Final Cut Pro X Weynand Certification Lesson 9

1. Apple Pro Training
Series
Final Cut Pro X
Instructor: Sam Edsall
Working with Titles, Generators,
and Themes
Lesson 9:

2. Working with
Titles, Generators, and
Themes
• Use the Title Browser
• Add a lower third
• Make changes in the Inspector
• Import still images to bumpers & opens
• Work with generators
• Explore title themes
Goals

3. Titles
• All projects, from the simplest to the most
complex, require titles of some sort.
• Titles provide information.
• What are we about to see? Who created what
we are about to see? Who is starring?
• Titles can also be an expression of the film‟s
style.
• Animated title above a background of
colorful, whirling shapes vs. large white text set
against a stark black background.
Why we need them

4. Titles Browser
• Titles have been sorted into
categories and subcategories to
make them easier to find.
• Build In‟s and Outs
• There‟s a custom title you can
build from scratch.
Preformatted titles

5. Preparing the Project
Start up the FCP External
Drive:
Find your APTS FCP X
drive and double click to
start it up.

6. Preparing the Project
Load up Lesson 9:
From the APTS FCP X
drag the Lesson 9 folder
to the top under the
external drive.
Put any other lesson
back inside the lesson
projects folder.

7. Preparing the Project
Back up and load:
In the Lesson 9
folder, duplicate Fairly
Legal and name it Fairly
Legal_BACKUP.
Open Fairly
Legal_BACKUP into the
Timeline and play the
project.

8. Titles Browser
Open the Titles Browser:
In the toolbar, click the Titles Browser button.

9. Titles Browser
• Opens with the All
category selected
• Lower right shows total
number of titles
available
What you see
• Build In/Out
• Bumper/Opener
• Credits
• Elements
• Lower thirds
Other categories

10. How Titles are Applied
• The title is a separate storyline on top of the
primary storyline
• Independent of whatever arrangement of clips
are made to the primary storyline
As a Storyline Clip
• So text is attached to a particular clip
• If that clip moves in the timeline, the text also
moves
As a Connected Clip

11. How Titles are Applied
• Text acts like a video clip
• Alpha channel looks black since there‟s nothing
under the text
As an inserted or appended clip on the
primary storyline
• 4 seconds
• Some titles are longer
Default duration of most titles

12. Load Text to the
Storyline
In the Build In/Out
category, find and skim
Ornate.
Drag the clip to the very
beginning of the timeline
When you see the blue
insertion line, release it.
The title clip icon is purple.
Play the clip.

13. Ways to Add Titles
Drag them into place directly on the
timeline or as a connected clip
Position play head, select title, click on
Connect, Insert or Append edit in the
toolbar
• Or use the keyboard shortcuts
Q,W, EPosition play head, double-click on the
title in the Browser  Connect edit text
to timeline

14. Turn on Title Safe
Position the play head
on the title clip, so you
can see the title in the
Viewer.
From the menu
bar, choose View >
Show Title/Action Safe
Zones.

15. Action Safe / Title Safe
• The recorded frame size of broadcast
video is actually larger than the
viewable area of a television monitor.
Why they‟re there
• Inner box
• All text will appear on any television
monitor when the show is broadcast.
Title safe
• Outer box
• All action is visible to the home viewer.
Action safe

16. Edit the Title
In the Viewer, double-
click Title to highlight the
text with a blue overlay.
Type Fairly Legal, press
Esc (Escape), and play
the clip.
-- „Esc‟ tells FCP you‟re done
typing.

17. Edit the Title
If necessary, double-
click the title to select
the text.
Move the pointer over
the position button and
when you see the
pointer with a position
tool attached, reposition
if you‟d rather place the
text elsewhere.

18. Connect Edit a Title
In the Timeline, position
the play head at about
the 00:00:10:07 mark.
In the Browser, double-
click Ornate.
-- This time, the title is added
as a connected clip, its
position dictated by the play
head.

