Final Cut Pro X - still Pro

Apparently Randy Ubillos isn't so fond of the frame view at all. It took them twelve years and eight versions before the thumbnails were of a size big enough to even be useful!

- Justin Barham -

I have to say those whinging sound very much like old Avid editors when they had to learn the interface to FCP to stay in business.

Sorry, but until FCPX is out and we really get a good look at it and test it thoroughly, we won't have anything to legitimately whine about.

I presume (hope) all the automatic functions will have options to turn them on/off. But I think the options to create stabilise, colour correction and other useful metadata on import is genius. They are launching points - non-destructive options. Not final baked clips!

Who is whining about the use of DSLRs?

Seriously? Do you want to work?

I personally hate the low data-rate (and in my opinion low quality) codecs but it's a sad fact of our business; consumer, semi-pro and professional alike. In the last six productions for TV I have worked on; I have had to deal with DSLR and other lossy MPEG-long GOP footage (at least in part). They are not going away anytime soon and anything to help deal with the issues is a welcome edition.

At least at the lower levels we have moved on from Beta SP and DV!!!

If you are just exercising your moan-muscle (that all editors have) then please precede your post with a disclaimer! Its getting really boring reading the same presumptuous grumbles about something that is still not yet fully understood. How about we leave all the gripes 'til we get our hands on it?

Apple are fully aware of what we all want - no amount of complaining will make Apple or Avid (for that matter) change (Kona 3 and Decklink support now please). The only one of the Big A's that seem to listen and implement a good deal of feature requests is Adobe.

But let's get things in perspective...

It is extremely likely that most of you will have to learn the new FCPX (or one of the future versions) whether you like it or not - the same way you might have to learn Premiere or Avid to stay in business. If you don't like it - then don't accept the jobs with it or find something else to do.

But to be sure - I will be very annoyed if they leave out key features that made FCP such a workhorse.



For instant answers to more than one hundred common FCP questions, check out the LAFCPUG FAQ Wiki here : [www.lafcpug.org]

One of my submissions in the Feature Requests: a new tool window to be called QuickTake

Invoking the QuickTake window would display a single window ( in a switchable 2/4/9/16 up etc display mode) showing all the clips at the current playhead position similar to a MultiClip view. Similar to the Multiclip functionality, in the QuickTake window, clicking on the clip you want, or using a keyboard shortcut to switch, would set the selected clip as the active one. Using this function would toggle the Clip Enable/Disable Status accordingly for all targeted clips, enabling only the selected clip and disabling all others. Clips on tracks not targeted by Auto Select would not be referenced and/or affected by this mode.

I though that was a great idea, but "Auditioning" just made that look positively prehistoric :-)

Here are some more of my requests from way way back when:

* Ability to jog field by field (on interlaced formats)
FCP X Status - Unknown

* Controls to dertermine how speed changes are applied in the timeline
(eg for constant speed, a checkbox to "Maintain clip duration" ... and for variable speed the opposite!)
FCP X Status - Awesome : Already added and exceeded in FCP 7 and judging from the demo theres clearly great retiming functionality in FCPX ... plus even without such control that old Magnetic Timeline would prevent it be rippled all to hell anyway, it would be popped up onto a separate track for you.

* Extend edit in "Ripple" mode.
FCP X Status - Unknown

* Versatile audio patchbay for mapping tracks to multiple outputs simultaneously.
FCP X Status - In a deepest darkest pit of Unknown: but similarity to STP functionality in the audio tracks did not go unnoticed in the demo. Many questions on just how audio tracks will be handled remain, but am quietly confident that busses and sub-mixes will be catered for in there somewhere.

* Paste "before" playhead rather than "after" ... paste insert/overwrite currently only works as a three point edit with the sequence playhead as the record in, we should have the option to use the playhead as the record out
FCP X Status - Unknown: The trivialities of cut and paste seems rather old fashioned given the demo presented.

* Ability to optionally lock focus to the viewer window when insert/overwrite editing etc
FCP X Status : Viewer, what Viewer? We don't need no stinking Viewers (maybe).

