Final Cut Pro, quick questions! Thanks in advance

[SaltyJohn]

Hey using Final Cut Pro 7.03 for the first time in a few years w/ my Canon T2i.

Having a few basic problems, any help would be greatly appreciated.

1. When I add a cross dissolve between clips, sometimes it stays on the tail end of the first clip and doesn't fade properly. Other times it centers on the clip. How to I toggle between these two? Do I want the one thats centered between the two for a basic cross fade?

2. When I view the video in the top right window after rendering, its still super choppy and slow. Earlier today I had a version of the edit I'm making play back smoothly, but for some reason it's not working now.

3. How do I keep the audio and video files linked together so that when I slide video back and fourth the audio moves along with it?

4. How do I view the video and audio soundwaves so that I can line them up?

5. For the cross fade, how do I make it larger. I have no problem shortening the length of the cross fade, but for some reason, while expanding by grabbing the edge of it, it only reaches a certain length and then won't go any further.

6. For using the cross fade properly, do I need the clips on separate tracks? Or can they be on the same line?


Thanks in advance,
-Salt

[Matthew Shannon]

[StarScream]

Hey using Final Cut Pro 7.03 for the first time in a few years w/ my Canon T2i.

Having a few basic problems, any help would be greatly appreciated.

1. When I add a cross dissolve between clips, sometimes it stays on the tail end of the first clip and doesn't fade properly. Other times it centers on the clip. How to I toggle between these two? Do I want the one thats centered between the two for a basic cross fade?

Put the clips on seperate layers and choose your own length of fading, common thing is something between 8 and 12 frames. FCP is sensitive where you drop the cross fade on the clip(and it gives you hints with greyed out spaces where the fade effect will go)

2. When I view the video in the top right window after rendering, its still super choppy and slow. Earlier today I had a version of the edit I'm making play back smoothly, but for some reason it's not working now.

finalcut works best with ProRes codecs, on the top left of your timeline there is a dropdown menu who let you choose your playback settings.

3. How do I keep the audio and video files linked together so that when I slide video back and fourth the audio moves along with it?

shift + L, or top right on the timeline (little buttons who go green if activated)

4. How do I view the video and audio soundwaves so that I can line them up?

sequence settings -> timeline options -> Show waveforms

5. For the cross fade, how do I make it larger. I have no problem shortening the length of the cross fade, but for some reason, while expanding by grabbing the edge of it, it only reaches a certain length and then won't go any further.

never had a problem with that. workaround: if you doubleclick the clip and open it in the viewer, in the "motion" tab there is an opacity slider, just keyframe that.

6. For using the cross fade properly, do I need the clips on separate tracks? Or can they be on the same line?

see question one. I prefer seperate tracks cause it gives me the illusion of more control. And i like to see how big the chunks are.

Thanks in advance,
-Salt

no prob, just stay away from FCX

[SaltyJohn]

Starscream, you're the man.

[StarScream]

^^that's what she said.