Final Cut Pro tip: Naming timeline sections

Having used Macromind Videoworks and Macromind Director Interactive, I’ve used markers in timelines for many years. I’ve missed having named markers in Final Cut – seeing the names of each marker in the timeline. I’d also like a way of moving more than one marker at a time.

Until the next version of Final Cut, you have the option to use named generators. Here some ‘Color’ generators are placed at the start of each scene:

If you don’t want to put them on layer 1, you can have the generators at a higher layer and set the opacity to 0%.

You can give generators names using the ‘Item Properties’ sub-menu from the Edit Menu, or press Command-9 or Right/Control-click the clip. You can give the clip whatever name you find useful for your edit:

You’ll have more room for the name of each clip to be shown if you choose ‘Name’ from the Thumbnail display popup in the Timeline Options tab of the Settings… command (Sequence menu or command-0):