Apple Refocusing Final Cut Pro? Jobs says "Next Release Will Be Awesome"

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

If somethings not broken, you don't try to fix it. 'FCP' is certainly not broken.

Obviously, Apples state of mind is "Hey - more people are buying the cheaper Final Cut Express... Lets try and persuade them to buy the more expensive version

Consumers models exist for a reason - people buy what they need, and for the most part, iMovie is perfectly fine for home users who just want to play around with video. But the 'Pro' sales are what count given the higher retail price, and its not surprising that Apple are yet again after more money.

It's just a shame, because they've had their best profits yet, but they still insist on squeezing every last penny.

 

[Digital Skunk]

Remember that Apple has many relationships with Pro-Video and Pro-Camera companies and having been to the last NAB show in Las Vegas, I can tell you that none of those companies expressed any nervousness about moving forward with Apple and FCS.

This list is not exhaustive, but here is a sample of companies that work closely with Apple's products:

Panasonic, Canon, Sony, JVC, Grass Valley, AJA, and Blackmagic Design just to name a few.

I also spoke with one Apple FCS Engineer who, when asked about my concerns of the future of FCS, said that all the resources that were normally associated with Trade Shows had been pooled into the Product Team. While that certainly sounded like "Apple" Speak, I think he was trying to reassure me that I have nothing to worry about for the future of the product.

We know the companies, and they'll of course stay the "course" with Apple and Final Cut. And that Apple engineer was giving you 100% Apple speak ... and most likely has no idea what Apple will do now or in the future.

The point is, we aren't worried about anything but Apple loosing focus on where they need to put resources, like in fixing the bugs, improving Color and Motion roundtrips, etc. Maybe some UI conformity like the Adobe suites.

We never asked for it to be more like FCE, but I digress, as was said we don't know anything yet, so we'll have to wait and see.

 

[kernkraft]

Nice thing, is it running C2D?

I remember when everyone on this website called me a troll for stating my opinion that the mac was turning into one of these.

I didn't. I think it was the 15 years olds, they hate to be associated with toys like that. They get a white plastic thing with iMovie on and suddenly they become filmmaker professionals.

 

[Nuvi]

We never asked for it to be more like FCE, but I digress, as was said we don't know anything yet, so we'll have to wait and see.

My thoughts exactly. I just hope Apple isn't widening FCP target user group. To me action like that won't benefit those who are currently using FCP.

 

[madmaxmedia]

My thoughts exactly. I just hope Apple isn't widening FCP target user group. To me action like that won't benefit those who are currently using FCP.

The story doesn't seem to make sense. Apple addresses 3 different segments with iMovie, Final Cut Express, and Final Cut Pro. Why make FCP more like FC Express or whatever? (the story is very ambiguous as well.)

 

[SqueakyTech]

This reminds me a lot of Indie bands that get too big for the pond and have to go mainstream. The question's always the same, can they integrate new fans without alienating the diehards in the process. Lets hope the new songs don't suck.

 

[Nuvi]

The story doesn't seem to make sense. Apple addresses 3 different segments with iMovie, Final Cut Express, and Final Cut Pro. Why make FCP more like FC Express or whatever? (the story is very ambiguous as well.)

If Apple targets wider user group with new FCP then there would probably be no FCP and FCE. Just one FC and iMovie... Don't know about that really...

 

[rajbonham]

If Apple targets wider user group with new FCP then there would probably be no FCP and FCE. Just one FC and iMovie... Don't know about that really...

Or Apple could drop iMovie and widen Final Cut Express. Remember, iMovie doesn't make Apple any extra cash, but Final Cut Express does.

Apple widening the user group for Final Cut Express and leaving Final Cut Studio to the professional market makes way more sense. Not to mention it keeps (almost) everyone happy.

 

[Macinposh]

If somethings not broken, you don't try to fix it. 'FCP' is certainly not broken.

Whatever you are smoking,stop it..

The fcp needs a total overhaul in the engine room,let alone a big bug overhaul (compressor,qmaster,roundtripping..etc.) .


