Apple Final Cut Pro 5 - Manual (Page 1010)

Chapter 12 Changing Motion Parameters 223
II
Using Cartesian Geometry to Position Clips
Final Cut Pro compositing features use simple Cartesian geometry to position clips
within the frame defined by the Canvas. This makes the process of symmetrically
arranging layered clips easier and more precise. Even though it’s possible to eyeball a
lot of compositions, a little math can go a long way, especially when you want to start
creating more precise motion effects using keyframes.
In Final Cut Pro, the center point of a layer is always relative to the center point of the
Canvas; the center point of the Canvas is always 0,0.
To position clips using their x and y coordinates, you enter appropriate values in the
Center number fields for the Basic Motion parameters.
To move a clip to the right:
m Enter a positive value in the clip’s x coordinate.
To move a clip to the left:
m Enter a negative value in the clip’s x coordinate.
To move a clip down:
m Enter a positive value in the clip’s y coordinate.
To move a clip up:
m Enter a negative value in the clip’s y coordinate.
Canvas center point
(0, 0)
-360 pixels +360 pixels
-240 pixels
+240 pixels