Apple Final Cut Pro X 10.1.2 User Guide

							 Chapter 7    Edit your project 91
Save, back up, and make versions of your projects
Final Cut Pro automatically saves all the changes you make as you work on a project, which 
means you never have to save changes manually. Also, you can undo all of your changes up 
to the last time you quit and reopened Final Cut Pro by choosing Edit > Undo (or pressing 
Command-Z).
You can create multiple versions of a project by duplicating it. For more information, see 
Duplicate projects and clips
 on page 64.
Changes you make to a clip in a project do not affect the clip’s source file. Thus, if you’ve made a 
lot of changes to a clip but want to start fresh, you can easily restore the clip to its original state 
by adding a new copy of the clip (located in an event in the library) to your project.
In addition, Final Cut Pro makes automatic backups of your library at 15-minute intervals. Backups 
include the database portion of libraries only, not the media files. Backups are saved with the 
time and date in the filename. For more information, see Restore a library from automatic 
backups
 on page 76.
Select clips and ranges
About selections and filmstrips
A fundamental step in editing a video project is choosing what you want to include in your final 
movie. In Final Cut Pro you indicate what clips or portions of clips you want to act on by making 
a selection. Final Cut Pro provides a variety of powerful tools for making selections with both 
speed and precision, including filmstrips, which are connected series of thumbnail images. Your 
video clips appear as filmstrips in the Timeline (where you build projects) and in the Browser 
(where your source media is displayed). A single video filmstrip might represent several seconds 
of video encompassing hundreds of video frames (individual images). Audio-only clips appear as 
audio waveforms, showing the change in the audio volume over time.
When you add clips from the Browser to a project in the Timeline, you can add one or more 
whole clips, or you can add a range within a clip. Then you can fine-tune the clips individually in 
the Timeline, adding video effects to them, for example, or inserting transitions between them. 
You can adjust the appearance of filmstrips in the Browser and the Timeline so that it’s easier to 
make selections. For example, expanding the width of a filmstrip (by showing shorter durations 
per thumbnail) helps you make more precise selections.
Filmstrip expanded 
in the Browser for 
precise selections
67% resize factor 
						

							 Chapter 7    Edit your project 92
You can also adjust the filmstrip appearance in the Timeline to make it easier to view and select 
audio waveforms.
Filmstrip appearance 
changed for easy 
viewing and selection 
of audio waveforms
Select one or more clips
Clips represent your video, audio, and graphics files and allow you to work with your media in 
Final Cut Pro without changing the files themselves. To add clips to your project, rearrange them, 
or trim them, you first need to select them. You can select a single clip or multiple clips at a time.
Selecting multiple clips allows you to move them as a group within your project, or from one 
event to another. It’s also useful if you’ve made adjustments to a clip and you want to paste the 
same adjustments onto several other clips.
Select an entire clip
Do one of the following:
 mClick the clip once.
 mMove the skimmer (or the playhead) over a clip and press X.
Note:  This results in a range selection that matches the boundaries of the clip.
 mIn the Browser, press Up Arrow or Down Arrow to move the selection to a neighboring clip.
 mIn the Browser, Option-drag from the start point to the end point of the clip.
 mIn the Timeline, move the skimmer (or the playhead if skimming is turned off ) over the clip you 
want to select and press C. This method selects the clip in the primary storyline.
Connected clips and storylines are attached to clips in the primary storyline, and they appear 
above and below the primary storyline. To select a connected clip or storyline with this keyboard 
shortcut method, position the pointer on the connected clip and press C. For more information, 
see Connect clips to add cutaway shots, titles, and synchronized sound effects
 on page 10 3  and 
Add storylines
 on page 277 .
67% resize factor 
						

