Apple MA261Z/A User Manual - Page 664

 Create and manipulate transparency effects: Use filters like the Chroma Keyer or Garbage Matte to create and manipulate the alpha channel information of clips in your project. Keying filters create alpha channels based on blue, green, white, or black areas in the image. Other filters, such as the Widescreen or Soft Edges filter, allow you to further manipulate the areas of transparency in a keyed clip, expanding, contracting, and feathering the area of transparency to fine-tune the effect. Filters like the Mask Shape or Composite Arithmetic filter generate a new alpha channel based on simple geometric shapes or copy an alpha channel from one clip to another. For more information, see Chapter 55, "Keying, Mattes, and Masks," on page 805. Final Cut Express HD includes a wide selection of video filters, grouped into several categories. For detailed information, see "Video Filters Available in Final Cut Express HD" on page 676. Keyframing Filter Parameters Like most parameters in Final Cut Express HD, filter parameters can be keyframed to change their effect on a clip over time. Keyframing filters works the same way as keyframing motion settings. For more information, see Chapter 50, "Adjusting Parameters for Keyframed Effects," on page 719. Applying a Filter to a Clip You can apply filters to clips in a sequence or to clips in the Browser, but it's very important to understand the distinction between these two methods.  If you apply filters to a sequence clip, they are applied only to that clip. The master clip in the Browser remains untouched.  If you apply filters to a master clip in the Browser, instances of that clip already in other sequences are untouched, but if you edit the master clip into a sequence, the new filter accompanies the clip into the sequence. 664 Part IX Effects