Effectivity is all the pieces when modifying on a deadline. On the earth of fast turns, same-day edits, and the insatiable cycles of social media audiences, we’re all the time in search of methods to optimize our workflows.
And that’s the place CommandPost is available in. CommandPost is a robust, free, open-source helper app that opens up an unlimited array of optimizations for Final Cut Pro, together with connecting to your {hardware} management floor. It additionally works with Adobe After Effects, in case you end up bouncing backwards and forwards between these two purposes.
So on this article we’ll see how you need to use CommandPost to optimize your workflows, notably for particular, repeatable processes that editors encounter each day. Then we’ll check out the advantages of utilizing a management floor for modifying with a take a look at a number of the extra common gadgets, and the way CommandPost takes them past their normal performance.
Alongside the way in which, I’ll hyperlink to useful hands-on tutorials in an effort to evaluate the completely different merchandise on the market for your self.
Utilizing CommandPost in Ultimate Minimize Professional
CommandPost makes use of a intelligent contextual menu system that shows choices particular to the energetic utility. So once you’re in Finder, you’ll see one set of possibility, and in Ultimate Minimize Professional, you’ll see one other. For instance, right here’s the FCP menu.
(We’re at the moment in manufacturing for a documentary movie celebrating the 250th anniversary of the track Superb Grace. The behind-the-scenes photographs on this screengrab are from our location in Olney, England.)
You possibly can see that I’ve received Allow Scrolling Timeline chosen within the menu, which permits for the timeline to scroll by as an alternative of the playhead. (It’s a well-liked use of the app, demonstrated within the video beneath. However to be trustworthy, I really want the default timeline conduct.)
Batch export from the FCP timeline
One other useful function is to batch export clips out of your timeline. FCP permits you to batch export out of your browser, but it surely doesn’t have an automatic course of to do that with the clips in your energetic timeline. This might come in useful for sending clips for shade correction, VFX, inserting watermarks, and extra. On this case, I’m sending over the clips to Apple’s Compressor app for export.
You’ll additionally discover Body.io vacation spot presets. It is because I’ve the Body.io app put in. Nevertheless, the CommandPost workforce recommends the Body.io app, batch exporting to a Body.io watch folder.
To create a Body.io Watch folder, simply go to the Body.io icon and designate a folder and a challenge. Now the Body.io app will watch that folder, and once you export a film to it, the video will robotically add to your Body.io challenge.
Flip CommandPost actions into shortcuts
Urgent Ctrl+Choose+Cmd+House opens up the search console for CommandPost the place you’ll discover actions that mix a number of mouse clicks. Right here, you possibly can assign these actions to keyboard shortcuts. Let’s say you shot some video on an iPhone and it comes into FCP as HDR, it would appear to be this.
You’ll wish to apply the HDR instruments filter to it. However that takes a number of clicks in case your inspectors are closed up. However that complete sequence will be was a single shortcut within the Management Surfaces window below the keyboard tab.
Click on the “Choose” button to decide on a CommandPost motion.
Kind “HDR” into the search console, and press enter.
Now select your personal shortcut by deciding on a modifier(s) and a key.
Now, when your playhead is over a clip in FCP, you possibly can simply hit your new shortcut Shift+Cmd+2 and CommandPost will robotically apply the HDR Instruments filter to the clip, open your inspector and spotlight the device. That simply leaves you to decide on the HLG to Rec. 709 SDR setting, and also you’re all set.
Now that we’ve seen how highly effective CommandPost actions are, let’s see what occurs when these get mixed with a management floor that isn’t simply your keyboard.
Through the use of CommandPost to assign an motion to a devoted button in your management floor, yow will discover exponential productiveness positive factors.
Utilizing CommandPost with a management floor
Management surfaces with jog wheels, knobs, and devoted buttons have an extended historical past within the edit bay. Editors used to make use of them to navigate via tapes, and there are nonetheless important advantages to utilizing a devoted management interface, even in digital-only workflows. Simply ask a colorist.
Colorists have used management surfaces to achieve the type of granularity that you would be able to’t simply obtain with a mouse. Colorists additionally use monitoring balls and wheels to control a number of parameters concurrently—for instance, you possibly can regulate saturation and midtone distinction on the identical time in an effort to discover the interaction between these two parameters. Additionally, having devoted controls help you program macros and appears.
And a management floor isn’t only for shade. Relating to audio, you possibly can program generally used actions and considerably scale back the variety of mouse clicks. So let’s take a look at these use circumstances and see how CommandPost can mix with management surfaces to easy out your workflow.
Advantages for editors
Eliminating two-handed shortcuts is the primary profit you might even see from a management floor. The principle thought is that you need to use the management floor together together with your pointer machine (mouse, trackpad, and even Wacom pill). As an illustration, once you wish to enhance the amount of a clip in FCP, choose it with the mouse after which use the shortcut “Ctrl+=”. That removes your hand from the mouse, and then you definitely return to it. It’s only a second, however over time, these seconds add up.
“It’s only a second, however over time, these seconds add up.”
The subsequent advantage of a management floor is direct entry to settings that take a number of clicks. It takes a few shortcuts and a few mouse clicks so as to add a shade board, open the video scopes and start adjusting one of many pucks. On a management floor working with CommandPost, you possibly can program all that into an motion (which is mainly a macro) and assign it to a button.
Particular management surfaces
CommandPost is suitable with an entire slew of management surfaces. However most of those ship with their very own software program. Some are extra targeted on particular apps, like Blackmagic Design’s DaVinci Resolve Pace Editor.
