Editing FCPx with an Xbox controller - Update
This blog post was originally posted on 10th September 2020
Update: Unfortunately with the most recent update to macOS Sonoma, this implementation seems to have broken. The controller app no longer is able to remap button presses to keyboard presses. This is super unfortunate for me and my poor wrists. I’ve spent the morning trying a variety of different apps but nothing seems to be working. Annoyingly, I think this has actually been caused by Apple starting to care more about Gamepad users, there are now remapping options baked into the OS, but only for switching buttons around on the gamepad itself.
I will keep the original blog post up for people using pre-Sonoma versions of MacOS, and in the hope I find a solution to this problem
Now back to editing with a keyboard and mouse….like a caveman
For every day I spend out filming, I could easy spend 4 or 5 days sitting behind the computer, editing. This leads to one of my biggest problems, repetitive strain injury. Constant mouse and keyboard manipulation lead to stabbing pains in my wrist and elbow. Not a nice feeling, and a big hit to my productivity.
I’ve tried using a graphics tablet in the past, but it just seemed unintuitive to me, with FCPX. I had a standing desk for a while which really helped, but my new office can’t accommodate one. Regular scheduled breaks help, but it doesn’t cut down on the total time I’m using the mouse.
Ultimately, the obvious strategy to deal with this issue, is to cut down on the amount of time i spend with my hands on my keyboard and mouse. My mind turned using a game controller, something I’ve spent thousands of hours using, without ever having any RSI issues.
So, could I edit with a game controller?
The controller
Controller choice was an easy one for me, as I already owned an Xbox one. I was able to connect the gamepad to my Mac very easily via bluetooth
To get super technical, I’m using the model 1708 controller, originally released in 2016 alongside the launch of the Xbox One S. The original Model 1537 controllers needed an additional dongle to connect to a desktop so if you’re having issues getting a connection then make sure you’re rocking the correct controller.
As far as I know, all Playstation 4 controllers can connect via Bluetooth, and there are numerous third party controllers that you can connect via USB
Interface
The program I use to make my controller play nice with my Mac
My next task was to make my inputs on the controller turn into something that FCPx would understand.
I found a simple program in the app-store called Controllers that cost me about €20. This program let me take the button inputs and assign them to different keyboard keys.
It also let me set up different profiles, so I can have the buttons doing different jobs depending on the task I’m doing.
Button Layout
This is the part that actually took the longest, and I’ve gone through several revisions trying to find the combination that works the best. So far I’ve just been using the controller to sort through my footage, and this is the layout that I’m running at the moment.
I have the shoulder buttons set up to set the In and Out points , and the two triggers set to play the footage forward and backwards.
I use the right and left on the D-pad to navigate through my clips, with the down button set to drop that clip into the timeline.
X - Connect
Y - Insert
B - Append
A - Play/Pause
Finally I have the Select and Start buttons set to CMD and Z. So i can hit those when I’ve dropped the wrong clip down on to the timeline
Results
So can’t do all my editing using the controller, but it has found its place in my editing workflow.
When I’m editing a wedding, I have a huge library of clips to go through and this is the stage that I find the controller invaluable. I can sit back, hands in a comfortable position, and sort through all my footage.
Every hour using the controller is an hour not using the mouse and keyboard, and so far I’ve been able to keep the RSI at bay by switching up my input methods.
I would definitely recommend using a game controller to any editor suffering with RSI, especially if you already have one knocking around the house.