A little over four years since its release, Apple's Final Cut Pro X hasn't quite comeback to its prominence in the professional video editing industry it once held. To the point that even its creator, Apple, is abandoning the software in its workflow.
I still remember the day I decided to switch from Windows to Mac a few years ago. Being an avid video editor at the time, I was very excited to open one of it’s signature applications, Final Cut Pro. I heard so many great things about Final Cut… then I started to use the program. Needless to that was the last time I used Final Cut Pro X. After a day of use, I immediately switched back to Adobe Premiere Pro.
Now apparently Apple itself doesn’t favor using their program, Final Cut Pro X. One of their job postings surfaced showing its requirements for an Assistant Editor position. While there is in-depth editing knowledge and experience required for this position, one specific application doesn’t seem to be involved:
Final Cut, nowhere to be found, essentially a waste of memory space for many video editors alike.
The once heralded video editing program left many disappointed after its release in 2011. While Final Cut Pro X does serve a purpose at the consumer level, it simply does not meet the demands of the video editing professional. That being said, this surfacing isn’t the best look for Apple.
Friend sent me this hysterical article. Aside from all the valid points you have all made, here is another - who cares? When is the last time your client required you to edit anything on a particular editing program? Never? You're hired to tell a story, something the editing software has little to do with in the grand scheme. And if you believe it does, you're in the wrong business.
I generally agree with you there. Though, if your doing more collaborative editing and the other people are on another NLE system and you might have problems, especially trying to convince them to move on from the old style NLE in favor of "iMovie Pro". ;-)
Couldn't I argue the same thing switching out FCP for Avid, Premier etc. I think Premier makes perfect sense for those that use photoshop and/or After Effects, moving in and out of Adobe products is certainly beneficial
This is a Beats job, not a Apple internal job. They don't dictate what Beat's internally chooses to do. Your last paragraph shows a complete lack of awareness and blind bias towards the software. I guess all those feature films and myriad of other projects cut in FCP X didn't get you memo that it's not usable...
As its been stated, this job posting was for a recently acquired department that is not fully in sync with the Apple mothership, so the entire "point" being made in this article is essentially moot...
Although, if you see through it to the REAL point being made in the article (and the copy and paste article here), it's just to pile on the negativity, pick open the scab (again - ugh) and continue trying to make a mountain out of a mole hill from some near-meaningless job posting...all while still being motivated from a "software betrayal" that some people feel they were made to "suffer" through YEARS AGO.
If you were using FCP7 and it was SO GREAT and FCPX sucks and is "just iMovie Pro" and all that...well, FCP7 still works exactly as it did when it was end-of-lifed. Have at it. Tons of people still use it. Nothing changed.
It becomes pretty apparent that there is some extra motivation behind this anti-FCPX stuff that gets pulled out of the wood work every once in a while.
It's well beyond the early-days complaints of "it doesn't do multicam, so I can use it" territory. It's somehow became deeply personal to some...like a girlfriend who cheated on them years ago or something...which is pretty melodramatic sounding when you wake up from that rage induced stupor and realize its all about a video editing app...
There are people making the argument that it truly was undercooked when it initially came out, and thats clearly true, but its also been long since "fixed" in many, many ways and is a fully functioning professional NLE at this point.
While these people are simultaneously appearing to "accept" the fact that it's now a much better app (to continue seeming even keeled and neutral), they turn right around and in the same breath are still dwelling on whatever state the app was in when it came out in 2011...the blind hatred and clear lack of understanding of the application (still) by those same detractors is just mind blowing.
There is definitely something deeper going on...so much hate and bitterness from “experts", on an application that they never use and probably haven't even opened since 2011...and even then their opinion was probably formed by just reading some borderline click-bait/inflammatory headlines like this one or videos like Ryan Connolly/Conan O'Brien trashing a very early version of the app. This led them to make their decision in an instant, as opposed to actually giving it a good go.
It really is a brilliant application, and I use it every day. Early on, there was definitely stuff that had to be done in FCP7 or whatever other NLE because FCPX was lacking, but not so much now.
I noticed that a lot of the “haters” (haha - love ya guys) in the comments seem to have a FS logo on their profile picture...and maybe thats got to do with the fact that more people here are probably photographers first with film/video work coming second...I'd imagine they most likely use Lightroom & Photoshop on a daily basis and thus Premiere etc and in that case, it probably is great to just have Adobe CC and everything all in one package and all that...but that still doesn't mean FCPX isn't great now.
