2. Browsers and Enhancements

The right side of the Toolbar contains additional features and ways of importing elements. This chapter covers the Media Browsers and the items found under the Enhancements pop-up menu.

Media Browsers

Postproduction involves adding additional media elements such as music, titles, and effects to your project. Final Cut Pro X provides easy access to such elements via the Media Browsers.

Effects Browser

The Effects Browser lists the Apple-supplied and third-party installed video and audio filters. The category list on the left side of the browser allows you to narrow your search. If you know the name of the desired effect, use the search field at the bottom of the browser.

To apply an effect:

1. Select one or more Timeline clips.

2. Double-click the effect in the Effects Browser to apply.

See Chapter 3, “Inspectors,” for information on adjusting or removing applied video and audio effects.

Photos Browser

Adding still photos or videos stored in Aperture or iPhoto is easy using the Photos Browser. You can drag from the browser to an Event or the Timeline.

To add a photo or movie:

1. Choose the library or album containing the desired element from either Aperture or iPhoto.

2. Drag the element to add to an Event or edit directly to a Timeline.

Photos are treated like any other media clip; you can delete them from the Timeline or Event, add video effects to them, and view the video and file properties that appear in the Info inspector. See Chapter 3 for more about video properties.

Music and Sound Browser

The Music and Sound Browser allows you to preview and add music and sound effects within your project.

To add an audio element:

1. Select an audio element from the appropriate library.

2. Drag the element to the Timeline or to an Event.

Music and sound effects are treated like any other media clip; you can delete them from the Timeline or Event, add audio effects, and view the audio and file properties that appear in the Info inspector. See Chapter 3 for more about audio properties.

Transitions Browser

The Transitions Browser gives you access to edit options when you want more than just a cut between clips. By default, when applying a video transition to a video clip with attached audio, an audio crossfade is added to the attached audio. To perform a video-only transition, expand or detach the audio by right-clicking the clip before adding the transition.

To add a transition:

1. Skim over a transition for a thumbnail preview of the effect.

2. Drag the transition to a Timeline edge. Optionally, double-click the transition to apply to a selected edge or clip in the Timeline.

Some additional tips about transitions:

• Command-T applies the Cross Dissolve transition to a selected edge in the Timeline or to multiple edges if one or more clips are selected.

• You may replace a Timeline transition by dragging a new transition on top of the existing transition.

• The duration of an applied transition can be adjusted by dragging the edge of the transition. Alternatively, you can right-click the transition and choose Change Duration, or press Control-D with the transition selected, and then enter the duration in the Dashboard.

• The default length of transitions, one second, may be modified in the Editing pane of Final Cut Pro > Preferences before adding transitions to the Timeline. See Chapter 10 for how to set the duration and media overlap options for transitions.

• Transitions may be deleted like any clip by selecting the transition in the Timeline and pressing Delete.

• Theme transitions utilize numbered Timeline Pins to designate what images make up the transition. With the transition selected, drag the numbered handles to fill in the transition elements.

See Chapter 3 for information on modifying applied transitions.

Titles Browser

Text within Final Cut Pro is created using the generators found in the Titles Browser. After applying a title, you can enter your text directly in the Viewer and customize its look and animation via the Text inspector. Titles can be superimposed over video or added as clips to the Timeline.

To superimpose a title:

1. Select a title from the Titles Browser.

2. Cue the Timeline playhead, and then double-click the title to apply it as a connected clip at the playhead. Alternatively, drag the title above the Timeline clip awaiting text.

After adding a title to the Timeline, you can customize the text.

1. Select the title clip.

2. Double-click a text box in the Viewer to edit the text. Press the Escape key after entering your text.

3. Repeat step 2 for each text box available for the title.

See Chapter 3 for information on adjusting the properties of a title.

Generators Browser

The Final Cut Pro generators provide a variety of background and design elements for your project. You will also find the Placeholder generator for pre-visualization (or last-minute) layout of your project.

After adding a generator to your Timeline, use the Generator inspector, and in some cases the Viewer, to customize the generator.

See Chapter 3 for information on modifying an applied generator.

Themes Browser

The Themes Browser presents transitions and titles that share design elements. These transitions and titles are also available in the Transitions Browser and Titles Browser. See the earlier sections in this chapter for more details on working with transitions and titles.

Enhancements

The Enhancements pop-up menu facilitates automatic and manual adjustments for color grading video and fixing audio issues.

Match Color and Match Audio

Creating a consistent look or sound across your project is easily achieved with the Match Color and Match Audio features.

1. Select the “bad color” or “bad audio” clip in the Timeline.

2. From the Enhancements pop-up, choose Match Color or Match Audio.

3. As instructed in the Viewer, select the source “good” clip.

4. If you like the results, click Apply Match; otherwise, repeat from step 3.