applying video/audio effects at the track level at DVinfo.net

Josh Bass · January 24th, 2008, 03:45 AM

Okay, I feel like this is a really basic, dumb question, but neither my Visual QuickPro Guide nor google has turned up an answer.

So, again, referring to Vegas, you can apply effects at the the clip/event level, the media level, and the track level. Now, how can a program as powerful and widely used as FCP not have the option to apply effects to the entire track instead of only to clips? I feel like I must be missing something, but I can't find a way to do it.

the only thing I've found is that you can select everything in a track, and then drag your effect to the selection anywhere, and it'll apply that effect to all the clips you've selected. However, then you can't make a change to the effect that affects all clips at the same time, or can you?

Say I just want to apply a compressor or EQ setting to my A1 track, and then be able to adjust that setting for the entire track. . .how do I do that? This is crazy. I must be missing something.

Andy Mees · January 24th, 2008, 04:16 AM

again Josh, one thats been on my own wish list *** for a long time .... though a deficiency that has been overlooked probably because the workaround is relatively simple

basically, if you want to apply an effect to a whole track then simply select that track (ttt = track select tool, then click on the track) and then press opt-c (or sequence > nest items) ... give it a name ands press ok. that groups the track contents as a single item and then you can drop a filter to affect that whole track

not what you're used to, but this is the way it is achieved in FCP

*** my wish list!

surely easily do-able category
-----------------------------------
* Ability to jog field by field.
* Controls to dertermine how speed changes are applied in the timeline
(eg for constant speed, a checkbox to "Maintain clip duration" ... and for variable speed the opposite!)
* Extend edit in "Ripple" mode.
* Versatile audio patchbay for mapping tracks to multiple outputs simultaneously.
* Paste "before" playhead rather than "after" ... paste insert/overwrite currently only works as a three point edit with the sequence playhead as the record in, we should have the option to use the playhead as the record out
* Ability to optionally lock focus to the viewer window when insert/overwrite editing etc
* Enhanced overlays for 16:9 canvas aspect including, but not limited to, 4:3 safe, 4:3 guides, 14:9 guides, center cross, and fully user adjustable guides
* Allow slide tool to work on a multiple consecutive clip selection
* Allow clip markers to be visible in the timeline
* Add capacity to manage Easy Setups in the Audio/Video Settings window, plus expand the mangement features for this window to allow Enabling and Disabling of presets/setups without deletion

worth the effort category
------------------------------
* Advanced keyframe control. eg Ability to select individual or multiple keyframes for Cut/Copy/Paste, Ability to drag multiple keyframes, Abilty to Cut/Copy/Paste individual keyframe attributes
* Smart bins.
* Still should have metadata describing composite originals so that one can "Match Frame" to original (choosing from list of originals if necessary)
* Realtime feedback during capture. We need to be able to see current timecode from tape plus all relevant data about clip being captured, number of clips remaining to be captured (not including current capture), total duration of those remaining clips etc
* Ability to add markers and metadata during capture
* Advanced Paste / Remove Attributes control ... allow to paste / remove specific attributes of any group rather than the current all or nothing approach, this would include generating a list of all filters applied within the selection and allow to paste / remove any combination of those applied filters from the whole.
* Live scrubbing feature (skimming) ... please note this should not be a "revolutionary" new version of FCP big fanfare addition, it's no more than an extension of the current icon scrubbing capacity but deserves inclusion.
* Add a drop down menu to the “Always scale clips to sequence size” preference, with options for Off, Squeeze, Crop and Letterbox ... this single preference should govern both upscale and downscale (either that or separate controls for both are needed)
* Ability to collapse and expand nests within the timeline ie insert/delete additional tracks needed to display the nested sequence item
* Ability to toggle on/off realtime output of overlays to external video playback
* Background rendering that leverages underutilised processors
* Ability to collapse and convert a selection of tracks in the timeline to a Multiclip or Multiclip Sequence ... this is just offering a method of graphically creating a Multiclip item
* and can we please sort out the whole Auto Select / Track Patch / Sync Lock / Track Lock muddle ... it seems there is too much separation of function here which obstructs rather than empowers the user.

