Top 8 Recommended Final Cut Pro Self-Study Materials! [December 2023]

>> Extended and updated  (February 2023) with new features,  lessons, and downloads <<

Do you want a no-nonsense, enlightening, thorough...and fun course on Final Cut Pro? Well, you have found it, according to this student's review - "Guys, I LOVE. LOVE, LOVE your Final Cut Pro X class...Your videos are fun to watch, thorough, enlightening, and provide an elegant, no-nonsense approach to FCP. " (Leo).  Whether you are upgrading from iMovie, switching from Adobe Premiere, or simply want to learn how to use Final Cut Pro to produce professional-looking videos. then this course is for you!

"Best explanation I've seen on the relationship between Libraries, Events, and Projects." (Dan)

What's the course about?

This course is all about Final Cut Pro - one of the world's leading video editing suites. In this course you will learn everything from the basics up to some amazing advanced features. Final Cut Pro is used by many professional movie makes to edit their movies - it's time you discover how you too can learn to edit like a pro.

Why this course?

There are lots of courses that teach you video editing…and of course I suggest you do as many as you can. However, if this is your first time, or if you are wanting to get into videography, then this is the best course for you. Why?

Firstly it will be fun! Learning that is not fun is not fun…OK, I suppose that makes sense ;-) We want you to have fun during your learning and will not only show you what is vital - but we plan to keep it fun and interesting too.

Secondly, we know that not only do you want to enjoy your learning, you want it to be easy to follow and meaningful. As such we are careful to go in a step-by-step way through the content, ensuring you understand everything before we move on. And if at any stage you are lost, then we are here to help. Just drop us a message and we will get back to you.

Thirdly you are about to be taught - not just by one person - but by I unique father-son team. We have been working together for years on online courses (check out our programming courses and others). I (Craig) have a PhD in educational technology and have been involved in technology and teaching it for over 30 years. I will share with you the benefit of my knowledge of teaching ensuring that the teaching is engaging, professional and effective. Joshua, has worked with me for years on video editing projects - from small to large scale and has immense skill in using Final Cut Pro. Together we are going to guide you on your learning journey with Final Cut Pro.

What kind of materials are included?

The course includes everything you need. The lectures are professionally created, as people have come to expect from my courses. We will explain everything to you and give you access to additional files/content where they are needed. 

How long will the course take to complete?

There are 8 sections to this course, with each section providing short powerful videos on individual concepts. Learning to become proficient in using Final Cut Pro takes time. But, by following the course and working through each section, you will move from the basics to mastering some truly powerful advanced features.

Why take this course?

It is quite simply the best course, covering the key content, in the most engaging way, by a most unique teaching team!

