2 questions regarding effects / transitions folders and template

1 - I am trying to create a 'favorites' folder for effects and transitions. I found something online that said I need to go to Movies/ motion templates and create a favorite folder and duplicate the effect and drag a copy into the new favs folder. However there is nothing in that folder to edit? I would assume you can just do all of this IN the program itself but don't see a way to create a folder and drag items in??


2 - I want to format an effect or transition that I use all the time - like adding a simple border with a specific color - I want to create that and be able to add without having to customize each time. I don't see a way to edit and save the effect or transition???


thanks



Posted on Oct 30, 2023 11:23 AM

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7 replies

Oct 30, 2023 1:54 PM in response to JDHfilms

I don't see a way to edit and save the effect or transition?

Please refer to Luis' explanation for presets.


If you have a complex combination of effects and transitions, we recommend creating your own template. Copy it from the template project and paste it into the timeline you are editing.


⚫︎Wipe+Comic




I'd like to show you a sound effect template that I made. It's organized by genre and the volume and duration have been adjusted, so it's convenient to have it ready for immediate use.



Presets are convenient, but I'm not good at memorizing multiple complex settings. If you create a template, you can configure it freely.

Oct 30, 2023 11:51 AM in response to JDHfilms

Both of your questions basically have the SAME answer, and you can do it all inside Final Cut Pro.


The answer is "Effects Presets".


Add one effect to a clip (it does not matter what clip, and you can even use a placeholder).

Customize it in any way you want (or just leave it as is). Choose Save Effects Preset, and choose a new Category. Call this category "Favorites" or whatever you like. It could be " Favorites" with a leading space, to make it appear first in alphabetical order (*)


Repeat for other effects, except choosing the existing category now.


Done.

Oct 30, 2023 12:44 PM in response to JDHfilms

1 ) That's correct: go into Motion Templates > Effects and create a New Folder and name it Favorites. Find the original Template (folders) and you can option drag them into Favorites or Copy/Paste them *in the Finder* by right clicking the folders, selecting Copy Item from the popup, then navigate to your Favorites folder, right click in the folder and Paste Item from the popup.


You would do the same process with Titles, and Transitions.


You cannot create a Favorites folder from inside FCPX, but you can with Motion (by building a dummy template and publishing it to a Favorites.


2) You can Save Effects Presets (⌘-P) for any effect, or combination of effects applied to any clip. You cannot "customize" a transition from within Final Cut (but you can with Motion).


You can create a keyboard shortcut for your "favorite" effect (effect/preset), title, generator and transition - right click on the template/preset and choose: Make Default ______ (whichever it is). You should find the templates you make "default" in the Edit menu and you may also assign Keyboard Shortcuts to each.


HTH

Oct 30, 2023 1:43 PM in response to JDHfilms

Creating a Favorites category with an Effect Preset does NOT create a Favorites folder in the Motion Templates/Effects folder — It only creates the Category listing for Final Cut which can be done by physically creating the Folder as well (it's a "database thing" in FCP).


There are no similar preset functions for Transitions, Titles or Generators — only Effects. So if you don't have Favorites in these other Template types, then you will need to physically create the Favorites folder in each type's folder (Titles, Transitions and Generators). If you want to apply specific templates to these template types you must manually copy the templates into a Favorites folder you create (if it doesn't already exist). In order to not damage projects you've already created with these template types, you need to copy (duplicate) the instances of the individual templates. It is "legal" to have templates of the same name in different category folders if you like.


An Effects Preset is NOT a copy of the Effect(s) used in the Preset, it is simply a "description" file to save which Effects were saved and all the settings applied to each effect saved in the preset. It is quite convenient especially for complex effects builds (like multiple special effects + color corrections + animations applied together).

2 questions regarding effects / transitions folders and template

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