CalArts - School of Film/VideoUsing Standard Leader in Final Cut Pro

To follow industry and CalArts standards and ensure that your project can be used by multiple steps involved in the finishing of your project (Picture edit, Sound edit, Sound mix, Color Correction etc), these standards should be followed.

- 00:58:30:00 One minute BARS & TONE.- 00:59:52:00 Countdown begins.- 00:59:58:00 Sync Pop, aka 2 Pop.- 01:00:00:00 Your movie begins. NO picture or sound should start before this.

Before you begin to edit, you should follow these steps to place the proper leader on all of your Final Cut sequences. We have built pre-existing countdown leader to all of these specifications, which means you just need to select the correct one for your project and place it in your timeline. The following instructions assume you have already created your sequence in Final Cut Pro with the appropriate video settings for your project.

Step 1: Setting starting timecode in your sequence.

First, in Final Cut Pro, select the sequence you are using by clicking on the timeline or selecting it in your browser window. Next, go to the Sequence menu and select Settings. This will open up the Sequence Settings window. Select the Timeline Options tab.

First, uncheck Drop Frame if checked. Do this before changing the timecode. If you think you may need to use Drop Frame timecode please consult with the sound or video faculty/staff for assistance. This handout is not intended for Drop Frame projects.

Click in the Starting Timecode field. Change this to 00:58:30:00. This will start your sequence exactly 1 minute and 30 seconds before the hour, leaving the appropriate space for your leader.

00:58:30:00BARS & TONE

01:00:00:00MOVIE START

Sync Pop00:59:58:00

00:59:52:00COUNTDOWN

00:59:30:00BLACK

In the same Sequence Settings window, select the Settings tab. This window will display information about your sequence which will guide you in selecting the correct leader.

1) Check your Audio Settings.Make sure they are set to:Rate: 48kHzDepth: 24-bit

2) Check your Video Settings.Note your Frame Size, Aspect Ratio, and Editing Timebase. You will need to choose a leader that matches these settings.

Step 3: Choosing your leader.

To choose the right leader, you will want to find the leader settings that best match your sequence settings. All of the leader settings are notated in their file name. Here is a detailed explanation of the leader options available to you and what Frame Size, Aspect Ratio and Editing Timebase they correlate to in your Final Cut Pro sequence settings. Should you have any questions, please contact someone in the sound or video areas.

The standard leaders and sync pop are located in /Tiktok/Support/Leader (ProResHQ)/. You will want to copy the appropriate leader and sync pop to your project folder or drive. Next, from the File menu choose Import » Files... to select your leader and sync pop.

Frame Size Pixel Aspect Ratio Editing Timebase Leader you will use (file name)High Definition Video 1.78 (16:9) 23.976 (23.98) 1080p23.976 Head.mov

25 1080p25 Head.mov29.97 1080p29.97 Head.mov

Standard Definition Video

1.33 (4:3) 23.976 (23.98) 486p23.976 1.33 Head.mov25 486p25 1.33 Head.mov29.97 486p29.97 1.33 Head.mov

1.78 (16:9 Anamor-phic)

23.976 (23.98) 486p23.976 1.78 Head.mov25 486p25 1.78 Head.mov29.97 486p29.97 1.78 Head.mov

Step 4: Placing your leader in your sequence. Option A is recommended by CalArts. However, if you already have a sequence you have been using, please use option B below.

A) Placing leader in a new sequence.

Now that your sequence has been set to the correct starting timecode, make sure it is open in your timeline window and simply drag and drop the appropriate leader to the beginning of your sequence. To double check that it has been placed correctly, locate the 2 POP. If everything is correct, this will land exactly at 00:59:58:00 on your timeline. Next, place the sync pop at 00:59:58:00 on an audio track.

B) Placing leader in an existing sequence.

Open your sequence in the timeline window, if it is not already. This can be done by double clicking your sequence in the browser window.

Double click the leader you want to use. This will open in your viewer window.

Place your cursor at the start of your sequence.

Drag the leader from your viewer window to your browser window. Without releasing the mouse button, drag your cursor over the yellow “insert” option. Now let go.

Your leader should now be inserted into your project, moving all your media to begin after the leader.

To double check that the leader has been placed correctly, locate the 2 POP. If everything is correct, this will land exactly at 00:59:58:00 on your timeline. Next, place the sync pop at 00:59:58:00 on an audio track.

Please note that 01:00:00:00 is considered the first frame of picture or sound, and anything after that point will be seen as part of your movie. You may need to move your media to start at 01:00:00:00 if it did not start at the very beginning of your sequence. Feel free to ask someone in the sound or video areas if you have questions.

17 Mar 2010