Have you ever lamented the fact that Final Cut's video scopes only read one frame at a time? As soon as you start playback, the scopes "freeze" until playback stops. This is the case whether or not you use the play button in the Canvas, the spacebar or J, K, L. But color correcting and using the scopes for only one frame of a clip is not thorough enough to determine if the clip falls inside broadcast safe limits throughout all the content of that shot. One awkward workaround is to grab the playhead in the Timeline and slowly move through the clip, watching the video scopes update as you move to new frames, but this is still not as ideal as watching in real time.

There is another workaround that allows you to view your clips with color correction filters applied in real-time, as well as see a “live” update of your video scopes as the clip plays back.

1. You will need to start with a fast computer like a G5. Slower computers will still work, but it will be somewhat slower than real-time.

2. Open the Video Scopes window from the Tools menu or from a preset window arrangement like Window menu > Arrange > Color Correction, which would re-arrange the windows as shown below.

3. Apply color correction like the 3 way color corrector filter to a clip and make your adjustments.

4. In the Timeline, switch the RT pop up menu to High for Video Playback Quality. On a fast computer, the colored bar over the clip in the Timeline will switch to a dark, subtle green color.

If your computer is not fast enough the color will stay a bright green. Either color will still work with this method.

5. Position the playhead at the beginning of clip (or sequence).

6. Hold down the Option key and press the letter P on the keyboard, then let go of the keys.

The clip will play in real time, and scopes will update in real time as well!

Option/P works different than regular playback in that it moves forward to a frame, renders it into RAM, and displays that frame back in the Canvas. Then it moves forward to the next clip, caches it into RAM, and moves forward. Each time this happens, the video scopes update. With non-real time clips, this doesn't happen in real time, and only moves as fast as Final Cut can render the frame into RAM. But with color correction and a fast computer, its fully real time!

Look for this tip and many others in the updated Ripple Training DVD on color correction in Final Cut Pro, written by myself and Steve Martin.