							 Chapter 7    Edit your project 93
A yellow border appears around the clip, indicating that it is selected.
Note:  A Timeline clip selection (shown above) is different from a Timeline range selection, 
which has visibly distinct range handles for adjusting the selection start point and end point. All 
selections in the Browser are actually range selections (with adjustable start and end points).
Select multiple clips in the Browser or the Timeline
 m To select a number of individual clips: Hold down the Command key as you click the clips you want 
to select.
Note:  Command-clicking a Browser clip with preexisting ranges selects the ranges rather than 
the whole clip.
 m To select all clips and ranges in the Browser or the Timeline: Click the Browser or Timeline to make it 
active, and choose Edit > Select All (or press Command-A).
 mTo select multiple clips by dragging: Drag a selection rectangle over the Timeline or event clips you 
want to select.
Deselect clips in the Browser or the Timeline
 mTo deselect a single selected clip: Command-click the clip or click outside it (or select a different clip).
 mTo deselect multiple selected clips: Hold down the Command key and click the clips you don’t 
want selected.
 mTo deselect all clips and ranges: Choose Edit > Select > None (or press Shift-Command-A).
 mTo deselect all clips and clear all selected ranges in the Browser: Press Option-X.
67% resize factor 
						

							 Chapter 7    Edit your project 94
Select a range
Instead of selecting whole clips, you can select a range within any clip in the Timeline or the 
Browser. In the Timeline, you can also select a range that spans multiple clips. You can trim range 
selections, mark them with ratings and keywords, and modify them in other ways. You can adjust 
the range selection start and end points by dragging either side of the selection. You can also 
create multiple range selections in one or more clips in the Browser.
Range handles
Note:  This illustration shows a Timeline range selection. Browser range selections have straight 
range handles.
Select a range
Do one of the following:
 m In the Browser, drag across any clip (filmstrip). 
A yellow border appears around the range you selected.
If the filmstrip wraps onto two lines, you can select a range extending over the break simply 
by continuing to drag across the break. When you reach the edge, the pointer jumps to the 
next line.
Tip:  In the Browser, Option-drag across any clip (filmstrip) with existing ranges to replace those 
ranges with a new range.
 m In the Timeline, choose Range Selection from the Tools pop-up menu in the toolbar (or press R).
The pointer changes to the Range Selection tool . 
Drag the Range Selection tool across one or more clips in the Timeline to select a range. 
To adjust the range selection start and end points, drag the range handles on either side of 
the range.
67% resize factor 
						

							 Chapter 7    Edit your project 95
Tip:  To temporarily turn on the Range Selection tool, hold down the R key. When you release the 
R key, the tool reverts to the previously active tool.
Range handles
 m Use the I and O keys to set the range selection start and end points. For more information, see 
the instructions below. 
 mIn the Browser or the Timeline, move the skimmer (or the playhead) over a clip and press X. 
Final Cut Pro sets the range selection start and end points at the clip start and end points.
Tip:  To use this X key method with connected clips or clips in a connected storyline, position the 
pointer on the clip and press X.
 m Command-click a colored marker line at the top of a clip.
These marker lines can indicate any of the following: Favorite (green), Rejected (red), manually 
applied keywords (blue), or analysis keywords (purple).
Set a range start point or end point
 mTo set the start point: Position the skimmer (or the playhead, if skimming is turned off ) where you 
want the selection to start, and choose Mark > Set Range Start (or press I). 
 To remove the range start point, press Option-I.
 mTo set the end point: Position the skimmer (or the playhead, if skimming is turned off ) where you 
want the range to end, and choose Mark > Set Range End (or press O). 
To remove the range end point, press Option-O.
 mTo set the range start point or end point while a clip or your project is playing back:  Press the Space 
bar to start playback, and then press the I or O key when you want to set the start or end point. 
Tip:  In the Browser, you can press Shift-Command-I and Shift-Command-O to set multiple ranges 
during playback.
If you’re using the Blade, Trim, and Range Selection tools in the Timeline or in the Precision Editor, 
you can use the I and O keys to set selection start and end points in a connected clip or storyline, 
as well as in clips underneath connected clips and storylines. Move the pointer directly over a clip 
and press I to set a selection start point or O to set a selection end point.
67% resize factor 
						

