G.K. Chestertonsaid, “There are no uninteresting things, only uninterested people.”
I feel the need to apologize for my activity, or lack thereof. What I find interesting, going back over the Final Cut Pro tutorials and doing research online, is interesting for me but I don’t think others are finding it the same. For me, reviewing and studying how to use the app is bringing me closer to my goal. That makes it interesting to me but me writing about it may not be interesting to anyone else.
The tutorials teach basic knowledge so they may not be beneficial for someone who has a working knowledge of Final Cut Pro, but for me everything is new and interesting. Being able to watch the videos on a different screen and go through the exercise on the iPad is a good way for me to learn. The tactile experience is helping to engrain things in my memory.
I will say it again, I would recommend the course to anyone wanting to learn how to use the app on the iPad.
That’s where I will leave it for tonight. I hope you have a good night.
Today was another day of revisiting the tutorials.
I have been noticing a little washed out look to my videos so I focussed on the tutorials covering color adjustments. It’s very nice being able to adjust the video color levels.
Being able to place a mask over a portion of a video to localize the adjustment is a nice touch. The mask can also be animated to move the mask while the video plays.
Everything seems pretty simple and having the tools to correct this can help save a video.
That is where I am leaving it tonight. I hope that all of you are well.
Benjamin Franklin said “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” So I decided to involve myself by watching the tutorials again. That is a great selling point. I can go back to them any time I want and find an answer or to refresh my memory. I feel that was $20.00 well spent.
I started with the first tutorial and went through them at my own pace, unhurried. I stopped a few times when I needed and went back over some sections so I could use the tutorial as a guid for what I was playing with on my iPad.
Doing all of this helped me to figure out what I want to do next in Final Cut Pro. I began working on a little story board to figure out what I would like to shoot and to set everything in a timeline. Now I just need to get everything together.
Well that’s where I’m going to leave it for tonight. I hope you are all well.
Well Moo has been particularly needy tonight and has insisted on sitting in my lap or on my laptop.
I prefer that he not sit on my laptop so he has to settle for my lap. This has led to an endless amount of paw taps and nose boops and has made typing almost impossible.
Sorry, but nothing new to report on the Final Cut Pro front.
So, it’s day 12 and I think this is where I’m going to say the video is finished.
I feel that it’s OK to say that.
I don’t think that it’s an amazing video. I certainly don’t think it’s a perfect video, but I believe it’s a lot better than the original. That’s what I was shooting for.
This process has taught me a lot.
I need to plan out what I’m shooting instead of hoping the footage I take will somehow allow me to piece it all back together and make a decent video from it. I don’t know if that means having a list of bullet points for the shots I would like or if it will mean doing a quick storyboard to plan the shots and sticking to that. Either way, better planning should make for better videos. It will also save me time in the editing process.
Another thing that I’ve learned is the need to keep things simple. While I was going through the final steps, I had to resist the urge to put transitions between each clip. I had to keep telling myself that each clip didn’t need some sort of effect to make it good. Prior to working on this project, I really thought every clip needed to have an effect. Before taking the time to watch the tutorials, to watch other creators, and to look at the user guide, it seemed like if an effect was available, then each clip should have one.
Simple is better.
Is this video perfect? No.
There are things I see in it I wish I had done differently. I should have taken more still photos with my drone. There are places in the video that I would have liked to have added a still shot to, but I didn’t have it available. I believe as I take more footage, I will have that thought in my head. I need to think about what I am shooting and take a few pictures, so I have them available. I may never use them, but they would be available if I needed them.
Does finishing this video make me an expert at Final Cut Pro? No.
I consider the bet I have with myself to be ongoing. I do feel more comfortable using the software, but it isn’t intuitive for me. I want to get to the point where I remember how to do things and I don’t have to look at notes or go back over a tutorial to find what I want to do. I want to develop that muscle memory.
I’m going to continue with the blog. I’m going to continue to post pictures and videos, And I’m going to continue to learn to use the app and become more comfortable with it. That’s the only way I’m going to learn.
I still have a couple of months before the new iPads are announced that gives me the time, I need to become more comfortable with the app.
On a side note, one of the things that I have come to appreciate with using an iPad, a MacBook Air, a Mac mini pro, and an iPhone is AirDrop. It was very nice being able to share things that were saved on one device with another with the touch of a couple of buttons. I don’t believe I’m an apple fanboy, but I do appreciate the ecosystem.
That’s it for tonight. I’m heading off to bed. I hope that you all have a good evening and I look forward to continuing my journey with Final Cut Pro.
It’s day 5 and I have watched all the tutorials, both those I purchased and the ten (I Believe) that have been added since. This confirms that the @RippleGuys were telling the truth.
This morning I decided I needed to watch the Organizing Media tutorial again. I believe that this will be very handy keeping everything, you know, organized.
