Izzy Video 035 – Creating the Ken Burns Effect in Final Cut Pro
New to Izzy Video? A few things you should know: I created this site to be a resource to help you get started and develop your skills in shooting video. I've posted more than 100 video tutorials on how to shoot and edit video. Several are free downloads, and I consistently release new tutorials every month. You'll notice that many videos are available to members only.
Finally, I recommend you subscribe to my RSS feed, or the newsletter (the form is in the sidebar) to make sure you get new videos as they're released. Thanks for visiting!
After receiving several requests to show how to create the Ken Burns effect in Final Cut Pro, I thought I’d make a quick tutorial.
This video is available to members only.
July 3rd, 2006 at 12:09 pm
Nice vid Izzy, the Ken Burns is a great effect for photos!
For all you Windows users out there, I don’t normally recommend MS products, but you HAVE to try MS-PhotoStory 3.
I normally use Sony Vegas, but PhotoStory is EXTREMELY quick easy to use and creates very, very nice videos.
Google for “Microsoft Photo Story” and it’s a free download.
Did I mention it’s free?
Trust me on this one, it’s NICE.
July 3rd, 2006 at 1:53 pm
Loved the video! So awesome. When the picture rotated just slightly like that it was almost like 3D! Thank you so much keep up the good work!
July 3rd, 2006 at 3:17 pm
Thank you Israel for your great work. Speaking of Ken Burns Effekt (reminds me a bit of “Mr. Burns” …) this program cant be beaten, not even by final cut pro. Eat this:
http://lqgraphics.com/software/
Whole lot of fun, for pros and beginners.
Greetings from Munich
Keerok
July 26th, 2006 at 2:35 am
Thank you Izzy, this tutorial was just what I was looking for
July 26th, 2006 at 2:38 am
thanks again, now with the right link, sorry..
October 1st, 2006 at 5:33 pm
[...] Sometimes things have to just percolate. I read the section on three-point edits a few times but just didn’t seem to get it. This morning, as I was writing, it came to me exactly what it was. Place in and out points on your clip, place at least an in point on your timeline, then use the buttons or the overlay to either insert or overwrite the clip into your sequence. I hadn’t been dreaming about FCP, which has happened when I am in the midst of a coding project, but I guess I just had the quiet time to let it sink in. And that’s what I’ve found after nearly six years of doing the morning pages. A lot of what I write is crap–to do lists, quotidian details such a laundry, the usual “diary” kind of stuff. But when I let the writing flow less self-consciously, I am sometimes able to access more deep knowledge and understanding that has been building even while I am involved in the daily grind. The second observation has to do with figuring out how to do the Ken Burns effect in FCP. I love it in iMovie, really makes still images come alive. I tried searching the FCP manual but didn’t have much luck. So, I turned to the web. Found Izzy Video’s tutorial. It was very helpful although it took me a little while to understand how to set key frames. I kept looking for a marker on the timeline rather than the fact that the wireframe lines changed from white to green. Now, I know and am having lots of fun setting motion to my stills. What did I learn? I rely on the web community to help me learn. Another quick example from today: I am using an online wiki to write an article. The only problem…I need to be able to count words. So, back to the web. I found a Macworld article that reviewed Word Counter. It’s free, but I’m going to send a donation. What a handy tool! [...]
October 21st, 2006 at 6:03 am
I think all of your podcasts are awsome. I was woundering where you got the machinima. I’ve been trying to find it to download. I have a mac. Thanks and please keep the tutorials coming.
December 9th, 2006 at 4:21 pm
Izzy-
Thanks so much for the videos. They are great. Hey I was wondering if you ever experience shimmering in your photos when you add movement to them. I have encountered this problem and can’t seem to find the solution. Thanks
February 10th, 2007 at 7:17 pm
Thanks for that quick and very helpful tutorial. Exactly what I needed. Big thanks!
March 25th, 2007 at 10:19 am
izzy, i’ve got a question for you. this podcast was great! any advice regarding the “size” you should create your photos at? i’m assuming to keep things moving smoothly, it’s better to export the photos from iPhoto at a smaller size, so you can import the photos into FCP so it doesn’t take up so much space in FCP. is there a prefered size to work with? for example, 5″x7″ at 72dpi? any specific size?
much thanks!!!
April 6th, 2007 at 9:59 am
My question: how much of the effect should we use for each picture? If I start at 100% at the beginning of the 5 seconds of the photo, what’s a good zoom-in amount? 95%? 90%? 85%? What have you found to be too much?
Thanks,
Timo
May 6th, 2007 at 3:54 am
AS as seasoned FCP/FCS user and performing many hundreds of “PAN and SCAN” with various tools, plugins and maniplution using MOTION+ control in the VIEWER /CANVAS with photos (JUST NOW) , I went and purchased thos app called “PHOTO to MOVIE” from http://lqgraphics.com/software/
It is great and does the job in minutes with out any tweaks. (Same as that in IPHOTO) except it is customisatable (fps and res).
I nearly wasted my cash on another FCP plugin called “PAN ZOOM PRO” .. too
involved for such a small thing..
go try “PHOTO to MOVIE: http://lqgraphics.com/software/ then import to FCS.
MAybe FCS2 wilhave such effects in it when it ships soon.
yep its great
August 3rd, 2007 at 4:45 am
I got an idea for quickly pumping out ken burns effect slide shows en-mass. Install Xbox Media Centre, point the slideshow to an SMB share containing any amount of images, record the output.
Then just add a soundtrack if you want to export the file.
If you are doing presentations, you can select your songs first with the juke-box, the start your slideshow.
http://www.xboxmediacenter.de/
August 3rd, 2007 at 4:59 am
Of course you needn’t use a network share. You can simply FTP all the files you need to the internal xbox HDD (I replaced mine with a 200gb unit). Oh and it does movies too.
If you switch it to NTSC mode, you will have access to all the high-def interlaced and progressive scan resolutions. I have mine hooked up to my data projector using a third party xbox to vga adaptor.
Combine this with my passion for photography, and we have the best A/V slid-shows at home
http://www.x2vga.com/
my pics
http://www.flickr.com/photos/spasmoid/
(I got a new lens yesterday – w00000t!)
When I get my act together, I’m gonna make some XBMC tutorials.
September 15th, 2007 at 7:18 pm
Hello Izzy,
Your videos are very helpful. I have a question for you. How do I create the “24″ effect in Final Cut Pro? (Multiple videos playing in the same window or “Split Screen.” Top & Bottom, Side by Side, Three or more windows, etc.)
June 12th, 2008 at 7:49 am
i am trying to view the ken burns effect video and it’s not working