Timeline Basics

After you import and organize your media in the Event Library, you can then begin creating a rough cut.

First, make sure that you have a new Project open. Each Project corresponds to one timeline and will be saved in an Event inside your main Library. Make sure that all Projects are appropriately named and saved in the same Library as the media you will be using in the Project.

With your Project open, you can select parts of clips, whole clips, or groups of clips, and bring them down to the timeline using multiple methods. In addition to dragging and dropping, you can also use the three edit buttons at the bottom of the Event Library seen in the image below.

1. Drag and Drop is the simplest, but also least efficient, way of bringing down media from the Event Library to the Timeline. The media can be placed on the Timeline either directly on the Storyline or as Connected Media.

2. Connected Edit (Q) places the clip from the Event Library above or below the main Storyline, creating what is called Connected Media. This media is connected to a certain point in the main Storyline, denoted by a small line connecting the two. By default, video is always connected above the Storyline, while audio without video is connected below the Storyline.

3. Insert Edit (W) splits clips already on the timeline where your playhead is, and inserts the clip from the Event Library onto your timeline, pushing the rest of the timeline media further down.

4. Append Edit (E) places the clip from the Event Library at the end of your timeline.

Note that the main storyline is a magnetic timeline, and the video will always come together automatically to close any gaps, unless you insert Filler or use the Position tool.

 

TOOLS

There are seven basic tools you can access from the Tool Palette just below the Event Library.

1. Select (A) is your primary tool. It allows you to do selecting, moving, and basic trimming of clips on the timeline. You can also create keyframes to raise or lower audio levels at a certain point. To create a keyframe, Option Click on the audio level indicator on the audio/video clip.

2. Trim (T) can trim away extra media on a clip or add extra media from the original clip. You can also trim two adjacent clips simultaneously moving the edit point in between them. Lastly, you can also access Slip and Slide commands by clicking on the center of a clip with the trim tool or command-clicking on a clip.  Slip will allow you to change the content of clip by moving the in and out points for the clip while maintaining the duration. Slide will trim the previous edit point before a clip and the next edit point after a clip. Note that all of these actions can be done in a variety of ways, but using trimming tools can be a very efficient way to refine your timeline.

3. Position (P) will automatically create Filler when you move a clip to a later time in the timeline. This is one way to temporarily ignore the magnetic timeline.

4. Range Selection (R) is a very useful tool that allows you select part of a clip, or multiple clips, on the timeline. One possible use for this is to adjust audio levels within the range, automatically creating dynamic keyframes.

5. Blade (B) divides a clip on the timeline, allowing you to separate the two halves, or delete extraneous media.

6. Zoom (Z) is one way to adjust your timeline view settings. You can also use the keyboard shortcuts ⌘ – and ⌘ = as well as ⇧ Z to adjust your timeline view.

7. Hand (H) tool allows you to move your frame of reference within a frame of video, or up and down the timeline.

 

Timeline

Click on the image below to view a larger version of it. Different media types, useful buttons, and other areas of interest are labeled in the image.

1. Timeline Index. Opens up a small section to the left of your timeline that allows you to view a list of clips, markers, and other notes related to the media on your timeline.

2. Skimming. These buttons toggle on and off video/audio skimming, allowing you to see and listen to your timeline media while moving your playhead through it, or while rewinding or fast-forwarding using J or L.

3. Snapping. Toggles on and off the snapping function, which allows your curser and tools to snap precisely to edit points or the playhead.

4. View Settings. These settings adjust the timeline view level, as well as the clip height, waveform display, and other timeline display options.

5. VU Meter. Shows the audio levels while playing or skimming through clips. If the level peaks, hitting +6 dB, than you audio is too loud and will distort on many sound systems.  Most audio should be averaging around -12 db and going no higher than -6 or 0 db.  You may have to dynamically adjust some audio levels by using Key Frames or the Range Selection tool.

 

Now that you have brought your media down to the timeline you can begin adding titles, transitions and other elements from within FCP.

This page was written by Kevin May for the University of Oregon Cinema Studies Department, and is published under Creative Commons license (CC BY NC SA 3.0).

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