Final Cut Express

[Texas04]

Wow... So I just bought this software a few days ago and it came in yesterday. Already started editing. It is an amazing piece of software and I have tried a few things on it.


There was a post here a while ago about running video off an external USB 2.0 drive. I can say at this point I have had little to no problems with all my fottage on my USB 2.0 Drive and it is running great.

But I do have one question... Im used to adobe Premier Pro and am used to that setup for the Captureing method. However on FCE it is very different. Whenever I try and capture it gives me this new window with just the video, its very choppy during actual playing but once it captures to the computer its fine. Whats weird is that window and the loss of controls that comes up. Is there a way to capture easier without that stupid new window appearing so I have to push ESC to stop? And what are those three buttons for... something like Clip or other things that I have to push to capture... It just makes for a really ugly way to capture...

Or is that just an easy way and im oblivious to whats really going on...

Other than that its been great!

 

[Kingsly]

You're oblivious.

There are three buttons. Clip, Now, and Project.

If you want to capture just a segment of the tape what you do is go to the beginning of the clip you want and press "i" to set an IN point. Then play to then end of you clip and press "o" to set an OUT, or end point (be sure to leave some handles on the beginning and end of the clip)

Now all you have to do is press "clip" and FCE will auto-magically capture everything between the IN and OUT points. All that info to fill out is for adding metadata to the shot like roll #, scene, take, etc.

"Now" is to capture immediately without waiting for IN and OUT points. Just roll the tape and hit it. Press ESC to end the capture process.

"Project" is when you're completely done editing. Apparently a lot of editors like to import low quality video to save disk space and be less of a load on the computer. After completely finishing the edit they put the original tape back in the deck and hit "project."
FCE will then capture all the clips that are actually used on the timeline and compile them into a final edit. I personally dont see the point and just buy more hard drives when I run our of space.

Happy editing.

 

[LethalWolfe]

"Project" is when you're completely done editing. Apparently a lot of editors like to import low quality video to save disk space and be less of a load on the computer. After completely finishing the edit they put the original tape back in the deck and hit "project."
FCE will then capture all the clips that are actually used on the timeline and compile them into a final edit. I personally dont see the point and just buy more hard drives when I run our of space.

Edit pretty much anything higher quality than DV or HDV and you'll see the point. When you're working w/formats that clock in around 60gigs per hour then editing at a off-line (lower quality) rez starts making a whole lot of sense. ;P


Lethal

 

[Kingsly]

Edit pretty much anything higher quality than DV or HDV and you'll see the point. When you're working w/formats that clock in around 60gigs per hour then editing at a off-line (lower quality) rez starts making a whole lot of sense. ;P


Lethal

I see the point for HD or any uncompressed formats, but, as you said, for DV and HDV I could care less.

 

[Texas04]

bringing this back up just for a sec. I recently filmed a round table type discussion, and the caputre "Now" I still find to be very ugly and not very productive, and i tried the capture "clip" however it was also very annoying because I would watch a clip, set in and out, push clip, than the "auoto magically" took a lot of time to find the timecodes I set, open up that ugly capture window and than go to the out point making me re watch what I have already watched and then go on with my clip. I just dont see the point in watching my footage twice, if I want to capture something i want to capture it NOW and be done with it.
But pushing the esc. button like 5 times to get back is quite annoying, are you sure there are no other ways? maybe a batch type capture... if not its this programs downfall

 

[Macnoviz]

"Project" is when you're completely done editing. Apparently a lot of editors like to import low quality video to save disk space and be less of a load on the computer. After completely finishing the edit they put the original tape back in the deck and hit "project."
FCE will then capture all the clips that are actually used on the timeline and compile them into a final edit. I personally dont see the point and just buy more hard drives when I run our of space.

Happy editing.

We edited a movie on a less recent computer (512 RAM, 64 bit AMD processor), and I can understand the point of not using full quality video. Not for the disk space, but purely bitrate. Even plain DV is pretty heavy, and Sloooooooooooow

 

[Rod Rod]

(snip) are you sure there are no other ways? maybe a batch type capture...

Batch capture is one of the many features that sets Final Cut Pro apart from Express.

http://www.apple.com/finalcut/

 

[Texas04]

geh... thats one thing i am not worried about... hmm
Thanks anyways though!

Edit: Just realaized my post made no sense... sorry I had just woken up... But thank you all for helping me... I'll just live with the capture now method :-/