Apple Scrapped Completed 64-Bit Final Cut Pro 8 to Build Final Cut Pro X?

[mutantteenager]

Seriously you have people calling themselves professionals posting here and there claiming how bad FCP X is for them in a most unprofessional manner. In any other industry the mark of a professional is getting a tool to do what you want. It really doesn't matter what industry you are in, success depends upon making the tools of that industry work for you.

As to what FCP users wanted, giving them that would have caused stagnation in software development. That opens Apple up to more nimble competition from others. The reality is Apple would lose customers either way. In any event the so called professionals that claim FCP X isn't for professional use really do look stupid or foolish.

You obviously have no idea what you are talking about. Apple removed key features in FCP X, such as support for tape - which the entire broadcast industry still use heavily today and will do well into the future. Key features which actually make it a useful tool in the first place, like support for OMF and EDLs.

Do you actually think it was a good idea to have no support for existing projects, considering most people will reuse edits and content? Apple made FCP 7, so do you not think it logical allow editors to transition to the new product?

Developing tools around the user is exactly what software development is all about! Why make products which you feel have great features if your target market don't use them?!

The stagnation you speak of is Apple's own, having dragged their feet on their revisions of the Final Cut suite for years, and that is mirrored in their so called development of the workstations to run it.

For the record if the tool you have is not capable of doing what you need it to do, no amount of professionalism will make it happen. Try doing open-heart surgery with a spoon.

Apple was built on the creative professional market. One sector they didn't have a massive impact on was in broadcast and film, until the slow rise of FCP. What they have done is effectively sting those who took a risk and employed is as a viable solution. Without a logical way of integrating FCP X into existing workflows, the product is, as many have said in the past, pretty much useless.

 

[KeithPratt]

Richard Harrington (@rhedpixel):
@philiphodgetts @FinalCutWhiz Phillip is right, comment was misunderstood. I just heard efforts were well underway then killed.
25 Nov

Richard claims here that his comments were taken out of context. Whether or not that's the right way of putting it, I think what we can take away from the tweet is that he doesn't really know if there was an FCP8.

 

[Lateiner]

Shame on you, Apple. You killed a very good product in favour of a new, but bad version. Wouldn't it be more intelligent if you were developing FCPX one more year, and sell a nice version of FCP8?

 

[nlenz]

Why don't they sell both?

I can't understand why they won't sell FCP 8 to the pro audience and FCP X to the rest?

 

[jhende7]

You obviously have no idea what you are talking about. Apple removed key features in FCP X, such as support for tape - which the entire broadcast industry still use heavily today and will do well into the future.

Do you actually think it was a good idea to have no support for existing projects, considering most people will reuse edits and content? Apple made FCP 7, so do you not think it logical allow editors to transition to the new product?

Apple have dragged their feet on their revisions of the Final Cut suite for years, and that is mirrored in their so called development of the workstations to run it. For the record if the tool you have is not capable of doing what you need it to do, no amount of professionalism will make it happen. Try doing open-heart surgery with a spoon.

Apple was built on the creative professional market. One sector they didn't have a massive impact on was in broadcast and film, until the slow rise of FCP. What they have done is effectively sting those who took a risk and employed is as a viable solution. Without a logical way of integrating FCP X into existing workflows, the product is, as many have said in the past, pretty much useless.

Did your ability to keep using FC 6 or 7 end? Nobodies forcing you to upgrade.

 

[Metal Dice]

While it may seem like a stupid and odd move, I believe it is what sets Apple apart from the competition.

 

[Nuvi]

Seriously you have people calling themselves professionals posting here and there claiming how bad FCP X is for them in a most unprofessional manner. In any other industry the mark of a professional is getting a tool to do what you want. It really doesn't matter what industry you are in, success depends upon making the tools of that industry work for you.

As to what FCP users wanted, giving them that would have caused stagnation in software development. That opens Apple up to more nimble competition from others. The reality is Apple would lose customers either way. In any event the so called professionals that claim FCP X isn't for professional use really do look stupid or foolish.

