Apple Final Cut Pro X 10.1.2 User Guide

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Use a shape
You can configure the Shapes generator to be any of a number of shapes, such as a star, a 
diamond, an arrow, and a heart. These are most often used above the primary storyline to add a 
graphical element to your project that you can animate.
Insert and configure a shape
 1 Open the Generators Browser by clicking the Generators button in the toolbar.
 2 Drag the Shapes generator above the primary storyline so that it is...

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Use a background
Many of the generators provide a general background over which you can place built-in effects, 
titles, keys, and clips with an alpha channel. Some are solid colors while others are textures 
such as wood or stone. Some generators even have animated movement, providing a more 
interesting background.
Insert and configure a background clip
 1 Drag the playhead in the Timeline to the point where you want to add the...

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 3 Modify the clip’s project.
For more information, see Motion Help at http://help.apple.com/motion.
 4 Choose File > Save As (or press Shift-Command-S), enter a name for this new generator, and 
click Save.
Note:  If you choose File > Save, the generator is saved using the same name with “copy” 
appended to its end.
About themes
Final Cut Pro includes a number of generators, transitions, and titles, grouped into themes. The...

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Show or hide onscreen controls
The onscreen controls for transitions appear when a transition is selected. The onscreen 
controls for clip effects appear when an effect is selected, or when the playhead is positioned 
over a clip or title in the Timeline that has a video effect applied. You can also show or hide the 
onscreen controls.
Note:  Onscreen controls are always hidden when you play clips in the Timeline.
Show or hide a...

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Example: Use onscreen controls to apply a Censor effect
 1 Open the Effects Browser and drag the Censor effect to a clip in the Timeline.
 2 To adjust the effect’s onscreen controls, do any of the following:
 •To position the effect: Drag the center circle.
 •To set the effect’s size: Drag the outer circle.
Drag this center circle to position the effect.Drag this circle to set the effect’s size.
Example: Use onscreen controls to apply a...

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Example: Use onscreen controls to apply a Prism effect
 1 Open the Effects Browser and drag the Prism effect to a clip in the Timeline.
 2 To adjust the direction of the effect, drag the arrow. 
Because the effect has no center setting, the circle in the center cannot be dragged.
Drag the arrow to set 
the effect’s direction.This center circle cannot be dragged since the effect 
has no center setting.
Example: Use onscreen controls to...

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Example: Use onscreen controls to apply a Center transition
 1 Open the Transitions Browser and drag the Center transition to an edit point in the Timeline.
 2 To adjust the transition’s onscreen controls, do any of the following:
 •To position the transition: Drag the center circle.
 •To set the transition’s direction: Drag the arrow.
 •To set the transition’s border width (softness in this case): Drag the outer handle toward or away...

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Example: Use onscreen controls to apply a Zoom & Pan transition
 1 Open the Transitions Browser and drag the Zoom & Pan transition to an edit point in 
the Timeline.
 2 To adjust the transition’s onscreen controls, do any of the following:
 •To set the transition’s start point: Drag the green circle.
 •To set the transition’s end point: Drag the red circle.
Drag the red circle to set the end point.Drag the green circle to set the start...

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Adjust video effects using keyframes
You place keyframes at specific points in a clip to change parameter values at those points. 
For example, if you want a clip in your project to fade to black, you set two opacity keyframes at 
two different times: one with the value of 100 (fully visible) and a second with the value of 0 (fully 
transparent). Final Cut Pro interpolates the values between 100 and 0, creating a smooth fade 
to black....

 Chapter 9    Add transitions, titles, eff ects, and gener ators 260
 4 Do one of the following for each effect:
 •In the Video Animation Editor: Option-click (or press Option-K) at a point on the horizontal effect 
control where you want to add the keyframe.
Keyframes for the parameter you chose appear as white diamonds, while keyframes for other 
effect parameters appear gray.
Keyframe for the 
selected parameter
When you choose to view all parameters in the Video Animation Editor, keyframes appear as...