19. Edit a Title
In the Viewer, double-
click Title.
Type Bridges and press
Esc.
Play the project through
the first two title clips.

20. Change a Title’s
Duration
In the Timeline, click the
right side of the title clip.
Drag left until the trim
information box reads
3:00 -01:00
-- Leaves a title with a three-
second duration.

21. The Lower Third
• Appears in the lower third of the screen
to provide information.
The most common title
• The FCP X lower thirds come in one or
two text fields.
• Some have a background or are
animated; others not so.
• You can modify all of them to fit need
and style.
Different flavors

22. Check out some
Lower Thirds
In the Titles Browser, click the category
Lower Thirds and skim Clouds and Echo to
see their animated behaviors in the Viewer.

23. Check out some
Lower Thirds
Skim over the Overlap
thumbnail and press the
Spacebar to play the title
animation.
Press the Spacebar
again to stop it.

24. Add a Lower Third
In the Timeline, place
the play head at about
00:00:15:11
Double-click Overlap to
add it as a connected
clip.
Play the clip.

25. Edit the Lower Third
In the Viewer, double-
click the Name field and
type Starring
Then double-click the
Description field and
type Sarah Shahi
Press Esc and then play
the clip. (Shift /)

26. Reusing Your Titles
• Tweak out a title the way you like
• Size, font, colors
• Copy and use it like a template
• Paste the title at other parts of your
project, then edit the text.
Like anything else – Copy then
Paste

27. Edit the Lower Third
In the Timeline, select the Overlap text clip and
press Command-C.
-- You can also choose Edit > Copy.
Press Command-V at play head positions:
00:00:20:11 & 00:00:30:23

28. Edit the Lower Third
Select the fourth title clip
and double-
click Starring in the
Viewer to highlight
it, and then type Guest
Starring.
Select the entire 2nd field
by dragging over it and
type Gerald McRaney.
Hmm… a bit of a problem…

29. Edit the Lower Third
In the Viewer, drag a
highlight over Guest
Starring.
Drag the position button
and position the field just
inside the left title safe
boundary.
-- Hold Shift while dragging to
constrain the movement to one
axis.

30. Edit the Lower Third
Reposition the Gerald
McRaney text:
Highlight it and drag its
position button until the
name just clears the
inside right title safe
boundary.
-- Hold Shift while dragging to
constrain the movement to one
axis.

31. Edit the Lower Third
Select the last title clip
and, in the first
highlighted field, type
Directed by
In the second
field, type Peter Markle
--Move the text as needed to
fit within the safe title zone.

32. TV Text Rules
• Big enough to read easily
Size
• Usually san serif
• Serif font OK if size is big enough to clearly see
the serifs in the font
Font
• Usually simple with a heavy weight
• Keep style consistent within your project
• Too many text styles makes the project look
uneven
Style

33. Match Text Styles Within
a Project
In the Timeline, select
the first Ornate title.
Click the Inspector
button in the toolbar
-- or press Command-4
Click the Title button.

34. Text Inspector
• Build In and a Build Out
animation
• The font
• Snell Roundhand
• Bold
• Size of 179
• The color is white.
Title window

35. Using the Timeline
Index
to track down titles
Open the Timeline
Index, and, at the
bottom, click the Titles
button.
When the list
appears, select
the Starring title.
-- play head hops to beginning of
title

36. Using the Inspector to
modify text
In the Inspector, click the
Text button.
In the Viewer, double-
click Starring
Open the Basic pane if
necessary by clicking
Show.

37. Using the Inspector to
modify text
In the Text
Inspector, click the Font
pop-up menu and
choose Snell
Roundhand, and Bold
from the options to the
right of the font.

38. Using the Inspector to
modify text
Do the same thing to
Sarah Shahi‟s name to
Snell Roundhand Bold.
Change size to 126.
-- If her name no longer
appears within the title safe
zone, reposition the field
within the boundary.

39. Copying Text
Parameters
• Try to keep font, size
and color consistent in
your project
• Save a style
• Save a color sample
Keeping things
equal

40. Copying Text
Parameters
In the Timeline, position
the play head over the
last title.
Select the „Directed by‟
in the last title.

