So just how fast can you build a slideshow in Final Cut Pro X? Doug Suiter from FCPXposure shows us, just don't blink! Plus we run through some free and commercial FCPX plugins that help to build an good looking slideshow.
Although we are mainly dealing with video, there are times when we have to use stills in a production. It might be extra shots from a wedding or even slightly less than inspiring product stills from a client. Building a clean, moving slideshow in FCP7 wasn't easy, those keyframes were a nightmare to animate through a dissolve and once it was built, you didn't really want to tinker with it!
Things are very different in FCPX.
In this short tutorial Doug Suiter shows us how quick it is to build a basic slide show using the built-in tools in Final Cut Pro X. If the name sounds familiar, he gave us this tutorial on how to fly around a webpage in Motion. He also runs the site FCPXposure which looks like it is aiming at DSLR photographers wanting to expand into video. (Yes it is a really old version of FCPX but the technique is still good.)
Whilst on the subject of slideshows, we were reminded about a few other ways to liven up a group of stills.
CoverFlux is a free plugin from Idustrial Revolution that gives that Apple 'Coverflow' feel to a set of images. It's very customisable and completely free to download and use.
If the basic Ken Burns move in FCPX doesn't give you the result you want, check out Pan and Zoom from FxFactory. Again this plugin is free to download and use and has some good extra features such as accurate acceleration control and the option to rotate the picture as well.
It will only animate one image at a time, but if you need precise moves over an image it works very well.
From the FxFactory stable again, Photo Montage is a $199 set of generators that build slideshows in FCPX, Motion, Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects. It has some very unique transitions between stills.
Print Stacker is a set of plugins from FCPEffects that does exactly that, stacks photos or video on top of each other. Priced at $39 it just might give a bit of lift to a boring set of photos.
Finally in our quick roundup of slideshow options for FCPX, there is Snapshots. A $99 set of plugins for producing slideshows that are displayed with a lot of creative content, such as frames, filmstrips, iPhones, iPads e.t.c. The plugin has also got easy to use onscreen controls for animating the image in 3D space.
I am the Editor-in-Chief of FCP.co and have run the website since its inception ten years ago.
I have also worked as a broadcast and corporate editor for over 30 years, starting on one inch tape, working through many formats, right up to today's NLEs.
Under the name Idustrial Revolution, I have written and sold plugins for Final Cut Pro for 13 years.
I was made a Freeman of Lichfield through The Worshipful Company of Smiths (established 1601). Though I haven't yet tried to herd a flock of sheep through the city centre!
Current Editing
2020 has been busy, the beginning of the year was finishing off a new property series (cut on FCP) for Channel 4 called The Great House Giveaway. I also designed and built the majority of the graphics as Motion templates. It has been a great success and the shows grabbed more viewers in the 4pm weekday slot than any previous strand. It has been recommissioned by C4 for 60 episodes, including prime-time versions and five themed programmes. The shows have also been nominated for a 2021 BAFTA.
Although both were postponed to later in the year, I worked again on ITV's coverage of the Tour de France and La Vuelta. 2020 was my 25th year of editing the TdF and my 20th year as lead editor. The Tour was the first broadcast show to adopt FCPX working for multiple editors on shared storage.
BBC's Snooker has played a big part in my life, I've been editing tournament coverage since 1997. I'm proud to be part of a very creative team that has pioneered many new ideas and workflows that are now industry standard in sports' production. This is currently an Adobe Premiere edit.
Covid cancelled some of the regular corporate events that I edit such as trade shows & events. I was lucky however to edit, from home, on projects for Amazon Kindle, Amazon Black Friday, Mastercard and very proud to have helped local charitable trust Kendall & Wall secure lottery funding.
As for software, my weapon of choice is Final Cut Pro and Motion, but I also have a good knowledge and broadcast credits with Adobe Premiere Pro, MOGRT design and Photoshop.
Plugin Design & Development
I'm the creative force behind Idustrial Revolution, one of the oldest Final Cut Pro plugin developers. It hosts a range of commercial and free plugins on the site. One free plugin was downloaded over a thousand times within 24 hours of release.
I also take on custom work, whether it is adapting an existing plugin for a special use or designing new plugins for clients from scratch. Having a good knowledge of editing allows me to build-in flexibility and more importantly, usability.
FCP.co
Now in its 10th year and 4th redesign, running FCP.co has given me knowledge on how to run a large CMS- you are currently reading my bio from the database! Although it sounds corny, I am pretty well up on social media trends & techniques, especially in the video sector. The recent Covid restrictions has enabled live FCP.co shows online. This involves managing a Zoom Webinar through Restream.io to YouTube and Facebook.
The Future
I'm always open to new ideas and opportunities, so please get in touch at editor (at) fcp.co. I've judged film competitions, presented workflow techniques to international audiences and come up with ideas for TV shows and software programs!
