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How to Make a Quick and Easy Video with Final Cut Pro

Using Apple's Final Cut Pro is the fastest way to produce professional videos. Here's how to get started with a quick and easy video.

Reuben Evans • Apr 11, 2022

Apple’s Final Cut Pro video editing app stands in stark contrast to other professional video programs. It is especially easy to use if you are new to video editing. So let’s dive in and see how easy it is to make a quick video with footage shot on your iPhone!

Importing your video

The first step in any video edit is transferring your video from your iPhone into your Mac and imported into Final Cut Pro.

  1. AirDrop videos from your iPhone to your Mac.
  2. Launch Final Cut Pro.
  3. Click the Import Media button.
  4. Select your clips.
  5. Click Import.


Viewing your imported clips in Final Cut Pro

Final Cut makes it easy to see your clips in different ways. Click the icon to toggle the display between filmstrip and list modes.

In Filmstrip mode, you can adjust how much of the clip you see. This way you can see the contents of your video clip instead of just a single frame.


Creating your first Final Cut Pro project

Next, you’ll create your project and start your edit.

  1. Press Command+N to make a new project and accept the default settings.
  2. Skim your footage by dragging your playhead, or Skimmer, over your clip.
  3. Once you have identified a section that you want to use, skim to the first frame of that section and press I. “I” stands for In Point. That’s the beginning of the clip you want to insert into your project.
  4. Skim to the end of the clip that you want to use, and press O with your cursor on the frame that you want to end on. “O” stands for Out Point.
  5. Press E.
  6. In the new dialog box that opens, click Confirm. Boom! You’ve edited your first video clip with Final Cut Pro.

Repeat this process for each clip you want to add: I for the in point, O for the out point, and E to append it to the end of the video.


Finishing, exporting, and posting your video

Once you’ve edited, added, and sequenced your clips, click in the main timeline that you are building and press the spacebar to play the video.

If you have recorded HDR videos on your iPhone and they look super bright, apply the HDR Tools filter with the HLG to Rec. 709 setting.

Once you’re satisfied with your video, press the keyboard shortcut Command+E to export your video. You can select H.264 as the typical format for exporting. Then upload it to your favorite social sites like YouTube or Facebook.

Final Cut Pro makes it easy for beginners or professionals to make videos with lighting speed. What are you going to create today?

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