[This article was first published in the May, 2008, issue of
Larry's Final Cut Pro Newsletter. Click here to subscribe.]

Multicam does a great job of syncing multiple cameras into a single clip for editing.

But, sometimes, you don't want to edit the two movies, just compare them. For example, this is a very fast technique to compare an off-line version with an on-line master.

Here's how to do it.

1. Edit the movie, or clips, you want to compare into the Timeline. In this example, I've loaded a clip called "Movie 1."

2. Load the other clip you want to compare into the Viewer. In this case, I've called it "Movie 2." Since the Viewer only holds one clip at a time, if you want to compare a completed sequence with a collection of clips, the clips will need to be in the Timeline, while the finished sequence is in the Viewer.

3. Position the playhead in the Viewer and the Canvas on the frame you want to use as the sync point. In this case, I'm using the first frame after a shot change.

4. Go to the small, pop-up menu in the top-center of the Viewer or Canvas (they both do the same thing). Select "Gang." This locks the Viewer with the Timeline based on the position of the two playheads.

5. Now, where ever you move the playhead in the Viewer OR the Timeline, the playhead in the other windows moves exactly the same amount.

To reset the Viewer back to it's normal operation, just change the top-center pop-up menu back to "Sync Off," which is the default position.

I've used this technique a lot when I need to match one edit to another. And, once you play with this, I suspect you'll find other uses as well.

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.

The information in this article is believed to be accurate at the time of publication. However, the author assumes no liability in case things go wrong. Please use your best judgment in applying these suggestions.

The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. This newsletter has not been reviewed or sanctioned by Apple or any other third party. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners and are mentioned here for editorial purposes only.

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