Apple Final Cut Pro X 10.1.2 User Guide

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 2 In the Timeline, define a destination start point by positioning the skimmer at the location in 
your project where you want the clip or group of clips to start.
Position the skimmer at the 
location where you want the 
group of clips to begin.
 3 To add the selected clips to the project using an overwrite edit, press D.
The new group of clips begins where the skimmer 
was positioned.
The playhead moves to the 
end of the new clips.
The entire group of clips selected in the Browser has been edited into the project.
Note:  The clips are added in the order in which you selected them.
Because you used an overwrite edit, any clip items already in the project are overwritten by the 
clips selected in the Browser for the duration of the Browser clips.
You can also make a three-point edit involving multiple clips in the Timeline. To select a range 
across multiple clips in the Timeline, you use the Range Selection tool 
 or the I and O keys. For 
more information about range selections, see Select a range on page 94 .
Example: Make a two-point edit
You can make an edit without any selections in either the Browser or the Timeline. This is known 
as a two-point edit
. In this case, Final Cut Pro acts on the current clip in the Browser from the 
position of the skimmer or playhead to the end of the clip, and on the project in the Timeline 
from the position of the skimmer or playhead forward.
You can also make backtimed two-point edits, in which Final Cut Pro acts on the current clip in 
the Browser and the project in the Timeline from the skimmer or playhead position back. 
In either case, the duration of the edit is determined by the skimmer or playhead position and 
the end of the clip in the Browser.
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 1 To specify a source selection start point in the Browser, move the skimmer or playhead to the 
location where you want the edit to start (but don’t make any selections).
The Browser playhead position determines the 
source selection start point.
 2 To specify a destination start point in the Timeline, move the skimmer or playhead to the 
location where you want the edit to start (but don’t make any selections).
The skimmer position in the Timeline is the destination start point.
 3 To add the clip to the project using an overwrite edit, press D.
The new clip starts where the skimmer was positioned.
The new clip starts where the skimmer was positioned.
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Try out clips using auditions
Auditions overview
In Final Cut Pro you can organize related clips into sets, called auditions, from which you can 
choose one clip to use. You can create an audition composed of different clips to try out multiple 
takes, or you can create an audition composed of multiple versions of the same clip to preview 
different effects.
An audition’s filmstrip displays the currently selected clip, called the pick. All other clips in the 
audition are referred to as alternates. You can open an audition to see the selected clip and 
the alternates.
Alternate clips
Selected clip
Auditions allow you to preserve your alternate edits without affecting the other clips in the 
Timeline. When you’re not auditioning the clips in an audition, the audition functions like an 
individual clip. You can trim an audition, apply transitions between auditions and other clips, and 
add keywords and markers. You can keep your audition containing your alternate clips for as 
long as is necessary.
After you’ve reviewed the clips in the audition and decided which one works best in your project, 
you can finalize the audition, which dissolves it and leaves the pick as an individual clip in the 
Timeline. The pick retains the audition’s position in the Timeline and all keywords and markers 
applied to the audition.
Note:  Auditions appear in the Browser and Timeline as clips with an Audition icon in the 
upper-left corner.
Icon for an audition in the Browser
Icon for an audition in the Timeline
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Create auditions to try out clips
You can create auditions in the Browser and then add them to the Timeline, or you can create 
auditions directly in the Timeline. When you create auditions in the Timeline, you can either 
group related clips or group multiple versions of the same clip (for example, to try out multiple 
effect treatments or lower-third titles).
Icon for an audition in the Browser
Icon for an audition in the Timeline
Create auditions in the Browser
 mSelect the clips you want to include in the audition, and choose Clip > Audition > Create (or 
press Command-Y ).
Create auditions in the Timeline
 mTo create an audition with related clips: Drag a clip or a group of clips from the Browser onto a clip 
in the Timeline, and choose an audition option from the shortcut menu.
Choosing Add to Audition creates an audition with the current Timeline clip as the pick. 
Choosing Replace and Add to Audition makes the clip you’re dragging the pick.
Important:  If a transition is applied to the current clip in the Timeline and the pick for the new 
audition lacks sufficient media for the transition, the transition is either shortened or removed.
 m To create an audition with a duplicate version of a clip, including applied effects:  Select a clip in the 
Timeline, and choose Clip > Audition > Duplicate as Audition.