1. BEGINNER - The Basics
2. Course Introduction
3. Course Guide Infographic
4. The FCP Interface
5. Libraries, Events, and Projects
6. Inspiration Point
7. Recap and Do
8. BEGINNER - Key Concepts
9. Section Overview
10. Creating your library, event, and project
11. Course Resources
12. FCP Resource Download Instructions
13. Importing your media
14. Inspiration Point
15. Dragging the media onto the timeline
16. Tools and functions
17. Quick Update
18. Customising your Final Cut Pro
19. Recap and Do
20. BEGINNER - Basic Editing - Enhancing, Transforming, Exporting
21. Section Overview
22. Using Transitions
23. Retiming Clips
24. Inspiration Point
25. Simple Editing Workflow
26. Multi-layer tracks & Transform/Crop
27. Amazing power of Key-framing
28. Audio - Making it sound right
29. Applying of Titles & Text
30. Inspiration Point
31. Exporting projects - Getting your masterpiece out to the world!
32. Recap and Do
33. INTERMEDIATE - Projects & Effects
34. Section Overview
35. Keyword Collections and organizing media
36. Inspiration Point
37. Using Storylines - Making it hang together
38. Mini Challenge - MTB Projects
39. Video & Audio Effects -Making Movie Magic
40. Compound Clips - Ramping up your effectiveness
41. Inspiration Point
42. Mini Challenge - Jump & Roll
43. Recap & Do
44. INTERMEDIATE - Specialized Effects - Chroma Keying, Advanced Audio, and more
45. Section Overview
46. Color correction - Improving or Reviving media
47. Chroma Keying - A Fun Taste
48. Chroma Keying - Creating your own special effects
49. Advanced Audio - Merging multiple inputs
50. Inspiration Point
51. Custom Generators - Creating animations/moving vector graphics
52. Recap & Do
53. INTERMEDIATE - Working Smart
54. Section Overview
55. Mini Challenge - Spinning Bottle Advert
56. Tracking: Short time - Impressive results with keyframing
57. Tracking: Customising to achieve more
58. Inspiration Point
59. Importing Effects, Text & Transitions
60. Effects Presets & Paste Attributes - Ensuring professional consistency
61. Consolidating Media and Finalising the Main Project
62. Recap & Do
63. ADVANCED - Big/Professional Projects
64. Section Overview
65. Proxy Media - Projects bigger than your computer can handle!
66. Mini Challenge - Advanced Project
67. Inspiration Point
68. MultiCam - Going Pro, not insane!
69. Index & Roles - Setting you up for professional projects
70. Project Snapshot - Changing everything without losing it
71. Auditions - It's your time to shine
72. Recap & Do
73. ADVANCED - LUTs and Advanced Coloring effects
74. Section Overview
75. Custom LUTs - Better colors and style
76. Adjustment Layers & Color Correction Automatic
77. Color correction and the Color wheel
78. Color Grading
79. Inspiration Point
80. Color Grading - Recreating Effects
81. Important Practices to keep your professional
82. FCPX Preferences - Making you Pro
83. Recap
84. Conclusion (or just an amazing beginning)

Don't have Final Cut?  Apple is offering a 90 day free trial of the software now!!

This course is designed to do more than introduce you to FCP. It was created to give you an in depth look at all the power Final Cut has to offer. You will go beyond the drag and drop method of editing and really get into the different tools you can use to fine-tune your edit.  You will learn slipping, sliding, trimming, 'L' and 'J' cuts, and much more. This is a Master Class in the editing tools found in Final Cut and how to use them to enhance your storytelling.

This course comes with a full set of practice footage!

I've included over 80 clips that were shot for a short film called "Dales' Date." Throughout this course you'll create a rough cut of Dale's story based on a short script, then you'll revisit that rough-cut as you learn to apply filters, effects, transitions and even color grades. You will learn about audio and video filters and effects, editing (and shooting) green screen footage, using markers, color correction, multi-cam editing & more!

Storytelling with video can be very satisfying and rewarding...IF you can get past the frustration of learning new software. This course aims to help you, not only feel comfortable with FCP, but to command it. Make it work for you!

Learning keyboard shortcuts, and the tools that make the editing process faster and easier will help you spend more time with the creative side of content creation and storytelling.

1. Course Introduction
2. Welcome!
3. FCP X Tip Sheet
4. FCP X 90 day Trial Link
5. Practice Files and Script
6. FCP X Refresher
7. FCP X Refresher
8. Media Management
9. Library and Event Management
10. Importing Options
11. Generated Content and Render Files
12. The Editing Process
13. Projects
14. Editing
15. Navigating with J,K, & L
16. Using 'J' and 'L' Cuts
17. The Other Tools; Blade, Trim, Zoom, Etc.
18. Connected Clips and Secondary Storylines
19. What Should I Put on that Primary Storyline?
20. Working in Passes
21. Your Turn!
22. Editing Techniques
23. Auditions
24. Snapping
25. The Power of Markers
26. Edit to the Beat
27. Nesting and Compound Clips
28. Keyframes, Glorious Keyframes
29. Everything Audio
30. Audio Settings
31. Basic Volume Adjustments
32. Audio Equalizer "EQ"
33. Adding Filters & Effects to Audio
34. Syncing HQ Audio to Video
35. Video Effects and Filters
36. Basic Transform
37. Basic Cropping
38. Transitions
39. Video Filters and Effects
40. Time Shifting- Slow-motion and Hyperlapse
41. Editing Multiple Clips Simultaneously
42. Adding a Censor Blur
43. Adding Transitions to Multiple Clips
44. Using the Keyer Effect (Working with Green Screens)
45. Titles and Generators
46. Using Titles and Generators
47. Modifying Titles and Generators
48. Multicam Editing
49. Proxy and Optimized Media
50. Multicam Setup
51. Multicam Editing
52. Color Correction
53. Color Correction Setup
54. Color Corrections
55. Color Grading
56. Extras!
57. Working with Captions
58. Editing for Social Media Using the Smart Conform Tool
59. Using Roles for More Organization
60. Creating Roles Presets- A Simple Workaround
61. Sharing and Exporting
62. Sharing Options Setup
63. Exporting a Still Image
64. Exporting Master Files
65. Export for the Web
66. Export for a DVD
67. Course Wrap-up
68. Course Conclusion
69. BONUS CONTENT!

