Final Cut Pro X Steps Up

Apple’s so called game changing editing software Final Cut Pro X was nowhere to be seen at this years BVE apart from one stand and the Post Production Room, but boy did it generate some in interest.
Soho Editors Training’s seminar, FCP X: Professional Solutions was standing room only for the entire 3 days of the show as Final Cut Pro X was demonstrated fitting into a professional workflow, and a lot of the myths about the software were busted wide open. It also nicely coincided with a new Apple update of the software which included some big additions.
So why the huge interest? Well Final Cut Pro X has just had some new updates. The new updates for the software include: the ability to play out to a broadcast monitor, an XML update which allows primary colour grading to be taken into applications such as DaVinci Resolve, the ability to import Photoshop files as layered graphics, a much more detailed chroma keyer and the reintroduction of Multicam. Due to all of these additions Final Cut Pro X is starting to tick a lot of boxes for a lot of different people.
The professional market was overly critical on the applications launch, but with the modern trend for shooting on DSLR cameras ever increasing, and editors using FCP 7 with it’s long and fairly tiresome log and transfer process taking up valuable editing time, FCP X is now becoming a quick and fast way of cutting content straight from the camera files. The other downside of DSLR editing is that cameramen are shooting more and more footage so being able to organise clips quickly is another must and FCP X, with it’s Keyword and Smart Collection tools, is very efficient.
A few other App’s released as well have turned the pro’s heads. The apps 7toX and Xto7, both available on the apps store, allow projects from FCP 7 to be taken into X and vice versa, all through the power of XML.. Throw in the power to take it through into a grading package as powerful as Resolve and FCP X becomes a much more attractive proposition.
It’s not just the professional market however. The word prosumer is everywhere at the moment and BVE was no exception,with more and more people using video and wanting to do their own editing.With a 30 day free trial and aggressive pricing structure FCP X is fast becoming the prosumer’s choice, and when you consider Blackmagic Design will allow you to download Resolve Lite for free (includes the major functions of the full App) the outlay is nominal.
Soho Editors Training are a leading training partner for all major manufacturers including Apple, Adobe, Avid, Autodesk and Blackmagic, so are well placed to notice trends, with one of the most popular courses being Avid for FCP editors, it would look like Avid have been gaining ground recently, will that be the same in 12 months?
www.SohoEditors.com/uk/training
(LB/GK)