It looks straight forward. I can make some clips favorites, sort in various ways, adjust clips before adding them to a project, and add key words (which can help to organize clips by subjects. All will be very helpful.
I also like being able to touch the screen to work on a project. I mean Final Cut Pro on a Mac is great but there is something about touching a scree to make things happen.
It will take a lot of practice to become confident with all of the functions but that is half of the fun. I am liking this more each day.
Going to be a short post tonight – my cat is demanding attention.
At first glance the Final Cut Pro screen can be a little intimidating. Navigating from section to section or within a section takes some getting used to.
The online user’s guide and the tutorials have been a great help in the learning process. There is a nice section that shows the keyboard shortcuts and I have converted this into a PDF for myself. I like cheatsheets.
Right now I find myself struggling with the desire to have better looking videos and needing to develop the skills to make that happen.
Second video attempt.
I am beginning to feel that I can do this if I stick with it. I only need to take things one step at a time.
First off let me say that the program is Final Cut Pro for iPad, not Finalcut Pro like I called it on Day 1. My bad.
To begin the learning process I have attempted to locate a downloadable version of the Final Cut Pro for iPad user’s guide. I found the Mac version of the user’s guide in Books and, though I do see references to the iPad in the guide, it does not appear to have all of the information to assist with learning Final Cut Pro on the iPad.
I may be missing something, but there does not seem to be a downloadable version of the user’s guide for Final Cut Pro on iPad. I find the on-line version with no problem. I don’t know if I have missed a button or a link, but I cannot find a way to download it. It seems like it should exist though. There is a nice guide for the Mac version
While I was going down the user’s guide rabbit hole I came across a series of tutorials offered by www.rippletraining.com.
Full disclosure: I am not receiving any compensation for mentioning Ripple Training or the @rippleguys on YouTube.
After looking at reviews and some of their YouTube content I decided to purchase this series of videos. The cost was only $19.00 US and looks like they cover all the basics. For $19 what is the downside?
The purchase also says that it will entitle me to any future additions to the tutorial series. I have no experience with Ripple Training so I don’t know if this is something they do for other tutorial series or not. I will let you know if anything is added.
I have begun watching the videos on my laptop while trying to emulate the instructions on my iPad. This has elicited this look from my Cat Moo.
He is not happy that I have another distraction.
The videos are easy to follow. I have needed to go back over some portions to make sure I am catching everything. Other than that they seem to cover things in a logical progression.
One thing that does rattle me a little is the amount of things that seem to be required for a “good” video.
I may have bitten off more than I can chew but I am determined to be better at editing video by the time I’m done with the tutorials than I am today.
I never realized how much work goes into a short video and now have a greater appreciation for those individuals who do this daily.
FYI. I posted the question about a downloadable user’s guide in the @Apple community and a few people have responded that there is no iPad version only the on-line one.
First, let me preface this post by saying this is purely a way to keep track of where I am in the learning process, keep my mind focussed with a goal, and myself honest.
That said….
Over the last few weeks I have had an itch to purchase an 11” M2 iPad Pro. I have checked the Best Buy website for sales and “Open Box” deals. I have driven to the Apple Store to look at the aforementioned 11” M2 iPad Pro. I have gone through the online purchase process, looking at the trade-in value of my 11” M1 iPad Air and going all the way right up to the cliff’s edge of purchasing, but eventually talking myself down.
I tell myself I have a perfectly good 11” M1 iPad Air, which is true.
I don’t need an 11” M2 iPad Pro.
Also true.
But the itch never fully goes away. I find myself circling the online Apple Store like prey.
During these obsessive episodes the impulsive portion of my brain throws out numerous wonderful reasons for the switch.
I could be soooo much more productive with an M2 chip.
The display of the iPad Pro has a 120hz refresh rate, DOUBLE that of the iPad Air!
The 11” M2 iPad Pro has Pro Motion.
It has an ultra wide camera.
It can record 4K video.
It has Face ID.
It has a Thunderbolt port.
It has quad speakers.
It has the Apple Pencil Hover feature.
With all these reasons for the iPad Pro why would anyone not buy it?
Yes, why would anyone not buy it?
During my struggle over this purchase I have done research, watched comparison videos, and review videos. I have tried to discover what is coming down the pipe with the M3 iPad Pro. All of this has not helped resolve the issue in my mind.
For every video telling me to wait or saying the iPad Air is a fine, capable device there are as many telling me how great the M2 iPad Pro and I should purchase it.
I needed some way to apply the brakes, take a step back, and focus.
When Finalcut Pro for iPad came out I grabbed the free trial version and played around with it. When the trial ended I purchased the app and then promptly ignored it.
Yep.
So to keep my urge under wraps I have made a bet with myself; learn Finalcut Pro on the iPad and I can purchase either the M2 or the M3 iPad Pro. Don’t and the iPad Air will be my go to for the foreseeable future.
This is Day 1 and already my mind is looking for an out.
My Final Cut Pro 