Unlock the secrets of professional color grading and achieve the cinematic "film look" for your videos with our comprehensive Colorist Masterclass in Final Cut Pro. This hands-on Udemy course is designed to equip aspiring filmmakers, video editors, and content creators and colorists with the essential skills to transform their footage into visually stunning cinematic masterpieces.

Course Overview:

• Module 1: Converting Log-Footage
  In this foundational module, you'll learn how to effectively convert log-footage to the Rec.709 color space. Understand the importance of this step in the color grading process and how it brings out the full dynamic range of your footage, laying the groundwork for subsequent color adjustments.

• Module 2: White Balancing Footage Properly
  Achieving accurate white balance is essential for maintaining natural colors and ensuring consistency throughout your project. Discover professional techniques to white balance footage effectively, correcting any color casts and creating a harmonious visual experience.

• Module 3: Setting Exposure
  Learn the art of setting the exposure for your footage, ensuring the right balance between highlights, midtones, and shadows. Master exposure adjustments to enhance details and create a balanced and visually appealing image.

• Module 4: Managing Saturation
  Delve into the world of color saturation and understand how to control and enhance colors to convey emotions and establish the desired mood for your scenes. Discover methods to intensify or desaturate colors while maintaining visual harmony.

• Module 5: Getting the Kodak 2383 Film Look
  Uncover the magic of LUTs (Lookup Tables) as we use the Kodak 2383 LUT to emulate the distinct film look. Explore the unique characteristics of this classic film stock and apply it to your footage for a nostalgic, cinematic vibe.

• Module 6: Achieving Deeper Colors (Density)
  Explore advanced color grading techniques to achieve deeper and richer colors, adding depth and dimension to your visuals. Understand how to manipulate color density and push your creative boundaries.

• Module 7: Introducing Split Toning (like the famous Teal and Orange Look)
  Learn the popular split-toning technique used in many blockbuster films to create the iconic teal and orange look. Discover how to apply complementary colors to shadows and highlights for a visually striking effect.

• Module 8: Getting Perfect Skintones
  Master the art of achieving natural and flattering skin tones, a crucial skill for any colorist. Learn techniques to adjust hues and tones while preserving the authenticity of skin colors.

• Module 9: Adding Halation for Film Looks
  Explore the concept of halation—a beautiful optical effect common in film photography—and apply it digitally to your footage for an authentic film look. Learn to add a touch of nostalgia and dreaminess to your visuals.

• Module 10: Adding Texture through Grain
  Discover how to incorporate film grain into your footage to add texture and emulate the organic feel of traditional film. Understand different grain options and how to control its intensity for desired effects.

• Module 11: Sharpening Footage
  Learn the proper techniques to sharpen your footage effectively without introducing artifacts. Enhance the details and make your visuals crisp and engaging.

• Module 12: Noise Reduction for cleaner Images
  Noise can be an issue in video footage, especially in low-light situations. Explore noise reduction methods to clean up your image and achieve a professional, polished look.

• Module 13: Drawing Viewers' Attention (Masks & Vignettes)
  Master the art of creating vignettes to guide the viewers' attention to specific areas of the frame. Understand how to use vignettes creatively to enhance storytelling and aesthetics.

• Module 14: Revisiting the Grade (How to accomplish your goals)
  In this module, review your color grading work critically and ensure that your goals for the project have been accomplished. Make necessary adjustments and fine-tune your grades to perfection.

