Creating digital motion effects could be the most fun you’ll ever have without getting arrested. Modern mass media relies heavily on the same techniques you’ll be introduced to in this chapter. Once you understand the role of each basic building block of effects creation, you’ll never look at movies and TV in the same way again, because you’ll be able to see how complex visuals are constructed.
The effects creation tools found in Final Cut Express are designed to be easy to use, but effects tools are the most challenging part of the FCE interface to master.
This chapter offers an overview of the basic elements you combine and sculpt to create effects, provides details on how to apply effects to your sequence, and shows where you can modify those effects.
As you start to apply effects, it’s important to keep this in mind: Adding a clip from the Browser to a sequence in the Timeline places a copy of the clip in the sequence. By placing a clip in a sequence, you create a new instance of the clip. Before you modify a clip with effects, be sure you have selected the correct copy of the clip you want to change. This rule is central to understanding editing in Final Cut Express. For more information, see “FCE Protocol: Clips and Sequences” in Chapter 4.
The basic building blocks you use to create video effects are fairly simple. You can generate complex effects by combining and then animating images using the processes described here.
Layering is an arrangement of multiple clips at one point in time, each clip in its own track. Superimposing a title over a video clip is a simple example of layering, with the video clip forming the background layer and the title forming the foreground layer. Other layering arrangements require making the upper layers semitransparent, so you can see the image in the background layer.
Compositing can be any process that combines two or more image layers to create an effect. Compositing techniques can include the adjustment of one or more image layers’ transparency and the selection of a Composite mode, which is the algorithm that controls the way the image layers are combined.
Motion properties are image modification tools that control a clip’s size and shape, its position in the frame, and its designated center point, among other characteristics. The tools that are grouped together on the Motion tab don’t always have an obvious connection to image movement; for example, the Opacity controls are located there. However, making incremental adjustments to a clip’s size, position, and angle of rotation are basic steps in animating a static element—that’s when things start to move.
Filters are image modifiers that process the image data in a clip. Over time, filters have developed into a diverse effects category that includes everything from basic tools, such as brightness, contrast, and color controls, to complex 3D simulators.
Opacity refers to a clip’s level of transparency. A clip with an opacity level of 100 percent is completely opaque; one with an opacity level of 0 percent is completely transparent. Adjusting opacity is a basic procedure in compositing layers of images. Alpha channels and mattes are a means of adjusting opacity in selected portions of an image. You can adjust a clip’s opacity on the Viewer’s Motion tab or by using the opacity clip overlay in the Timeline.
Generators are effects that create (or generate) new video information rather than modify existing video. Generators are useful for producing utility items such as black frames (known as slug), a plain-colored background, or text titles.
You can access Final Cut Express’s effects features in a variety of places:
The Browser’s Effects tab (Figure 14.1) displays folders containing all the types of effects available in Final Cut Express except motion properties.
The same effects found on the Browser’s Effects tab are also available from the Effects menu (Figure 14.2).
Motion properties are applied to every clip automatically. Open a clip in the Viewer and click the Motion tab to access a clip’s motion controls.
You can apply effects to clips and sequences in the following ways:
Select a clip in the Timeline and then choose an effect from the Effects menu.
Select an effect from a folder on the Effects tab of the Browser and drag it onto the clip.
Select a customized effect or motion from the Favorites folder on the Effects tab of the Browser and drag it to the clip to apply it.
Choose a generator from the Generator pop-up menu in the lower-right corner of the Viewer.
Open a Timeline or a Browser clip in the Viewer; then use the controls on the clip’s Motion tab to apply motion effects.
Open a Timeline clip in the Canvas; then use the Canvas’s Image+Wireframe mode overlay to animate a motion path.
You can make adjustments to effects you’ve already applied in the following ways:
Double-click the clip in the Timeline; then select the Audio, Filters, or Motion tab in the Viewer and use the controls to make your adjustments. Figure 14.3 illustrates the operation of the controls found on the Filters, Motion, and Controls tabs.
In the Timeline, adjust opacity or audio level keyframe locations in the clip’s clip overlay level line. Figure 14.4 shows an overview of the effects tools and procedures available in the Timeline window.
In the Canvas, turn on Image+Wireframe mode and adjust a clip’s motion properties (motion properties also include a static clip’s size, position, and opacity) or use motion keyframes to animate a motion path. For more information, see Chapter 15, “Motion.”
Whenever you create motion paths, change filters over time, sculpt audio levels, or just fade to black, you need to use keyframes. Think of a keyframe as a kind of edit point—you set a keyframe at the point at which you want to change the value of an effect’s parameter. Keyframes work the same way wherever they are applied.
You don’t need keyframes to set a single level or value that applies to an entire clip; keyframes are required only if you want to change the value at some point within the clip. After you have added the first keyframe to a clip, Final Cut Express adds a new keyframe automatically whenever you change an effect setting for that clip at a different point in time.
When you use a keyframe to change a parameter, you have the option of making that keyframe a curve type. Curve-type keyframes have two added controls: Bézier handles, which you can use to fine-tune the shape of the motion path’s curve, and ease handles, which you can use to fine-tune a clip’s speed immediately before and after the keyframe location. You can also use curve-type keyframes to fine-tune the rate of change in an effect parameter’s level. Converting a keyframe from a corner type to a curve type is sometimes called smoothing a keyframe. For more information on keyframe types, see “Adjusting motion path curves and corners” in Chapter 15.
