UPDATED – Jan. 31, Feb. 1
Today, Apple announced the latest update to Final Cut Pro X. Following its announcement last September that the next major version of the software would include support for multicam editing and broadcast monitoring, this update delivers on that promise.
THE HEADLINES
This FREE update – now available in the Mac App Store – includes:
APPLE’S RELEASE NOTES
According to the Release Notes from Apple, Final Cut Pro X version 10.0.3 adds the following features:
- Multicam editing with automatic sync and support for mixed formats, mixed frame rates, and up to 64 camera angles
- Media relink for manual reconnect of projects and Events to new media
- Ability to import and edit layered Photoshop graphics
- Advanced chroma keying with controls for color sampling, edge quality, and light wrap
- XML 1.1 with support for exporting basic primary color grades and both importing and exporting effect parameters and audio keyframes
- Multiple improvements to the Color Board, including new key commands, editable numeric fields, and adjustable parameters that act like infinite sliders when dragged
- Ability to reorder color corrections in the Inspector
- Reveal in Event Browser shows clip range in the filmstrip while in List View
- Batch offset for clip date and time
- Ability to search text added to Favorite and Reject ranges
- Automatic restore of projects and Events in case of file corruption
- Beta version of broadcast monitoring with third-party PCIe and Thunderbolt I/O devices
Final Cut Pro X version 10.0.3 also improves overall stability and performance, and addresses the following issues:
- Improves performance when editing text in titles
- Improves performance when applying an effect from the Effect Browser
- Improves key-framing behavior in the Inspector, with keyframes automatically added when moving to a new point in time and adjusting a parameter
- Modifies transition behavior so that all newly added transitions use available media and maintain project length
- Fixes an issue which affected audio solo while skimming
- Resolves issues related to using Synchronize Clips with media containing a silent audio channel
- Fixes an issue in which constant speed retiming was not properly applied when using the Paste Effects command
THE DETAILS
I had a chance to talk to Apple and spend some time with the updated app ahead of today’s release of Final Cut Pro 10.0.3. This isn’t a review – I haven’t had the time for that. Instead, let me give you my initial reactions to the new features in the upgrade.
FINALLY – WE CAN CONVERT PROJECTS!!!
First, thanks to the hard work of Philip Hodgetts and Greg Clark, Intelligent Assistance has released a utility with Apple’s blessing that supports transferring projects from Final Cut Pro 7 to Final Cut Pro X called “7toX.”
As Philip told me: “We worked very hard to offer a very high fidelity conversion, so that editors can take their Final Cut Pro 7 projects forward to Final Cut Pro X’s efficient working environment.”
With 7toX for Final Cut Pro, the high fidelity translation moves Bins and Sequences from Final Cut Pro 7 to Final Cut Pro X with Keyword Collections representing Bins and Compound Clips converted from Sequences. All Bins and Sequences are recreated with no metadata or log notes from Final Cut Pro 7 being lost.
All Motion tab settings and keyframes are translated into their equivalent in Final Cut Pro X; more than 20 Transitions and 45 Filters are matched and applied, including matching Color Correction filters from Final Cut Pro 7 mapped to the Color Board; and full support for Multicam.
7toX for Final Cut Pro fully reports any variation from the original using Final Cut Pro X’s To Do Markers and the original track numbers are applied to Clips in a Project as a Final Cut Pro X Role.
This is such a significant feature that I’ll cover it more in a separate blog later this week. Click here for more information: www.intelligentassistance.com.
MULTICAM EDITING
Apple set the standard for multi-camera editing when it was introduced in Final Cut 5 — and totally blew past it with this latest release:
- Edit up to 64 cameras simultaneously, using 4 banks of 16 images each
- Combine any video format, frame rate, or image size into the same multicam clip
- Integrate video, audio, or stills in the same multicam clip
- Sync clips automatically using audio waveforms or manually using timecode, markers, or other options
- Reach “inside” a multicam clip and resync clips, apply filters, add or remove angles, or change the angle order at any time in the editing process
- Instantly switch between proxy and optimized media during playback to maximize hard disk throughput
This feature is amazing. Far more flexible than the multicam in FCP 7, it simplifies multicam editing using either the Viewer or the keyboard. The ability to revise multicam clips even after they are edited to the Timeline is very, very slick..
