The movie 'Cold Mountain' was edited on stock FCP systems -

http://maccentral.macworld.com/news/2003/12/19/murch/

They could set up 4 FCP editing systems for the cost of one Avid system. The article also points out that the Coen brothers new movie 'Intolerable Cruelty' was also edited on FCP.

At the end of the article it recommends that aspiring editors start to learn their trade on FCE then move up when they can.

I shot my film using the DVX-100 in 4:3.

I'm using FCP 3 to edit.

I edited my footage, but now I want to add the widescreen look (black bars on top and bottom).

What is the best way to do that?

Step by step would be great.

I remember doing it in an editing class I took and it took a few cllicks of the mouse, and some rendering if I remember correctly.

Let me know how to do it.

Thank you.

Go into the motion controls and crop your footage. If you for some reason want it to look exactly like 16:9 letterboxed, then use the widescreen filter as a guide.

I have always just added the Widescreen filter set to 1:78 (from memory gives you 16x9)
Is there a benefit to crop using the Motion tab options?

I use to be able to select Export, using QuickTime conversion, then select MPEG2 option. But now that option has vanished.

I recently updated to Quictime 6.5 and FCP 4.1.1

Anyone know how to get this option back. I guess re-installing DVDSP will do it. Ideas?

renders faster :)

good idea, thanks for the tip!

I'm about to purchase a power mac g5 dual 2.o, AJA IO, and 750 gb xserve. The only thing that cocerns me is how is there support. I Don't want to spend all this money and my system be down all the time. I need to be very productive with this system. Also I'm migrating from a windows bases DPS Velocity sys, IF ANYBODY HAS FINAL CUT PRO 4.0 TRAINING VIDEOS OR DVDS I'D BE INTERESTED IN TALKING TO YOU


TORREY C. HARRIS
LT Productions llc
Cell# 1-985-969-6203
Home# 1-225-209-9640

Hi Torrey,

As far as CD and DVD traing goes, the best source is what my good friend Philip Hodgetts has to offer http://www.intelligentassistance.com and http://www.dvguys.com

Also, Steve Martin from Ripple Training has to offer http://www.rippletraining.com

Also some free learning resources:
http://kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/fcp_homepage_index.html
http://www.creativecow.net/index.php?forumid=8
http://www.creativecow.net/index.php?forumid=79&hubid=6

You can also find out what free User Groups are available in your area at http://www.apple.com/usergroups Perhaps you could start your own FCP User Group!

Here's a neat link to see how others use Apple Video Solutions http://www.apple.com/pro/index/index.html#provideo

Please do keep in touch!

- don

You may be interested in Apple's Professional Video SupportLine. (http://www.apple.com/support/products/provideo/index.html) The cost is $800 a year and includes support 7 days a week from 8am to 8pm. If you don't need that type of support there are support boards on the web to aid in answering your questions.

For what it is worth, if you can manage to take some time off between January 5-9 and if you are able to make your way down to the South Bay area, there is also MacWorld San Francisco http://www.macworldexpo.com

You'll get to interface with all of the manufacturers and hundreds of exhibitors http://www.macworldexpo.com/macworldexposf/V40/exhibitor_list/exnamelist.cvn?id=1,1,2&sort_letter=a

Plus our FCPUG MacWorld Theatre will be bigger than ever this year, with a huge offering of training sessions and filmmaker showcase http://maccentral.macworld.com/news/2003/12/04/expo/index.php?redirect=1070541856000 A great way to meet and greet fellow industry experts and network with fellow FCPUG-associated filmmakers from around the world.

Neat little clip: http://www.macworldexpo.com/convdata/macworldexposf/brochures/mwsf03-14mb.mov

One of my favorite extra-curricular activities in SF is to visit the CityLights Bookstore near Jack Kerouac Street on Columbus Ave http://www.citylights.com.

If anyone is planning on attending, definitely let me know! A fun time is guaranteed for all.


- don

Has anyone experienced a problem navigating to open files with Quicktime (including today's upgrade) in Panther? When I open QT, suddenly everything turns to molasses. If I click on a file to open it in Quicktime, there's about a 3-second lag before the "open" button in the file viewer window becomes highlighted to click.

I re-installed DVDSP and the latest update 2.0.3 and its all back to normal. Thanks.

Are you saying Quicktime was updated today or was Panther updated today? Did it do this before said update? I've noticed no problems on my crappy eMac office computer with Quicktime 6 and Panther. I don't have Panther at home.

I updated Quicktime today (through software update) hoping that would take care of the sluggishness. It's been slow ever since I upgraded to Panther. Before that, no problem.

how do I add transitions to clips that are between 10-20 seconds in length w/o getting this "insufficiant content for edit" crap? anybody run into this thorn before?

Think about it: If you are doing a transition, you need footage from both of the clips. If there is not enough footage for the transition, you cannot do it.

One way to put the transition in is to get rid of a bit of each clip, move them together, then drag the transition on. You need "hidden" footage there for the transition to work.