Freeze-frame clips hold a particular frame in place, temporarily stopping the action onscreen. You can create a freeze-frame clip from any video clip in the timeline or the browser. If you create a freeze-frame clip from the browser, it’s attached to the primary storyline at the playhead location as a connected clip.
You can also create a still-image file from a video frame in your project or from a clip in the browser. For example, you may want to email someone a JPEG image showing a specific moment in your project. See Export still images in Final Cut Pro for Mac.
You can create freeze frames on the fly during playback or by navigating to a specific frame in a clip.
Note: Any attributes that you previously applied to the source clip, such as settings and effects, are rendered into the freeze-frame clip.
In the timeline or the browser in Final Cut Pro, do one of the following:
Move the skimmer or playhead to the frame you want to freeze.
How the freeze frame is added to the project depends on whether the freeze frame was created from the timeline or the browser.
If you created the freeze frame from a clip in the timeline: A new freeze-frame clip is inserted at the skimmer or playhead location in the timeline.
If you created the freeze frame from a clip in the browser: A new freeze-frame clip is attached as a connected clip at the playhead location in the timeline.
Freeze-frame clips have the same default duration as still-image clips: 4 seconds. You can change the default duration in the Editing pane of Final Cut Pro settings.
Choose Final Cut Pro > Settings (or press Command-Comma), then click the Editing button at the top of the window.
