X

610Final Cut Pro User Guide
The following mask effects are available in the Masks category of the Effects browser.
Add them to any clip in the timeline just as you would add any other clip effect. With the
exception of Draw Mask, all of the following mask effects are considered “simple masks,”
with relatively straightforward masking controls.
• Draw Mask: Draw a complex custom mask using control points and spline drawing
methods to adjust shape and curvature. See
Create complex masks in Final Cut Pro and
Intro to editing complex masks in Final Cut Pro.
• Graduated Mask: Create a mask based on a gradient (from fully transparent to fully
opaque).
• Image Mask: Create areas of transparency in a clip using a chroma channel, a luma
channel, or an alpha channel from a different image.
• Shape Mask: Create a mask in any shape on the continuum from ellipse to rectangle.
See
Create simple shape masks in Final Cut Pro. This is the only simple mask that can
be converted to editable control points for making complex custom masks.
• Vignette Mask: Create a horizontal ellipse mask with graduated edges.
Final Cut Pro also features effect masking. Most clip effects have built-in shape masks
and color masks that allow you to isolate and control which areas of the video image are
affected by clip effects and color corrections. See
Intro to effect masking in Final Cut Pro.
Note: Masking blend modes (including Add, Subtract, and Intersect) for combining multiple
masks are available for effect masking only.
Create simple shape masks in Final Cut Pro
The Shape Mask effect allows you to quickly create a mask in any shape on the continuum
from ellipse to rectangle.
Note: The Shape Mask is the only simple mask that can be converted to editable control
points for making complex custom masks (changing it into a Draw Mask). See Create
complex masks in Final Cut Pro and Intro to editing complex masks in Final Cut Pro.
1. Add the clip you want to mask to the Final Cut Pro timeline.
Note: If you want to composite the clip over a background clip, you must use connected
clips. See
Connect clips in Final Cut Pro.
2. Select the clip in the timeline, then position the playhead at a point within the clip that
shows the area you want to make transparent.
3. To open the Effects browser, click the Effects button in the top-right corner of the
timeline (or press Command-5).
4. In the Effects browser, select the Shape Mask effect.
Tip: To quickly find the Shape Mask effect, type “shape” in the Effects browser
search field.