Final Cut Express 4

Macworld by Jeff Carlson Before the middle of 2007, Apple offered three distinct tiers of video-editing software. iMovie HD catered to beginners, but its evolved features and robust plug-in support held people’s loyalty long after they shed the “beginner† label. At the other end of the scale, Final Cut Pro gave professionals the advanced features needed to edit in the big leagues. Falling in between those two options, Final Cut Express, using the same code base as Final Cut Pro, offered pro-level editing for people who had hit iMovie HD’s ceiling and wanted more editing control and options. The release of Final Cut Express 4 redefines that tiered structure. The line between iMovie—in this case, the completely revamped iMovie ’08 —and Final Cut Express is now a little blurry, making the latter not just a replacement step-up, but an accessory that can make up for iMovie ‘08’s shortcomings. This doesn’t mean that Apple has dumbed down Final Cut Express, although Apple’s decision to remove the Soundtrack application and limit the number of included styles for LiveType are unfortunate omissions. Rather, Final Cut Express 4 and iMovie ‘08 are tied together more closely than the two apps have been in the past. As a consequence, that tie could act as a slingshot to propel editors from iMovie ’08 to the Final Cut family. read more...