Can you sync video to externally recorded audio with Final Cut Express? (i.e. create clips not just sequnces)

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Level 1

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Can you sync video to externally recorded audio with Final Cut Express? (i.e. create clips not just sequnces)

I have finished logging and organising a short film I worked on. I wanted to get started syncing. My video was recorded on a DSLR camera and my audio was recorded separately externally. When I began to sync my video and audio clips (there is quite a lot of footage, about 15 hours, lots of coverage), I released that it involved dropping an audio clip and a video clip onto the timeline and syncing them up.

However, there doesn't seem to be any way to create a new "clip" from these two clips. It remains as a sequence. This makes it very tricky in terms of actually editing - does it involve editing a sequence within a sequence? Does anyone know if there is any way using FCE to create clips as opposed to sequences when syncing in FCE or do I need to look at Final Cut Pro for this function? Thanks for any advice!

Posted on Jan 25, 2013 3:48 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

oneHvT

Level 1

44 points

Jan 25, 2013 4:43 AM in response to JKayD13

JKayD, all of the tracks that show in the timeline view are part of the sequence. To make it a clip, you export it (File>Export ...).

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Answer 2

MartinR

Level 6

18,881 points

Jan 25, 2013 11:30 AM in response to JKayD13

You could build each combined clip (DSLR video + other audio) in a sequence of its own, then export each sequence to QuickTime Movie. Then import the resulting QT Movies back into FCE to use as individual clips. This is the hard way, and is an involved process that takes time & unnecessary disk space.

Alternatively, use Nested Sequences right in FCE. This involves creating each of your combined clips (DSLR video + other audio) as an individual sequence. Then nest these individual sequences in another sequence where you will actually build your finished video.

For example, let's say you have 3 video clips + 3 corresponding audio files ... Clip1, Clip2, Clip3, Audio1, Audio2, Audio3. Create a sequence and place Clip 1 + Audio 1 into it; call it Sequence1. Do similar for Clip2 + Audio2 in a Sequence2; and Clip3 + Audio3 in a Sequence3.

Now create an additional sequence, perhaps call it Master Sequence. Place Sequence1, Sequence2 and Sequence3 in the Master Sequence. In Master Sequence you can then treat Sequence1, Sequence2 and Sequence3 just the same as if they were real clips - cut, trim, apply effects & filters, etc.

And because FCE is non-destructive, any edits applied in the Master Sequence do not modify the underlying nested sequences themselves.

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