Follow this workflow if you generated an FCPXML file from Subvert by merging the subtitle files with an existing FCPXML file. If you did not merge the subtitle files with an existing FCPXML file, view the “Working with a New FCPXML File” section.
Working with merged FCPXML files gives you the ability to edit original source media with subtitles in Final Cut Pro X. By embedding the subtitled source media in a compound clip, Subvert enables a robust workflow with the ability to read and search your transcript right in the browser.
Viewing Subtitled Media in the Browser
- Import the merged FCPXML file into Final Cut Pro X.
- One or more new events will appear in the library, depending on whether you chose to place generated compound clips in a new event or source clip events.
- Select one of the new events that contains a subtitled compound clip that Subvert created.
- Select a subtitled compound clip in that event. Subtitled compound clips will be named “[source clip] + [subtitle filename]” in the browser.
Subvert uses this naming format because the app matches source clip filenames to subtitle file filenames. Source clips in the Final Cut Pro X browser can be renamed without modifying the source clip filename. To account for any possible discrepancy between the two names, Subvert includes the source clip name (not its filename) and the subtitle file filename in the compound clip name so that the clip can still be uniquely identified.
- Play or skim the compound clip. You will see subtitles displayed over picture in the viewer.
Reading Subtitle Transcripts in the Browser
If you selected “Generate Markers” in Subvert, each subtitle will correspond to a marker on a subtitled compound clip. This allows you to read the subtitle transcript right in the browser and navigate the clip using those marker points. To read the subtitle transcript:
- Set the browser to display as a list by choosing View > Browser > as List.
- Select a subtitled compound clip.
- Click the disclosure triangle next to the compound clip name or press the right arrow key.
- The subtitle transcript will be displayed below the clip name.
Searching within Subtitle Transcripts in the Browser
If you selected “Generate Keywords” in Subvert, a keyword range will be created for each subtitle or a group of subtitles. The keyword range will then include the subtitle text inside the “Note” field, allowing you to search for a word or phrase within the subtitle transcript. To search the transcript:
- In the browser, while viewing an event with subtitled compound clips, select the keyword collection that was designated for generated keywords in Subvert. This will show all the keyword ranges that Subvert generated.
- In the search field in the browser, enter your search terms. Final Cut Pro X will then show you only the keyword ranges that have note text that matches those terms.
To see the keyword range within the context of the entire clip:
- Select the keyword range in the list.
- Click on the clip filmstrip above the clip list in the browser to select the range.
- Select the event containing that keyword collection. Final Cut Pro X will highlight the section of the clip that matches the keyword range.
Editing Subtitled Clips on the Timeline
Once you have selected in and out points in the browser, you can edit that selection into the timeline as you would any other source clip. Any generated markers will carry over to the timeline.
At some point, you may want to lay secondary video, such as b-roll, over that clip while maintaining visibility of the subtitle. You can do this by breaking apart the subtitled compound clip. To break it apart:
- Select the subtitled compound clip on the timeline.
If the compound clip is not already on the primary storyline, you may want to move it there. Once the clip breaks apart, the clip’s elements will automatically connect to the primary storyline. It may then be more difficult to maintain synchronization between the subtitles and the source clip because the subtitle clips will not be attached to it.
- Choose Clip > Break Apart Clip Items (or press Command-Shift-G). The compound clip will then break into its elements, exposing the source clip and its connected subtitle clips.
- Place your secondary video underneath the subtitle clips but over the source clip. If the source clip is on the primary storyline, the subtitle clips will maintain synchronization, even as you move the secondary video around.
Note that once you break apart the subtitled compound clip, it has lost its reference to the originating compound clip in the event and any markers will disappear. Also, you cannot join the elements back together without undoing the action or creating a new compound clip.
Searching Subtitled Clips on the Timeline
If you selected “Generate Markers” in Subvert, subtitled clips that you bring into your timeline will have markers corresponding to each subtitle. You can use these markers to search subtitles within the timeline. To do so:
- Open the timeline index.
- Select the “tags” panel. Make sure either “All” or the standard markers button is selected at the bottom. All the markers in the timeline will be listed.
- Type a word or phrase to search for in the search field on the timeline index panel.
- The marker(s) matching the search terms will be listed. Select one of them to navigate to that marker on the timeline.
Making Adjustments to Subtitle Text
If the subtitled compound clip has not been broken apart on the timeline, you can modify all instances of the clip across all projects by editing the compound clip in the browser.
- Select the subtitled compound clip in the browser and double-click it. The compound clip will open on the timeline.
- Edit the subtitle text as you see fit by selecting a title on the timeline and using the inspector panel to modify it.
- Any changes to the compound clip will propagate to all instances of the compound clip used across projects.
If the subtitled compound clip has been broken apart on a project timeline, you can modify the broken-apart subtitle on that timeline but you cannot modify all instances of that subtitle across projects.