Live Demo of FCPX at NAB

Thanks to youtuber machineurs we have this fairly lengthy sneak peak at Apple's newest addition to the pro app family. This is video #2 of 2 but is the one that I found most interesting. To see more check out his page at the link above... If you'd like to skip ahead to the good stuff start your playhead at around 14:05 to see speed, speed ramping, color correction, color matching, and much much more. I must say I'm getting giddy.

Final Cut Pro X Announced for June- $299 Price Tag.

[Courtesy of Apple]

As you may have heard, last night at the NAB conference Apple announced their new Final Cut Pro X. FCPX is a revolutionary next step in Apple's pro app lineup. It not only is a complete redesign of FCP from the ground up- it redefines pricing, simplicity, and the overall demographic of the pro app world. It incorporates many new/super exciting features, i.e. background rendering, multitasking during import, magnetic timeline, and probably one of the most notable... the $299 price point- making a once niche software at a niche price completely accessible to the masses.

I have no doubt that Apple knows what they are doing but the UI redesign, although slick, has me worried. Now, it may just be the simple concept of change that gets me pacing back and forth, or the fact that it mimics the appearance of imovie rather than the norm of entry level mimicing pro. I'm sure I will warm up to it and don't get me wrong I'm super pumped. Maybe all it will take is getting my hands on it for a few hours and I know I'll be sold but I just can't help but have that shadow of a doubt in the back of my mind...but who am I kidding...background rendering makes everything worth it.

Thoughts?

Making the Right Choice

When it comes to non-linear editing (NLE) there are quite a few options out there. More than likely your decision will need to be among the 'big three': Final Cut Studio, Avid Media Composer, and Adobe Premier...there is the occasional Sony Vegas user, so I guess we can make that a fourth. Now the question is- How do you choose?

Bundles & Features:
With such a wide range in pricing it is critical that we take into account what we are getting for the cost. Take a look at this breakdown and comparison. 

Now, looks aren't everything, but as an editor you will find yourself immersed in the software for hours- so you better like what you see. A friendly user interface says a lot about a program. It should make sense and be intuitive. Throughout your search you'll notice many similarities across the board but you'll know when you find the right one.