41. Copying Text
Parameters
In the Inspector hide the
Basic parameters and show
the Face parameters.
Click the color tile to open
the Colors window.
--The current red in use appears at
the top of the Colors window

42. Copying Text
Parameters
To save this color, in the
Colors window, drag from
the horizontal swatch to a
small box in the drawer at
the bottom of the window.
Close the Colors window.

43. Copying Text
Parameters
In the Timeline, select the
opening text clip.
In the Viewer, double-click
Fairly to highlight it, and then
drag to select just the first
letter, F.
In the Face parameters, click
the color tile to open the Colors
window, and click the saved
red tile in the bottom drawer.

44. Adding Bumpers &
Credits
• Brief, stand-alone pieces
that start or end a
segment in a show.
Bumpers
• Names of those involved
in the production.
Credits

45. Adding Bumpers &
Credits
In the Project
Library, duplicate
the Mobileviz Minutes to
your HD
Open the project and
play the first few
seconds.
-- notice the 3-second gap at
the beginning acting as a

46. Adding Bumpers &
Credits
In the Titles
Browser, select the
Bumper/Opener
category.
Locate Slide in the
subcategory Cinema.
Skim the Slide bumper.

47. Timeline Clip or
Connected Clip?
• The text clip is all you
see
• Any alpha elements will
appear black
Timeline Clip
• Text on top of video
• Any alpha elements will
allow the video to show
through
Connected Clip

48. Adding Bumpers &
Credits
Drag Slide onto the gap
clip in the Timeline.
When you see the plus
sign, release the mouse.
From the shortcut
menu, choose Replace
From Start, then play the
clip.

49. Replace vs.
Replace From Start
• Text clip will load at its
default length of 5 ½
seconds.
Replace
• Text clip will load and fill
the duration of the gap
clip.
Replace From Start

50. Adding Bumpers &
Credits
In the Timeline, move
the play head through
the Slide clip until all
three text fields appear
separately.
In the Viewer, double-
click the word Title and
type Silverdraft.

51. Adding Bumpers &
Credits
In the Viewer, double-
click Subtitle and
type Mobileviz.
In the last field, double-
click and type Minutes.

52. Adding Bumpers &
Credits
Highlight the
word Minutes.
In the Text Inspector, drag
the Size slider to 124 to
make the word larger.
In the Viewer, drag the
position button of all three
words so they fit within the
Viewer.

53. Change the Bumper
Style
In the Inspector, click the
Title button.
Click the Color pop-up
menu, and choose Gray.
Click the Shape pop-up
menu, and choose
Squares, then play the
clip.

54. Scrolling (Rolls)
• Credits rolling
upwards
• Against a black
background
• Alpha effect over
video
Scrolling
Section

55. Create a Scroll
From the Credits
category in the Titles
Browser, select the
Scrolling title.
Drag Scrolling title to the
end of the timeline.

56. Edit the Scroll
In the Timeline, select
the Scrolling clip.
In the Viewer, double-click
Title and type Credits.
Change the credits so they
read
• Directed By You
• Produced By Him
• Edited By Her

57. Edit the Scroll
Add more lines:
In the Text Inspector, scroll down
to the very end of the credits
list, at the end of the last
word, Description, and press
Return.
Press Tab to line up the cursor
with the other text, and
type Name.
Press Tab again and
type DESCRIPTION

58. Do a Little Find &
Replace
With the Scrolling clip still
selected, choose Edit > Find and
Replace Title Text.
Enter Description in the Find field
and (your name) in the Replace
field.
Click the “Search in” pop-up menu
and choose Selected Title.
In the search criteria on the
right, select Match Case and
Whole Words, and then click
Replace All.

