Chabot College
Fall 2005
Course Outline for Digital Media 36A
FINAL CUT EXPRESS I
Catalog Description:
36A - Final Cut Express I
1.5 units
Introduction to video editing using Final Cut Express software. Capturing digital video; combining
video clips by means of cuts and transitions; adding titles and audio; outputting the finished product to
disk. 1 hour lecture, 2 hours laboratory.
Prerequisite Skills:
None
Expected Outcomes for Students:
Upon completion of the course the student should be able to:
1. use the basic Apple Macintosh operating system features, including navigation of the desktop,
saving and moving files to various storage media, and adjusting system preferences;
2. launch Final Cut Express, navigate and customize its interface, use the tools available in its
windows and palettes, and apply commands by means of menus and keyboard shortcuts;
3. describe the differences between video and film, and between analog and digital video;
4. capture video from a digital video camera, and import video from other sources;
5. organize and keep track of video clips;
6. build a simple edited sequence out of a series of clips;
7. recognize and use standard editing principles such as establishing shots, reverse angles, and
cutaways;
8. execute 3- and 4-point edits, L- and J-cuts, and other cuts-only editing techniques;
9. edit audio tracks, and maintain their synchronization with video tracks;
10. add dissolves and other transitions in appropriate places;
11. create titles and graphics, and add them to a sequence by intercutting or superimposition;
12. output a finished sequence to a hard drive (including Web-compatible video formats) or DVD.
Course Content:
1. Basic Apple Macintosh operating system features, including navigation of the desktop, saving and
moving files to various storage media, and adjusting system preferences
2. Launching Final Cut Express, navigating and customizing its interface, using the tools available in
its windows and palettes, and applying commands by means of menus and keyboard shortcuts
3. Differences between video and film, and between analog and digital video
4. Capturing video from a digital video camera, and importing video from other sources
5. Organizing and keeping track of video clips
6. Building a simple edited sequence out of a series of clips
7. Recognizing and using standard editing principles such as establishing shots, reverse angles,
and cutaways
8. Executing 3- and 4-point edits, L- and J-cuts, and other cuts-only editing techniques
9. Editing audio tracks, and maintaining their synchronization with video tracks
10. Adding dissolves and other transitions in appropriate places
11. Creating titles and graphics, and adding them to a sequence by intercutting or superimposition
12. Outputting a finished video sequence to a hard drive or DVD
Chabot College
Course Outline for Digital Media 36A, page 2
Fall 2005
Methods of Presentation:
1. Computer demonstrations
2. Video projection
3. Lecture with whiteboard
Assignments and Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
1. Typical Assignments
a. Edit a simple narrative sequence
b. Edit a TV news story
c. Edit a suspenseful scene
d. Edit an instructional or training sequence
2. Methods of Evaluating Student Progress
a. Homework assignments
b. Quizzes and exams, including a final exam
Textbook(s) (Typical):
Apple Pro Training Series: Final Cut Express 2, Diana Weynand, Peachpit Press, March 2004
Final Cut Express Editing Workshop, Tom Wolsky, CMP Books, June 2003
Special Student Materials:
Digital video camera with Firewire port
MS g:\Curriculum2005\Digm36A
Revised: 11/17/04