Crop & Edge Feather in Final Cut Pro

By Sandy on June 13, 2009 10:48 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Using the Crop Tool in Final Cut Pro and then using the Edge Feather Slider to soften the edges can create a really nice effect, especially if you have more than one image you're using for a frame. In this example, I have 2 images I want to use at the same time showing the viewer what's going on under the water and above the water.

First we have 2 images stacked on top of each other in the Timeline. Double click on the image you want to work with first to load it into the Viewer. Now click on the Motion Tab in the Viewer Window. Go down to Crop and twirl down the disclosure triangle to show the different parameters you can use for your crop. You see the sliders used to adjust the size of the image. Cropping is basically just cutting off sections of your picture. You can crop the top, left, right, and bottom of an image independently. In my example above, I have moved the left slider over to show most of the girl diving, but just cutting off the edge. Move the Edge Feather Slider all the way over to 100 percent. Notice how the edges are softened up.

Ok, now double click on the other image you want to use and load it into the Viewer. Again, click on the Motion tab and Crop; now I have moved the right slider over just to where I want to reveal the boat. Notice how the edges are hard; we soften this up by moving the Edge Feather slider all the way over to 100 percent. Now you can see how the edges are softened up. Remember you may have to adjust the Image+Wireframe in the Canvas in order to get your images placed exactly where you want them.