[This article was first published in the November, 2006, issue of
Larry's Final Cut Pro Newsletter. Click here to subscribe.]

Mike J. Nichols, who publishes a series of Final Cut filters for professionals (www.theeditdoctor.com) writes:

[When on-lining HD material, there are several traps to be careful about. For instance,] the blink filter is still old code so in a recaputuring to an HD environment the blink filter "freaks out" much like speed changes. I just couldn't make it work in HD 1920x1080 so I had to eyeball and simply cut, cut, cut, cut to make the deadline.

It's part of Final Cut Pro quirks that I call in my own training, VEGAS EDITING: "What happens on this computer, stays on this computer (or codec for that matter)." Some things that must be scaled back for offline on one computer to move to an online system. The gradient dissolve is one. Looks great in an offline, but the .pic files it uses don't transfer in a media managed environment AND they just don't work in a 10-bit timeline at all.

Larry replies: Mike, these are good tips. It brings to mind the cardinal rule of off-lining: Talk to your on-line editor before you start edting and make sure what you plan to do can be replicated in the final on-line session.

Larry Jordan is a post-production consultant and an Apple-Certified Trainer in Digital Media with over 25 years experience as producer, director and editor with network, local and corporate credits. Based in Los Angeles, he's a member of both the Directors Guild of America and the Producers Guild of America.

Any references to trademarks or products are used for editorial purposes only. Text copyright 2006 by Larry Jordan and Associates, Inc.. All rights reserved.

Larry Jordan is a post-production consultant and an Apple-Certified Trainer in Digital Media with over 25 years experience as producer, director and editor with network, local and corporate credits. Based in Los Angeles, he's a member of both the Directors Guild of America and the Producers Guild of America.

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