[Myles Richardson]

Can’t remember if this is an option in News Cutter, but in MC on the edit tab, under the timeline setting there’s the option to turn Auto Monitoring on or off. Turning it off won’t lock the monitor exactly, but it should stay where you put it and not move itself between tracks as you edit.

[Myles Richardson]

If the stills have consecutive numbers you can import them as a single clip by checking the ‘auto detect sequentially numbered files’ in the import dialogue box.

Each still will make up one frame of the imported clip.

If you want to slow the clip down add a motion effect – for example a 50percent playback rate will make each still last for 2 frames and so on. This might be easier than working with individual clips for each still, and you could even use the timeworn function to speed up and slow down as needed.

[Myles Richardson]

Greg,

You don’t need the RTAS open to use keyframes.

In the Timeline fast menu [bottom left of the timeline widow] select Audio Data and check the Glip Gain option.

With the Keyframe mode activated on the Timeline you can add a keyframe to any selected audio track by placing the position bar and using the keyframe button/ mapped keyboard command [it’s the pink triangle in the FX tab of the Command Pallette]

Personally I find this much faster than adding Keyframes in FCP as you don’t need to keep swapping tools.

To adjust the keyframe up or down simply move your pointer over it [it will change to the ‘hand’ symbol] and drag up or down.

To adjust left or right hold down the alt key whilst dragging.

To adjust more than one Keyframe at a time mark and in and out on the Timeline and all keyframes in between will move together (up and down, but sadly not side to side)

If you don’t want to see the clip gain info all the time save alternate Timeline views in the View Menu at the bottom of the Timeline.

You might also want to make the audio tracks larger to get more control over your keyframes – with your audio tracks selected press the Apple Key and ‘L’ to make the tracks larger (‘K’ to make them smaller). These views can also be be saved as custom Timeline views for quickly switching between cutting and key framing tasks.

Myles