59. Video Generators
• Creates a visual layer
for composite effects
• Video over generator
• Text over generator
Generators
• Backgrounds, elements,
solids, textures
Categories

60. Creating a Video
Generator
In the toolbar, click the
Generators Browser
button, and choose the All
category.
In the Timeline, press Home
(Fn ) to move the play head
to the beginning of the project.
Insert the Counting generator
from the Elements category
into the primary storyline.

61. Creating a Video
Generator
In the Generator
Inspector, click the color tile
and, from the Colors
window, choose the red you
saved in an earlier step.
• Start 10.0
• End 1.0
• Decimals 0
• Minimum Digits 1.0
Play the clip.

62. Spiff up the Credits
From the Solids
category, drag
the Vivid generator below
the Credits clip so it sits right
next to the final audio clip.
Trim the end of the Vivid clip
so the duration is the same
as the credits.
Play these clips together.

63. Time code Overlays
• Handy tool
• When screening
work, the director can
easily identify spots that
need changing
Why it‟s there

64. Create a Time code
Overlay
From the Project Library in
the Lesson 9 folder, duplicate
the „I think‟ project to your
HD.
Open it in the Timeline and
play it.

65. Create a Time code
Overlay
From the Elements
category, drag the Time code
generator and connect it to the
start of the project.
Select the End point of the
Time code clip, and press End
(Fn ) to jump to the end of
the project.
Extend the End point to the
play head location by pressing
Shift-X.

66. Create a Time code
Overlay
From the Elements
category, drag the Time code
generator and connect it to the
start of the project.
Select the End point of the
Time code clip, and press End
(Fn ) to jump to the end of
the project.
Extend the End point to the
play head location by pressing
Shift-X.

67. Placeholder Clip
• Better than a gap
clip
• Only sets the
duration of the clip
that will replace it
• Placeholder can tell
you what the clip will
be
• Entered from the
Inspector
What goes here

68. Create a Placeholder
Clip
From the Generators
Browser, drag Placeholder to
the gap clip in the primary
storyline.
When the plus sign
appears, release the mouse
and, from the pop-up
menu, choose Replace From
Start.

69. Create a Placeholder
Clip
With the Placeholder clip
selected in the
Timeline, choose the Generator
Inspector and enter the
following.
Enable View Notes by selecting
the checkbox.
• Framing: Close-up
• People: One
• Gender: Men
• Background: None
• Sky: None

70. Create a Placeholder
Clip
In the Text
Inspector, highlight the
text field and type Guy in
dark room.

71. Using Themes
• Titles and
transitions with a
similar effect or
theme
• Provides unity to
the effects used in
your project
Themes

72. Adding a Theme
In the Project
Library, duplicate
the ZTH_Force vs
Brown project to your
HD.
Open the project into the
Timeline, and play the
project.

73. Adding a Theme
Click the Themes
Browser button.
In the Sports category of
Titles, skim Team and
then insert it at the very
beginning of the project.
Play the clip

74. Modifying the Theme
Shift-Command-I to choose Import
Files.
In the Browser, navigate to FCPX
Book Files > Imports > ZTH
Stills, and select the two images.
-- Add to Existing Event
-- Choose Zero to Hero
-- Copy Files to Final Cut Events
folder

75. Modifying the Theme
With the Team clip selected in the Timeline, open the
Inspector. Click the Title button.
Click the LT Drop Zone and then click the still image of
Antron Brown in the Event Browser.

76. Modifying the Theme
In the Inspector, click the RT Drop Zone, then click the
image of John Force.

77. Modifying the Theme
In the Logo Image Type
field, click the up/down
arrows and choose Non-
square.
Press Apply Clip when done.

78. Modifying the Theme
In the Viewer, double-click
the word Team on the left
and type Antron Brown.
Double-click Team on the
right and type John Force.
Press Esc when done.

79. Shortcuts in Lesson 9
• Change DurationControl D
• Import FileShift Command I
• CopyCommand C
• PasteCommand V
• Open/Close Inspector windowCommand 4

80. Apple Pro Training
Series
Final Cut Pro X
Instructor: Sam Edsall
Working with Titles, Generators,
and Themes
Lesson 9: