Apple Final Cut Express HD - Manual (Page 32)

32 Part I An Introduction to Final Cut Express HD
Step 1: Planning
Planning is where you choose your basic workflow, such as offline and online editing
(for projects with a lot of media) or editing the uncompressed footage (for shorter
projects with quick turnaround times), choose input and output formats, and plan for
equipment requirements (such as hard disk space), timecode and sync requirements,
special effects shots and color correction, audio mixing requirements, and so on.
Planning for post-production primarily means preparing for each of the upcoming
post-production phases: choosing input and output formats; acquiring your original
footage, music, and graphics; deciding on a logging and capturing method; choosing
an editing strategy; and planning the scope of effects you will be adding so you can
determine how much time and support you will need to dedicate to them.
Step 2: Setting up
In this phase, you set up your editing system by installing and connecting the hardware
you need, as well as configuring your software. For example, before logging and
capturing, you need to connect the video and audio from your camcorder or VTR (video
tape recorder) to your computer. You also need to make sure that the correct presets are
chosen within Final Cut Express HD, so that Final Cut Express HD knows what video and
audio formats you are capturing and what kind of device control you’re using. (Device
control allows Final Cut Express HD to remotely control video and audio devices.)
Step 3: Capturing and importing
Once you’ve set up your editing system, you need to sort through your raw footage
and then transfer it to your computer’s hard disk for editing.
Capturing is the process of getting source media from your video camcorder or
deck onto your computer’s hard disk. You can use the device control capabilities
of Final Cut Express HD and your DV camcorder to do this. (Device control allows
Final Cut Express HD to control a DV camcorder through a FireWire connection.)
Final Cut Express HD allows you the flexibility of capturing individual clips or an
entire tape.
You can also import QuickTime, audio, and graphics files, such as a music track from a
CD, a still image, or a layered Photoshop file. You can import files at any time during
your project. For example, if someone is creating an elaborate graphics file for an
opening sequence, you may be in the midst of editing before the finished file is ready
to import.