Apple Posts Final Cut Pro X FAQ, Promises Updates

[MacRumors]

Apple has quietly posted a FAQ for Final Cut Pro X in response to the many questions and criticisms. (via 9to5Mac). The FAQ appears not to be linked from Apple's main site, and has not yet been publicized.

Final Cut Pro X is a breakthrough in nonlinear video editing. The application has impressed many pro editors, and it has also generated a lot of discussion in the pro video community. We know people have questions about the new features in Final Cut Pro X and how it compares with previous versions of Final Cut Pro. Here are the answers to the most common questions we've heard.

The FAQ mirrors some of the same issues addressed in David Pogue's article with responses from Apple product managers, but also gives a few more specifics.

Regarding importing from Final Cut Pro 7, Apple says that due to the many changes there was no way to "translate" old projects without losing or changing data. So, Apple suggests that users continue to use Final Cut Pro 7 for existing projects.

As for Multicam editing, Apple again promises that "it will" support it. The "next major release" will provide "great multicam support".

Another feature they promise will be coming is export of XML. They say they "know how important XML export" is to their users and expect to add it to Final Cut Pro X. A set of APIs will be released in the next few weeks so that 3rd party developers can access the "next-generation XML in Final Cut Pro X". Similiarly, OMF, AAF and EDL support should become available through 3rd parties once the API is available. One third party solution is already available for OMF and AMF export.

Finally, assigning audio tracks for export is promised for a "summer" update which will "allow you to use metadata tags to categorize your audio clips by type and export them directly from Final Cut Pro X."

Final Cut Pro X was released just last week, but was met with significant complaints due to missing features. The rest of the FAQ provides some more details that may be of interest to professional video editors.

Article Link: Apple Posts Final Cut Pro X FAQ, Promises Updates

 

[CallistoJag]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8J2 Safari/6533.18.5)

apple haters grinning everywhere

 

[MetalMoon]

Guess we'll see if Apple holds up its promise

They should have just waited till these features where ready and release Final Cut Pro X then, why they wanted to get it out before Lion, who knows?

 

[dethmaShine]

After all, what more do you want?

It's an absolute rewrite in the form of v1.0. There's ought to be things missing and Apple now promises to patch them up.
On another note, there will hardly be a professional using FCP X straight off for his/her final projects.

The only thing I'm doubtful is the Multi-cam support which might still not be added to FCP X as the FAQs state.

 

[arn]

my reading of the FAQ is minor update this summer (audio), major (multicam) update later.

arn

 

[johneaston]

The "next major release" will provide "great multicam support".

But, because of the way Apple chooses to conduct its business, the next major release could be six months or six years away. Not very comforting.

For me, this FAQ just appears to admit that FCPX wasn't really ready for mainstream release (and really shouldn't have been given the 'Pro' moniker).

 

[vjl323]

Multicam support in next *major* release?

If I'm reading the FAQ correctly, multicam support won't be something that a free update will provide, but rather a major release? Does that mean another year+ away?

While I actually do like FCPX, some of the lack of features really to cause a problem for me, and multi-cam is one of the big ones. I guess one has to wait a while to get that? Or am I reading that wrong?

 

[dethmaShine]

my reading of the FAQ is minor update this summer (audio), major (multicam) update later.

arn

Exactly. That could be bad. I don't know what Apple means by High Priority.

 

[nine]

Maybe they'll make a "Sorry Video" like the Southpark one

 

[nubero]

This FAQ is an insult

 

[arn]

If I'm reading the FAQ correctly, multicam support won't be something that a free update will provide, but rather a major release? Does that mean another year+ away?

It's not entirely clear. You can't charge for updates on the App Store. So Apple would have to put out an entirely new FCP app in the app store to charge people. Apple hasn't run into this yet. I'd guess that the next major FCP update will be free, and given the wording of the FAQ, I'd say that's pretty likely.

arn

 

[Truffy]

Exactly. That could be bad. I don't know what Apple means by High Priority.

Exactly. What would really help would be a roadmap for these updates. And reserving multicam support, which was enjoyed in FCP7, for the next major release is just insulting.

 

[grue]

After all, what more do you want?

It's an absolute rewrite in the form of v1.0. There's ought to be things missing and Apple now promises to patch them up.
On another note, there will hardly be a professional using FCP X straight off for his/her final projects.

The only thing I'm doubtful is the Multi-cam support which might still not be added to FCP X as the FAQs state.

If you're going to do something, do it right. Don't go halfassed and say "We'll fix it later"

 

[iLilana]

wow

I just hope us Logic Pro producer/editor/engineers don't get as f'ed over as you FCP people did. Why did they release this as commercial when its CLEARLY a beta quality program? missing features, workflow compatibility, hardware compatibility. Is this whole debacle sounds like it may end up in class action lawsuit land.