needs fixing category
-------------------------
* User contol over non-native playback modes .... eg when working in HD and setting video playback to DV then let the user determine wheteher they want that downconvert to be Squeezed, Cropped, Letterboxed, or just center cut with no resize (Off) ... currently the lack of control means users cannoyt configure the output to match their environment (or in other words, in todays widescreen world, it only works for users with 4:3 displays)
* Icon view images currently do not display in their correct aspect ratio when the masterclip is flagged "Anamorphic" that should be fixed/added in the next version
* Nesting. It works very well when you're careful, but on the whole its just too easy to create orphaned instances that don't refer to the supposed original ... its just not foolproof enough.

big ticket wishful thinking category
------------------------------------------
* Media database, tracking all project media by reel and timecode and metadata
* Enhanced Media Manager tool, leveraging a full project media database substructure, allowing pause and resume of MM routines, plus full recovery from expected and unexpected process interuption
* Increase the range of system hooks to enhance and extend Control Surface support
* Ability to add filters not just at the clip level, but also at track and sequence levels (without nesting)
* XDCAM proxy editing support with background or on demand autoconform to high res
* Open up FCP to Automator/Applescript

version 4 was all about HD
version 5 was all about multiclip (and under the hood, qt7 multitrack audio support)
version 6 is all about mixed formats timelines

... all good, but notably lacking in the sometimes smaller, but nonetheless important, enhancements to FCP's primary editing toolset

roll on FCP7

Josh Bass · January 24th, 2008, 04:28 AM

Wow. I'm sorry I made you respond so hard. thanks for the tip, though.

Andy Mees · January 24th, 2008, 06:59 AM

Josh mate, i cut and paste that every chance i get, my hope is that maybe some FCP developer will chance across it and act on it if I post it widely enough. In the meantime you can use it to reference whether what you're looking for is in FCP already or not .... if its on my list its not :-(

January 24th, 2008, 03:45 AM	#1
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	applying video/audio effects at the track level Okay, I feel like this is a really basic, dumb question, but neither my Visual QuickPro Guide nor google has turned up an answer. So, again, referring to Vegas, you can apply effects at the the clip/event level, the media level, and the track level. Now, how can a program as powerful and widely used as FCP not have the option to apply effects to the entire track instead of only to clips? I feel like I must be missing something, but I can't find a way to do it. the only thing I've found is that you can select everything in a track, and then drag your effect to the selection anywhere, and it'll apply that effect to all the clips you've selected. However, then you can't make a change to the effect that affects all clips at the same time, or can you? Say I just want to apply a compressor or EQ setting to my A1 track, and then be able to adjust that setting for the entire track. . .how do I do that? This is crazy. I must be missing something. __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

January 24th, 2008, 04:28 AM	#3
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	Wow. I'm sorry I made you respond so hard. thanks for the tip, though. __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