It's definitely vastly different than all the other NLE's which are all essentially the same general application layout and function with slight variations throughout. The old style NLE paradigm clearly works, and has for years and years...but so does FCPX, you just have to understand the intentions behind its design and its modus operandi by TRUELY digging in deep and trying it.
If that doesn’t sound worth it, keep using Premiere or whatever else you get work done with…its all the same after its exported out….but the childish “digs” and regurgitating the same “iMovie Pro Joke” reference from 2011...ugh...the misinformation is just as crazy as ever, even all these years later...
:-)
This article is an Adobe tool's dream come true and just helps them justify their move away from Apple. The problem is that it's just opinionated BS. Those of you that keep judging FCPX based on it's first release are not relevant either. What it's relevant is that all of you Adobe suckers are getting hosed $50/month to rent software, most of which you don't even use. The typical editor uses Premiere, AE and Photoshop. The rest is unnecessary, yet you're paying for it! One can also easily argue that with every CC release, a new list of bugs is introduced, ESPECIALLY with Premiere. Premiere is THE buggiest NLE of all time, and you can take that to the bank. Yet, you keep paying them $50 a month!? Instead of focusing your hatred on a program that you don't know how to use nor understand, you should focus on getting that "sucker" tattoo lasered off of your forehead.
haha so true!! If you bought at release its cost you $6 per month so far and continues to go down with each new major update and month that passes.
More 'great' unbiased and fully flushed, honest and fair writing from f-stoppers. Sure, take a subsidiary company's job posting that kept the majority of their team (due to the fact it was a successful venture to begin with), make assumptions and manipulate facts to support a position you have, while telling half the story as to discredit something you don't yourself like. Sounds an awful lot like your journal's (if you can call it that) recent debacle with the a7rii shootout where you all claimed you didn't know what lens fit on the camera. Apple doesn't send in geniuses to operate companie's they buy. So this is all hogwash. It's simply an uneducated and pretty childish approach to slighting something that doesn't correspond with an elitist entitlement you somehow managed to acquire. Is it your clout you hold with f-stoppers? Because if poor reporting and unfactual opinions suddenly make you the expert authority on 'all things photo and video' then I'd say you had better re-examine your attitude to what you think makes you so great. I use exclusively the creative cloud and resolve- but I have enough common sense to know that if a production house asks me to use other software such as final cut x, which was used entirely on Focus (Holywood budget feature film) then I should learn their system. Beats is still Beats. They have a very broad level of autonomy from Apple- silly silly silly. You must not be a professional editor, if this is difficult for you to understand. So we will take your opinion as such: unprofessional.
I read through some of the comments and to the defense of the writer there is a point to be made about FCPX vs other NLEs.
I have been working in editorial for Television and Advertising for around 10 years or so. Pre FCPX nearly all Editor or Assistant Editor positions required you to know either Avid or Final Cut. After FCPX was release that ratio began to switch rapidly. Soon it was, "Must know Avid" then slowly Premiere worked their way into the mix and the last time I looked I still see maybe 5% of the jobs requiring you to know FCPX - maybe a year ago and a few posting here and there people are still requiring you to know FCP 7.
I have never used FCPX so I have no opinion on it, I just know that I have hardly seen any jobs asking me to know it. In fact so few I don't see a need to learn new software. As of now if you are breaking into the TV world in the Los Angeles area I would recommend knowing either Avid or Premiere - You actually have a chance at find work knowing those.
All this years, as a Windows PC user, I've always thought that the Final Cut Pro is the best video editing software out in the market.... Now I see this article. Sorry Adobe Premier, I thought you were bad.
FCPX has been extremely good to me and helped me improve my editing skills quite fast. not to mention that its performance and integration with RED Raw files is an absolute delight to work with. Seriously who cares, its all horses for courses. canon vs nikon. maccas vs. burger king. coke vs. pepsi. the end results matter and if it helps people to do their work. I can see where Premiere is probably a bit more advanced but if someone doesnt need all the extra grunt then why complicate things ?
Apple is a platform that also allows for Adobe software to work, so of course they would need to hire people who understand competitor software packages. how is that a weird thing to call for ?
This post is horrible. This is defiantly completely based off of a day one version release. I guess people forget that a feature film with Will Smith called "FOCUS" was edited completely on this program over a year ago which means it has been ready for professional use at least since then and in my opinion before then. I guess people don't know that there editors need to be able to work with NLE's that there partners and clients may use. I edit music videos and commecials on fcpx every day, just did a 8hr piece for Google, 1,500 clips imported and delivered two 3 min videos. I came from FCP 5,6 and 7, I don't care what anyone says, its the fastest editing platform to date and it can handle just about anything you throw at it.