Some work higher in sure apps, and a few have larger or lesser levels of compatibility with CommandPost. So right here’s a fast take a look at which of the out there management surfaces supply a excessive diploma of compatibility with Ultimate Minimize Professional and integration with CommandPost, with a watch on DaVinci Resolve compatibility.
Monogram Inventive Console
First up on the listing is the Monogram Creative Console. Monogram is an modern modular management floor that permits you to snap numerous controls collectively like Lego bricks. It checks each of our bins in regard to deep integration with each Ultimate Minimize Professional and CommandPost. They actually have a support page and a video to assist get you began.
They present you learn how to use the knobs to regulate parameters like scale and place. The “orbiter” dial can management the grasp shade wheel. Ripple Coaching’s Mark Spencer demonstrates learn how to use 3 orbiter dials like shade grading trackballs.
On the identical time, some Home windows users want for much more flexibility within the UI supplied by Monogram. It’s price noting that “orbiters” don’t work for shade grading in DaVinci Resolve. Newly developed options can be found through annual “console packs.”
Tangent
If you would like to try tight integration with CommandPost, Tangent comes out trying brilliantly. They really worked with the CommandPost workforce to make it possible for their management surfaces built-in tightly with Ultimate Minimize Professional.
FCP customers trying so as to add precision to the colour grading workflow may need to try the Tangent Wave or Ripple. At round $900 and $330, respectively, the Tangent panels supply some distinct benefits.
The trackballs are top quality and really exact, previously, I’ve used them with DaVinci Resolve. The integration with FCP is basically strong, making Tangent’s merchandise an awesome selection for FCP customers.
The panels work nicely for the colour web page in DaVinci Resolve, however Blackmagic’s panels have tighter integration. They do deal with shade, although, whereas the Monogram system embraces an array of features. It’s been identified that you would be able to mix a number of surfaces. As an illustration, you might have the Tangent Wave2 and alongside it have a Streamdeck with further devoted buttons. So simply remember that you don’t must be compelled into an both/or situation.
Streamdeck
CommandPost provides an awesome interface for customizing your Streamdeck, which is a compact machine with customizable buttons. I’ve used it for stay streaming and it really works nicely. Nevertheless, CommandPost warns that the official Streamdeck app is just not suitable with CommandPost and might’t run on the identical time.
So right here’s a scenario the place you might get some great benefits of utilizing a management floor via their devoted hardware or cell app. However you’d lose out on some great benefits of CommandPost that aren’t associated to regulate surfaces.
Razer
Stepping exterior the video world and into gaming, you’ll discover some nice {hardware} from Razer. Just like the Razer Stream Controller and Tartarus 2. CommandPost permits you to put these gadgets to work proper in FCP.
Now you is perhaps considering that it appears somewhat wild in your edit bay. However possibly the worth tag of $77 may change your thoughts. Now there aren’t trackballs, orbiters or knobs, or OLED screens, however utilizing CommandPost you possibly can map actions to its 20 customized buttons, wheel, and joystick.
So in case you’re on a price range, it is perhaps price giving it a attempt. CommandPost additionally helps different Razer enter gadgets, too.
Loupedeck
Loupedeck developed their {hardware} and plugin with FCP customers in thoughts. Loupedeck within reason priced round $297 and offers you a lot of some great benefits of the upper priced management surfaces.
CommandPost integrates into the LoupeDeck plugin, so that you aren’t caught within the place of getting to decide on, like you’re with the Elgato Streamdeck. Nevertheless, the Streamdeck permits you to customise the looks of buttons, whilst you’re caught with some awkward labels with the Loupedeck+.
And that’s the place the Loupedeck CT is available in. At $559, it’s double the worth of the Loupedeck+. However there’s a cause why that is turning into a favourite device of YouTubers.
Customizable buttons, knobs, and a dial actually make this a precious device for the modifying course of. The Loupedeck CT can assist you with shade correction as nicely, however you don’t get the benefit of shifting a number of balls such as you do on the Tangent panel or the Monogram.
While you dive on this deep, you possibly can start to see how sure surfaces favor one a part of the post-production course of over one other. However Loupedeck must be recommended for his or her deep integration of CommandPost into their plugin. It makes for a robust mixture in FCP. However remember that it gained’t assist you on shade grading in Resolve.
Blackmagic Design
DaVinci Resolve was made for management surfaces. So it’s no shock to seek out that Blackmagic Design has a number of the finest round, in addition to further panels just like the Editor Keyboard and Pace Editor.
CommandPost can put these panels to work in Ultimate Minimize Professional. Nevertheless, they warn that “DaVinci Resolve will completely override CommandPost when working, even when DaVinci Resolve is simply working within the background.”
So in case you’re accustomed to a spherical journey workflow with each apps open on the identical time, you gained’t have the ability to use the management floor in FCP till you shut Resolve, which is a major downside for some.
Management surfaces and audio
We’ve targeted primarily on video modifying and shade grading. However these management surfaces are nice for audio modifying too. As an illustration, Monogram’s panels can be utilized in Logic Professional. These sliders function identical to faders.
So in case you’re an FCP and Logic consumer, you’ll discover that the console will suit your workflow nicely.
Eradicating friction out of your workflow
Something you are able to do to take away friction out of your workflow is price contemplating. You wish to work on the pace of thought and also you wish to maximize your artistic power and I believe that CommandPost helps you try this, whether or not you will have a {hardware} management floor or not.
There’s a lot extra that CommandPost can do, together with deep integration with After Results, midi gadgets, gamepads, and even the Apple Contact Bar. So I’d encourage you to download it, be part of the community (due to admin Chris Hocking for his assist with this text) and maybe even consider a donation to assist additional this wonderful open-source app.
