Wish list for FCP 6.0 - Frank's lot, inc Markers, Customization, Find Bin, etc.

my old favorite request since i started in FCP3:

markers that work EXACTLY like locators in avid. exactly. yes.

they should

- move with the timeline (or have the choice)
-be 'binable' as in be able to be in a marker bin that one can double click to got to on the timeline
-be printable.

be able to color the tracks (M&E useful)

more or customizable label colors for clips and my new track feature.

for clips in the timeline i want to:

-find bin
-find source (where the heck is it on my drive!?) i know there is a column. i don't like. takes too long. this is a computer. find it. yesterday.

everything everyone one said about keyframes. me too.

gotta do something about having rogue tracks or clips selected by accident. 5 years later and i STILL accidentally delete stuff or am frustrated that something somewhere is selected and my in/out marks are not activated. the only thing is i don't have is a solution...yet - maybe something simple like in/out marks override something else selected....? eh?

can batch list exports have better/advanced features? i OFTEN need to give people picture and music lists.

multiple formats on a timeline better than they are.

and the old standby:

redo/beef up the media manager.

Not a feature request just a request:

please please do not tier fcp pricing/features like avid. the shake disappearing and the final touch aquistion has me spooked. don't be avid. like by having fcp studio...studio awesome...studio exxxtreme and each one has something i used to have and i need to get the best one (that has a ton of stuff i don't need) to do something basic like trimming AND keyframing....or even worse - the ability to use certain media like uncompressed SD or HD.

G5 2.5 Dual (2004)
2gig ram 1tb sata raid array
decklink SP / Sony PVM-1954Q

> for clips in the timeline i want to:
> -find source (where the heck is it on my drive!?)

There's a "Reveal in Finder" option if you CONTROL-click on a clip.


www.derekmok.com

Markers...I'd like them to be more functional. The ability to easily move them forward or backward on the timeline, and the ability to extend or de-extend them. I know we can do half of that now (moving them forward or extending) but it is not very intuitive. I like the way they look in soundtrack...nice and big...very hard to miss!

"Never underestimate a kick to the nuts"
Bas Rutten

Frank

Not exactly what you're looking for but if you right-click on the timecode ruler in the Timeline, FCP lists all the sequence markers in the current sequence so you can quickly jump to one.

Martin Baker
[www.digital-heaven.co.uk]
Unique plug-ins and tools for Apple Pro Apps

"you right-click on the timecode ruler in the Timeline"


i hear you and do that, it's just i mark up my timeline with edit notes and even have a client that is great enough to put his edit notes right on the timeline with markers, but, the problem is that the markers don't move with the cut. if i trim one part down it makes all the markers to follow 'out of sync' thereafter.

when i was an avid guy, the locators would follow the edit, which made making changes easier. i also drop markers in when watching it down as a note to myself that something stinks at that point and i need to go back.

what i end up doing is running through the marked cut and lifting stuff out, then i do an entire second pass and glue the holes back together.

i understand that just because that's the way i edit doesn't mean that apple should get right on it, but it seems that the marker system could become more robust. i mean there must be a ton of editors that use the markers with say assistant editors. i don't have an assistant, but i would guess much of the long form stuff cut on FCP does.

i guess what i'm saying is that it could be a stronger communication/organizational tool. especially as the overall post production paradigm shifts to shared storage and a fcp seat for every job title in the shop. including above the line.

frankpledge Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> "you right-click on the timecode ruler in the
> Timeline"
>
>
> i hear you and do that, it's just i mark up my
> timeline with edit notes and even have a client
> that is great enough to put his edit notes right
> on the timeline with markers, but, the problem is
> that the markers don't move with the cut. if i
> trim one part down it makes all the markers to
> follow 'out of sync' thereafter.


Not sure if you want a work around, but I have one for you. Place a clip of slug in your timeline on the lowest track: V1 (you might need several for the length of your sequence). All your other tracks should move up one track. Then when you want to place a marker at a specific point, select the slug and the marker will attach to the slug clip. Then if you cut and make changes to the length of the sequence, the slug marker will always maintain it's same position relative to it's point in time of the sequence.

> select the slug and the marker will attach to the slug clip. Then if you cut and make changes
> to the length of the sequence, the slug marker will always maintain it's same position relative
> to it's point in time of the sequence.

Interesting approach, Andy. Seems to me if you make the Slug's Opacity at 0, you can put that on top of the timeline for better clip management and visibility, while still retaining the advantages of being able to snap to the markers and not having to render. Clip Disable can make the Slug invisible, but then markers won't snap.

I guess the poor Slug would become very mutilated by the end of an editing session, though!


www.derekmok.com

Yeah, the top track works too. As a matter of fact, I used to use the top track with the opacity at 0. The reason I switched was because if the slug's on the bottom track, I can use the divider tool to lock it in place so that it's always visible no matter how many video tracks I have. Plus, if I'm adding more and more layers, it's easier than moving the slug track up constantly.

Andy