 

[Reach]

Nice to see them releasing some official information. Doesn't help much right away, but they are at least promising multicam, audio-updates, XML-export (which means OMF/AAF/EDL will be available from third parties).

 

[BillyBobBongo]

What strikes me as odd is how many times in that FAQ they say that they understand how important a certain feature is to users. If they undertand that, then why didn't they put it in in the first place?

 

[t0mat0]

Nice slap of a wakeup call to the non digital tape using workflow industries:

"Can I edit my tape-based workflow with Final Cut Pro X?
Yes, in a limited manner. Final Cut Pro X is designed for modern file-based workflows..."

So the harder more technical to (re)implement features take longer, and they've got a product out they can iron bugs out of in the meantime.

Are the pros that agile they could, would or should jump onto a new version of FCP for their main work? Seems the main issue is impatience on getting their features so they can use it!

 

[Loki!]

This FAQ is an insult

I absolutely agree...

 

[MacFly123]

It's not entirely clear. You can't charge for updates on the App Store. So Apple would have to put out an entirely new FCP app in the app store to charge people. Apple hasn't run into this yet. I'd guess that the next major FCP update will be free, and given the wording of the FAQ, I'd say that's pretty likely.

arn

WOW, it is like my comment in the last post from the Shake guy was prophecy!

Like I said people, CALM DOWN! Update coming with Lion along with XML & APIs, and another update with multi-cam + more in 6 months. Mark my words!

 

[Lone Deranger]

They should have just waited till these features where ready and release Final Cut Pro X then, why they wanted to get it out before Lion, who knows?

Wouldn't have mattered. People would've found something else to complain about.

 

[mdriftmeyer]

What strikes me as odd is how many times in that FAQ they say that they understand how important a certain feature is to users. If they undertand that, then why didn't they put it in in the first place?

Developer Cycles and Product releases for features don't always coincide.

It's a clear indication that they had a choice: Release in June or extend several Betas to key developers for the next 2 quarters and then release it, and still receive complaints for change.

They chose to release the new architecture and in a few weeks will come the Developer APIs to extend support so by the end of this quarter and entering the next quarter both 3rd parties and Apple will release plugins and major updates to this new flag ship editing software.

This ends the several years complaint that FCP is dead,etc., and opens a new can of worms on it not being feature perfect.

Guess what? List the number of major areas Apple is simultaneously competing on and then compare what Apple was doing back in 1998. Night and Day.

Apple is spewing out store after store, market after market for major target markets at a rate never seen in this corporation but it's never fast enough for some very vocal customers.

In 1998 Apple [as a former employee so I know wherefore I speak] had 3 months of capital to keep the doors open and now they have $70 Billion in the bank and have leap frog'd Microsoft in valuation. And all during one of the worst global recessions since The Great Depression.

Take a long pause and think about exactly what Apple has accomplished, all during Steve fighting for his own life.

Yet people continue to whine that this 1.0 product isn't the greatest solution for present and future approaches to NLE.

And all for $299. Truly pathetic.

I paid $299 in 1996 for Openstep User/Developer as a student before working at NeXT Inc.

Seriously, get some perspective folks.

 

[Reach]

A case of major good news in this FAQ is that they are promising that FCP7 will work with Lion!

 

[arn]

It's a clear indication that they had a choice: Release in June or extend several Betas to key developers for the next 2 quarters and then release it, and still receive complaints for change.

Again, I know this has been debated back and forth. I'm not a video editor, but I've followed the release closely.

The release lacked features that people didn't even fathom weren't going to be included. It's a different level of justified complaining.

The best equivalent is that when Lion is released, it turns out it doesn't work with current Mac formatted hard drives. You have to reformat everything in a new format. It's just so absurd, it wouldn't have occurred to people to ask Apple specifically if Mac formatted hard drives were supported in Lion. (just a hypothetical example).

If people were just complaining that the interface was different, I'd probably fall on your side and tell people to suck it up and try it. But that's not what people are complaining about.

arn

 

[macsmurf]

Let's say that a year from now, FCPX has become a comparatively huge success with consumers interested in movie editing. Given the price and the features that is probably not too much of a stretch.

Shouldn't Apple then spend the most time supporting these users instead of the pros? Seems like the smart thing to do.

 

[bmk]

Wouldn't have mattered. People would've found something else to complain about.

That's probably true, but a lot of people have a lot of legitimate concerns about FCP X.

Does anyone know of ANY update to a piece of software that broke the ability to import files from the immediately preceding version of that software? This seems to me to be unique - and an incredibly bad precedent.