this window) and have the playhead in the timeline jump to that marker on the timeline

-you should be able to PRINT this marker window with all the text AND of course the corresponding seq TC

i know nothing about what it takes to change something like this in a program, but, avid has had this feature for a LONG time.

i just don’t know if FCP/apple knows that markers are used as edit notes…
fp

[Alan Lacey]

True of ‘Edition’ Too.

Alan

[Tom Wolsky]

You do know that you can control click in the timeline ruler and go to any marker in the shortcut menu?

[Frank Pledge]

no i didn’t. nice

however, if the markers don’t move with the cut….what’s the use/point? the minute you say – cut out a shot that was noted in the marker – jumping to the next marker is now out of sync. so it says ‘trim tail’…which tail?

The reason i commented on it is that i work remotely all the time whether it be a producer across town or across country. I spent all day yesterday conforming a cut to producers notes. to do this i had to have the cut with his notes in one tab and the cut i was changing in the other – switching between the 2. no huge deal, but i would love to not do this, and knock off the markers as i go.

i would LOVE to print his notes as well and literally cross them off. i guess my issue is really a super-early/late feature request. or maybe i get lucky and like FCPHD i’ll get a midway update called FCPMARKER…heh
fp

[Tom Wolsky]

The producer is putting the marker in the wrong place. If he wants to trim a shot, select the shot and add the marker to it. If he can’t I guess you’d have to go through his marks and remark them on a clip or on a hidden slug that you could trim with the rest of the material to keep in sync. It depends on your sequence and now it’s laid out, which will work best for you.

If is notes are paper notes and he’s making timeline TC references, that’s always going to be a problem if the sequence is shifting duration while you’re working as the notes TC will no longer have reference to the actually timeline TC.

If he’s using markers, make up the sequence with a hidden slug that he can add the notes to and you can trim or ripple as the sequence ripples.

Feature requests for printing and moving timeline markers are pretty old, but it’s always worth adding another name to the list of requests.