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OPERATIONS ARTICLES

Technique: Capturing 32 kHz Audio
One of the common problems that inexperienced Final Cut editors run into is audio that slowly drifts out of sync. While the problem may appear to be within Final Cut Pro, the cause is actually due to mismatched audio sample rates between the video you shot and the way you are capturing it. What makes this worse is that many consumer cameras default to an audio sample rate of 32 kHz, while Final Cut expects 48 kHz. In this step-by-step tutorial, I'll explain what an audio sample rate is and how to change your Final Cut settings to capture your audio accurately. (Published: Jun. 2009 ; Final Cut Pro v. HD, 5.0x, 5.1x, 6)

Technique: Adding Reverb to an Audio Clip
The problem with reverb is that the effect needs to continue after the clip ends. While Soundtrack Pro has some great audio filters, often there just isn't time to move your project from Final Cut to STP. In this tutorial, you'll learn how to use nesting to create a reverb effect inside Final Cut that can last long after the clip itself is over. Best of all, this is both quick and easy. (Published: Jun. 2009 ; Final Cut Pro v. HD, 5.0x, 5.1x, 6)

Monitoring HD Video
Monitors for HD video are not cheap. So why not just connect an HD television set via HDMI and let it go at that? In this short write-up, Dan May, president of Blackmagic Design, explains the potential problems with monitoring your HD video using this kind of setup. (Published: Jun. 2009 ; Final Cut Pro v. 6)

Customizing Final Cut Pro Keyboard Shortcuts
With over 650 menu commands, Final Cut has a wealth of options to choose from for controlling the program. However, sometimes, life would be much easier if you could just create a few custom keyboard shortcuts to make your life easier. You can, and this article shows you how. (Published: Jun. 2009 ; Final Cut Pro v. HD, 5.0x, 5.1x, 6)

Technique: World's Fastest Keyboard Shortcut Finder
I was surprised to discover I haven't written about this technique - I use it in almost every project I edit. Built into Final Cut Pro is a really fast, REALLY easy way to find keyboard shortcuts or menu items -- if you know where to look. In this article, I'll show you where. (Published: Jun. 2009 ; Final Cut Pro v. HD, 5.0x, 5.1x, 6)

Technique: Creating Custom-sized Sequences
You may have heard that Final Cut sequences can be customized. But what you may not know is how significantly you can make changes -- as long as you don't want to play the results on a DVD or record them to video tape. In this article, I'll show you how to change the size of your sequence to any size you want. (Published: Jun. 2009 ; Final Cut Pro v. HD, 5.0x, 5.1x, 6)

Technique: Converting .M2T Files to .MOV Files
The native format of HDV isn't QuickTime, it's .M2T. However, FCP can't play M2T files - it needs to convert them. There are two ways you can do this -- using Compressor or using MPEG StreamClip. This article shows you how.  (Published: Jun. 2009 ; Compressor)

Audio Metering
Ever wonder what levels to set your reference tones to? Should you output tone at 0 dB, -12 dB,-18 dB, or -20 dB. In this discussion, Larry is joined by Woody Woodhall, president of Allied Post, to get a better understanding of the issue. And, yup, it's just as confused as we thought!  (Published: Jun. 2009 ; Final Cut Pro v. 5.0x, 5.1x, 6)

Calculating The Rate to Charge For Your Time and Equipment
Editing is both a craft and business. Which means that, unless you are independently wealthy, you need to find a way to make money at it. This article describes how to calculate the rates you charge for editing, for the use of your equipment, and how to handle travel expenses. As well as provide a link to a tutorial I've created with more tips on how to grow your business. (Published: Jun. 2009)

Technique: Benefits of Makeup
Making your talent look good is critical in any production - however, not all productions can afford a hair/makeup person. Here's a tip I learned years ago that will make all your on-camera people look great - with almost no work. (Published: May 2009)