[koppee1]

Hi guys, I've been dabbling with Final Cut Express the past few days...and I've got a question...

if I want to do that Ken Burns thing with a photo (like in imovie)...i find it very difficult with final cut express and was wondering if i'm missing an easier way...

For example...if i wanted to pan a camera over the picture from the face to the feet I would do:

1. go to start and put a keyframe and change the scale
2. go to end and put another keyframe and set the position (to the face) by guessing coordinates until I get it right
2. go to end and put a keyframe for the "center" options and set the position to the feet..by again guessing the coordinates.

is there a simpler way to do this?

thanks

[luisito]

hey, i have a question too. You know how when you use Adobe Premiere Pro 1.5 on Windows and when you play the video on the top right screen it's flowing. Well, when I started to use Final Cut Express on the Mac, when I play the edited video on the timeline, it just says "Unrendered".

Isn't there an easier way to view the video and check if it's in sync with the music? Because I don't really want to render everytime I make an edit, it takes so much times and space.

Anyway, TIA Muggers.

[banksxs]

Originally Posted by luisito

hey, i have a question too. You know how when you use Adobe Premiere Pro 1.5 on Windows and when you play the video on the top right screen it's flowing. Well, when I started to use Final Cut Express on the Mac, when I play the edited video on the timeline, it just says "Unrendered".

Isn't there an easier way to view the video and check if it's in sync with the music? Because I don't really want to render everytime I make an edit, it takes so much times and space.

Anyway, TIA Muggers.

In Final Cut Pro, you can use 'Option P' to preview a render file before you render it. It will play as fast as your processor allows.

OR

http://www.blinkx.com/video/tip-3-final-cut-pro-previewing-unrendered-clips/UsltplzJr_POEWfDi3XcLA

[luisito]

thanks for the reply but i'm using final cut express

anyway, i tried rendering and it's such a grueling process. is this really how everybody does it? it took me more than an hour to render 20 minutes of raw footage.

[g_ed]

@koppee1

The following *might* look complicated, but it's not......disclaimer though: I use FCP, I haven't use Final Cut Express in while but this should still apply:

- You need 3 windows: the Viewer, Canvas and Timeline.

- In the Viewer, have Image+Wireframe

- In the Canvas, be on the Motion tab

-In your Timeline, double click on the clip you want to have the effect. You double click to ensure that the clip is brought to the Canvas and active in the Viewer.

-Now move the playhead to the starting point where you want to start the effect - I usually do this from the Timeline - but you can also do this from the Canvas or Viewer

-You got the starting point. From the Viewer, put a keyframe for the Scale and a keyframe for the Center.

-Now go to the Canvas. You can now manipulate the scale (larger or smaller) of the video/picture by grabbing one of the corner handles and dragging it.

-You can also move the "center" (position) of the video/picture by dragging the center point of the vid/pic

-Once you determine the starting "look", the next thing to do is go the "end" of the effect.

-Move the playhead to your ending point.

-Again from the Viewer, put a keyframe for the Scale and a keyframe for the Center.

-From the Canvas, expand or contract your vid/pic - position the "center" like the previous procedure above.

-Be sure to save. You can always remove a keyframe.

-Back up the playhead a lit bit before your starting point and check out your effect.

You can think of it as: This is what it will look at the start. Then this is what it will look at the end. In between those, Final Cut Express does the "needed" motion.

Don't be discouraged, once you do a couple, it will be quick and you've be cranking effects left and right.

[machazel]

Originally Posted by luisito

hey, i have a question too. You know how when you use Adobe Premiere Pro 1.5 on Windows and when you play the video on the top right screen it's flowing. Well, when I started to use Final Cut Express on the Mac, when I play the edited video on the timeline, it just says "Unrendered".

Isn't there an easier way to view the video and check if it's in sync with the music? Because I don't really want to render everytime I make an edit, it takes so much times and space.

Anyway, TIA Muggers.

first of all, why are your videos unrendered in the first place? Did you use filters or did you use videos that do not match your project settings?

[luisito]

Originally Posted by machazel

first of all, why are your videos unrendered in the first place? Did you use filters or did you use videos that do not match your project settings?

It seems I'm more of a newbie than I thought. Hahaha! Anyway, videos can come rendered already? I thought rendering was something that you can only do during a project.

When I place a .mp4 in the sequence and into the timeline, when I play it says "unrendered" in the canvas and does this beeping sound.

After I read your reply machazel, I thought I was using the wrong video format. So I converted it to .mpg and used it. Well, now the video was playing in the canvas but now the audio part was gone!

Can someone help me? It seems I'm not too familiar with rendering. What file format should I use when I edit videos? What's Safe RT and Unlimited RT for? And what's source and destination for? Haha, I know you guys are pros so that's why I went to the best. Haha. Thanks guys!

[machazel]

This is pretty hard to answer on a forum. I'll try to explain it in the simplest way I can...

Your video materials should match the settings of your project file. ie, if your project settings is "DV" then your video matl should be "DV". Formats of video matls accepted in a project file is also dependent on the kind of software you're using. Adobe premiere accepts .avi files whil FCP works with .mov files.

You basically have to use the right format with the right settings on your project. What's your source material? If it's from tape, maybe you need to re-ingest the material again directly to FCE. Otherwise, you have to figure out a way to convert your file to the right format.

Setting your timeline to UNLIMITED RT lets you preview your timeline on "preview mode"--that is, if you put filters or if you manipulated your video, you can preview the final output in low quality. If your timeline is set to SAFE RT, you would have to render your files before you can preview.

[luisito]

Originally Posted by machazel

This is pretty hard to answer on a forum. I'll try to explain it in the simplest way I can...

Your video materials should match the settings of your project file. ie, if your project settings is "DV" then your video matl should be "DV". Formats of video matls accepted in a project file is also dependent on the kind of software you're using. Adobe premiere accepts .avi files whil FCP works with .mov files.

You basically have to use the right format with the right settings on your project. What's your source material? If it's from tape, maybe you need to re-ingest the material again directly to FCE. Otherwise, you have to figure out a way to convert your file to the right format.

Setting your timeline to UNLIMITED RT lets you preview your timeline on "preview mode"--that is, if you put filters or if you manipulated your video, you can preview the final output in low quality. If your timeline is set to SAFE RT, you would have to render your files before you can preview.

Wow, this helped! I have VisualHub to convert files so I tried it out. When I converted a file from its original format (.mp4) to DV (I've never used this format ever before, haha), it played without the red or orange line above the timeline, meaning its fully rendered right?

Plus I think before my RT was set to "Safe" so that's why I had to render everything first. But I changed it to Unlimited RT and set it to low which helped it play better.

How do I change the format settings of my project? Is it possible to use .mp4 videos with a project format setting of .mp4? As of right now (thanks to your tip), I have to convert all the videos I'll use to .dv right?

And last, what does the source and destination "link-like-images" do? It's the one where you plug the source to the destination and sometimes change which source you plug into the destination?

Thanks a lot machazel! Nice to know someone out there is listening.

[machazel]

How do I change the format settings of my project? Is it possible to use .mp4 videos with a project format setting of .mp4? As of right now (thanks to your tip), I have to convert all the videos I'll use to .dv right?

Unfortunately, I think you're limited to using DV files in Final Cut Express.

And last, what does the source and destination "link-like-images" do? It's the one where you plug the source to the destination and sometimes change which source you plug into the destination?

Sorry but I can't understand your question. Maybe you can provide screenshots?