Introduction to Editing - Skills

At the beginning of the year, we were given key classes to help us with our editing. Our teacher set up workshop sessions to make sure we had the best knowledge to begin our editing and create a substantial piece of work. Here are some key features and things we learnt back at the beginning of the term when we were introduced to editing using the editing software Final Cut Pro:

Above is a screen shot of the "Browser" in Final Cut Pro. This area of the programme is used to import all files into your edit, it also contains time codes that establish how long each clip of media lasts for. Using a simple "drag and drop" manouver from the "Browser" to the timeline.

This screen shot depicts the "Slug" and the "Canvas" these two regions of the programme are used in editing to help construct your timeline, or to show what is in your timeline. When video is inserted in these two regions a green tick will appear to identify good quality footage and couloured lines are used to identify the intensity of light in footage.

This screen shot shows the timeline where media clips are inserted - the timeline is designated into audio and video sections, by doing this it makes it much easier to establish for example how long you want a clip. When using Final Cut Pro, you are able to modify data to disassociate the audio recorded with the video, making the programme much more maleable and easier to control.

This screen shot shows the tool located next to the timeline, this tool allows you to manipulate various parts of your media with different tools, here is a breakdown:

Selection Tool: This is the main tool used to select and move media clips, the tool allows you to do the most and acts as the "arrow" during editing.

Edit Selection Tool: This tool makes editing much easier, it provides easier access to the "Slug" and "Canvas" functions in the programme, and makes changing transitions much easier.

Roll Tool: Is used when configuring transitions and effects when editing in Final Cut Pro.

Slip Tool: The Slip tool is used when trying to establish correlation between video and audio within its original source.

Razor Tool: Is an editing function used to trim down the length of your media clips in the timeline.

Zoom Tool: The zoom tool is used to increase the focus of your timeline.

Crop Tool: Is used to manipulate the size of video files in your timeline.

Pen Tool: This tool is used for manipulating sound levels during editing.

Audio Mixer: The Audio mixer measures the dB level of the audio in your timeline, when the mixer level peaks in the red, the sound is over the level it should be and becomes distorted.