However, as HD files increase in size, this will benefit from every bit of speed your hard disk can throw at it. This is a perfect application for a Thunderbolt RAID.
RELINK CLIPS
I know none of your clips have ever gone off-line, but with all the files I’m juggling over here, it happens to me ALL the time.
Now, we can relink clips from either the Event Browser or the Project Timeline. Linking from the Event Browser reestablishes links to every occurrence of that clip in every Project. Linking clips from the Project Timeline simply reconnects that clip for that Project.
Relinking is as straightforward as it was in FCP 7 – with the added ability to change the links in a Project separate from changing links in the Event Browser.
IMPORT LAYERED PHOTOSHOP FILES
Importing layered Photoshop files now works the same as it did in Final Cut Pro 7. Each layer of the graphic opens as a layer inside FCP X in what is essentially a compound clip. You can animate individual layers, apply filters, scale, rotate… all the stuff we could do before in 7, we can do again.
Just a note, however, that lPhotoshop ayer effects are not supported. This means that, just as with FCP 7, you need to rasterize any layer effects in Photoshop before bringing the file over to FCP X.
OUTPUT VIDEO TO A BROADCAST MONITOR
Apple says that this is included in this release, but is still in beta. That’s because to get an external monitor to work, you’ll need a Thunderbolt Mac, connected to either an AJA, Blackmagic Design, or Matrox conversion box, and not all these devices are shipping yet..
AJA has just released their IO XT unit, which is their version of what you’ll need to make this work. I have been told that Blackmagic Design is not far behind; and Matrox has committed to providing gear as well – though that may be a bit farther away.
However, Apple says that while video monitoring works fine for general editing, they are not happy with the performance of video monitoring for multicam clips, so Apple is continuing to work with their partners to get the performance up to their satisfaction.
One of the features Apple first touted in FCP X was its support for ColorSync to maintain consistent color throughout editing. This is an excellent solution for editors that only need to go to the web. What’s missing is any documentation from Apple on how to set this up. I’m hoping that they will publish this workflow on their website in the near future.
UPDATE – Jan. 31: In reading a white paper from AJA about FCP X 10.0.3, I learned that the Kona/3 card is supported in MacPros using updated drivers. Check out the AJA website for more details — www.aja.com/pdf/FCP_X_and_AJA.pdf.
UPDATE – Feb. 1: Blackmagic Design announced this morning support for FCP X with their release of Desktop Video 9.2 beta 1, a free download that supports DeckLink, Multibridge, Intensity, and UltraStudio – www.blackmagic-design.com
RENAME CLIPS AUTOMATICALLY IN BATCHES
Many file-based cameras assign names to clips that only a cryptologist could love. This update now allows you to rename clips in batches, using naming presets that you can create or modify, from about two dozen template elements.
UPDATE: I just learned that this feature is also in FCP X 10.0.2. I have a note in to Apple to see what’s new about this feature in this version.
VERY COOL SMALL STUFF
But, what really fascinates me is the amount of refinement in the smaller details with this release. Apple seems to have worked hard polishing the details, as well as inventing the big stuff.
For example….
Apple has added more flexibility to the Color Board through additional keyboard shortcuts and the ability to enter corrections numerically.
Video scope keyboard shortcuts have changed. And Command+7 now remembers the last scope you used, rather than returning to the benighted Histogram! (Scopes have also sprouted brightness controls.)
The chroma-keyer, which was totally rewritten for FCP X, has been updated with additional controls brought over from Motion 5. Now it is easier to adjust an image for translucency, add light wrap, and tweak the background color selections to clean up bad lighting, background wrinkles, or just general malfeasance on the part of the production crew.
There’s a lot to like with these keyer settings and the whole combination is a vast improvement over the native keying in FCP 7. Sadly, though, the mask function hasn’t changed and is seriously underpowered.