I've worked 15 years in moving image industry so I have some understanding how things work. First of all you look for a right tool for the right job and unfortunately if you look for something you can rely on broadcast industry or when working with long form then FCP X just doesn't cut it. Since FCP was targeted to that user group one can say that Apple delivered something that users didn't want since it no longer meets the requirements of the said groups. In all honesty, when work with FCP X it feels like toy and not a robust tool that puts food on a table.

Apple should have released FCP 8 while releasing FCP X as "Final Cut eXpress". Within 2 years from that Apple could have released a new robust editor that has all the required features and considerable input from users. I'm sure that 64-bit FCP 8 would have been well received among post production industry. There is no point in "revolution" if the old "regime" was better then the new one.

 

[daxomni]

In the end we'll have to chalk it up to another chapter in the FCPx Missteps and realize that in another year and a half or so we'll be hearing of how the real editors who held off on the upgrade are super happy with the new version.

Yeah, two years later Apple will have again caught up to FCP 6 and all the "real" editors will be super duper happy to be part of Final Straw X.

 

[QuiteSure]

A Leap of Faith

I haven't used the new version of FCP X but I do believe that the general feeling that this product is not ready for prime time is true. My son is just beginning to show an interest in filmmaking and I recently advised him to load Final Cut express onto his MacBook. Of course I am concerned that he will learn skills on this application which will soon become obsolete. Nevertheless I hope that some of these skills, at least those in the fundamental form, will translate over to FCP X.

Of course I'm frustrated with Apple for abandoning a platform (Final Cut version 7) that works well and with which I am familiar. I am also frustrated with Apple for requiring me to abandon MobileMe come June, 2012.

I've considered all of my options, including abandoning Apple from a software and hardware perspective. In the absence of such abandonment I really have no choice but to trust that Apple has a long range plan for both FCP X and iCloud that will provide my family with substantial benefits over the years to come. Nevertheless, I am not willing to jump with both feet into FCP X at this time for my son or for myself.

 

[Mad-B-One]

I can't understand why they won't sell FCP 8 to the pro audience and FCP X to the rest?

Because if you sell it, you have to support it. If you have to support it, you have to staff for that and if it is a niche market, it might not be feasible for Apple to do - especially when the competition is in-house with FCP X.

I am not a professional editor nor do I more than getting videos on DVDs. Using an iMac for that is like waiting for a 386 to load Windows 95. That is why I decided to go AMD and have a powerhouse for cheap to edit and recode moving pictures. I totally agree that Apple tries harder to get the mainstream consumer rather than the professional. There several kinks in this which would be off-topic to discuss here.

 

[zetzetone]

While it may seem like a stupid and odd move, I believe it is what sets Apple apart from the competition.

Apple stopped being part of the pro competition with this decision

 

[Wilbah]

Yep. Avid would work great for your needs. Any competent editor can learn it in a week by themselves. But if you need a "class" to hold your hand, there are many out there.

Also, any successful editor wouldn't have any problem with the funds necessary to upgrade. Right? Right.

Bro- I cut on AVID while you were probably still raising your hand to go the bathroom... I know what features it has. I have a licensed version of MC on my machine, as well as a licensed version of Premiere.. which is the reason why I am able to make the judgment calls I make.

I'm mid-stream on two long term projects with media all over the place- a doc and a feature, as well as my corporate and music paying gigs... so it's not necessarily about being successful enough to have the "funds"- its about switching editing platforms and workflow mid stream...

But if you were a real editor, you would have thought about that scenario before you raised the issue of funding, or hand-holding... RIGHT? oh... right....

Also, if you read my first post, it states pretty clearly that I'll be switching over to one of them as soon as its feasible and make stem most sense....

Buffoons like you who incite with arrogance and without fact are the reason I rarely post on these boards..... I'm hoping you'll be able to keep posting with your opinions about what you think other people should do without any knowledge of their circumstances.

 

[reel2reel]

This decision is what ultimately killed Steve Jobs. RIP

Really...I thought it was Cancer. Maybe you should check your source.

