Publishers of technology books, eBooks, and videos for creative people

Home > Articles

This chapter is from the book

This chapter is from the book

Editing Tools

Editing tools are used to select, modify, trim, or move timeline clips.

215. The Tools Palette

These are the tools you’ll need for editing and trimming.

This toolset, like most, is hidden. Click the arrow icon with the chevron at the top of the timeline to reveal it; see FIGURE 4.18.

FIGURE 4.18

FIGURE 4.18 Click the chevron to reveal the timeline Tools palette.

  • Select (shortcut: A). (We often call this the Arrow tool.) A general-purpose tool for moving and selecting stuff.

  • Trim (shortcut: T). Used for roll and slip trimming.

  • Position (shortcut: P). Turns off the magnetic timeline to move clips independently.

  • Range Selection (shortcut: R). Sets an In and/or Out range in the timeline or Browser. This is a specialized form of the Select tool.

  • Blade (shortcut: B). Cuts clips.

  • Zoom (shortcut: Z). Zooms in to or out of the timeline.

  • Hand (shortcut: H). Moves the timeline without moving any clips.

216. The Power of the Position Tool

The Position tool disables the magnetic timeline.

The Position tool (shortcut: P), see FIGURE 4.19, moves any clip anywhere, even leaving gaps, by disabling the magnetic properties of the timeline. Essentially, when the Position tool is active, Final Cut edits like every other nonlinear editor.

FIGURE 4.19

FIGURE 4.19 The Position tool overrides the magnetic timeline.

  • When you drag a clip, the clip doesn’t spring back. Instead, a clip of black video, called a gap, is inserted between the end of the previous clip and the one you are moving.

  • When you trim clips, it leaves a gap.

  • When you drag one clip on top of another, the edge of the new clip overwrites the old clip.

  • When you move a clip, any open space created is filled with a gap.

The Position tool provides a choice on how our clips behave when we move them; enabling the magnetic timeline or turning it off.

217. The Range Tool Doesn’t Select Anything

The Range tool sets an In and Out in the timeline or Browser.

The Range tool (shortcut: R), see FIGURE 4.20, is a specialized form of the Select tool. All it does is set an In and Out in the timeline or Browser. Select the Range tool from the Tools palette.

FIGURE 4.20

FIGURE 4.20 The Range tool sets Ins and Outs.

The Range tool is used in the Browser but, more commonly, in the timeline. (The timeline allows only one In and Out at a time.) While you can use I and O to set the In and Out, the Range tool is simpler—you just drag.

An In and Out is not the same as a selection. Timeline ranges are as small as a few frames in the middle of a clip or span multiple clips. Ranges generally don’t end at the edges of a clip, though they can; see FIGURE 4.21. Ranges are used for the following:

FIGURE 4.21

FIGURE 4.21 A timeline range spanning two clips. Note the adjustment handles on the In and Out.

  • Exporting a portion of the timeline

  • Adjusting audio levels within the range

  • Adjusting keyframes within the range

  • Creating three-point and back-time edits

  • Deleting portions of a clip, or a section of the timeline that doesn’t include entire clips

To remove a range selection, click outside the yellow range bounding box with the Arrow tool.

218. Cut Clips with the Blade Tool

Both the Blade tool and shortcuts work, but they work differently.

The Blade tool (shortcut: B), see FIGURE 4.22, cuts clips. So does Cmd+B. But they cut clips differently.

FIGURE 4.22

FIGURE 4.22 The Blade tool cuts clips.

Select the Blade tool from the Tools palette. The Blade tool cuts single clips anywhere, whether the clip is selected or not. If you press Shift, the Blade tool cuts all clips—including captions—where you click.

Cmd+B cuts one or more clips but only at the position of the playhead (skimmer).

  • If no clips are selected, Cmd+B cuts the Primary Storyline clip.

  • If some or all clips are selected, it cuts only selected clips.

  • If a selected clip is disabled (V), it cuts the clip anyway.

The Blade tool is more flexible in terms of where it cuts. Cmd+B is more efficient and selective by cutting only selected clips at the position of the playhead (skimmer).

219. The Zoom Tool

This is a faster way to change the scale of the timeline.

The Zoom tool (shortcut: Z), see FIGURE 4.23, changes the scale of the timeline, without affecting any clips.

FIGURE 4.23

FIGURE 4.23 The Zoom tool scales the timeline.

