How to lock a clip in fcpx timeline

Question

Level 1

36 points

How to lock a clip in fcpx timeline

I want to drop a video clip onto the timeline and make it stay at that time. Like pinning it to the existing audio.

The soundtrack is already finished, so the whole edit is "dropping in visuals."

The P option is helpful, but I want to lock things that were already built. So I can grab a bunch of clips, delete them and not have the rest of things collapse left, throwing later edits out of sync.

In short I want all existing clips to stay put, then move things around without causing downstream changes.

Is there a global command that's essentially, "OK, everybody. Nobody move!"

iMac with Retina 5K display, OS X El Capitan (10.11.4), 16 GB

Posted on Feb 4, 2018 12:24 PM

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Answer 1

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,815 points

Feb 4, 2018 12:46 PM in response to Peter Inova1

The standard technique for this is to put the audio on the primary storyline and to connect the B-roll to the primary. Nothing moves and remains attached to where it's connected on the primary.

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Answer 2

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,815 points

Feb 4, 2018 1:23 PM in response to Peter Inova1

I'm assuming your B-roll is on the primary now and audio underneath. Select the B-roll and use Opt-Cmd-Up arrow to lift it from the timeline. Select the audio and use Opt-Cmd-Down arrow to overwrite it to the primary.

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Answer 3

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,815 points

Feb 4, 2018 4:04 PM in response to Peter Inova1

Wasn't aware that there were multiple layers. You don't need to select all the layers. Select all the B-roll on the primary storyline. That's the only thing you need to clear to make room for the audio. Select the primary clips and lift them from the storyline.

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Answer 4

Peter Inova1 Author

Level 1

36 points

Feb 4, 2018 1:39 PM in response to Tom Wolsky

Thanks for the hint.

The multiple layers of the edit are indeed above the soundtrack. I wish to keep working on this complex multiple layer but overwriting it to the soundtrack smashes everything into one flat line. Opt-Cmd-Up isn't available with all the layers selected OC-down flattens the whole thing.

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Answer 5

Peter Inova1 Author

Level 1

36 points

Feb 4, 2018 4:03 PM in response to Tom Wolsky

Thanks Tom.

Your suggestion of OC-up helped. And it was a command I never used before. But it has to select one line at a time. Or one clip at a time to avoid mushing layers together.

My edit is 7 layers, and I really would like it if there were a way to just lock them all at once, then go back in and do surgery on things, one clip at a time without having to do endless undos when things ripple left as a gap open up. About 20% of my time has been consumed in re-synching things. A graphically precise edit.

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