An audition is created containing the selected clip and a duplicate version that includes any 
effects applied to the original.
 mTo create an audition with a duplicate of the original version of a clip, without applied effects: 
Select a clip in the Timeline, and choose Clip > Audition > Duplicate from Original (or press 
Shift-Command-Y ).
An audition is created containing the selected clip and a duplicate version without any 
applied effects.
 mTo create an audition with a duplicate of the original version of a clip, with effects and attributes from 
another clip: Select a clip in the Timeline that has the attributes you want to copy, and choose 
Edit > Copy (or press Command-C). Then select the clip you want to make into an audition and 
choose Clip > Audition > Duplicate and Paste Effects (or press Option-Command-Y ).
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An audition is created containing the selected clip and a duplicate version with effects and 
attributes copied from the first clip.
Open an audition
After you create an audition, it’s easy to open it and review its contents.
Do one of the following:
 mChoose Clip > Audition > Open (or press Y ).
 mClick the Audition icon.
Audition icon
The Audition window appears, and you can preview your clips to choose a pick.
Break apart an audition
You can break apart an audition to convert its contents to individual clips in the Timeline.
 mSelect an audition in the Timeline, and choose Clip > Break Apart Clip Items (or press 
Shift-Command-G).
Final Cut Pro replaces the audition selected in the Timeline with the individual items that made 
up the audition.
You can also break apart compound clips, storylines, and standard clips. For more information, 
see Create and break apart compound clips
 on page 2 71  and Add storylines on page 277.
Add and remove clips in auditions
When building auditions to try out different clips or versions of a clip with different effects, you 
can add and remove clips at any time. In the Browser and the Timeline, you can add new clips 
to the audition as well as duplicate clips within an audition. When an audition in the Timeline 
contains the clips you want to try out, you can use the audition to preview the clips or effects in 
your project.
Add clips to an audition in the Browser
 mTo add new clips to an audition in the Browser: Select the audition and the clips you want to add to 
it, and choose Clip > Audition > Create (or press Command-Y ).
Select the audition.Select clips to add to the audition.
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 mTo duplicate a clip within an audition in the Browser: Click the icon in the upper-left corner of the 
audition to open the Audition window, select the clip you want to duplicate, and click Duplicate.
Select the clip you want to duplicate, 
and click Duplicate.
A new version of the selected clip appears in the Audition window.
Add new clips to an audition in the Timeline
 mTo add a new clip to an audition and maintain the current clip in the Timeline as the pick:  Drag a 
clip from the Browser to the audition in the Timeline, and choose Add to Audition from the 
shortcut menu.
 m To add a new clip to an audition and make the clip you’re adding the pick:  Drag a clip from the 
Browser to the audition in the Timeline, and choose Replace and Add to Audition from the 
shortcut menu.
Important:  If a transition is applied to the current clip in the Timeline and the pick for the new 
audition lacks sufficient media for the transition, the transition is either shortened or removed.
 m To duplicate a clip within an audition: Click the Audition icon in the upper-left corner of the 
audition to open the Audition window, select the clip you want to duplicate, and click Duplicate 
(or press Shift-Command-Y ).
Select the clip you want to duplicate, 
and click Duplicate.
A new version of the selected clip appears in the Audition window.
 mTo add a duplicate of the original version of an audition pick, with effects and attributes from another 
clip: Select a clip in the Timeline that has the attributes you want to copy, and choose Edit > Copy 
(or press Command-C). Then select the audition and choose Clip > Audition > Duplicate and 
Paste Effects (or press Option-Command-Y ).
Remove a clip from an audition
 1 To open the audition containing the clip you want to remove, click the icon in the upper-left 
corner of the audition.
 2 In the Audition window, select the clip you want to remove, and press Delete.
The clip is removed from the audition. 
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Use auditions to try out clips in your project
You create an audition to try out the clips within it and find the one that works best for your 
project. Although the auditioning workflow may differ from project to project, the general 
process is the same. You create an audition that contains a set of alternate takes, effects, or 
text treatments, and then you choose the best clip for the edit by making it the pick. When 
you’re sure of your decision, you finalize the audition, which dissolves it and leaves the pick in 
the Timeline.
Depending on your workflow, you may try out the clips within your auditions and flatten the 
auditions as you go, or you may leave the auditions in the Timeline for the purpose of showing 
alternate edits to a client.
Note:  You can use audition commands only with one selected audition at a time. For example, 
you can’t finalize multiple selected auditions.
