My burning questions about Final Cut Pro X

The Editblog on PVC by Scott Simmons

As we sit what might be less than a week out from Final Cut Pro X’s release (if the rumors hold true) there’s been a new firestorm of controversy that erupted after fcp.co posted some YouTube videos from a recent LAFCPUG meeting where FCP guru/trainer made this statement about FCPX 1.0: “It will not be ready for professional use.” And he has since followed up on that comment. Comments should always be taking in context. With the context of what I have seen about FCPX here are the questions that I will answer first when I download my copy.

One big topic of contention is the term “professional” and what that term means in regards to FCPX. Will it really be a “pro” application? Is it just a more “pro” version of iMovie? Will FCPX do “professional” things right out of the download?

That’s where the term professional needs to be defined. In terms of this discussion I will define professional not just as one who makes money from editing but in terms of what the software will do. The professional workflows that many of us (those who read the blogs, follow along in Twitter and discuss in Internet forums) use include things like good I/O, 3rd party support (both software and hardware) and collaboration with other post-production people and other pieces for software to get the job done. If you cut on FCP, view your edit only on your computer monitor, deliver only for web or computer or non-broadcast playback and never interface or interact with anyone or anything outside your FCP box then this post probably isn’t for you.