Importing Video
These instructions are for Final Cut Express. For Final Cut Pro instructions see advanced video editing tutorial.
It is strongly recommended that you import your video in clips instead of importing all of your video in one single capture. You will find that editing your video in clips is much easier than editing one long chunk of video.
You should also import an ample amount of time before and after each video clip. If, for example, you have a 15 second clip, you will want to import at least five seconds before the start of the clip and five seconds after the end of the clip for a total of 25 seconds. It is much, much better to import an excess of video as opposed to not enough. You will be able to edit the excess off of your clip later. You can’t add to a clip later.
Before you begin, you must log in to the computer. If someone forgot to log out, make sure you log them out, then log in with your KU log-in and password.
Don’t open Final Cut Express until you’ve set up the Video Storage Drive. Double-click the Video Storage Drive icon on the desktop.
At the top of the screen, click File -> New Folder. Give the folder a name (i.e. “Terry Bryant’s J-301 projectâ€).
Once you’ve created a new folder, click on the Final Cut Express icon to open Final Cut Express.
Click the Reset Scratch Disks button.
In the Scratch Disks window, you have to set the four scratch disks highlighted below. Click on Set for the uppermost scratch disk.
In the Choose A Folder window, click Video Storage on the left column, then click the folder you just created, then click the Choose.
Repeat step 7 for the remaining three Set buttons, then click OK on the System Settings window.
Once you’ve finished step 8, Final Cut Express will open. It should open a new file. If a new file does not open, click File -> New Project. If you need to open an existing file to edit your work click File -> Open and browse to you file. Remember that you can only edit an existing project on the computer where you originally started working on that project.
…OR…
Before you begin importing, go ahead and save your project. To save your project, click File -> Save Project As…
Give your project a unique name in the Save As box that describes what the project is about (For example…sw-SummerJobs). Click the blue square to the right of the Save As: bar to extend the Save dialog box. Click Video Storage on the left column, then click the folder you created.Now click the Save button.
To begin importing, or capturing, your video, insert your Mini DV tape into the tape deck. Make sure the circular DV button is illuminated, and the arrow above the DV arrow button is illuminated.
Now you want to cue your tape to the desired starting time of your video. Using the play button and the FF/REW wheel. To use the wheel, spin it one time in the desired direction and the machine will begin fast forwarding or rewinding. You do not have to manually spin the wheel to fast forward and rewind through the tape.
Once you’ve found the starting point of the video you are going to import, stop your tape. Go back into Final Cut Express to open the Capture Window. Click File -> Capture
To import, or capture, your video press play on the tape deck and Now in the Capture Window. (A new window should pop up with your video playing in the box. This means Final Cut Express is importing your video.) Once all of your video is imported hit the esc key on your keyboard.
Your imported video clip should now be in the Browser window. If you import, or capture, several video clips they will all appear in the Browser window. Once all of your clips are imported, you are ready to edit your video.
