Apple Final Cut Express HD - Manual (Page 794)

794 Part IX Effects
Working With Layered Photoshop Files
You can create multilayered graphics in Adobe Photoshop for use in a composited
Final Cut Express HD sequence. This allows you to create a complex arrangement of
separate graphics elements and import them as a group, with their position and layer
ordering intact. Once you import layered Photoshop files, they appear as a sequence,
with each individual layer stacked. At this point, it’s easy to manipulate each layer
individually to create sophisticated composites.
Once imported, you can automatically open a layered Photoshop file in Photoshop to
make further changes by:
 Choosing View > Clip in Editor
 Control-clicking the file in the Browser or Timeline, then choosing Open in Editor
from the shortcut menu
You can make changes to any of the layers and save the file. When you return to
Final Cut Express HD, those changes are updated in the corresponding multilayered
sequence in your project.
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Tip: While compositing, you may need to make changes to different types of clips that
you’re using. You can select separate editing applications for three types of files: still
images, video, and audio. For more information, see “
Choosing Settings
and Preferences ” on page 945.
What Happens When You Import a Multilayered Photoshop File
Final Cut Express HD lets you import multilayered Photoshop files. Files created in any
version of Photoshop can be imported, but only Photoshop 3.0 features (such as
opacity, composite modes, layer order, and layer name) are supported for import.
If you’re working on a motion graphics sequence, you can lay out all the graphic
elements you want to animate in Photoshop as separate layers of painted and scanned
graphics. After you import the file, all your graphics are in place so you can quickly and
easily animate and add motion effects in Final Cut Express HD.