* Enhanced overlays for 16:9 canvas aspect including, but not limited to, 4:3 safe, 4:3 guides, 14:9 guides, center cross, and fully user adjustable guides
FCP X Status - Unknown: partially introduced in FCP7 ... pretty darn likely they also made the cut in FCPX but not know if extended functionality as described will be included.

* Allow slide tool to work on a multiple consecutive clip selection
FCP X Status - Highly Likely. At least seems to me that a clip collection would certainly work that way ... not known if clips can be as easily "un" collected as they can be collected, but the magnetic timeline certainly suggests that should be possible.

* Allow clip markers to be visible in the timeline
FCP X Status - Highly Likely: Added in FCP 7, and markers clearly visible in the demo of FCP X. Stepping in to view at the clip level showed the same markers, so it seems likely. Also, such markers are likely accessible via the new timeline index.

* Add capacity to manage Easy Setups in the Audio/Video Settings window, plus expand the mangement features for this window to allow Enabling and Disabling of presets/setups without deletion
FCP X Status - Unknown : no way of knowing at this point quite how "Easy Setup" relates to FCP X, but its certainly to be hoped that full settings management is there somewhere.

* Advanced keyframe control. eg Ability to select individual or multiple keyframes for Cut/Copy/Paste, Ability to drag multiple keyframes, Abilty to Cut/Copy/Paste individual keyframe attributes
FCP X Status - keyframe handling looks like it may be much improved ... but just how much improved is not yet clear

* Smart bins.
FCP X Status : Oh yeah, in spades.

* Stills should have metadata describing composite originals so that one can "Match Frame" to original (choosing from list of originals if necessary)
FCP X Status : Metadata is clearly a huge part of the new app, seems hard to imagine that it would not be applied to all aspects of timeline and clip actions including matching back to Stills ... time will tell.

* Realtime feedback during capture. We need to be able to see current timecode from tape plus all relevant data about clip being captured, number of clips remaining to be captured (not including current capture), total duration of those remaining clips etc
FCP X Status : The smart money seems to be on no "capture" at all.

* Ability to add markers and metadata during capture
FCP X Status : The smart money seems to be on no "capture" at all.

* Advanced Paste / Remove Attributes control ... allow to paste / remove specific attributes of any group rather than the current all or nothing approach, this would include generating a list of all filters applied within the selection and allow to paste / remove any combination of those applied filters from the whole.
FCP X Status : Unknown

* Live scrubbing feature (skimming) ... please note this should not be a "revolutionary" new version of FCP big fanfare addition, it's no more than an extension of the current icon scrubbing capacity but deserves inclusion.
FCP X Status : That one at least is a definite, Yes.

* Add a drop down menu to the "Always scale clips to sequence size" preference, with options for Off, Squeeze, Crop and Letterbox ... this single preference should govern both upscale and downscale (either that or separate controls for both are needed)
FCP X Status : Unknown

* Ability to collapse and expand nests within the timeline ie insert/delete additional tracks needed to display the nested sequence item
FCP X Status : The Magnetic Timeline and Clip Collection features makes this one surely 99% likely

* Ability to toggle on/off realtime output of overlays to external video playback
FCP X Status : Unknown

* Background rendering that leverages underutilised processors
FCP X Status : Hell yes.

* Ability to collapse and convert a selection of tracks in the timeline to a Multiclip or Multiclip Sequence ... this is just offering a method of graphically creating a Multiclip item
FCP X Status : Unknown

* and can we please sort out the whole Auto Select / Track Patch / Sync Lock / Track Lock muddle ... it seems there is too much separation of function here which obstructs rather than empowers the user.
FCP X Status : How about we get rid of "tracks" altogether? Would that do it for ya?

... there were some more in my list but I was getting tired of typing, plus I realized I'm as bad as all the other rabid speculators so thought I should stop.

Cheers
Andy

strypes Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I get you. I'm a little curious as to how FCP
> connects to files- by frame number or timecode.

It uses frame numbers internally.