Nice to know that apple is at least something to the FCS instead of letting it wither and die a silent death.Peeps who like the changes,stay and peeps that dislike move on to wherever. Win - Win.

 

[pixelcruncher]

Apple needs to go after Avid and Autodesk more aggressively.

Apple should really push Mac OS X into the forefront of 3D and special effects compositing. I'm surprised they haven't done this yet. Its right there with content production. I intentionally left Motion out, I see it as either an express type application or possibly along side iMovie. Nuke/Shake destroys both Motion and yes After Effects.

Apple already had this opportunity, from Ron Brinkman's (one of the original developers of Shake) blog:

"I really can’t say much about where Apple may or may not be going with future products. Although the fact that I decided it was time to move on might be a reasonable clue as to my confidence level that any alleged ‘next generation’ tool will be focused on the market (high end vfx and animation) that I’m interested in… And why I’m now working with The Foundry on Nuke…"

Remember, when Apple bought Shake, it was the #1 compositing app in the film industry. If Apple wanted the high-end crown, they already had it. Many of the Shake team left Apple and went to work on Nuke. If Apple wanted to be in the high-end market, they had some of the top talent in the world, they clearly weren't interested.

Edit: Check the headlines: Gartner Pegs Apple as World's Seventh Largest Mobile Phone Manufacturer. You can forget about Apple being aggressive in the film/video/FX marketspace. They're bigger than the creative professionals now.

 

[Mattie Num Nums]

Apple already had this opportunity, from Ron Brinkman's (one of the original developers of Shake) blog:

"I really can’t say much about where Apple may or may not be going with future products. Although the fact that I decided it was time to move on might be a reasonable clue as to my confidence level that any alleged ‘next generation’ tool will be focused on the market (high end vfx and animation) that I’m interested in… And why I’m now working with The Foundry on Nuke…"

Remember, when Apple bought Shake, it was the #1 compositing app in the film industry. If Apple wanted the high-end crown, they already had it. Many of the Shake team left Apple and went to work on Nuke. If Apple wanted to be in the high-end market, they had some of the top talent in the world, they clearly weren't interested.

Edit: Check the headlines: Gartner Pegs Apple as World's Seventh Largest Mobile Phone Manufacturer. You can forget about Apple being aggressive in the film/video/FX marketspace. They're bigger than the creative professionals now.

Apple has shown that they care less and less about Computers and OSX and more about the App Store and iPhone OS.

 

[Slackula]

Coming soon:

FCP for the iPhone 4.0.

There's an app for that.

 

[z4n3]

Coming soon:

FCP for the iPhone 4.0.

There's an app for that.

I TAKE 2.....

 

[Nostromo]

The fcp needs a total overhaul in the engine room,let alone a big bug overhaul (compressor,qmaster,roundtripping..etc.) .


Nice to know that apple is at least something to the FCS instead of letting it wither and die a silent death.Peeps who like the changes,stay and peeps that dislike move on to wherever. Win - Win.

Agree.

There could be a new strategy about how Apple sells their editing software.

The article states that most people just buy the Express version.

A total overhaul of FCP not only in the engine room, but also on the bridge (the interface), combined with a price reduction could make more people buy the full version (and spend more).

As for me, Apple could drop Express altogether and rather drop the price on the full package. I'd say they'd still make more money as at the status quo.

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

Did I mention the i***** app? It helps you when you're trying to drop a log.

Or for the opposite effect, the "iDont*****" app

 

[Ollywood]

You're complaining about Apple's switch to x86 and the lack of PCI x slots all over a one line quote from Steve Jobs that said the next release would be awesome. It's really amazing watching people complain about this quote, I guess some people just don't want a GCD, OpenCL capable Final Cut Suite do they?

Uh not really! I thought it was about switching to PC or continuing to use an old version of FCP. And one has to upgrade if you have a professional editing suite.

 

[Ollywood]

True but then pro level Mac's loose one of their best selling points. With FCP you had to have Mac based editing suite but with Avid, Autodesk and the rest you can go with any recommended PC box.

