How to Use Filters in Final Cut Pro 5

The video clip you have set up for your daughter's wedding reception is complete, but it's missing that certain something. Video editing is a creative person's playground and learning to use the filters option on Final Cut Pro 5 gives you an opportunity to express that creativity. Here's how to use the filters option on Final Cut Pro 5 so you can take your video editing to the next level.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Decide if you want to apply the filter to a single sequence, which will apply the effect to a single clip, or if you want to apply the filter in the browser, which affects the master clip. In most cases you will only want to apply the filter to a single sequence.

2. Open up the sequence you want to apply the effect to in the browser. This is a single clip in a timeline.

3. Click on the "Effects" tab at the upper right corner of the screen. Scroll down and select the effect you'd like to see on your single clip.

4. Drag the effect to your single clip and drop it. This applies the effect to the single clip.

5. Create your own filters with the "affects script" effects language. This enables you to make custom effects to suit your video editing needs.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also select an effect from the Final Cut Pro 5 dropdown menu from the right side of the screen by clicking "Effects" then "Video Filters," then choose the video filter you want to apply.
• If you decide to apply effects to the master clip, you may end up with a lot of editing and rendering and re-rendering time. It is usually preferable to apply effects to single clips instead of the master clip.