Final Cut Pro X – In Depth Review
Alongside Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro X is recognized as one of the best. Its users broadly range from film hobbyist to advanced level editors. The Social Network, 500 Days of Summer, X-Men Origins: Wolverine and several others were used in the production. Some have chosen to say that this app is quicker and easier, and others even say that it is relatively easy to use even though it is a high-end video editing application.
At first glance, it might be confusing, but as you let yourself be familiar with it, it’s actually easy to use. Above are the main parts of Final Cut Pro X, let me explain briefly what they are for.
BROWSER
This is where you manage your files. This is where your imported media, clips, music, and other files will be located. You’ll notice three (3) little buttons at the left corner. In order, these are:
1. Video Tab
Final Cut opens an Untitled Library for your project by design, but I don’t think you do this because your drive would be filled, what you do is right-click on the library-close library.
A new library is then created: file-new-library. You can pick where to put it, guide it to your hard drive, and it’s up to you.
There are 2 sub-folders underneath this library folder:
Intelligent Collections
You should rename this, and an occurrence (has the date) can also have a keyword that helps to organise the files.
2. Media Tab
This ties your GarageBand, iTunes, and all of the internal sound effects that come with Final Cut.
3. Titles Tab
You can access its built-in animation and generator titles here, and it has over hundreds of free models for you to use. If you have bought any presets, they will be shown here.
You can customize the title animation by clicking it on the Viewer tab or the Inspector tab.
There are two (2) ways of importing a file.
Click the import tab, navigate to where your video is, correct your setup, etc.
Navigate to the Finder, navigate to the folder position, pick your folder, and drag it to the library.
The neat function of Final Cut helps you to browse your imported clips simply by hovering over them with your mouse and viewing them on the Viewer Screen, or simply clicking on the footage, pressing the space bar to play the clip.
VIEWER
This is where, on your timeline or clips you are browsing, you can preview what you are editing.
INSPECTOR
The properties of that clip are shown under the Inspector Tab when you pick a clip. The location, opacity, effects, color correction, general knowledge, etc. can be changed here. Here, under the Inspector Tab, you can find the total impact controls of a clip, transition, impacts, something that can be adjusted.
TIMELINE
It’s going to be your workspace. This is where your project will be developed. Click the New Project button to get started, set your settings, aspect ratios, and so on.
You can quickly drag and drop a clip from your library to put it on your timeline. If you want to pick a section from a source file, you can easily search the footage and drag it to your timeline to select your in and out (press I & O on the keyboard).
There is a magnetic element of the timeline, which might be useful for novices, but could be a hassle for others.
WHERE ARE THE TOOLS?
When you open it, the screen may appear bare, but the resources are actually arranged in a way that does not take up too much room.
Basic resources are found in the left corner of the timeline, such as Pick, Trim, Place, Zoom. (see picture below) A smart way to speed up the workflow would be to master the keyboard shortcuts.
Effects and Transitions are located at the right corner of your timeline. (see image below) Selecting Effects / Transition button will open up your transition and effects library.
Final Cut Pro X will usually be a perfect option for anything called a specialist video editor, since it is quick, fast and easy to use considering its features. It has an auto-save feature, so you won’t have to worry about your project being lost. It is filled with a good choice of titles, transitions, and visual & audio effects in 2D and 3D. A broad range of file formats are also supported. It has a good selection of color changes, even offers quick rendering, and all for a one-time fee only.
Some editors find the workflow a little restrictive, while others find it very streamlined and tidy. The workspace is clean. The thing about Final Cut’s workspace is that there are secret controls. Final Cut could give you a hard time finding where it is, unlike other editors where almost all simple controls are out in the open. For example, for first time users, would you have guess that that (image above) is the Effects / Transition button? I don’t believe that. You’re going to have to just learn where it is and Final Cut is pretty easy to grasp once you get acquainted with it, and once you get the hang of it, you’ll definitely be able to progress to its more sophisticated functionality and use it to your benefit.