  • To zoom in, select the Zoom tool and click in the timeline.

  • To zoom in to a specific section of the timeline, drag the Zoom tool over the area you want to view.

  • To zoom out, Option-click the Zoom tool in the timeline.

  • With another tool selected, press and hold Z, then click or drag to resize the timeline. Final Cut zooms in; then, when you let go of Z, it selects the previous tool.

220. The Hand Tool

The Hand tool is a mover.

The Hand tool (shortcut: H), see FIGURE 4.24, moves the timeline without moving anything in the timeline. It’s the only tool that can’t select or modify a clip in some way.

FIGURE 4.24

FIGURE 4.24 The Hand tool moves the timeline without moving clips.

  1. Select the Hand tool from the Tools palette.

  2. Drag it in the timeline.

    The timeline moves, but the clips don’t.

Even faster:

  1. Press and hold H.

  2. Drag to where you want to go, then let go.

    Final Cut switches back to the previous tool.

221. The (Hidden) Delete Key

This is especially helpful for laptop keyboards.

Full-size keyboards have two delete keys: the big one labeled Delete and the small one labeled Del. The big one deletes text to the left; the small one deletes text to the right.

But what if you are using a laptop? The Del key doesn’t exist. That’s where the hidden Delete key comes in; see FIGURE 4.25.

FIGURE 4.25

FIGURE 4.25 The dual-purpose Delete key on a laptop keyboard.

  • Press the Delete key to delete text to the left, as always.

  • Press Fn+Delete to delete text to the right.

I use this all the time.

222. The Timeline Clip Menu

Just like the Browser and Viewer, the Timeline has a hidden menu.

Right-click any timeline clip to reveal its hidden (contextual) menu; see FIGURE 4.26. Most of these options involve editing or trimming. We’ll cover them in other tips.

FIGURE 4.26

FIGURE 4.26 Right-click any timeline clip to reveal this contextual menu.

Peachpit Promotional Mailings & Special Offers

I would like to receive exclusive offers and hear about products from Peachpit and its family of brands. I can unsubscribe at any time.

Overview


Pearson Education, Inc., 221 River Street, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, (Pearson) presents this site to provide information about Peachpit products and services that can be purchased through this site.

This privacy notice provides an overview of our commitment to privacy and describes how we collect, protect, use and share personal information collected through this site. Please note that other Pearson websites and online products and services have their own separate privacy policies.

Collection and Use of Information


To conduct business and deliver products and services, Pearson collects and uses personal information in several ways in connection with this site, including:

Questions and Inquiries

For inquiries and questions, we collect the inquiry or question, together with name, contact details (email address, phone number and mailing address) and any other additional information voluntarily submitted to us through a Contact Us form or an email. We use this information to address the inquiry and respond to the question.

Online Store

For orders and purchases placed through our online store on this site, we collect order details, name, institution name and address (if applicable), email address, phone number, shipping and billing addresses, credit/debit card information, shipping options and any instructions. We use this information to complete transactions, fulfill orders, communicate with individuals placing orders or visiting the online store, and for related purposes.

Surveys

Pearson may offer opportunities to provide feedback or participate in surveys, including surveys evaluating Pearson products, services or sites. Participation is voluntary. Pearson collects information requested in the survey questions and uses the information to evaluate, support, maintain and improve products, services or sites; develop new products and services; conduct educational research; and for other purposes specified in the survey.

Contests and Drawings

Occasionally, we may sponsor a contest or drawing. Participation is optional. Pearson collects name, contact information and other information specified on the entry form for the contest or drawing to conduct the contest or drawing. Pearson may collect additional personal information from the winners of a contest or drawing in order to award the prize and for tax reporting purposes, as required by law.

Newsletters

If you have elected to receive email newsletters or promotional mailings and special offers but want to unsubscribe, simply email ask@peachpit.com.

Service Announcements

On rare occasions it is necessary to send out a strictly service related announcement. For instance, if our service is temporarily suspended for maintenance we might send users an email. Generally, users may not opt-out of these communications, though they can deactivate their account information. However, these communications are not promotional in nature.

Customer Service

We communicate with users on a regular basis to provide requested services and in regard to issues relating to their account we reply via email or phone in accordance with the users' wishes when a user submits their information through our Contact Us form.

