[Carsten Orlt]

Mark,

Lifting a clip out of the primary storyline also helps with the other problem you were describing in another threat about slipping a clip in place but having the problem that the connected clip moves as well.

Just move the clip out of the primary storyline with command-option-up and than you can do what ever you like with it. All connected clips stay where they are and once happy you can drop the clip back into the primary storyline with command-option-down.

Cheers

[Carsten Orlt]

what about:

press n to activate snap
command-option-up on the clip you wan to extend to lift it out of the primary storyline
extend end to next end of clip you want to override
command-option-down to drop extended clip back into primary storyline

works here without leaving the one frame gab

[Carsten Orlt]

I think for title templates you would use Motion 5 to create them.

Look at somebody like Ripple Training to get some idea how this works.

[Carsten Orlt]

Hi Ben,

Thanks for your explanations.

I guess the reason why I like audio so much is mainly because it is no longer bound to frames. For example it’s so much better to be able to edit on sample level when editing speech. Also I find the waveform (I think it’s actually more a volume histogram) very intuitive. Love the fact too that the graph adjusts in realtime. Very fast when adjusting transitions as you can actually see when the levels match. Like that you now have all those Soundtrack/Logic plugins right there including the dedicated UI’s for them. No more sliders. Hurrah! I do not have any problem that sync audio is actually married to the video. Most of the time it’s easy enough to expand the audio without disconnecting to create overlaps. I do actually like the fact that it is now really clear what is sync sound and what is extra. Love compounding audio as you can easily sub mix different types that way. Or you compound all to set master level or master limiter/compression. Because everything can be broken apart again it’s also very flexible when the edit has to be revised.

Yes I can see why the trackless world can get confusing when you have multiple audio clips close together. But it is no deal breaker for me.

Is it premature to dismiss FCPx? Everybody has to decide that for themselves. There are different requirements which may influence that decision.
If you use FCP to master for broadcast I think you can’t use it now. Either stay with FCP7 or if you want something new now get Premiere or Avid.
If you edit in house like me, but go to post places to master, I think you can use FCPx right now. In fact getting rid of all the broadcast equipment is really liberating. Less gear. Less things that can get obsolete because some bus standard changes or some box is not supported anymore. Less noise and heat in the room. Cheaper overall as you do not need the biggest machines anymore. etc. etc.
I did the same with FCP7 for mastering: Create my final QT master and put it on a hard drive, take it to the studio and let them load it into whatever they use to play it to tape. Really the only problem I see right now, is if you need to provide separate clips plus handles on a timeline to sound post who are using e.g. Protools (you can export stems via roles but no OMF/AAF and Automatic Duck is too expensive and just changed camps anyway. But because they could do it, others will fill the gab) For colour correction you can actually just export a self contained quicktime to eg. Color. Same workflow as in the old days of grading tape to tape. Not ideal but unless somebody writes the X-XML to XML converter, it’s the way to go.

I think a big part of my strategy is actually CatDV. Having an independent footage catalogue makes you really immune against dead ends because some software is pulled. CatDV is already supporting FCPx’s XML and gives you the possibility to do simple conversions. Haven’t tried all the in and outs, but main thing is really that all my footage descriptions don’t die with FCP7, or someday with FCPx or FCPxxl or .. 🙂

I do like the slim line approach of FCPx. Less is more for my needs. Having Motion is key here too because if you need the SFX you can get it there, but you do not clutter your editing software with it. I had a serious look at the 2 alternatives and I think Avid is still the same as 15 years ago and Premiere’s UI is shocking to my eyes 🙂 and doesn’t offer anything better in terms of editing a story. Same goes for Avid by the way. I do not need all the schnick schnack functions and displays. The older I get the more I cherish the strength of the story and not the packaging.

my 2 cents 🙂
Cheers

Carsten

[Carsten Orlt]

Hi Ben,

Out of curiosity, as I do respect your decision, but why do you think the audio capabilities are less than FCP7 or the other NLE’s?

I ask because I particularly think the audio is one of the biggest improvements.

Cheers
Carsten

[Carsten Orlt]

Unfortunately no XML, OMF or EDL import or export (unless I missed them)

But apart from that, it’s quite powerful.

[Carsten Orlt]

Plus you can create custom searches where you can combine any keywords you like into one new selection.
Effectively opening multiple bins at once. And you can save those combinations.
If you have Roles assigned you can even group the results by them.
Or just show favourites parts of your newly selected clips.
Or just rejected parts..
Or don’t show rejected at all..

Cheers

[Carsten Orlt]

Brilliant post Chris!
Your last paragraph is I think the summary of the problem here 🙂

Cheers

[Carsten Orlt]

Couldn’t agree more Jeff.

Its interesting that people still not really analyse the x timeline. All they see is ripple being the default and no tracks.
If you actually look at your options you have ‘forward delete’ (‘function-delete’ on small or reduced keyboards) which is the classical lift. It really shows that if you just looking for the old way (and not reading the manual) you’ll miss all the added functionality.

Specially true looking at audio. FCPx makes SoundtrackPro really obsolete and takes audio editing far beyond FCP7 (of course a dedicated DAW is still ahead)
First of all audio is edited at sample level no matter if it is part of a video clip or not. This gives you a precision FCP7 can only dream off.
All plugins are right in FCPx and buses can be simulated by compounding audio clips into logical groups which than can have additional plugins and their own volume graph. Yes you don’t have them in place when opened but as one mixes in batches anyway it’s easy to make adjustments to individual clips before compounding them. And little adjustments can be done anytime by opening the compound, or you break the pound apart, adjust, and compound again.
Just imagine the classical scenario of the client returning after a week and wanting changes. In FCP7-Soundtrack world you were in deep trouble as the conform changes never worked! In FCPx you’ll be down in no time ’cause everything is still in one timeline!

FCPx needs some adjusting to workflows you are used to from FCP7, Premiere or Avid. But the gains in FCPx far outweigh some shortcomings one might encounter when trying to use the old ‘muscle memory’.

I just had a little project where I threw everything from 320 flash to 1080 into one 720 timeline and the picture quality FCPx delivers is just stunning compared to FCP7. Audio is so much faster and better to work with, if alone by the fact that the waveform is really fast and therefor gives you a true optical aid to edit audio (FCP7 rebuild waveform is stone age).

FCPx needs time to be understood and to practise best workflows. For me the starting idea to get rid of tracks so I don’t have to think about track panels, audio with video, sync issues etc is really really good.
That I run into little problems like yesterday where I was editing to music (on main storyline) and I wanted to shift a number of secondary story lines and titles, looking for the ‘select everything from here forward’ function and of course couldn’t find it. I need to adjust my approaches because the timelines system work differently. And I’m sure I will run into some dead ends before I know the quickest way to get from A to B. Same as I had using FCP7

If you think the old way is better safe your time and stick with FCP7, Premiere or Avid. I don’t think FCPx will change. The only thing they’ll add is more functionality to group clips based on certain criteria.

my 2 cents.

Carsten

[Carsten Orlt]

It does mean nothing.

It only means that Steve Jobs is a very sick man and we all should wish him the best possible health for the rest of his hopefully very long life!