January 24th, 2008, 04:16 AM	#2
Andy Mees Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Posts: 645	again Josh, one thats been on my own wish list * for a long time .... though a deficiency that has been overlooked probably because the workaround is relatively simple basically, if you want to apply an effect to a whole track then simply select that track (ttt = track select tool, then click on the track) and then press opt-c (or sequence > nest items) ... give it a name ands press ok. that groups the track contents as a single item and then you can drop a filter to affect that whole track not what you're used to, but this is the way it is achieved in FCP * my wish list! surely easily do-able category ----------------------------------- * Ability to jog field by field. * Controls to dertermine how speed changes are applied in the timeline (eg for constant speed, a checkbox to "Maintain clip duration" ... and for variable speed the opposite!) * Extend edit in "Ripple" mode. * Versatile audio patchbay for mapping tracks to multiple outputs simultaneously. * Paste "before" playhead rather than "after" ... paste insert/overwrite currently only works as a three point edit with the sequence playhead as the record in, we should have the option to use the playhead as the record out * Ability to optionally lock focus to the viewer window when insert/overwrite editing etc * Enhanced overlays for 16:9 canvas aspect including, but not limited to, 4:3 safe, 4:3 guides, 14:9 guides, center cross, and fully user adjustable guides * Allow slide tool to work on a multiple consecutive clip selection * Allow clip markers to be visible in the timeline * Add capacity to manage Easy Setups in the Audio/Video Settings window, plus expand the mangement features for this window to allow Enabling and Disabling of presets/setups without deletion worth the effort category ------------------------------ * Advanced keyframe control. eg Ability to select individual or multiple keyframes for Cut/Copy/Paste, Ability to drag multiple keyframes, Abilty to Cut/Copy/Paste individual keyframe attributes * Smart bins. * Still should have metadata describing composite originals so that one can "Match Frame" to original (choosing from list of originals if necessary) * Realtime feedback during capture. We need to be able to see current timecode from tape plus all relevant data about clip being captured, number of clips remaining to be captured (not including current capture), total duration of those remaining clips etc * Ability to add markers and metadata during capture * Advanced Paste / Remove Attributes control ... allow to paste / remove specific attributes of any group rather than the current all or nothing approach, this would include generating a list of all filters applied within the selection and allow to paste / remove any combination of those applied filters from the whole. * Live scrubbing feature (skimming) ... please note this should not be a "revolutionary" new version of FCP big fanfare addition, it's no more than an extension of the current icon scrubbing capacity but deserves inclusion. * Add a drop down menu to the “Always scale clips to sequence size” preference, with options for Off, Squeeze, Crop and Letterbox ... this single preference should govern both upscale and downscale (either that or separate controls for both are needed) * Ability to collapse and expand nests within the timeline ie insert/delete additional tracks needed to display the nested sequence item * Ability to toggle on/off realtime output of overlays to external video playback * Background rendering that leverages underutilised processors * Ability to collapse and convert a selection of tracks in the timeline to a Multiclip or Multiclip Sequence ... this is just offering a method of graphically creating a Multiclip item * and can we please sort out the whole Auto Select / Track Patch / Sync Lock / Track Lock muddle ... it seems there is too much separation of function here which obstructs rather than empowers the user. needs fixing category ------------------------- * User contol over non-native playback modes .... eg when working in HD and setting video playback to DV then let the user determine wheteher they want that downconvert to be Squeezed, Cropped, Letterboxed, or just center cut with no resize (Off) ... currently the lack of control means users cannoyt configure the output to match their environment (or in other words, in todays widescreen world, it only works for users with 4:3 displays) * Icon view images currently do not display in their correct aspect ratio when the masterclip is flagged "Anamorphic" that should be fixed/added in the next version * Nesting. It works very well when you're careful, but on the whole its just too easy to create orphaned instances that don't refer to the supposed original ... its just not foolproof enough. big ticket wishful thinking category ------------------------------------------ * Media database, tracking all project media by reel and timecode and metadata * Enhanced Media Manager tool, leveraging a full project media database substructure, allowing pause and resume of MM routines, plus full recovery from expected and unexpected process interuption * Increase the range of system hooks to enhance and extend Control Surface support * Ability to add filters not just at the clip level, but also at track and sequence levels (without nesting) * XDCAM proxy editing support with background or on demand autoconform to high res * Open up FCP to Automator/Applescript version 4 was all about HD version 5 was all about multiclip (and under the hood, qt7 multitrack audio support) version 6 is all about mixed formats timelines ... all good, but notably lacking in the sometimes smaller, but nonetheless important, enhancements to FCP's primary editing toolset roll on FCP7

January 24th, 2008, 06:59 AM	#4
Andy Mees Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Posts: 645	Josh mate, i cut and paste that every chance i get, my hope is that maybe some FCP developer will chance across it and act on it if I post it widely enough. In the meantime you can use it to reference whether what you're looking for is in FCP already or not .... if its on my list its not :-(