FCPX Tutorial – Color Correcting

In this tutorial I’ll be showing you how to color correct in Final Cut Pro X (v. 10.1.3). This project I’ll be talking you through was the All College Hike video you can watch below:

[youtube id=”QiDAKeBUgEM” width=”560″ height=”315″ wmode=”transparent” showinfo=”1″ autohide=”0″ quality=”auto]

So let’s open up FCPX. As you can see my video is essentially completed but it’s always good to color correct. Color correcting can make your images pop or give off a feel to your video. It can also help make the shots in your video more consistent.

So in your timeline, select your first clip. Depending on how you’ve arrange your FCPX window, the Inspector window should be on your right. If not, hit command-4.

In the Inspector window there are a whole lot of amazing features. You can composite, stabilize, and transform straight from this window. For now, hit the arrow under “Correction 1.”

Taste the rainbow. This is the color correcting section. Here you can literally color the film anything you would like.

Next is saturation. The question you always want to ask yourselves is how colorful do I want my video to be? Saturation can make colors pop but too much saturation can make your video look awful.

Last but not least is the exposure, or contrast, panel. Here you can adjust how dark the shadows will be.

Reminder: all of the adjustments are made with “shadows,” “midtones,” and “highlights.” So if your shadows are too blue, can adjust the shadows to whatever color you want.

So let’s start with exposure. Open up your waveform panel by pressing command-7. This seems like a confusing chart but don’t worry, the top is brightness and the bottom is darkness. In the settings you can switch between the waveform, histogram, and vectorscope.

For any video you want to bring down the highlights if they are too bright. Simply bring the highlights down and the shadows up if the waveforms are touching the top or bottom of the chart.

Next adjust the saturation. I usually like to keep my saturation at around 3-5%. But depending on your needs you can adjust if need be.

Finally comes the color. If you’re like me, a lot of your footage will look inconsistent. Especially if you’re shooting outside and it goes form being really cloudy to sunny in no time at all. This is where you can make a video warmer by adding yellows and reds or making it colder by adding blues and purples.

With FCPX, color correcting has never been faster and more efficient. They can clearly add a level of professionalism to your videos no one will even expect. Happy coloring!