[Kai Cheong]

Unfortunately, I don’t seem to know the auto-snapping of keyframes [am keeping my ears pricked for a possible solution since it gets tiring having to readjust your keyframes whenever you introduce a transition effect].

But instead of manually dragging my keyframes to the updated start and end point [which can be tedious and inaccurate], when I’m in the motion tab, I use ‘Option-I’ and ‘Option-O’ to get to the in and out points of the clip, and insert a keyframe on both ends. They would keep the values of the existing in and out keyframes. Then, I’ll go and delete the old keyframes.

Kai
FCP Editor / Producer with Intuitive Films
—
Now ‘LIVE’! Check Out The Intuitive Films Blog @ https://intuitive-films.blogspot.com
At Intuitive Films, We Create: TV Commercials, Documentaries, Corporate Videos and Feature Films
Visit us @ https://www.intuitivefilms.com
—
MacBook Pro 2.4GHz | 4GB RAM | FCP 5.1.4 | Mac OS X 10.5.2

[Kai Cheong]

I’d recommend googling for ‘MPEG Streamclip’ and downloading it for this and future projects. It’s free and it’s great for making all sorts of footage editable in FCP, especially non-copyrighted DVDs.

Just drag and drop your .avi into MPEG Streamclip and export to Quicktime – choosing the format you’d like to edit in.

Kai
FCP Editor / Producer with Intuitive Films
—
Now ‘LIVE’! Check Out The Intuitive Films Blog @ https://intuitive-films.blogspot.com
At Intuitive Films, We Create: TV Commercials, Documentaries, Corporate Videos and Feature Films
Visit us @ https://www.intuitivefilms.com
—
MacBook Pro 2.4GHz | 4GB RAM | FCP 5.1.4 | Mac OS X 10.5.2

[Kai Cheong]

What we do is also to include the number of revisions for scripts as well as edit slots, plus what kind of animations/motion graphics is provided in the quotation. Once the clients sign off on that, if they need additional drafts/slots/effects, they would need to pay additional costs [sometimes the options are included in the quotation eg. cost of each extra shoot day].

Of course, we’re also flexible in most cases. But with those terms down in a contract, things are less fuzzy and you should have boundaries to work with. Negotiating and managing the terms is another set of business/producing skills though.

I find that a lot of times when we’re working on corporate videos, half of the work is to actually guide the clients along. They have a budget to work with and on our side, our resources [physical hardware or esp. the intangible otherwise] are also limited by that.

Kai
FCP Editor / Producer with Intuitive Films
—
Now ‘LIVE’! Check Out The Intuitive Films Blog @ https://intuitive-films.blogspot.com
At Intuitive Films, We Create: TV Commercials, Documentaries, Corporate Videos and Feature Films
Visit us @ https://www.intuitivefilms.com
—
MacBook Pro 2.4GHz | 4GB RAM | FCP 5.1.4 | Mac OS X 10.5.2

[Kai Cheong]

If you’re low on cash, the cheapest way to start is probably with Final Cut Express, rather than the full Final Cut Studio. You’re talking about a difference of a few hundred dollars here :] Plus, if you intend to edit off your MacBook Pro, you should consider setting aside some money to buy an external hard drive for your footage.

Once you’re confident that you want to be editing for the longer term and you want to continue doing it on Final Cut, then you might consider expanding to the full suite. And if you’re a student, you can get an academic version of Final Cut Studio at a discounted price [only catch is you won’t be able to upgrade to the next releases – BUT you can still get your updates].

Other than AfterEffects, it would be very helpful if you know your way around Photoshop, too.

Have fun!

Kai
FCP Editor / Producer with Intuitive Films
—
Now ‘LIVE’! Check Out The Intuitive Films Blog @ https://intuitive-films.blogspot.com
At Intuitive Films, We Create: TV Commercials, Documentaries, Corporate Videos and Feature Films
Visit us @ https://www.intuitivefilms.com
—
MacBook Pro 2.4GHz | 4GB RAM | FCP 5.1.4 | Mac OS X 10.5.2

[Kai Cheong]

Hey Grin, thanks for the feedback – appreciate it!

We don’t have used car commercials here but we do sometimes see quite horrible product [eg. food, beverages] commercials on the tele. I don’t think it’s fair to blame it all on having a low budget ‘cuz in all honesty, this series of 3 TVCs were done on quite a tight budget as well!