LOL... gotta love the culmination of all the clueless, self-important douche-canoes who clearly haven't ever seen more than maybe a few screenshots of X, feeling all cosy in their pathetic parroting of sad and worn nonsense and feeling vindicated with their petty prejudices. "Arguments" that maybe rang true FOUR YEARS ago for about SIX MONTHS. If even.
Must live itself very secluded when you need such cheap, solipsistic nonsense to make yourself feel better. Wow. To be SO FRIGHTENED of just a simple piece of software... :-)))) Pathetic.
So...how many professional production houses did you interview for this article?
I happen to know many who use FCP X for some very recent movies that have hit the screen. As someone else mentioned, it's not at all telling that a job posting asks for experience across different platforms. It wasn't long ago that experience using a "mac" was a requirement for certain positions even though Windows based PC's were dominant.
Just so you know...it's not uncommon for companies to have legacy-ware application like Corel Draw (remember that) etc. I wouldn't take it as a blanket indictment of FCP X. As for the consumer market you may want to spend some time on Youtube...many content creators there use FCP X and make nice money at it.
Seriously...Fstoppers needs to do better with these articles. Love the new stuff from Elia Locardi!
FCPX really seems to polarise opinions like no other editing programme out there.
Its development and growth from the original FCP seems to be an inverse reflection of Apple's growth and direction as a company.
From a niche brand that catered for the specialist creative's needs to a generic global box-shifter, Apple modified their product lines to cater for their changing consumer, this is apparent in FCPX's 'everyman' approach to editing.
at some point in the future I think Apple will bin it, the R+D and other associated costs with its continued development goes against the grain of Apple's financial methodology.
Apple will not consider its user base or uptake when they terminate it, just what it costs to keep it going.
wouldn't it have been easier to just say "I like Premiere better than FCPX"?
I would not be surprised if Adobe will rewrite their entire PP software code in the near future. If they continue to add new code on top of their old code their software will run the risk of getting slow and less responsive.
Here is more information in regard to software bloat.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_bloat
Why be surprised? Apple is a cellphone and music company. They can't excel at everything!
An edit software article written by a photographer who has no motion work on his website? Pointless clickbait. Editors should start reading how clickbait erodes their brand.
https://contently.com/strategist/2014/11/07/why-clickbait-is-dangerous-f...
You are the one who should be ashamed of taking this article (I know you gave credit to the Verge where it was lifted from word for word) and not giving credit to the original author, Kwame Opam on December 13, 2015 04:00 pm Email @kwameopam) and making it read like you wrote it. You got all the comments and traffic rather than the original rightful author.
Contrary to what all the Premiere users think, FCP X is actually quite good. Does it have a million and one controls for every single effect like Premiere has? No. Does it attempt to do everything and the kitchen sink like Premiere does? No. Is it a stable, fast, video editor used by many professionals? Yes. I regularly use both FCP X and Premiere and there are many places where FCP X shines over Premiere.
The most glaring advantages of FCP X are its stability and real time nature. Slicing and dicing in real time while playing back non-transcoded media? No sweat with FCP X, even on a slower machine. Real time full quality color effect layers, no problem (Lumetri has more options but is very slow in comparison). Other FCP X advantages? Snapping that actually works and doesn't leave 2-5 frames of black, or overwrite some of the abutting clip like in Premiere (without zooming way in). Timeline zooming is a joy in FCP using pinch zoom, not that effed up randomly scaling scrollbar in the Premiere timeline. h.264 exports are lightning fast in FCP X vs. Premiere (on the order of 2-5x faster). Those are only a few things on the surface.
And stability... stability. Why does Adobe completely screw up every piece of software they update? Things that worked forever suddenly stop working. Random 'severe errors' happen with the most recent Premiere CC all the time—requiring a reboot of the software (this regularly happens on a loaded, clean system installed, new MBP retina 15"). I'll say the same for the newest versions of Photoshop and Illustrator. Every update brings agony. And to top it off we all pay $50/month for the joy of a constant slew of updates that bring about a life of whack-a-mole. It's maddening.
Is FCP X perfect for all jobs? No. Is it great for many jobs? Yes. Use the tool that best fits your needs. Most people don't need such granular levels of control for every single tool and effect layer, no do they need integration with apps like SpeedGrade, After Effects, etc. And, I'm guessing that most people don't enjoy updating (and breaking) their tools every month or two.
I use Premiere when I need to, but I enjoy FCP X and it's my go to. Most people that hate FCP X don't give it a fair shake, in my opinion.
