Advanced Editing Blog

When editing my advert in Final Cut Express I used tools and effects to enhance the meaning of my advert and make it more entertaining. First, I experimented with filters to create different effects. To add a filter to a clip, I double-clicked it in the timeline and then browse to the filter by going to Effects > Video Filters. I added transitions by clicking the line at the start or end of a clip, and go to Effects > Video Transitions. I also tried using a key-frame to create an effect in which a filter was gradually applied to a clip over a certain period of time, I wanted to apply a blur filter and, over the course of about five seconds, transform the image from crisp to blurry. To do this, I double-clicked to select the clip in the Timeline and applied the filter by choosing Effects > Video Filters > Blur> Soft Focus, I then, clicked the Filter tab in the Viewer to reveal the filter's control panel. In the Timeline, I then moved the playhead to the start of the clip. Then, in the Viewer, clicked the Insert/Delete Keyframe button, so that a dot appears in the Filters tab. I then moved the amount slider down to 0. Then, back in the Timeline, I moved the playhead to the very end of the clip, and added another Keyframe and moved the amount slider back up to 100. I also added audio to my sequence by double-clicking on an audio clip that’s in the Timeline, it appears in the Viewer. I also experimented with the Pan, for mono tracks, this determines where in the stereo field (from Left to Right) the sound is placed. To make audio soundtrack fade out I double clicked on the audio clip, so that it will appear in the viewer and selected the pen tool. I then clicked on the points where you want to change the audio level - around circles along the control points. I then clicked and dragged the control points up or down to lower the level. This took some time and I had to keep listening to it over and over to make sure it matched up and flowed without interruption to do this I had to adjust the length of each shot to go in time with music.