FCP Tip #005: Preview complicated timelines without rendering.

I've got a lot on my plate this week, so this is a quicky but I still think you'll find it very helpful. Most people find themselves creating sequences that have layering demands which exceed the realtime capabilities of any FCP set up. When you're short on time you may not want to render these complicated parts only to have to tweak them moments later and re-render. A handy way to play through those deep layered parts, or your render-intensive transitions, is to press OPTION+P. This will give you a nice smooth approximation of what the rendered scene will look like. Although not in real time, this technique still provides a great preview of motion and feel. Plus, it allows you to keep flowing with your edit rather than stopping to render.