How to Edit and Shoot Slow Motion Footage || Final Cut Pro X (FCPX)

Is there technically a "right" way to edit your slow motion footage?  e.g. How do you determine what speed to set your footage when slowing it down?  Or, for cameras that perhaps don't record in high frame rates in 4K resolution, how can you achieve a slow motion look in 4K if your camera doesn't provide the ability to accomplish this?

Though a seemingly simple topic that can easily get overlooked, a few key concepts exist both when shooting for slow motion footage in camera, and - more importantly - when editing that footage to achieve a desired slow motion look.  In this technical how-to video, and using a variety of sample clips from different projects, I'll go over the most important techniques to use when editing slow motion footage in Final Cut Pro X (FCPX), and when shooting it as well.  This includes the process that is widely used to determine the speed at which to render your footage for slow motion, based on a few key variables, and is useful for many cameras like my Sony a7S III, which shoots in 4K 60fps and 4K 120fps.  However, I'll also discuss some options that exist for cameras like my Sony a7 III, that only shoots up to 4K 30fps, and some tricks you can use (e.g. upscaling, optical flow) to achieve the same look while still delivering a 4K video project as an output.  I'll additionally mention some caveats that exist with select methods for achieving slow motion footage.

Overall, this video is focused around how to apply these techniques within Final Cut Pro X, and is demonstrated using that software, though you'll find the same rules/principles can be applied in Adobe Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve as well to achieve the same look.

If you like tips and tricks videos like this one, and/or content centered around editing and Final Cut Pro X, let me know in the comments and I will definitely try to make more!

For those that are curious, the wedding film I referenced (4K 24 FPS example):
   • Michelle + Nicholas || Wedding Film |...  

0:00 - Intro, and what often gets missed with slow motion footage...
1:22 - Setting up a FCPX project, and a note on resolution/frame rate
2:31 - Overview of sample clips used to demonstrate slow motion
4:42 - Formula to use when slowing your footage down
5:12 - Shutter speed in relation to FPS when shooting for slow motion
6:09 - 4K 60 FPS slow motion example
6:55 - 4K 120 FPS slow motion example
7:51 - 1080p 60 FPS slow motion example (upscaling)
9:15 - Upscaling in consideration with your camera...
9:42 - 4K 24 FPS slow motion example (optical flow)
12:46 - Summary of all example scenarios and clips
13:21 - Shooting slow motion with S&Q mode
14:26 - Conclusion

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My Current Kit:
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Cameras & Lenses:
Sony a7S III: https://amzn.to/3Gd87kK
Sony a7 IV: https://amzn.to/3g3Ipoq
Sony a7 III: https://amzn.to/3GcEX5x
Sony 20mm f/1.8 G: https://amzn.to/3AE7pMt
Sony Zeiss Sonnar 55mm f/1.8: https://amzn.to/3r6Lo5M
Sony 24-70 f/2.8 GM: https://amzn.to/3HfLIoy
Sony 70-200 f/2.8 GM: https://amzn.to/3He70Ts

Audio:
Rode VideoMic NTG: https://amzn.to/3AJwTrW
Tascam DR-10L: https://amzn.to/3AIRA7l
Zoom H6: https://amzn.to/32HCgep

Lighting:
Aputure LS 60x: https://amzn.to/3Gc04og
Aputure Amaran P60c: https://amzn.to/3ob7qm6
Aputure Amaran AL-F7: https://amzn.to/3g3IzMy
Aputure MC: https://amzn.to/34l8DzS

Tripod/Monopod:
Manfrotto 290 Xtra 128RC: https://amzn.to/3o8bPpV
iFootage Cobra C180-II: https://amzn.to/3r8kfPY

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