[Tom Meegan]

Before you start go to Final Cut Pro > Easy Set-Up and choose the format you will be working in for the entire project. After that sequences will default to those settings, and the Canvas will follow the sequence settings, including aspect ratio, as long as you:

Look to the top center of the Canvas – the button on the left is called the zoom pop-up menu.

Click it and make sure there is a check mark next to, “Correct for Aspect Ratio.”

The canvas will now follow the shape of the currently active sequence.

If you have a sequence created before you set the easy set up options –

It is actually easier to just delete this sequence and make a new one after you go through easy set-up. But if you must –

Choose the sequences and hit Command – Zero.

Make sure Anamorphic is unchecked. Look over the other settings and change as necessary.

Best,

Tom Meegan

[Tom Meegan]

Some tutorials do ship with FCS 2.

Here are some good additional resources:

https://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/fcp_homepage_index.html

https://www.rippletraining.com/

https://www.larryjordan.biz/

https://www.lynda.com/

https://www.digitalmediatraining.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Final-Cut-Pro-Spot-2nd/dp/1578202612

Many more out there – google is your friend.

Best,

Tom

[Tom Meegan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LC7fyUOXBs

Same topic, satire.

Enjoy.

Tom

Some contents or functionalities here are not available due to your cookie preferences!

This happens because the functionality/content marked as “Google Youtube” uses cookies that you choosed to keep disabled. In order to view this content or use this functionality, please enable cookies: click here to open your cookie preferences.

[Tom Meegan]

Richard,

I used this document to confirm my advice:

https://www.apple.com/finalcutstudio/finalcutpro/specs.html

I also recently did an install of FCS 2 on a G4 Power Book – FCP works well with DV footage on this machine and DVD Studio Pro works. I haven’t tried the other apps on this machine, but I would not expect them to work well.

Best,

Tom

[Tom Meegan]

You will need an external storage device to hold your footage.

If you are going out to broadcast, you will probably need some additional gear, dependent on the requirements of the recipient.

If your final output is to the web, DVD or back to DV, you have what you need.

You can upgrade the gear for output later if your needs change.

Best,

Tom

[Tom Meegan]

I second the Mackie 1202 for your purposes. I own two that feed speakers in edit bays. The extra inputs are handy so you can monitor other sources like DVD players, CD players, and tape decks through the same speakers.

You can often pick up Mackie 1202 boards on eBay. Because they are built like tanks, they handle shipping and handling well.

Best,

Tom

[Tom Meegan]

Position the blade icon with the mouse and then click.

Hit the A key to return to the selection tool.

Tom

[Tom Meegan]

The DVI port is on the right hand side of your MBP. Connect this to the LCD.

Then, in FCP, go to:

View > Video Playback > Digital Cinema Playback Preview

Then go to:

View > External Video > All Frames

This can be toggled on and off with Command – F12.

This is not a good space to color correct (RGB to YUV color space conversion does not happen,) or to check graphics or video for artifacts from interlacing.

It is, however, fun and impressive.

If want accurate previews and are editing standard definition, monitor a broadcast CRT (Sony PVM, JVC TM, or similar) through your DV deck. Even a regular CRT TV calibrated to color bars is better than nothing.

If you are editing HDV look into the Matrox MXO.

If you plan on making color adjustments to your work, and it will be seen on TV screens, the investment in decent monitoring will make a difference.

However, if you are not doing this professionally, fun and impressive might just be the way to go! But, it pays to know the limitations going in.

Best,

Tom

[Tom Meegan]

Open a sequence by double clicking one in the the browser.

[Tom Meegan]

I did a little more googling this morning, because I recall a simple article on this topic that was helpful.

I did not find that article.

However I did find this:

http://www.artbeats.com/pub/articles/aspect_ratio_1.pdf

Probably most of what you need.

And also this:

https://lipas.uwasa.fi/~f76998/video/conversion/

It deals with the standard definition side of things, probably in more depth than you need.

Also these:

https://provideocoalition.com/index.php/cmg_keyframes/story/non_square_strategies/

https://provideocoalition.com/index.php/cmg_keyframes/story/open_wide/

Best,

Tom