Always gotta have a good concept and the gumption to see it through ;]

Kai
FCP Editor / Producer with Intuitive Films
—
Now ‘LIVE’! Check Out The Intuitive Films Blog @ https://intuitive-films.blogspot.com
At Intuitive Films, We Create: TV Commercials, Documentaries, Corporate Videos and Feature Films
Visit us @ https://www.intuitivefilms.com
—
MacBook Pro 2.4GHz | 4GB RAM | FCP 5.1.4 | Mac OS X 10.5.2

[Kai Cheong]

For more control and an estimate of your file size before you render, try exporting a Quicktime movie [with ‘Current Settings’] from FCP, then send that to Compressor and pick a preset. Under the ‘Web Download’ folders, there are a few possible ones for your use [to upload online].

One extra tip: in order to check what size and quality you’d like, instead of finding out only after you’ve rendered the whole movie [sounds like a long one], you can set in and out points in compressor, export to a few different settings, compare the encoded portions then pick one for the final conversion.

Kai
FCP Editor / Producer with Intuitive Films
—
Now ‘LIVE’! Check Out The Intuitive Films Blog @ https://intuitive-films.blogspot.com
At Intuitive Films, We Create: TV Commercials, Documentaries, Corporate Videos and Feature Films
Visit us @ https://www.intuitivefilms.com
—
MacBook Pro 2.4GHz | 4GB RAM | FCP 5.1.4 | Mac OS X 10.5.2

[Kai Cheong]

Sounds a little too… outrageous for a 3-min sequence!

I reckon you’re not working off a G3? ;]

Not knowing your exact machine specs, I would recommend shutting down and restarting your Mac. Another recommendation would be to export a Self-Contained Quicktime and send that to Compressor, instead of a direct-from-FCP-to-Compressor route.

Good luck!

Kai
FCP Editor / Producer with Intuitive Films
—
Now ‘LIVE’! Check Out The Intuitive Films Blog @ https://intuitive-films.blogspot.com
At Intuitive Films, We Create: TV Commercials, Documentaries, Corporate Videos and Feature Films
Visit us @ https://www.intuitivefilms.com
—
MacBook Pro 2.4GHz | 4GB RAM | FCP 5.1.4 | Mac OS X 10.5.2

[Kai Cheong]

Can I assume the jagged edges were especially visible on photos that have been rotated, even by a few degrees?

You might want to try using Perspective > Basic 3D [of if you have, the free ‘Andy’s Better 3D’ plug-in], instead of using the motion tab to rotate your photos. Gives cleaner lines along the edges. Something to do with better algorithm calculations [sorry, I’m not a programmer].

AND you get to play with the X, Y & Z axis, which adds extra, erm, dimensions to your montage.

Kai
FCP Editor / Producer with Intuitive Films
—
Now ‘LIVE’! Check Out The Intuitive Films Blog @ https://intuitive-films.blogspot.com
At Intuitive Films, We Create: TV Commercials, Documentaries, Corporate Videos and Feature Films
Visit us @ https://www.intuitivefilms.com
—
MacBook Pro 2.4GHz | 4GB RAM | FCP 5.1.4 | Mac OS X 10.5.2

[Kai Cheong]

Thanks, appreciate the insight – one can’t be a stubborn stick in the mud if they wanna keep up with the times eh ;]

Kai
FCP Editor / Producer with Intuitive Films
—
Now ‘LIVE’! Check Out The Intuitive Films Blog @ https://intuitive-films.blogspot.com
At Intuitive Films, We Create: TV Commercials, Documentaries, Corporate Videos and Feature Films
Visit us @ https://www.intuitivefilms.com
—
MacBook Pro 2.4GHz | 4GB RAM | FCP 5.1.4 | Mac OS X 10.5.2

[Kai Cheong]

Hi David, contrary to most information I’ve read, which says your media drives should never be formatted ‘journaled’ [similar recommendations on the AJA website], you recommend formatting the drives as ‘journaled’ for Jason.

Just so no media get hurt in the process, is it essentially a ‘yay’ or ‘nay’ on journaling for media drives?

Kai
FCP Editor / Producer with Intuitive Films
—
Now ‘LIVE’! Check Out The Intuitive Films Blog @ https://intuitive-films.blogspot.com
At Intuitive Films, We Create: TV Commercials, Documentaries, Corporate Videos and Feature Films
Visit us @ https://www.intuitivefilms.com
—
MacBook Pro 2.4GHz | 4GB RAM | FCP 5.1.4 | Mac OS X 10.5.2