Apple Final Cut Express 4 - Manual (Page 295)

Chapter 21 Working with Projects, Clips, and Sequences 295
VI
Sequences as Clips
Sequences are special containers for clips arranged in chronological order. However, in
some cases, sequences can also be treated as clips. For example, you can check the Item
Properties of a sequence just as you can for a clip, and information about the sequence
shows up in the Item Property columns in the Browser. You can also edit sequences into
other sequences. This is called nesting a sequence. For more information, see “
Nesting
Sequences ” on page 576.
Viewing and Changing the Properties of a Clip
Each item in the Browser, such as a clip, has a set of properties. You can view all the
properties of a clip in the Item Properties window as well as in columns in the Browser.
Some properties can be changed directly in the columns of the Browser; others can be
changed in the Item Properties window.
Changing Clip Properties in the Browser
Being able to change clip properties directly in the Browser columns is very convenient.
You don’t need to open any additional dialogs or windows unless you have a specific
reason for doing so. For example, you can clear the In or Out point of a clip, or enter a
comment in one of the Master Comment columns.
It’s just as easy to change the properties for multiple clips as it is for a single clip,
although some clip properties can only be changed one clip at a time. If you want to
quickly change many properties of a single clip, it may be easier to use the Item
Properties window.
For more information, see “ Viewing and Changing Clip Properties
in the Item Properties Window ” on page 296.
To change a clip’s property in a Browser column, do one of the following:
m Select a clip, click a column, then enter the new information in the text field.
If a text field doesn’t appear when you click or Control-click a column, the property
cannot be changed directly in the Browser. You may be able to change the property in
the Item Properties window, or it may be a property you can’t modify.
Once you’ve selected one text field in a column of the Browser that can be edited, you
can press Tab to automatically select that clip’s next editable property.
m Control-click a column for the clip or sequence you want to change, then choose an
option or setting from the shortcut menu.
You can select multiple clips and change them all at once. Some columns that allow
you to do this are the Good, Description, Pixel Aspect, Reel, and Anamorphic columns.