Final Cut Express has two types of keyframe graphs: clip overlays and motion paths.
Clip overlays (or keyframe overlays) are displayed as line graphs right on top of the track display in the Timeline (Figure 14.5) and over the waveform display on the Viewer’s Audio tab. Keyframe overlays indicate clip opacity (for video clips) and volume level and stereo pan position (for audio clips).
Figure 14.5. Clip overlays are displayed as line graphs right on top of the track display in the Timeline. The overlay in this figure controls opacity. Corner-style keyframes appear at the beginning of the clip; a curve-type keyframe with Bézier handles appears at the clip’s end. Hide and show level line overlays by clicking the Clip Overlays button in the lower-left corner of the Timeline.
For more information, see “Working with keyframes in the Timeline” later in this chapter.
Motion keyframes are set and sculpted in the Image+Wireframe display in the Canvas (Figure 14.6) or in the Viewer. Enable Image+Wireframe mode, and a wireframe overlay appears on your clip image. This wireframe overlay features controls you can use to graphically manipulate the size, shape, and position of your clip’s image. Image+Wireframe mode is the best mode to use to manipulate a clip’s motion properties and to create motion paths.
Figure 14.6. Motion keyframes appear on the wireframe overlay in the Canvas (or the Viewer) when Image+Wireframe mode is enabled.
For information on working with motion keyframes, see Chapter 15, “Motion.”
Table 14.1 shows keyboard shortcuts for jumping forward and backward through a series of keyframes and for adding a motion keyframe. These keyboard shortcuts work for the Timeline’s clip overlays and the Canvas’s wireframe overlay. These shortcuts will boost your speed and accuracy and are highly recommended.
Even in a compact screen layout, FCE offers a variety of techniques to help you get a grip on your keyframe’s positioning:
On the effect’s Viewer tab, use the incremental controls (the tiny arrows at either end of the effect parameter control sliders) to nudge values by +1 or by –1, or enter an exact numeric value in the parameter’s text field.
In the Timeline or the Viewer, hold down the Command key while you drag a keyframe. This enables gear-down dragging, which allows you to move the keyframe in precise increments.
Shift-drag to change both the value and the keyframe’s point in time simultaneously (Figure 14.7).
To set keyframes at precise intervals, use timecode entry to jump the Timeline or Canvas playhead by a precise number of frames (Figure 14.8); then add your keyframe.
You can edit and adjust keyframes in the Timeline’s keyframe overlay. These graphs are overlaid on top of the track display in the Timeline. Video clips display the clip opacity level; audio clips display the volume level and stereo pan position.
To display keyframe overlays in the Timeline:
In the Timeline, click the Clip Overlays control in the lower-left corner (Figure 14.9).
To add an overlay keyframe to a track:
From the Tool palette, select the Pen tool.
On the selected clip’s keyframe overlay graph, click where you want to place the keyframe (Figure 14.10).
A new keyframe is added to the overlay.
Tips
Any time you’re working with the Selection tool, the fastest way to a Pen tool is to press Option. The Selection tool switches to Pen tool mode as long as you’re holding down the Option key.
Did you just add one keyframe too many? Press Option, and your Pen tool toggles to Pen Delete mode. Click that extra keyframe to delete it; then release the Option key.
To adjust the values of individual overlay keyframes:
Do one of the following:
Using the Pen tool or the Selection tool, drag overlay keyframes vertically to adjust their values. As you drag, a tooltip appears, displaying the parameter’s value (Figure 14.11).
Using the Selection tool, drag the level line between two overlay keyframes to adjust its position.
Using the Pen tool, Shift-drag the level line between two overlay keyframes to adjust its position.
To delete overlay keyframes:
Do one of the following:
You can designate an effect, transition, or generator as a Favorite. Favorite effects are placed in the Favorites folder on the Browser’s Effects tab. Favorites provide an easy way to save an effect that you want to reproduce later. For more information on creating and using favorites, see “Working with Default and Favorite Transitions” in Chapter 13.
To create a Favorite effect by saving its settings:
In the Timeline, double-click the clip with the effect you want to make a Favorite.
The clip opens in the Viewer.
Select the Filters or the Controls tab to access the selected effect’s controls.
Select the effect in the Name column (Figure 14.12); then drag the effect’s name from its control bar to the Favorites folder on the Browser’s Effects tab.
Tip
If you’ve created a set of Favorite effects for use in a particular project, you can archive those effects by dragging the Favorites folder (or selected Favorite effects) from the Browser’s Effects tab onto your project tab. Your project’s Favorite effects are saved with the project file.
To create a Favorite effect before changing its settings:
On the Effects tab in the Browser, select an effect and drag it to the Favorites folder (Figure 14.13).
Open the Favorites folder; then double-click the effect.
The effect opens in the Viewer.
Adjust the effect’s settings (Figure 14.14); then close the Viewer.
In the Favorites folder, rename the new effect (Figure 14.15).
