Friday 18th January: Using Final Cut Express

When uploading pictures, they would be first uploaded through iMovie. The footage is then later on copied to Final Cut Express where the clips are then edited and added effects, transitions etc.

After importing these clips onto Final Cut Express, I noticed straight away that there were more than 200 clips. This was a problem that can be avoided, luckily, through the use of 'Bins'. These bins act like folders and allow me to place any clips or other components within Final Cut Express, that will separate them making it easier to locate certain objects.

Therefore I separated these clips depending on which scene/place it was taken. For example, one of the scene is where I run after Agata - my main actress, from my house to the station. So I made an obvious and simple title for it and called it 'Running after Agata'. This making my job a lot easier and finding various clips stored away in the right bins.

Moreover, to further organised my clips in a professional way and make it easier for I and Mumina to deduce which clip is to be used or not. Within the event bins, I made three more separate bins. These are 'Used', 'Maybe' and 'Deleted' bins. I did this because I thought it would be a lot easier to find which clips we were using, since we filmed multiple times of the same shots and/or angles. 'Used' bins are the clips we are going to use, 'Maybe' are clips that we are likely to use, in case we needed more footage and the 'Deleted' bin is where we thrashed away the clips that we thought were not good enough and had problems such as blurs or they were just simply practice shoots.

However before throwing the clips into these certain bins, I first watched the clip throughout the end and decided whether it will be of used or not. I then labelled these rushes depending which clip it was, for example this clip was called ' Moving back to camera - 3 '. It was called this because I was picking up the letter and move back to the camera for when it will fade to black. I also named it three, as it is a multiple shot and the third time it was filmed. This makes it easier to track how many shots were taken of the same one.

This is another example, this is a 'Deleted' bin for 'Running After Agata' I had four or five of the same clips, located on the left picture. I had to put them in the delete bin so I would know that these clips are trashed. The picture on the right shows the 'Used' bins, these are the clips I am going to used and named them as well.

By Julius Conmigo