							 Chapter 7    Edit your project 96
Extend or shorten the range selection
 mTo adjust where the range starts or ends: Drag the left or right edge of the yellow selection border.
 mTo reset the start point or end point for a range within the same event clip or project:  Move the 
skimmer and press I or O.
Tip:  You can also press the I or O key while a clip is playing back.
 m To extend or shorten a range within an event clip: Move the skimmer to any frame that you want 
the range to begin or end with, and then hold down the Shift key and click (or drag). 
 mTo extend or shorten a range using timecode: Choose Modify > Change Duration (or press 
Control-D), and enter a new duration. ( This method works with single range selections only.)
The range selection is lengthened or shortened accordingly.
If you require the skimmer and it is not present, you can turn on skimming at any time.
Set multiple ranges in event clips during playback
You can set multiple ranges in clips in the Browser during playback.
 1 Play back an event clip.
 2 While the clip is playing, do any of the following:
 •To add a range start point: Press Shift-Command-I.
 •To add a range end point: Press Shift-Command-O.
Note:  To set multiple ranges in the same clip, repeat these keyboard shortcuts while 
continuing playback.
Set the range selection to match the boundaries of the clip
 m Move the skimmer (or the playhead) over a clip and press X.
Final Cut Pro sets a range selection from the start point to the end point of the clip. Any 
preexisting ranges are removed.
Clear ranges
You can remove one or more ranges from the Browser or the Timeline.
Note:  This operation does not affect the clip media in either the Browser or the Timeline.
 mTo remove an individual range in an event: Option-click the range.
 mTo remove a range in the Timeline: Click outside of the range or select a different range.
 mTo clear one or more ranges in the Browser or the Timeline: Select the range or ranges and choose 
Mark > Clear Selected Ranges (or press Option-X).
Note:  Selected ranges have a thick yellow border. Unselected ranges (available only in the 
Browser) have a thin orange border.
 m To remove all ranges in an event: Choose Edit > Select All (or press Command-A) to select all 
ranges in the current event, and choose Mark > Clear Selected Ranges (or press Option-X).
67% resize factor 
						

							 Chapter 7    Edit your project 97
Manage multiple range selections in event clips
In the Browser, you can set multiple ranges within one or more clips, and you can select and 
deselect ranges after you set them. For example, you might set multiple ranges in a long event 
clip, and then deselect some of the ranges before adding all of the selected ranges to the 
Timeline at once.
Note:  Selected ranges have a thick yellow border. Unselected ranges have a thin orange border. 
Editing commands operate on yellow selections only.
Selected rangesUnselected ranges
Note:  The commands described in this section require the Browser to be the active portion of 
the Final Cut Pro interface. You can make the Browser active by moving the pointer over it or 
clicking it. When the Browser is active, its background has a lighter gray color.
Set multiple ranges in an event clip
 1 In the Browser, select a range within a clip.
 2 To set an additional range, do one of the following:
 •Command-drag in a different section of the clip.
 •Move the skimmer (or the playhead) to the frame where you want the additional range to 
start and press Shift-Command-I. Move the skimmer or playhead to the frame where you want 
the additional range to end and press Shift-Command-O.
Note:  These keyboard shortcuts also work during playback, so you can set additional ranges 
on the fly. 
 •Option-drag over or within existing ranges to replace them with a new range.
 •Command-click a colored marker line at the top of a clip.
These marker lines can indicate any of the following: Favorite (green), Rejected (red), manually 
applied keywords (blue), or analysis keywords (purple).
67% resize factor 
						

							 Chapter 7    Edit your project 98
The additional range selection appears in the clip.
To remove a range selection, Option-click it.
Select and deselect ranges and clips in an event
You can set, select, or deselect multiple ranges within event clips or within events.
Important:  Editing commands operate on yellow selections only. Editing commands ignore 
orange (unselected) ranges.
Selected rangesUnselected ranges
 m To select an individual range: Click the range.
 mTo select or deselect a range: Command-click the range.
 mTo select all ranges in a clip: Click an area of the clip that has no range.
 mTo select all ranges and clips in the current event: Choose Edit > Select All (or press Command-A).
The ranges (and all clips with no ranges) are selected with a yellow border. 
 mTo deselect all ranges and clips in the current event: Choose Edit > Deselect All (or press 
Shift-Command-A). 
The ranges turn orange.
Remove ranges from clips in an event
You can remove individual ranges, multiple ranges, or all ranges from the current event.
 mTo remove an individual range in an event: Option-click the range.
 mTo remove selected ranges in an event: Select the ranges you want to remove, and choose Mark > 
Clear Selected Ranges (or press Option-X).
 mTo remove all ranges in an event: Choose Edit > Select All (or press Command-A) to select all 
ranges in the current event, and choose Mark > Clear Selected Ranges (or press Option-X).
67% resize factor 
						