Review clips within an audition in the Timeline
 1 In the Timeline, select the audition containing the clips you want to review, and open it by 
choosing Clip > Audition > Open (or pressing Y ).
The clip under the spotlight in the center of the window 
is the pick.
 2 In the Audition window, select the pick and press the Space bar (or press Control-Command-Y ) 
to play it.
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 3 To play an alternate clip in the Viewer, select a clip to the right or left of the pick (or press the 
Right Arrow or Left Arrow key).
The alternate becomes the new pick and plays 
back in the Viewer.
The star icon indicates 
the previous pick.
Tip:  To quickly move through and play alternate clips, select a closed audition in the Timeline, 
press the Space bar, and press Control-Left Arrow to play clips to the left of the current pick, or 
Control-Right Arrow to play clips to the right.
 4 When you decide on the clip you want to use, make sure it’s selected under the spotlight, and 
click Done.
 5 If you’re sure of your decision and want to finalize the audition, choose Clip > A udition > F inalize 
Audition (or press Option-Shift-Y ).
The audition is dissolved, leaving the pick in the Timeline. The clip selected as the pick retains any 
keywords or markers assigned to the audition.
Try out multiple effects on a clip in the Timeline
You can try out effects on a clip in the Timeline by creating an audition and adding individual 
effects to duplicates of the same clip. This technique allows you to view each effect in relation to 
the clips that precede and follow the audition in the Timeline. 
 1 In the Timeline, select the clip you want to try different effects on.
 2 Choose Clip > Audition > Duplicate as Audition (or press Option-Y ).
 3 Repeat step 2 for each effect that you want to audition.
 4 To open the Audition window, click the icon in the upper-left corner of the audition (or press Y ).
 5 To open the Effects Browser, click the Effects button in the toolbar (or press Command-5).
 6 In the Audition window, select the version of the clip you want to apply the effect to.
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 7 In the Effects Browser, select the effect you want to try out, and drag it to the clip in the 
Audition window.
Drag an effect from the Effects Browser to a clip 
in the Audition window.
 8 Repeat steps 6 and 7 until you’ve applied all the effects you want to audition.
 9 Review each effect’s impact on the clip in the Timeline by selecting a clip to the right or left of 
the pick.
Click an alternate clip to play it in the Viewer.
Tip:  To quickly move through and play alternate clips, press Control-Left Arrow to play clips to 
the left of the current pick, or Control-Right Arrow to play clips to the right.
 10 When you decide on the effect you want to use, select the clip with that effect in the Audition 
window, and click Done.
 11 If you’re sure of your decision, and want to finalize the audition, choose Clip > A udition > F inalize 
Audition (or press Option-Shift-Y ).
The audition is dissolved, leaving the clip with your chosen effect applied to it in the Timeline.
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Tip:  To save time, you can have Final Cut Pro automatically duplicate a clip in the Timeline and 
apply an effect to the duplicated clip by holding down the Control key while you drag an effect 
from the Effects Browser to the clip in the Timeline. You can also apply an effect to every clip in 
an audition by holding down the Option key and the Control key while you drag the effect from 
the Effects Browser to the audition in the Timeline. In both cases, you must start dragging the 
effect from the Effects Browser and then press the keys as you add the effect to the clip.
Retime clips to create speed effects
Retiming clips overview
You can adjust a clip’s speed settings to create fast-motion or slow-motion effects. You can also 
reverse a clip, rewind a segment of a clip, apply variable speed effects (also called speed ramping) 
to a clip selection, and create instant replays and jumpcuts. By default, Final Cut Pro maintains 
the audio pitch of any speed adjustment, but you can turn off this feature to accentuate the 
speed effect.
You can’t apply speed changes to still images, generators, titles, and themes in Final Cut Pro.
Change clip speed
In Final Cut Pro you can make both constant and variable speed changes to your clips while 
preserving the audio’s pitch. 
Note:  Speed settings are applied to the specific instance of the selected clip only. They are not 
applied to that clip’s source media file on disk. To create a media file with the applied speed 
effects, export the clip as a QuickTime movie. For more information, see Share projects, clips, and 
ranges
 on page 400.
Apply a constant speed change
Applying a constant speed change to a range selection or a whole clip alters the selection’s 
playback speed by a uniform percentage. For example, applying a speed setting of 25 percent to 
the selection makes the entire selection play in slow motion. 
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