Other Collection and Use of Information


Application and System Logs

Pearson automatically collects log data to help ensure the delivery, availability and security of this site. Log data may include technical information about how a user or visitor connected to this site, such as browser type, type of computer/device, operating system, internet service provider and IP address. We use this information for support purposes and to monitor the health of the site, identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents and appropriately scale computing resources.

Web Analytics

Pearson may use third party web trend analytical services, including Google Analytics, to collect visitor information, such as IP addresses, browser types, referring pages, pages visited and time spent on a particular site. While these analytical services collect and report information on an anonymous basis, they may use cookies to gather web trend information. The information gathered may enable Pearson (but not the third party web trend services) to link information with application and system log data. Pearson uses this information for system administration and to identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents, appropriately scale computing resources and otherwise support and deliver this site and its services.

Cookies and Related Technologies

This site uses cookies and similar technologies to personalize content, measure traffic patterns, control security, track use and access of information on this site, and provide interest-based messages and advertising. Users can manage and block the use of cookies through their browser. Disabling or blocking certain cookies may limit the functionality of this site.

Do Not Track

This site currently does not respond to Do Not Track signals.

Security


Pearson uses appropriate physical, administrative and technical security measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use and disclosure.

Children


This site is not directed to children under the age of 13.

Marketing


Pearson may send or direct marketing communications to users, provided that

  • Pearson will not use personal information collected or processed as a K-12 school service provider for the purpose of directed or targeted advertising.
  • Such marketing is consistent with applicable law and Pearson's legal obligations.
  • Pearson will not knowingly direct or send marketing communications to an individual who has expressed a preference not to receive marketing.
  • Where required by applicable law, express or implied consent to marketing exists and has not been withdrawn.

Pearson may provide personal information to a third party service provider on a restricted basis to provide marketing solely on behalf of Pearson or an affiliate or customer for whom Pearson is a service provider. Marketing preferences may be changed at any time.

Correcting/Updating Personal Information


If a user's personally identifiable information changes (such as your postal address or email address), we provide a way to correct or update that user's personal data provided to us. This can be done on the Account page. If a user no longer desires our service and desires to delete his or her account, please contact us at customer-service@informit.com and we will process the deletion of a user's account.

Choice/Opt-out


Users can always make an informed choice as to whether they should proceed with certain services offered by Adobe Press. If you choose to remove yourself from our mailing list(s) simply visit the following page and uncheck any communication you no longer want to receive: www.peachpit.com/u.aspx.

Sale of Personal Information


Pearson does not rent or sell personal information in exchange for any payment of money.

While Pearson does not sell personal information, as defined in Nevada law, Nevada residents may email a request for no sale of their personal information to NevadaDesignatedRequest@pearson.com.

Supplemental Privacy Statement for California Residents


California residents should read our Supplemental privacy statement for California residents in conjunction with this Privacy Notice. The Supplemental privacy statement for California residents explains Pearson's commitment to comply with California law and applies to personal information of California residents collected in connection with this site and the Services.

Sharing and Disclosure


Pearson may disclose personal information, as follows:

  • As required by law.
  • With the consent of the individual (or their parent, if the individual is a minor)
  • In response to a subpoena, court order or legal process, to the extent permitted or required by law
  • To protect the security and safety of individuals, data, assets and systems, consistent with applicable law
  • In connection the sale, joint venture or other transfer of some or all of its company or assets, subject to the provisions of this Privacy Notice
  • To investigate or address actual or suspected fraud or other illegal activities
  • To exercise its legal rights, including enforcement of the Terms of Use for this site or another contract
  • To affiliated Pearson companies and other companies and organizations who perform work for Pearson and are obligated to protect the privacy of personal information consistent with this Privacy Notice
  • To a school, organization, company or government agency, where Pearson collects or processes the personal information in a school setting or on behalf of such organization, company or government agency.

Links


This web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every web site that collects Personal Information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this web site.

Requests and Contact


Please contact us about this Privacy Notice or if you have any requests or questions relating to the privacy of your personal information.

Changes to this Privacy Notice


We may revise this Privacy Notice through an updated posting. We will identify the effective date of the revision in the posting. Often, updates are made to provide greater clarity or to comply with changes in regulatory requirements. If the updates involve material changes to the collection, protection, use or disclosure of Personal Information, Pearson will provide notice of the change through a conspicuous notice on this site or other appropriate way. Continued use of the site after the effective date of a posted revision evidences acceptance. Please contact us if you have questions or concerns about the Privacy Notice or any objection to any revisions.

Last Update: November 17, 2020