Multicamera Editing in Final Cut Pro 6

As Digital Film students skills advance, they will probably begin to experiment with multiple camera shots to create a more professional video product. While setting up and recording multiple camera angles isn't too difficult, seamlessly editing those angles together to create a visually flawless movie can be quite a challenge. The following sites are excellent resources to help meet that challenge. First watch the tutorial movie and see just how it is done, then follow the step-by-step instructions with your own movie!

How to Multiclip Edit

The Essentials of Multicam Editing in Final Cut Pro

Public Service Announcements (PSAs)

In the United States a public service announcement (PSA) is defined by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as "any free announcement that promotes programs, activities or services of federal, state, or local governments, or non-profit organizations, and other announcements that serve community interests." So essentially, any announcement for the benefit of society is a Public Service Announcement. Visit the links below for more information and to see some examples of popular Public Service Announcements.

Wikipedia Entry on Public Service Announcements

MBC: Public Service Announcements

Ad Council Campaigns and PSAs

Remember your PSA can be 30 OR 45 seconds (exactly!) and should use appropriately compelling text, music, dialog, graphics, and animation.

The Rule of Thirds

As you know, the "Rule of Thirds" mentally creates two horizontal and two vertical lines that trisect an image with four intersecting points. When you place your main subject where the lines intersect, rather than centered in the frame, you have a much more visually interesting picture.

Following the Rule of Thirds can take a bit of practice. The website below gives a great explanation of this composition principle, along with a slide show that illustrates the Rule of Thirds in use.

"The Rule of Thirds"

Mac 101

Welcome new Mac users! This site refers to applications used on the Macintosh computer and OS X exclusively. If you are a Windows user and have little to no experience with Macs the change can be a bit daunting. But never fear; watch this video and see just how easy using a Mac can be!

Switching from Windows to Mac Tutorial

Creativity blocked?

Ideas just not happening? Visit this site and get your imagination flowing again. Here you'll find the full length scripts from thousands of popular movies, free for you to read and be inspired. See firsthand how successful films are created!

The Internet Movie Script Database

Free your mind with "FreeMind!"

All digital film students can benefit from FreeMind, the free and open source software for organizing thoughts and ideas. Classes use it to create Production Plans for movies, but it can be used for anything in need of "mapping out." :-) Check out the link below to learn more about FreeMind!

FreeMindMapping Software

T.V. Pilot Programming!

It's Pilot Season!
During the first four months of the year, U.S. television studios and production companies immerse themselves in the annual rite of spring known as "pilot season." But what exactly IS pilot season? Check out the link below and see what the Museum of Broadcast Communications has to say about this exciting time of year.

The Museum of Broadcast Communications: Pilot Season