The Methodology

Editing can be the most exciting aspect of video production. It's where the little pieces come together, and you begin to see all your hard work pay off. Editing can be a simple process of stringing shots together, or a highly complex process that includes building layered effects and creating titles.

Using step-by-step exercises and practice projects, this book will teach you all you need to know about editing and delivering professional-looking projects using Final Cut Express. Each lesson builds on the previous lesson and continues to step you up through the program's functions and capabilities.

Course Structure

The lessons begin by introducing some necessary computer and application basics and follow with the editing and trimming techniques of Final Cut Express. Next you will learn how to customize and capture your own project. Finally, you will learn how to incorporate the higher-end features of Final Cut Express, such as effects and titling.

The lessons fall into the following categories:

Lessons 12	Mac OS X features and nonlinear editing basics
Lessons 34	Project organization and interface basics
Lessons 58	Editing techniques
Lessons 910	Trimming and adjusting edit points
Lessons 1112	Customizing and capturing a project
Lesson 13	Audio features
Lessons 1415	Transitions and titles
Lesson 16	Finishing a project

Special Training Aides

There are three training aides that support the learning process throughout this book. After Lesson 3, each lesson begins with a "Preparing the Project" section. This section guides you through opening the correct project file, organizing that project's elements, and viewing the completed project. You will then follow step-by-step exercises to produce that project.

At the end of each lesson is a section called "Lesson Review." This section contains questions and answers that summarize the functions covered throughout the lesson. Following this is a section called "Keyboard Shortcuts," a quick reference to all the shortcuts mentioned in the lesson.

In addition, "Project Tasks" sections appear throughout the book at the end of certain exercises. Each project task gives you an opportunity to stop and practice what you've learned before moving on to new material.