Final Cut Pro: Very Cool, But Very Hidden, Effects

When it comes to visual effects, the workhorses are blend modes, blurs, green-screen and masks. But Final Cut Pro ships with hundreds of effects, surely there must be a few others worth using?

I’m glad you asked. Here are a baker’s dozen of little-known effects that can add spice for those times when you need something “more.” Plus, they are all easy to create in Final Cut.

NOTE: Here’s a tutorial looking specifically at Light effects in FCP.

ANIMATED BACKGROUNDS

Take a colorful still or moving image.

• Apply Effects > Tiling > Kaleidoscope.
• If you are using a still image, animate it by adding keyframes to the Offset Angle shifting it from 0° – 10°.
• To soften the effect, add Effects > Blur > Radial Blur and change Amount to 5.
• To darken the effect, lower Video Inspector > Compositing > Opacity to 60%.

A related effect to Kaleidoscope is to create an animated background using Effects > Tiling > Kaleidotile to any colorful clip (still or moving).

If you use a still image, animate the background by adding keyframes to the Center setting. A small movement is all you need.

VISUAL EFFECTS

NOTE: After applying any of these examples, go to the Video Inspector and adjust with the options. If you need to reset an effect, click the small chevron on the right side of the name of the effect (red arrow) and choose Reset Parameter. This resets the entire effect.

Simulate recording a video with a small, hand-held camera using Effects > Stylize > Camcorder. The opacity, text and battery symbols are adjustable.

Simulate a security camera using Effects > Nostalgia > Security. Change the text settings after applying the effect using the Video Inspector.

Use Stylize > Censor > Darken to hide an identity. A black disc hides more effectively than blur or pixelate.

Create a freeze frame, duplicate it, dissolve between them, then apply Effects > Stylize > Graphic to the second freeze frame to create a stunning transition into a break.

Create the effect of looking at a photo. Effects > Stylize > Photo Recall. (Play with the options in the Inspector. In this example, I decreased the saturation of the background and switched the Style to Instant.)

Add a sense of loneliness to a simple closeup by applying Effects > Distortion > Water Pane. The water drops are animated. Also check out Rain and Raindrops in Effects > Stylize.

Effects> Masks > Vignette Mask creates a soft, transparent oval edge around an object, allowing it to composite into the background. (Effects > Stylize > Vignette adds a dark or light oval border, without creating transparent edges.)

When a subject is backlit, add Effects > Light > Bokeh Random. However, be SURE to slow Speed way down. This works best when the subject is moving in the frame.

To bring out the color in an object, apply Effects > Basics > Vibrancy. Move Adjust up to 1.5 – 1.7, however watch the Vectorscope to keep colors from oversaturating.

NOTE: Vibrancy adjusts saturation for midtone colors. Midtones have the greatest latitude for adjustment.

Effects > Basics > Negative, when used as a flash cut, simulates a flashback or onset of a hallucination. Used sparingly, it is very effective at switching into unreality.

To evoke a feeling of “times past,” first apply Effects > Color > Black & White, to kill all existing color, then apply Effects > Color > Sepia. Instant notalgia.

SUMMARY

The reason we use effects is to help us tell our story more effectively. While creating effects can take more time than we expect, the results, when effects are chosen wisely, can be amazing.

Have fun experimenting.

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