Emilie Meyer
Panning and zooming in Final Cut Pro can be achieved through the Ken Burns effect, which is a crop effect with two crop settings, one at the start of the clip and another at its end. This effect can be applied to both still images and video clips. Final Cut Pro also offers built-in effects and third-party plug-ins to achieve the panning and zooming effect. Some of the third-party plug-ins available include MovingPicture from Stage Tools, Pan Zoom Pro from Lyric Media, and Noise Industries' Pan and Zoom. These plug-ins offer varying levels of complexity, pricing, and ease of use.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Tools for panning and zooming | Ken Burns style effect, iMovie, third-party plug-ins, Scaling via the Motion tab, MovingPicture, Noise Industries' Pan and Zoom, Lyric Media's Pan Zoom Pro, Fotomagico, After Effects, Pro Res Sequence |
| Steps to pan and zoom | Select a clip in the timeline, position the playhead over the clip, access the Ken Burns controls, define the position and size for the start and end of the clip, choose the part of the image that appears at the start and end of the effect, apply the easing effect |
| Tips for panning and zooming | Use keyframes to control pacing and flow, preview and switch start and end frames, adjust smoothness of the animation, use Motion with optical flow for smooth moves, use a Pro Res Sequence for large JPEGs, use the Generator variant of Pan and Zoom for high-resolution images |
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What You'll Learn
Using the Ken Burns effect
The Ken Burns effect is a popular video editing method, especially in documentary filmmaking. It creates a pan and zoom effect using the start and end positions you define. The effect is a Crop effect with two crop settings, one at the clip start and another at its end.
To apply the Ken Burns effect in Final Cut Pro, first, add media files to your timeline. Select the photo from the Clips section of the interface and press E on your keyboard to add the image to the timeline. Next, set the format, resolution, and frame rate. Final Cut Pro will prompt you to choose how this image will behave as a video file. You can go with the recommended settings or add your preferred parameters.
Once you are done, hold Shift+Z to fit the image into the timeline. Now, add the Ken Burns effect by clicking on the media file in the timeline and looking at the lower-left corner of the video player. Click the pop-up menu in the lower-left corner of the viewer and choose Crop (or press Shift-C). Control-click in the viewer and choose Crop. Click the Ken Burns button at the bottom of the viewer.
Two rectangles will appear in the viewer: a green one that defines the position and size for the start of the clip and a red one that defines the position and size for the end of the clip. The default start and end settings result in a small zoom to the center of the image. To choose the part of the image that appears at the start of the effect, drag the green handles to change the crop size of the image, and drag the window to set its position. To choose the part of the image that appears at the end of the effect, drag the red handles to change the crop size of the image, and drag the window to set its position.
You can further customize the Ken Burns effect by controlling the smoothness of the animation. The motion applied to a clip when you create a Ken Burns effect is automatically smoothed so that the movement accelerates slowly as the animation starts, and decelerates slowly as the clip comes to rest at the end of the animation. This simulates the effects of friction and inertia that occur in the real world. By default, a Ken Burns animation performs both of these smoothing operations (Ease Out and Ease In), but you can customize the effect to limit the result to just easing out, just easing in, or making a linear movement with no simulated inertia or friction.
There are also third-party plugins that can be used to create the Ken Burns effect in Final Cut Pro. For example, MovingPicture from Stage Tools is a simple and fast option, but it is quite expensive. Another option is the Pan Zoom Pro plugin from Lyric Media, which is more affordable but takes more work to set up. Finally, there is a free option from Noise Industries, which is located under the Generators menu.
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Creating smooth pans
Two rectangles will appear in the viewer: a green one defining the position and size for the start of the clip, and a red one for the end. The default start and end settings result in a small zoom to the centre of the image. To customise the start and end of the clip, drag the green and red handles to change the crop size and position.
The Ken Burns effect can be further customised by controlling the smoothness of the animation. By default, a Ken Burns animation performs both Ease Out and Ease In smoothing operations, but you can limit the effect to just Ease Out, just Ease In, or create a linear movement with no simulated inertia or friction. Ease In and Out applies the easing effect to the beginning and end of the animation, making the movement accelerate slowly at the start and decelerate slowly at the end.
To create smooth pans, you can also use third-party plugins such as MovingPicture from Stage Tools, Pan Zoom Pro from Lyric Media, or the free Pan and Zoom from Noise Industries' FxFactory Freebies. These plugins offer more control over your pans and can produce high-quality results.
Additionally, you can try Final Cut Pro's built-in optical flow smoothing feature to smooth out juddery pans caused by cheap cameras or fast panning speeds. This feature slightly retimes the clip, sacrificing some resolution to create a "margin" around the frame that can be panned and scanned to compensate for variations in movement.
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Using third-party plugins
While it is possible to pan a photo in Final Cut Pro without third-party plugins, these plugins can make the process much simpler and more efficient.
One such plugin is MovingPicture from Stage Tools, which Scott Simmons recommends as one of the best options for creating the Ken Burns-style effect. Although it is the most expensive option, with the basic version costing $199 and $268 with the addition of rotation, it is incredibly easy and fast to use. To use MovingPicture, simply add a video clip to the timeline and then apply the MovingPicture filter to the clip.
Another option is the Pan and Zoom plugin by FxFactory, which is free. This plugin is located under the Generators menu, and once edited into the timeline, you can add an image from your project media or hard drive. It is similar to Pan Zoom Pro in that it uses typical Final Cut Pro sliders and dials for setup, but it also has several built-in presets, which can be customized and saved.