• Module 15: Adding a Filmic Contrast Curve
  Explore the power of contrast curves to shape the overall look of your footage. Learn how to apply filmic contrast curves to add depth and cinematic flair to your visuals.

Embark on this Colorist Masterclass in Final Cut Pro and elevate your video projects to professional standards by mastering the art of color grading and achieving the coveted film look.

Enroll now and start your journey to creating visually captivating cinematic experiences.

1. Introduction
2. Introduction
3. Getting the Film Look
4. Converting log-Footage to rec709
5. Balancing your footage properly
6. Getting overall exposure right
7. Setting saturation levels
8. Introducing filmic colors and saturation (Kodak 2383)
9. Increasing cinematic saturation (Density)
10. Introducing split toning (teal and orange look)
11. Getting skin tones right
12. Adding Halation for a filmic look and feel
13. Adding Grain (+ secret trick)
14. Sharpening your footage the right way
15. Reducing noise without losing detail
16. Setting focus with vignettes
17. Revisiting the Grade (Expert tipps)
18. Adding a filmic contrast curve
19. Finishing the Course
20. Congratulations

If you don’t have Final Cut Pro, you can download a 90-day free trial of the software from Apple’s website.

This course is an all-in-one course that will teach you how to use Final Cut Pro to make amazing videos that you can put on YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, or even use in your professional or personal life.

This course covers everything you need to use Final Cut Pro with the best settings.

You will learn many of the different functions of Final Cut Pro that will dramatically increase the quality of your videos.

This course will teach you:

· How to make cuts, move and crop your videos.

· What the best keyboard shortcuts are.

· How to add B-roll videos, pictures, music, sounds, and create a voice over.

· How to add video effects, transitions, lower thirds, titles, and subtitles.

· How to make videos using a green screen.

· How to use color grading to improve the quality of your videos.

· Many more functions and settings of Final Cut Pro.

This course is an excellent choice for anyone wishing to learn how to use Final Cut Pro to create videos and make them look more professional.

_________________________________________________________________________

I recommend that each time you create a new video, you try to make it better than the last one.

The best way to improve your video editing skills is by doing.

In the beginning, your videos might not be the best. But the more you create videos, the better they will become.

Don't focus on making just one perfect video, but focus on making many videos. This is the best way to improve your video editing skills.

1. Introduction
2. What you’ll get in this course
3. Video and Audio Gear Recommendations
4. Lightning and Background Gear Recommendations
5. Downloading Final Cut Pro Trial Version
6. Libraries, Events, Projects
7. Interface
8. File Import: Organizing and Importing your Footage
9. Basic Editing
10. Making Cuts with [⌘ + B]
11. Select, Blade, Trim, Position
12. My Main Key Functions
13. Creating Hot Keys
14. Sizing Transform, Crop, Distort
15. Using the Inspector
16. B-roll
17. Compound Clips
18. Adding images
19. Screenshot an Image from your Video
20. Skimming
21. Audio
22. Adding Music
23. Syncing Microphone Audio with Video
24. Matching Audio
25. Finding Royalty Free Music
26. Sound effects
27. Voice Over
28. Audio Enhancements: Loudness, Noise Removal, Hum Removal
29. My Favorite Compressor Settings
30. My Favorite EQ Settings
31. My Favorite Limiter Settings
32. Voice Effects
33. Effects
34. Video Effects
35. Paste Attributes to all
36. Censoring effect
37. Transitions
38. Audio Crossfades
39. Install 3rd Party Plugins
40. MotionVFX
41. Titles Effects
42. Downloading Lower Thirds
43. Generators Effects
44. Downloading a Generator
45. Event Project with all your Effects
46. Speed and Movements
47. Adjusting Speed, Slow motion
48. Speed Ramps
49. Keyframes
50. Face Tracking Effect
51. Audio Keyframes
52. Stabilizing
53. Text
54. Adding Text and Subtitles
55. Text with background
56. Make Text as Subtitles
57. Installing Fonts
58. Adding Emojis and Symbols
59. Adding Markers
60. Timing your Video to the Music
61. Color Coding your clips
62. Screen overlay Effect
63. Slide in and out
64. Text Popups Effect
65. Adding highlight effect
66. Using Photoshop Files on Final Cut Pro
67. Green Screen and Masking
68. Adding a Green Screen
69. Green Screen Masking
70. Green Screen on a PowerPoint
71. How to clone yourself
72. Horizontal Video in Vertical Format with Blur Background
73. Making your Horizontal Videos Vertical
74. Color Grading
75. Color Board
76. Color wheels
77. Color Curves
78. Hue / Saturation Curves
79. White Balance
80. Skin tone correction
81. Noise Reduction
82. LUTS
83. Adjustment Layer
84. Focus and Vignette
85. Before and After Reveal effect
86. Creating an Audition
87. Creating a talking head
88. Screen Recording
89. Multicam Editing
90. Using the precision Editor
91. Connected Clip Tricks
92. Social Media Aspect Ratios
93. Exporting
94. Exporting
95. Export Settings for faster YouTube Upload
96. Background Tasks & Render Files
97. Save Cache Files in a Different Location
98. Backup Video Projects in Final Cut Pro
99. Recover and Relink Missing Files
100. Original Media Folder
101. Duplicate vs Snapshot Project
102. Thanks