The Avid system is good, however it assumes that A) the clip actually has timecode and B) the start timecode it has determined is correct. Avid sets the start timecode as the current playhead position within the file - it does not bother to check that the playhead is actually at the beginning. So if you move the playhead in QuickTime Player and save it, Avid will assume that the new point is the start and nothing will reconnect to it.

My software:
Pro Maintenance Tools - Tools to keep Final Cut Studio, Final Cut Pro X, Avid Media Composer and Adobe Premiere Pro running smoothly and fix problems when they arise
Pro Media Tools - Edit QuickTime chapters and metadata, detect gamma shifts, edit markers, watch renders and more
More tools...

Adage12 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
I think the
> interesting thing would be to see how Adobe and
> Avid are viewing the whole situation.

I know Avid is happy that "we're not the bad guys anymore." I can tell you Avid's booth was completely swamped Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. I had a great meeting with the CEO and senior executives to discuss the future migration of their product in terms of opening it up to more third party hardware.

I'm waiting to see what Media Composer 6 brings in terms of workflow and we will most likely add at least one, if not more, Avid workstations to our facility. Especially if they offer than $995 crossgrade when it's released. I'm just not sure I want to throw a 1.0 release directly into production on multiple feature documentaries and television series.

As I mentioned in another blog, I want to hear Walter Murch and the Coen Brothers tell us how Final Cut X will improve their efficiency and workflow on their feature films. A quote from them at the "Sneak Peek" would have gone a long way for me in terms of convincing me that this thing will be a solid pro product right out of the gate.

In the meantime we can poke around in iMovie 11 which actually has a bunch of the "new features" of Final Cut Pro X already in use to try them out. (no joke, they are really there)

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
biscardicreative.com

Yeah, it's interesting, if Apple had played it safe, they probably would've finished Avid off (not that I'd like that). But by being bold, they've opened up a huge window of opportunity for Avid, a complete second chance at life. For Media Composer 6, Avid should just knock-off a few of the coolest features of Final Cut X, and they'll be king of the hill again, because they're not asking people to learn a whole new way of working.

Sometimes being "visionary" has a pretty steep price...

And yet from informed sources we hear that you can configure FCP X to be as familiar as FCP 7 or as bold as FCP X. So possibly no major traumas for anyone,

lasvideo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> And yet from informed sources we hear that you can
> configure FCP X to be as familiar as FCP 7 or as
> bold as FCP X. So possibly no major traumas for
> anyone,


Could you reference that?

It's here Marcus

[www.kenstone.net]

Absolutely no supporting evidence for the claims but folks seems to be taking it as an indication that Mr Courtens is speaking from first hand knowledge of the beta ... something he neither confirms nor denies.

Cheers
Andy

:-?

Guess we'll have to wait and see. Thanks Andy. Love your plugins btw

Quote

folks seems to be taking it as an indication that Mr Courtens is speaking from first hand knowledge of the beta ... something he neither confirms nor denies.

As is often stated on this very forum:

"Those who know, can't say...those who say don't know."

Andy

Andy Mees Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It's here Marcus
>
> [www.kenstone.net]
> 01,32335#msg-32335
>
> Absolutely no supporting evidence for the claims
> but folks seems to be taking it as an indication
> that Mr Courtens is speaking from first hand
> knowledge of the beta ... something he neither
> confirms nor denies.
>
> Cheers
> Andy

See this is where Apple completely missed the boat on Tuesday night. So many people are complaining that "Hey, don't knock down this product when it was just a SNEAK PEEK people! We have to wait till June to see what is actually there and not there."

Well what Apple showed in front of 1700 video editors was the only chance we got to see ANYTHING. It was pointless to walk up to Randy or anyone else from Apple after the presentation because they were not allowed to speak about anything but what they showed.

Apple had two freakin' hours of stage time available and they wasted it on just one hour of a super slick presentation.

How long would it have taken to mention planned support for third party filters? 30 seconds?

Third party capture cards? 30 seconds?

Log and Capture / Edit to Tape support? 20 seconds?

Customizable interface to replicate a more traditional editing style? 2 minutes?

Continued support of OMF, XML, EDL, AAF import / export? 30 seconds?

Text Tool? 2 minutes?

