I got to the section in the Getting Started book about logging and capturing clips and decided to hook up the camera and get started.  It was relatively easy to figure out how to mark clips and then capture them.  I was a little confused with the way it automatically names the next clip once you’ve logged one, but you just type a different name in the description field and that change the name.

The tape I put in is from the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge.  We took a long driving tour on a rainy day and shot lots of video.  A lot of it is very bad, jumpy because we’re zoomed in too far without a tripod, too dark, unfocused.  But then there will be a brief glimmer of quality, when the bird comes into focus and does something interesting.  I’m already mulling over an idea for how to put these clips together and make a short travelogue.  I’ll include some of the outtakes to show just how much bad video you have to shoot in order to get something good.  That seems to be the rule of reality cinema…lots of video.

So, I’ll run the questions:

What have I learned?  How to log and capture clips in Final Cut Pro

How did I learn it? I read the manual and followed the directions.

How could I have learned it better or differently?  I don’t think I could have.  I find I am taking a systematic approach to this, something I don’t always do when it comes to learning a software program.   And by reading the manual, I discovered the log/capture feature that makes identifying and capturing clips easy.  I’m a little impatient to at least make some kind of movie but maybe tomorrow.

How could I use what I’ve learned to benefit someone else?  Does my learning always have to benefit someone else?  Sorry, didn’t mean to be flippant but I think this a hard question to answer.  Since I am planning to try different methods of logging and capturing, I suppose I can review them to find the method that I like.