If you are new to creating Picture-in-Picture (PiP) videos, you may also want to consider using a PiP plugin, as creating these videos in Final Cut Pro can be quite complex and time-consuming. PiPintor Free is a free picture-in-picture plugin that can help newcomers achieve the PiP effect without key-framing.
Finally, the Pan and Zoom plugin by FxFactory also has a paid version called Pan and Zoom Pro, which offers even more features and functionality. This plugin supports all popular image files (JPEG, PNG, PSD, RAW, etc.) as well as project media, including video clips. It also keeps the animation automatically in sync with the length of the clip, allowing you to freely resize your clips. This is a perfect match for the Magnetic Timeline in Final Cut Pro. Additionally, the Motion Blur feature can be easily configured via a single parameter, adding extra realism and smoothness to your animations.
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Panning with keyframes
Step 1: Understanding Keyframes
Keyframes are reference points that allow you to set specific values to create animation. By setting keyframes at different points in your clip, you can control various properties such as position, scale, and opacity. The software then interpolates the values between these keyframes to create a smooth animation.
Step 2: Selecting Your Clip
To begin, select the clip you want to work with by clicking on it in the Timeline. You can also use the Range Select tool to choose a specific range within your clip. If you want to focus on a particular area, you can use the Crop tool to define your desired frame.
Step 3: Adding Keyframes
Once you have your clip selected, it's time to add your keyframes. Go to the first frame of your clip and add a keyframe. This is your starting point. Then, move to the last frame and add another keyframe to mark the end of the animation. You can also add multiple keyframes throughout your clip to create more complex animations.
Step 4: Adjusting Parameters
After setting your keyframes, you can adjust various parameters to create your desired effect. For panning, you'll want to focus on the Transform tool, which allows you to resize, rotate, and move your clip within its frame. Play around with these settings to create the perfect pan. You can also adjust parameters like opacity to create fade effects.
Step 5: Previewing and Refining
Now it's time to preview your work. Use the play button to see how your animation looks. If you need to make adjustments, simply move the playhead to a specific keyframe and tweak the parameters until you're happy with the result. You can also use keyboard shortcuts to navigate between keyframes and make changes efficiently.
Remember, panning with keyframes is a creative process, and you may need to experiment with different settings and placements to achieve the desired effect. Don't be afraid to play around with the tools and features offered by Final Cut Pro to bring your photos and videos to life!
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Using iMovie vs. Final Cut Pro
IMovie and Final Cut Pro are two of the most recognisable pieces of post-production software ever made by Apple. Final Cut Pro is a fully-featured tool for professional post-production, while iMovie is a mobile video editing software available exclusively for iOS and macOS devices. Both programs have their own advantages and disadvantages, and the choice between the two depends on the user's skills, goals, needs, budget, and creative flow.
IMovie is a simple tool for beginners and those looking for an easy-to-use video editor. It is free and comes pre-installed on most modern Apple devices. The interface is quite easy to understand and convenient, with a functional layout. It has all the basic options needed for video editing, including transitions, sound effects, speed adjustment, and photo overlays. iMovie provides a large selection of built-in text titles, but there are few options to customise these after adding them to a video. It is ideal for users who want to do simple things, such as capturing, editing, and sharing a music performance.
On the other hand, Final Cut Pro is a more powerful and professional editing software that offers a higher degree of detail and customisability. It has a wide range of features, including auto face analysis, stabilisation, and a magnetic timeline for editing even the smallest details. It also allows the use of plug-ins, which can enhance video-editing skills and help customise movies. Final Cut Pro has a clean interface and snappy design, but it is more complicated to use and has a steeper learning curve. It is reasonably priced with a one-off fee of around $300, but this cost can be off-putting to some.
Both iMovie and Final Cut Pro offer the Ken Burns effect for panning and zooming around a still image. iMovie has the Ken Burns effect built-in, while Final Cut Pro requires a third-party plug-in such as MovingPicture, Pan Zoom Pro, or Noise Industries' Pan and Zoom.
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Frequently asked questions
You can use the Ken Burns effect to create a pan and zoom effect. First, select a clip in the Final Cut Pro timeline and position the playhead over the clip so that the clip's video is displayed in the viewer. Then, access the Ken Burns controls by clicking the pop-up menu in the lower-left corner of the viewer and choosing Crop, or by control-clicking in the viewer and choosing Crop, or by clicking the Ken Burns button at the bottom of the viewer. Two rectangles will appear: a green one that defines the position and size for the start of the clip, and a red one that defines the position and size for the end of the clip.
To choose the part of the image that appears at the start of the effect, drag the green handles to change the crop size of the image, and drag the window to set its position. To choose the part of the image that appears at the end of the effect, drag the red handles to change the crop size of the image, and drag the window to set its position.
By default, a Ken Burns animation will have an ease-out and ease-in effect, but you can customize this. Control-click anywhere in the image and choose an option: Ease In and Out, Ease In Only, or Ease Out Only.
There are several third-party plugins available for panning and zooming in Final Cut Pro. These include MovingPicture from Stage Tools, Pan Zoom Pro from Lyric Media, and the free Pan and Zoom plugin from Noise Industries.
First, create a new Transparent Video asset in your project with the same resolution and frame rate as your timeline, and drag it to the desired spot. Then, drag the Pan and Zoom: Image File plugin over the Transparent Video clip and use the parameter inspector to set it up. To animate an existing photo or video clip on your timeline, use the Pan and Zoom: Project Media plugin instead.