 

[knewsom]

They should sell the source code to a third party.

 

[MacSince1990]

/facepalm. Roll out FCP 8, please.

 

[CuttyShark]

I love all the answers that say "learn how it works". It's like the Monty Python skit "How To Do It" which is a parody of Blue Peter. They teach the audience how to play a flute.

"And now, how to play the flute. You blow in here and move your fingers up and down there."

I really wish the 'intuative' interface of FCPx was that easy. It's not - it's cumbersome and clunky. lol

 

[mcmlxix]

True. But one could argue that going from OS 9 to OS X is what Apple is doing with FCP 7 to FCP X.

They took a huge revolutionary leap (OS 9 to OS X) and added features as they want along (look what was missing in Mac OS 10.0 compared to OS 9...a lot of key features were gone but Apple brought them back). I believe this is what is being done to Final Cut.

If this is true, then this, more than anything, is a PR flop by Apple. I know they’re secretive, but they could have come out from the beginning and said, this is a whole new paradigm in video editing so stay tuned for the return of the features you have come to expect.

 

[MacSince1990]

This decision is what ultimately killed Steve Jobs. RIP

Possibly both the stupidest and funniest post I've seen on MRs.

 

[reel2reel]

I don't think a 64-bit version would've solved the fundamental weaknesses of Final Cut. It's just buckles way too easy these days.

As limited as FCP X is now, I believe it was time for something new that will be capable of handling modern workflows. I'm pretty excited to see it evolve.

 

[daveheinzel]

I feel all of these complaints results from an unwillingness to learn how the new software works. The sluggish bit is non-existent for me on a 2.8 QC i5 iMac.

So if I learn how to use the software, it will be less sluggish? Maybe I should learn how to use my Mac better too, so it would feel more snappy.

Agreed. This is why I use Motion, which integrated LiveType and is DESIGNED TO MAKE TITLES.

I was not taking about Motion - it's fine, and I use it too. I'm talking about titles in FCPX.

I'll agree with this if you're using multiple drives.

I am.

I don't seem to have this problem? I can have blank space just fine.

You can have blank space between two clips on your primary storyline without having a "gap" clip in there? I'd love to see a screenshot.

See first comment. Learn how it works.

So once I learn how to use color correction, will numeric inputs suddenly appear? Will there then be a way to copy only a color correction and apply it to several clips without having to also copy the other filters or save it to a preset?

Spend some money and do the Mac Pro Video tutorials.

It's not a question of training, but thanks for assuming I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm talking about features and workflow issues that simply fall short of what is expected in a pro video editing application.

 

[mutantteenager]

Did your ability to keep using FC 6 or 7 end? Nobodies forcing you to upgrade.

Correct, no one is.

Let's say Apple decide to limit the functionality of the next iphone, and call it 'a paradigm shift in the user experience'. Then apply your rationale to that event...do you start to understand why people are questioning their investment in FCP?

FCP 6 & 7 and their inherent functionality will not be developed, that is as good as they get. HD, 3D and new formats place increasing demands on the tools we use to deliver content. What happens when those tools reach their limits? What happens to your investment? Thankfully Apple's competitors are not so shortsighted.

 

[0098386]

Joke app now surrounded by a joke situation.

 

[Sean4000]

I have a licensed version of MC on my machine, as well as a licensed version of Premiere.. which is the reason why I am able to make the judgment calls I make.

You and me both. I like having them all (Premiere, MC, FCP7/X) on all of my Mac Pros!

 

[mBox]

Another one of these?
Oops why did I press submit
LOL!

 

[Streamer]

I spoke with my Avid rep last month, and the end of the discussion I asked him how the FCPX debacle has impacted them.

I saw a wonderful smile, and he said "It was the best present a competitor could have handed them without going bust". Without giving anything away, they are seeing some major post houses in LA, NY and London buying more copies of Media Composer and IO hardware, way more than expected, as well as a ton of copies on the "competitive upgrade deal" they had.

They be very happy!