In other words, MANY of the unanswered questions that all of us are asking could have been answered in that additional hour with time to spare. So Apple bought out an entire SuperMeet just to present a Sneak Peek that showed us some new features, some features that are already available in iMovie 11 and some features that have been available on Premiere and/or Avid for two years now.

So in my mind Apple completely deserves all the questions that are coming their way because they had ample time to address pretty much every single question being lobbed out there. Even if they didn't want to show one of their patented slick slides or video demo, they could have at least told us about the various professional features that many of us use every day.

I'm sick and tired of sneak peeks and teases quite honestly. Put the product out there where we can truly test it out and ask questions like the other Adobe, Avid, Autodesk, Quantel and all the other demonstrations that were out on the show floor. Put in the hands of 1,000 beta testers so you get real world feedback and not just input from two or three post houses.

For fanboys it was the ultimate Apple dog and pony show Tuesday.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
biscardicreative.com

Could noit agree more Walter. Apple PR about their user base numbers and other garbage was a complete waste of everyone's time.

All the best,

Tom

Give em hell Walter. I hope Apple realizes you speak the mind of most of the 1700 attendees at the Super Meet.

Sorry I missed catching up with you at NAB, Walter. Got to agree on the lack of important professional use information on the new FCP. All I can think though is what an utterly fantastic and practically seamless transition Apple did for 68000 to PPC, OS9 to OS X, and recently with with PPC to Intel transition. In all those cases we had overlap compatibility and a good warning before the older support was fully lost. Apple have proven that they can transition very very well and know exactly how it should be done. What concerns me with FCP is that they appear (and I'm happy to be corrected) not to be following their own best practise.

Graeme

>I'm sick and tired of sneak peeks and teases quite honestly.


Lol. Tell us how you really feel Walter.

Devils advocate:
Whilst I get what you mean, another viewpoint would be that the famously secretive Apple company we all know and love, the one that NEVER offers sneak peeks of their hardware and software (ok, am not counting OS stuff) just went completely against type and offered an early look at a total makeover of one of their major professional apps. Surely thats a good thing?

Yes, a much wider beta would be nice but then we wouldn't have the fun of the bi-annual Lets All Gripe About Not Being On The FCP Beta Fest ... you got this years invite I assume ;-)

I do remember when FCP first came out, wishing it had some of the clutter free thinking of Imovie, and wondering if I could offline on Imovie in combination. It seemed silly that Apple made that transition difficult with incompatible formats between the two. Seeing them finally incorporate some of those ideas into the pro software seems long overdue, but there are many styles of cutting that require an ability shut off automatic corrections, magnetic timelines, and the rest. If there isn't the same visible timeline functionality of a stripped down Final Cut Express under the hood, they're not really marketing to traditional film/video editors any longer. You don't want your software to become more forward thinking than the industry is willing to accept.

The future will be tactile creative apps like what's seen on the ipad. You can see it in music making software, where waveforms are removed, and the technical stuff is all auto, so that now a child can intuitively just compose based on shapes, or finding order.

Apple isn't the only company developing such ideas, trying to reinvent the editing process entirely. In many ways it brings us back towards real film/video editing.

Wish we had a little more time to talk Tom. Seems I said hello to everyone at the SuperMeet but then that was about it...

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
biscardicreative.com

Well I DID say Apple was presenting to the toughest crowd in the show. 1700 editors of whom I'm guess about 800 had their jaws drop in some way shape or form... Based on the tepid applause in the hall during most of the presentation.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
biscardicreative.com

My feeling is that Apple wanted to reassure us that they really were doing some development on a new version of FCP. If another NAB came & went with just Steve Job's statement that it was going to be awesome, they would lose a substantial number of fop users to AVID and Adobe. Unfortunately they fumbled the opportunity. The other hour should have been spent with Q & A. They need to post a list of features incorporated into FCP 7 that will be available in version 1 of FCPX as soon as possible or they will lose more user than necessary. That's assuming they actually care. The Pro Apps are beginning to seem a bit out in left field for the new Apple Inc. consumer electronics company.

Dave