Final Cut Pro - Importing Still Images & Basic Motion Graphics

by Heidi Bollock

Originally Published Thu, May 29, 2003
Modified Thu, May 29, 2003

It is very easy to import still images and create basic animation with them in Final Cut Pro. There are many things that you can alter on a still image or a motion clip such as cropping, distortion, opacity and motion blur. This document will only cover basic motion.

Importing Still Images

• Final Cut Pro menu > File > Import > Files

• Select the files you would like to import into your project.

• They will appear in your Project folder in the Browser

Keep your image files under 4,000 pixels in either dimension. Larger files larger can crash Final Cut Pro.

Basic Motion

• Drop your still image onto the timeline.

• Select it by double clicking, it will appear in the Viewer.

• Click on the Motion Tab on the top left hand side of the window

Scale or Zoom

You can change the overall size of your clip which doesn't change its proportions. You can do this with or without motion.

To increase or decrease the scale with no motion:

• In the motion tab, click the triange to the left of Basic Motion

• Under Scale, drag slider to desired scale

• Or enter a new value in the number field

• Or drag the green level line to desired scale

• Press the Return key

• To reset the scale click the red X button in under Nav

To increase or decrease the scale with changes over time you need to work with keyframes. This would create a basic zoom in or zoom out effect.

• In the motion tab, click the triange to the left of Basic Motion

• Under Scale, set an initial key frame on the timeline and set the desired scale.

• Move the playhead to the next desired location and set another keyframe.

• Increase or decrease the scale.

• Press Return

• To reset the scale click the red X button in under Nav

• When you have finished you can move the clip into the timeline.

• Render by going to: Final Cut Pro menu > Sequence > Render All or Render Selection.

If you make changes to the scale, you will have to re-render the clip

Using Center to Pan or Tilt

By specifiying a center point you can create a pan or tilt.

To pan or tilt:

• Set an initial keyframe in the Center timeline

• Click with the crosshair pointer on a point in the Canvas window to define your first center mark.

• In the timeline set another keyframe

• Click with the crosshair pointer a second time in the Canvas window where you want your image to move to.

• You will notice that keyframes also appear in the Basic Motion timeline.

• Render by going to: Final Cut Pro menu > Sequence > Render All or Render Selection.

Rotation

Rotates a clip around its center axis without changing its shape.

To modify rotation:

• Drag the Angle control (black hand indicates current angle of clip, red hand indicated total rotations specified)

• Or enter a new value in the number field

• Or drag the green line in the timeline to the desired rotation number

• Press the Return key

• If you do not use keyframes with rotation the angle of your image will change but it will remain still, you must use keyframes to create motion.

• This creates a spiral effect.

Anchor Point

You can set a new Anchor Point for a clip, it doesn't have to be at its center (for example if you wanted a clip to rotate around one of its corners).

• Change by entering new X and Y coordinates in the number fields

• Press the Return key.

Send Comments, Suggestions, or Changes to David Cox