I agree that FCP is the driving feature to buy a mac and they would be mad to make that weaker. But I think there is something deeper that ties all these platforms together and that is quicktime. If you can share the media without any encoding or rendering with the other software that would really be a winning argument to keep the Macs. AVID have seen that a it's very easy to use the media in their different systems.

 

[backdraft]

I hope they can turn that perception around, WWDC 2010 doesn't look too promising with the focus on the iPhone and iPad.

The Mac desktop platform is being neglected. The irony is that without it the iPhone and iPad are useless.

Apple has shown that they care less and less about Computers and OSX and more about the App Store and iPhone OS.

 

[backdraft]

Well if Apple doesn't do it, I'm hoping The Foundry will.

Houdini 3D being the top candidate for acquisition, then massive and realflow. Who knows they might even develop a package to compete with Final Cut Studio and AVID.

It would be a bad move for Apple to ignore the high end market. They still have the opportunity. Perhaps a subsidiary so Ron can do his thing.

Apple already had this opportunity, from Ron Brinkman's (one of the original developers of Shake) blog:

"I really can’t say much about where Apple may or may not be going with future products. Although the fact that I decided it was time to move on might be a reasonable clue as to my confidence level that any alleged ‘next generation’ tool will be focused on the market (high end vfx and animation) that I’m interested in… And why I’m now working with The Foundry on Nuke…"

Remember, when Apple bought Shake, it was the #1 compositing app in the film industry. If Apple wanted the high-end crown, they already had it. Many of the Shake team left Apple and went to work on Nuke. If Apple wanted to be in the high-end market, they had some of the top talent in the world, they clearly weren't interested.

Edit: Check the headlines: Gartner Pegs Apple as World's Seventh Largest Mobile Phone Manufacturer. You can forget about Apple being aggressive in the film/video/FX marketspace. They're bigger than the creative professionals now.

 

[PeterQVenkman]

Apple needs to go after Avid and Autodesk more aggressively. They need to offer a pro package for high end 3D and compositing along with Final Cut Pro. Apple would need to acquire some new packages in the process and build a unified GUI across the board. Here's what it would look like

Apple already did that with Shake. First they required non-apple versions to purchase a macpro with it. Then they killed off all platforms but mac.

Then they killed the mac version.

Apple is no longer interested in competing in that space. There is too much money to be made elsewhere.

 

[Nostromo]

I hope they can turn that perception around, WWDC 2010 doesn't look too promising with the focus on the iPhone and iPad.

All that annoying iPHonePadPod stuff is just a shallow casing, and it can crack. Wouldn't be the first top selling spree that ended. And then you'd have to go back to make serious products instead of gadgets.

 

[Cormac]

Next Release (of FCP) Will Be Awesome

What Randy Ubillos did to iMovie was a disaster. He shouldn't be let anywhere near any software development unless it is virus development.

 

[captain kaos]

Brilliant, if Randy Ubillos has anything to do with it he'll probably end up c**king up FCP as well.The imovie re design had some nice effects and extras, but the switch from what most people call a normal timeline layout was unforgivable. Without that old school layout there are some really basic but major non linear things missing from that version.

 

[backdraft]

Ron Brinkmann is the only man for the job that is capable to take the helm in turning Final Cut Studio into pro quality software.

http://www.digitalcompositing.com/blog/?page_id=4

Apple should buy The Foundry to bring him back then Steve should let him make the decisions in the direction FCS takes along with compositing and 3D.

What Randy Ubillos did to iMovie was a disaster. He shouldn't be let anywhere near any software development unless it is virus development.

 

[captain kaos]

I'd also like to add...

I work in the TV/film production industry, and one of my jobs was to install Avid suites. About 3 years ago i heard that Apple had poached the designer of the Avid Adrenaline.

Now im not a 100% lover of Avid, its based on code that was written for the old AVB systems and it doesn't matter what PC system you put it on its slow and can only do one thing at once (you can export a QT but you can't carry on with anything else, no render farm option), so FCP is a good system (although has weird differences in editing compared to Avid). FCP could be a brilliant system if A) they stop all the multi formatted in/outputs it does (its a nice idea, but having the option to have your project, sequence and output settings all at a different rate is mental!) and B) they don't go the imovie route and really mess it up.