Final Cut Pro X - 2: Add Clips and Media and Learn the Final Cut Interface

Click images to enlarge them.

1. Import clips from the camcorder. Connect your camcorder to the computer using the mini usb cable. The USB connection is on the back of the monitor and the mini usb connection for the camera is on the bottom right side behind a plastic cover.

Power on the camcorder and press the playback button on the side of the camera behind the LCD screen.
On the touch panel choose connect to computer/printer.
In Final Cut Pro X go to “File” then “Import” then “Media”
From the capture window you can highlight and select individual clips for import or choose “Import All”
Make sure you Add to the existing event you named in step #4.
Leave all defaults in place including copy files to library.
Close the capture window when done.

2. Importing additional media files.
To import additional video, pictures, and audio files from other locations such as the desktop go to “File” then “Import → Media”.

You can add them to an existing event or create a new event. You can choose to import all from a folder or select individual clips.

Make sure the box is checked for copy files to library (unless the files are already on the hard drive).

3. Final Cut Pro X Interface Elements

1. Library: this is where your clips are stored.
2. Canvas: this window previews your video from the library or the timeline.
3. Timeline: this is where you edit and build your movie.

4. Tools & effects palettes

4. Tools: Contain tools for selecting, trimming, cutting clips, and manipulating the timeline.
5. Effects: This menu contains video filters, effects, audio effects, and the green screen key.
6. Transitions: This menu contains video transitions, which are smoother ways to blend one clip into the next vs a jump cut (cutting from one clip to the next).
7. Titles: This is the titles menu. It has contains over 80 presets titles.
8. Inspector: This menu allows you to change options such as, scale, opacity, crop, color balance, audio levels, and text font, style, size, and color.

5. Adding video to timeline from Event Library

Mouse over and highlight a clip in the browser and drag and drop it into the primary storyline track (the dark gray area) of your timeline.

Moving clips in timeline
To move the clip around in the timeline, left click to pick it up and drag in to another spot. Clips will move out of the way when using the selection tool. When using the position tool you can overwrite parts of other clips.

6. Trimming with in and out points in the Event Library

Before adding video your timeline you can trim the video to add one segment of the clip to the timeline. Highlight and select a clip and press spacebar to preview it.

To trim the clip, highlight a specific section using the mouse. Only the part inside the yellow marquee box is selected. For those familiar with past versions of Final Cut you can use “I” for in and “o” for out to mark your in and out points. Mouse over the center of the selection and when you see the hand grabber tool appear its safe to drag and drop that selection into your timeline.

7. Playback in the Timeline

Press spacebar to play video in the timeline. In the Canvas you can also press the play button.

Notice the playhead marker (red arrowhead with a red vertical line) coming down from the top of the timeline. This indicates the exact frame you are on and should moved be to the left of the clip you wish to play. To move the playhead left click or left click and drag.

8. Deleting clips
To delete a clip in the timeline, highlight clip and press ‘delete’ or backspace key on the keyboard. This will close any gaps. If you use the small home ‘delete’ key located to the right of the backspace delete key then it leaves a gap with a blank video.