Ken Burns Effect In FCE

Hi, and welcome to the FCE forum.

It can be done with the Motion controls in FCE. Tom Wolsky wrote a good explanation of how to do it, including a practice file for you to experiment with.

PieroF also wrote a nice filter called AutoPanZoom that helps automate the process and can create random pans & zooms.

Yes, you can do Ken Burns effects with video clips in FCE. It's not that difficult do to by setting Motion keyframes in the Canvas (Image + Wireframe mode) as Tom explained for still images. You just need to practice a bit. I can't imagine it taking more than a couple minutes to do basic scaling & motion, including Ken Burns panning, on a clip.

A simple process ...
Set the Canvas for Image + Wireframe
Move the Playhead to the point in the clip where you want the Ken Burns effect to begin
In the Canvas, drag the clip to the location +in the Canvas frame+ where you visually want it to start
Set a Keyframe (in the lower right corner of the Canvas window, third button from the right)
Then move the Playhead to the point in the clip where you want the Ken Burns effect to end
Again in the Canvas, drag the clip to the location +in the Canvas frame+ where you visually want it to end
Set another Keyframe
You will see the motion track in the Canvas

Motion effect (aka Ken Burns effect) is now done ...
Play the timeline to see the actual results of the motion path that you created

On the other hand, maybe you just want a plugin like FxFactory PanAndZoom. It's free, but you still have to learn how to use it. It definitely works with stills but I haven't tried it with a video clip.

FYI - you do have to install FXFactory first, before you can load & use the plugin. FxFactory is also free.

There are loads of plugins for Final Cut Express, some free, some have a price. There's no one place you can find them all. If you search on the web (or even in this forum) you will find various lists & recommendations. (Hmmm ... maybe I should put such a list together ...)

I particularly like Patrick Sheffield's Technicolor plugins (free) and Graeme Nattress' Film Effects and Big Box of Tricks

There are many film and video forums and a number of FCE forums (eg dvcreators, 2-pop, videomaker, etc.) - but imho the one you are in right now is by far the best of the lot. Also, if you search you will find a number of FCPro forums ... and there is a good one right in Sydney - the SydneyFCP ! Take a look!

Perhaps it would work - give it a try and see. But why fool around with 2 different editors when one can do the job? What is your reason for using FCE if iMovie can do what you want?

The process described in the blog does not import the iMovie project into FCE. The file is exported using QuickTime from iMovie. The completed, recompressed file is then imported into FCE.

umm ... with all due respect, we pointed you to 4 good ways to do Ken Burns effects in FCE. They're all pretty straightforward. Honestly don't know what the issue is, unless it's that there's not a +built-in filter+ called 'Ken Burns'. The capability is there. For stabilization, there are 3d party filters for FCE and there is also FCPro with its SmoothCam feature. Plus, isn't it great that users contribute ways they have discovered to do things.

If you are looking to apply the Ken Burns effect on +lots of clips at once+, you can do it using "Paste Attributes..."

- First use the motion tab in one clip to make a Ken Burns effect, as described above.
- Then select the clip and select "Copy" from the menu.
- Select all the other clips that you want the motion to be applied to.
- Select "Paste Attributes...". A dialog box will appear asking which attributes you want to apply. Select "Motion" (Any any others you want as well.)

Then go into the individual clips' motion panel and adjust the exact positions as needed. It ends up being faster and more flexible then iMovie when you do it this way.