This is pretty much confirming to me that I should stop reading F-stoppers. First there was an article posted that basically said, you can't be a pro with a D7100 or D7000....that was immediately rebuffed by the senior editor of F-stoppers.....(then why even let it go out dude?) and now this....
Fact is, every person (especially those with an FS logo next to their face) that is claiming this is iMovie pro, you just showed your cards. You are an elitist, you are a snob, and more importantly you don't know shit when it comes to editing. The hollywood motion picture FOCUS was cut on FCPX. The editor claimed the same thing you trolls do, but instead of making a click bait blog about it, he actually tried it...and was impressed.
Did it ship with missing features? Yes, ok, and we should all jump ship on LR because they just dumbed down the import dialogue??!! Oh hey, whats that you say, iterative updates fixed ALL THOSE PROBLEMS....you don't say!
I am a novice photo/video guy, who came to this site to find good honest reviews/articles/tutorials/knowledge from industry pros. What I am finding is a bunch of A-holes who live in Cali and wear there hats backwards and have model neighbors they claim to be normal people, all shitting on photographers using a crop sensor or video editors using FCPX!
WOW, you use premiere! Way to go! Enjoy that, one day I hope to be able to edit a video too, and then i will go and buy premiere and a Red One shooting in 8k, because you know, YOU CANT BE A PRO WITHOUT ANY OF THAT STUFF. GREAT ADVICE DOUCHE BAGS!
I read this entire thread and the only person who I think got it right was the first post.
I work at a couple commercial editorial houses and a decent sized commercial campaign utilizes multiple editors, assistants, graphics people and sound mixers all accessing the same shared media at the same time. The ability to have the all editors working while concurrently the assistants log and breakdown footage, prep media and output review files, etc is why the majority of commercial editorial companies chose Avid and Premiere over FCP X and others.
Almost always, thse campaigns require editors to juggle multiple spots for multiple territories in multiple frame rates in 60 sec, 30sec and 15sec versions with clients in the room while you edit. I personally have found FCPX’s inability to have multiple sequences open at the same time a non-starter for these types of jobs.
Additionally, sending the cuts to a color correction company, sometimes multiple finishing companies, and a sound mixing company requires fantastic EDL, XML and OMF support. Avid and Premiere excel at this. From what I hear, FCP X is prety good at this but not great.
Myself and my colleagues use FCP X as it was intended; a single editor working on 1 or 2 cuts of a single job finishing in FCP X. And it is fast, especially multicam and rarely crashes. But it’s not the best tool for every job.
Sometimes you’re building a driveway and sometimes you’re building a freeway. You need different but similar tools for each. It’s all about the workflow.
I agree with most the other comments. Article seems a little melodramatic/opinionated. Borge FCPX and Premiere are great programs. I personally feel better investing in FCPX. I think they made a smart move early that will pay off over the next few years.
Question: why are pic, Adobe, and Android users always so oarnery when it comes to Apple? Everyone has competition but these users fight hard lol.
wow gotta say I'm really ashamed at FStoppers for running this click-bait article after the Verge. FCPX is an incredible professional program. Its our studios only NLE, we teach the program and require our employees and freelancers know it. Additionally Warner Bros used it to cut FOCUS with Will Smith. All FCPX workflow. Certainly you can't give this BEATS editor ad this much credit. A+ to Apple for leaving their acquisition teams alone to do their thing, sucky PR move tho sadly. And yes this is coming from a long time FCP 4-7 daily professional.
Is f-stoppers so biased - or in need of comments/clicks? We've been working on 30-40' timelines for Red Bull. News for BBC, CNN, Arte, ZDF, SRF. Commercials for Shiseido, Shell etc... Editing growing streams of files for huge productions inside FCP X (since its inception I shall add!). Mixing and grading all within, since 2011. We edit 3 times faster, train people 3 times faster (avid converts). I found some sad comments here.
I love FCP X. Denver Riddle, who's behind the Color Finale plugin shows how he graded a feature movie here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTro81QcivE
Honestly, it's up to the task. It requires you to get used to the magnetic timeline, which is a little disorienting if you've come from FCP 7, but once you've learnt it, it's much quicker to use
Keeping up, here's another FCPX success story. Biggest YouTuber in tech switches to Final Cut Pro X:
http://www.idownloadblog.com/2016/01/01/marques-brownlee-mkbhd-final-cut...
Appreciate it this. I've been following his YouTube for a while I thought I saw FCP X on his Mac Pro recently.