Final Cut: Rendering & Exporting

Rending in Final Cut Pro (same as Final Cut Express): watch the first 4 minutes

Exporting a High Quality Movie:

This post goes through a few methods of how to export your project into a Quicktime movie file (.mov). It covers exporting a reference movie, native format movie, or a lossless PNG movie. I suggest going with the native format option, but if it isn’t as high quality as you like try the longer option with the lossless PNG export.

Final Cut: Importing Audio

How to Import Musics Tracks to Final Cut Pro Projects from ehow.com

Music files can easily be brought into Final Cut Pro to be used in projects. Music can be selected from among the music files in the iTunes Library or anywhere else the music files are stored on the computer or even directly from a disk in the computer’s disk drive. These directions assume that the file has already been loaded onto the computer in some way.

1: Select “File” from the command list at the top of the Final Cut Pro window and under it select “Import” and “Files.”

2: Navigate the standard Choose a File window that opens. Assuming the file is stored in the iTunes library, select “Music,” and then the iTunes Music folder.

3: Choose the folder containing the proper files. The folders appearing at this point is organized by Artist. If the file needed did not have an artist listed, it can be found under Unknown Artists. If there are multiple albums in the iTunes Library by that artist, separate folders will appear from each. Select the correct file.

4: Use the Apple Icon button plus a mouse click to select multiple music files. Click the “Choose” button after all desire files are selected.

5: Find the file, or files, in the file list under the Project tab. If multiple files were imported, click on a file to break the collection of files, or they will remain attached.

6: Drag the music files to the audio track timelines in the desired location. The music files will not play until they are rendered. To do this, save the project. Then choose “Sequence and Render All,” and then “Audio.” If this does not work, move the playhead to the home position and try again. If this still does not work, select “Render Only.” Then select “Audio” and “For Playback.”

Final Cut: Stop-Motion

1: Make sure your photos are named in order if they aren’t already. If you shot your scenes out of order, you will need to rename so that they are in order.

2: Make sure all your photos are the same size. If needed, edit the photos using photoshop auto batching.

3: Once you have all your images in order, named correctly and the same size, open Final Cut Express.

4: In Final Cut Express change the preferences so that the “still/freeze duration” is set to the time you want each photo to be. User Prefs >Editing (tab) >Still/Freeze Duration. The time will depend on what you planned for. Test out a few different rates with a small number of images first. .1 seconds, .2 seconds, .3 seconds etc.

5: In your images folder, you can select all your images and drag them to the timeline, or use the insert command.

6: Now all your images should be on the timeline, in the right order, and set to the right time/length. Do a play test and see if it is how you want it.

7: If you need to extend or shorten the length of some images you can just select the image, right click, and choose “Duration”. Then you can change the duration for those images selected all at once.

8: Save your project and render (see other tips post)

9: Add music (see other tips post)

10: Export as a .mov (see other tips post)