How to Play a Clip Backwards on Final Cut Pro

Final Cut Pro, produced by Apple, has literally changed the landscape of film editing. No longer do you have to wait to rent time in an editing bay and pay an editor who knows how to work the equipment. For a small investment, you can shoot, edit and distribute movies all from the comfort of your computer. Here's how to play a clip backwards on Final Cut Pro.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Computer
• Final Cut Pro

1. Select a piece of footage that you would like to play backwards. Your "play-head" is the vertical cursor that runs along the time line of your movie. Simply move the play-head over the piece of the movie you want to play backwards. It is now selected.

2. Press "Apple J" to bring up the appropriate "Speed" menu. Or you can right click on your mouse and select "Speed." Or you can click on the "Modify" tab at the top of your screen and select "Speed" there as well. All three will bring you to the exact same place.

3. Click the "Reverse" box on the menu. Be sure to keep your speed "Constant" so the clip keeps its original length. (Unless you want to slow or quicken the pace, then adjust accordingly.)

4. Click play and watch the scene in reverse.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember that by changing the order of images, you can tell totally different stories on the videos you make. For instance, if you were shooting a bouquet of flowers and did a slow push in, you can reverse the video image and make it a slow pull out. This will create a difference in meaning on the video from approaching something versus leaving something.