Usagi Yojimbo DojoBoard

Hello UYD,

I am taking a Final Cut Pro editing class at the local city college. Our first project was to create a montage commercial for Saturn or BMW. We were provided the clips. In the case of the Saturn we were also provided the sound track.

We were limited to cuts and cross disolves only. We could choose any music if we did the BMW. It has to be 1 minute long (59 sec, 29 frames).

I decided to do both. I will turn in the Saturn one for my grade. The BMW was fun because I chose the song and was experiementing with long clips vs. rapid cuts to match the music.

Saturn: http://gallery.mac.com/cmtakahara#100096

BMW: http://gallery.mac.com/cmtakahara#100111

It was a lot of fun. This is my first time using FCP. But I have used iMovie before. It's only been 5 classes so far, so I plan to get better.

Editing reminds me of comic book story telling. Each clip is like a panel. The editor decides what is the key elements needed to make the audience react. Of course I don't have to draw, which is good.

Peace, maka

My computer wouldn't let me watch it, but I'll try at work.

Sounds like a great class. Your process does sound similar to comics -- a different kind of sequential art. You are choosing images and pacing. Some writers compare film to comics by using terms like establishing shot, long shot, closeup, etc.

Where are you taking this class?

Andy wrote:My computer wouldn't let me watch it, but I'll try at work.

Hello Andy,

Where are you taking this class?

They are pretty large files (over 10MB) so even though it is streaming, it could take forever if you don't have a fast connection.

I'm taking the class at Santa Barbara City College. They have an amazing school of media arts: http://soma.sbcc.edu/content/index2.html. Not as good as Cal Arts, but what is.

Btw, I love your comic work you are doing. Thanks for sharing.

Peace, maka

Thanks for saying so. I'll have to have my son look at your school site.

Hello Ronin Ramblers,

My latest assignment was to do a 2-3 minute edit, a documentary style. I took scenes from Alan Berliner's "Wide Awake - Portrait of An Artists As Insomniac" HBO film, mixed in a few webpage captures, and added The Beatles and my voice, to create my own spin in this 2 min, 4 sec, and 25 frames video:

http://gallery.mac.com/cmtakahara#100113

Turns out my class is the last class teaching Final Cut Pro. The school is moving to AVID. I think they should teach both but they have their reasons. I'm fortunate to get in this last class because FCP is pretty fun to work with.

Peace, maka

I wish I could get 8-9 hours of sleep a night. I usually get about 6, so I guess I'll live the longest.

Very well done.

Maka-
well done. I also work with Final Cut, but for films and TV shows. I also train people on how to use it. If you have any questions with it, let me know maybe I can help ya.

Monkey wrote:Maka-
well done. I also work with Final Cut, but for films and TV shows. I also train people on how to use it. If you have any questions with it, let me know maybe I can help ya.

Thanks Monkey,

I'll let you know if I have any questions.

Here's a question, do you like working with AVID or FCP more? I'm a mac guy so I thought FCP would best meet my needs.

Probably it comes down to personal preference but I am always curious to what people like you who work in the industry think.

Peace, maka

Your're right. it is really personal preference.
Although, if that is somethign you are interested in doind out of school. You really need to know both to a certain degree. Good news is, one NLE system is really quite similar to the next.
I use AVID at work for TV stuff
and I use FCP for Personal use and film projects. I usually go back and forth all week for different things.

For what it's worth, other programs worth being knowlegdable in for video editing include (in no real order): Photoshop; After Efects and/or Motion (MAC); and if you really want to get crazy with it someday..Shake (MAC)

good thing is, as a mac user you ahve access to both FCP and AVID
PC users only have access tyo AVID ( as well as some "lesser" broadcast quality NLE programs.)
Probably more info than you need right now..

Maka,

I love the avid. I played around with it when I was on Star Wars. If you know FCP you should be able to pick up the Avid pretty fast. I learned how to use it in one night just by using my knowledge of Photoshop. I was able to edit a 2 hour Biography in a couple of days that same night. I tried Premiere before and didn't like it too much. I feel that Avid and FCP are much more intuituve.

Monkey had a good suggestion of learning other programs but I believe Shake is obselete now. You need to get a copy of Nuke which is taking the place of Shake. We were using Shake last year but now have upgraded to Nuke.

I haven't had a chance to look at your stuff but I definitely will soon. I love editing, it's so relaxing and fun. Sometimes I get so into it i don't realize I've edited throughout the night and it's the next morning already. Good luck with your class. Too bad they're not going to continue with the FCP classes. That's what we're using now on our films instead of Avid.

-Roe

Thanks Monkey and Roel,

Editting, at least on this level, is fun. I love it when I find a solution to something that isn't working. Once I just moved two frame ahead and it made all the difference. Amazing and cool.

I currently reading "Behind the Seen: How Walter Murch edited Cold Mountain using Apple's Final Cut Pro and what this means for Cinema." It's a great read. Interesting to see how a master like Murch creates a workflow for a big budget feature film.

I'm really just scratching the surface of FCP. It is a great tool for beginners like me. It is exciting that directors/editors like David Fincher/Angus Wall are making films with it. Some day I would like to explore avid too.

Peace, maka

Maka wrote:Thanks Monkey and Roel,

Editting, at least on this level, is fun. I love it when I find a solution to something that isn't working. Once I just moved two frame ahead and it made all the difference. Amazing and cool.

I currently reading "Behind the Seen: How Walter Murch edited Cold Mountain using Apple's Final Cut Pro and what this means for Cinema." It's a great read. Interesting to see how a master like Murch creates a workflow for a big budget feature film.

I'm really just scratching the surface of FCP. It is a great tool for beginners like me. It is exciting that directors/editors like David Fincher/Angus Wall are making films with it. Some day I would like to explore avid too.

Peace, maka

I love Murch's book. He is literally the king of film editing, anyone who wants to be an editor should have his book memorized. I think Coppola said it best that watching Murch edit is like watching an orchestral conductor just without the movement. I am lucky enough to (supposedly) have him teaching one of my grad seminars on editing at USC next fall.

For anyone that cares:

Another great book on film editing would be "In the Blink of an Eye" by Murch. Mostly on the craft as opposed to the technical aspect of editing. Maka, definitely add it to your holiday wishlist