							 Chapter 7    Edit your project 99
Navigate between selections in an event
 mTo go to the start of the range selection: Choose Mark > Go to > Range Start (or press Shift-I).
Repeat this command to go to the start of the previous range selection, or to the start of the clip. 
 mTo go to the end of the range selection: Choose Mark > Go to > Range End (or press Shift-O).
Repeat this command to go to the end of the next range selection, or to the end of the clip.
 mTo select the previous clip (or its ranges): Press Up Arrow.
To add to the selection, press Shift–Up Arrow. 
 mTo select the next clip (or its ranges): Press Down Arrow.
To add to the selection, press Shift–Down Arrow. 
Add and remove clips
Adding clips overview
You build a movie project by adding clips to the Timeline in a chronological arrangement. To suit 
your particular editing style or need, you can choose from a wide variety of tools and techniques 
for adding clips. You can change the arrangement of the clips in the Timeline at any time.
In Final Cut Pro, you can edit your projects without worrying about maintaining clip connection 
or synchronization. For example, when you drag a clip into the Timeline, Final Cut Pro 
automatically rearranges the Timeline to fit each new clip without disturbing your existing work. 
This is true for all kinds of clips: video, audio, titles, generators, still images, and so on.
You can use clips from multiple events in a single project. You can also add clips from the 
Final Cut Pro media browsers and from the Finder. Deleting clips from the Timeline does not 
affect clips or files in the Browser, the media browsers, or the Finder.
Connected clips and storylines remain attached to, and synchronized with, clips in the primary 
storyline until you explicitly move or remove them.
Connected clip
Connected 
audio-only clipPrimary storyline
67% resize factor 
						

							 Chapter 7    Edit your project 10 0
In the Browser, an orange line along the bottom of an event clip indicates the clip is being used 
in the current project (open in the Timeline). To turn this view on or off, choose View > Show 
Used Media Ranges.
An orange line along the bottom of an event clip indicates it is being 
used in the current project.
Drag clips to the Timeline
You can add clips to the Timeline by dragging them from the Browser, from a Final Cut Pro media 
browser (such as the Photos Browser or the Generators Browser), or from the Finder.
Drag clips from the Browser or a media browser
 1 Do one of the following:
 •In the Libraries list, select an event containing the clips you want to add to your project.
 •Open the media browser containing the media you want to add to your project.
 2 Drag one or more clips to the Timeline from the Browser or a media browser.
Depending on where you drag the clips in the Timeline, your actions may result in an append, an 
insert, a connect, or a replace edit. Final Cut Pro automatically adjusts surrounding clips to fit in 
place around any clips you’ve dragged.
Tip:  You can add one clip to your project at a time, or sometimes it’s easier to add a number of 
clips to the project at once, and then rearrange them in the Timeline.
Drag files from the Finder
 1 Arrange the windows onscreen so that you can see both the Final C ut P ro main window and the 
files in the Finder.
 2 Drag the files from the Finder to the Timeline.
Depending on where you drag the clips in the Timeline, your actions may result in an append, an 
insert, a connect, or a replace edit. 
Note:  If you add clips to the Timeline from a Final Cut Pro media browser or the Finder, you are 
effectively importing the media into the event that contains the current project. In this scenario, 
Final Cut Pro applies the default optimization and analysis settings to the new clips. You can set 
default optimization and analysis processes in Final Cut Pro preferences.
If you add still images to the Timeline, they will have a duration of 4 seconds by default. You can 
change this default duration in Final Cut Pro preferences. 
67% resize factor