**Discount codes on my YouTube channel's recent videos 'Shot by Myles'!

Take your colour grading to the next level in Final Cut Pro!!

If you've ever felt lost when it comes to colour work, I feel your pain! I know the struggle:

• online tutorials that conflict or don't tell the whole story

• not knowing where to start or what makes footage look good

• unnatural skin tones

• applying a LUT to find that it looks bad

I've designed this course to resolve all this and more. This is all the knowledge I wish I knew when I started out with video, (too) many years ago.

In this downloadable course, you'll get:

• Step-by-step workflow giving you a structured approach to get pro results

• Beginning to end walkthroughs

• A solid understanding of the tools and scopes featured in Final Cut Pro

• Foundational knowledge of colour theory and its application in Hollywood

• Where to get the best free LUTs, and more importantly, how to get the best from any LUTs

• Various filming tips to help up your game

As with my last bestselling course on the GH5, I'll be aiming to keep this updated and build on it over time. Right now it contains everything you need for professional results on the latest 2019 release of Final Cut Pro.

Hope to see you in there!

1. Introduction
2. Introduction
3. FCPX Tour and Setup
4. Video Scopes in FCPX
5. Colour Wheels and Board
6. Colour Curves Intro
7. Hue vs Saturation Curves
8. Hardware Considerations
9. Planning for the Grade
10. Shooting Tips
11. Workflow
12. Colour Correction
13. Introduction
14. Colour Conversion
15. Noise Reduction
16. Exposure and Contrast
17. White Balance
18. Saturation
19. Perfect Skin Tones
20. Secondary Corrections
21. Fix Dark or Noisy Footage
22. Quick correction tips
23. Assignment
24. Cinematic Treatment
25. Introduction
26. Colour Theory
27. Colour Harmony
28. Exposure and Contrast in Cinema
29. Cinematic Use of Saturation
30. Cinematic Elements
31. Letterboxing the Correct Way
32. Assignment
33. Grading with LUTs
34. Introduction
35. My Favourite Free LUTs
36. Apply a LUT in FCPX
37. Get the Best From Any LUT
38. Walkthroughs - Grading Without LUTs
39. Introduction
40. Matching Cameras
41. Matching a Movie Look
42. Creating a Look - Subtle Teal and Orange
43. Creating a Strong Complementary Grade
44. 3 Powerful Uses of Curves (5 Looks Including Warm / Cool)
45. Simple Cinematic Tone
46. Grading Black and White
47. Bleach Bypass Look
48. Moody Vintage Look
49. Quick Grade - Melancholic NYC
50. Day Into Night
51. Assignment
52. Advanced Colour Techniques
53. Introduction
54. Skin Tone Cheat
55. Smoother Skin
56. Dodge and Burn in Video
57. Tools for Cinematic Skin Treatment Tested
58. Get an HDR Look
59. Conclusion and Bonus Content
60. Final Assignment
61. Conclusion
62. FCPX Update Going in to 2020