FCP X now automatically backups up every Project and Event folder. This is designed as an automatic recovery system should some wayward binary bad guys corrupt a file. Backups occur every 15 minutes whenever a file has changed. Since Final Cut already saves everything you do as soon as you do it, these backups are best thought of as disaster recovery.
We can now adjust the camera-stamped date and time associated with any clip. Since this can be used by a multicam clip for syncing, this becomes a very useful addition.
Transitions now default to using available media. Gone is the preference setting for “Full Overlap,” where the entire right side of your project was pulled left to get a transition with insufficent handles to work. Now, if you don’t have enough handles (extra media before the In or after the Out) FCP will popup a dialog asking what you want to do.
New preferences are added to clarify dropped frame warnings and enable broadcast monitors.
There is now a keyboard shortcut to apply a default full-screen title at the position of the skimmer or playhead – Control+T. AND a keyboard shortcut to apply a default lower-third title at the position of the skimmer or playhead – Shift+Control+T. Both of these new titles support full font styling, but don’t come with any annoying animation.
Cool!
FINAL THOUGHTS
Apple has told me on many occasions that they are committed to improving Final Cut Pro X to meet the needs of video professionals. Their record since then backs this up.
Since Final Cut was released last June, it has had two major updates and one minor bug fix. Several of their innovative features released as part of these updates – Roles and Multicam come immediately to mind – are stunning.
I will be the first to say that FCP X had a very controversial birth. I will also say that this version of Final Cut is not perfect — there are features that I wish it had that are still missing. But, with this update, my list of “I wants” is much shorter. I’m looking forward to exploring this version in more detail and writing about it in coming weeks.
If your deadlines are getting shorter and budgets are tight; and you need a fast, powerful system optimized for tapeless editing, the latest version of Final Cut Pro X delivers an amazing range of features in an easy-to-use package.
If you haven’t looked at Final Cut Pro X in a while, it’s time to take another look. Apple’s been making major improvements.
Let me know what you think.
Larry
P.S.While working with the software, I’ve assembled a series of ten training movies highlighting how to use the new features in the 10.0.3 release. Priced at only $19.99, and offering more than an hour of step-by-step traiining, these will get you started fast and right. Click here to learn more.
77 Responses to Apple Releases Final Cut Pro X 10.0.3
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Vid Price says:
January 31, 2012 at 7:50 pm
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Larry says:
January 31, 2012 at 8:04 pm
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GottaRun says:
January 31, 2012 at 8:21 pm
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Larry says:
January 31, 2012 at 8:27 pm
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Caesar Darias says:
January 31, 2012 at 8:23 pm
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Larry says:
January 31, 2012 at 8:28 pm
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Vid Price says:
January 31, 2012 at 8:43 pm
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Larry says:
January 31, 2012 at 8:54 pm
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David Ahrendts says:
January 31, 2012 at 11:24 pm
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Al Davis says:
January 31, 2012 at 11:28 pm
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Larry says:
January 31, 2012 at 11:35 pm
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Caesar Darias says:
January 31, 2012 at 11:52 pm
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Larry says:
February 1, 2012 at 12:06 am
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robertdee says:
February 1, 2012 at 7:04 am
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David says:
February 1, 2012 at 11:20 am
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Larry says:
February 1, 2012 at 11:24 am
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David says:
February 1, 2012 at 12:09 pm
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Larry says:
February 1, 2012 at 12:31 pm
← Older Comments Newer Comments →Hey Larry, sorry for not being clear.
When editing a music video the band would be playing along to a sync track and the shot would be marked with a digi slate showing the sync tracks timecode. I would then sync the video to the same sync track that the band were playing back to by finding the same timecode on the digi slate and on the track, let’s say for example 10:00:00:00
When it comes to editing my video, I would have my sync track on the timeline and my synced up clip in the viewer (fcp7) with the play head at the audio timecode of 10:00:00:00 on both viewer and timeline, at this point I would hit the gang button in the viewer and now if I move my play head to 10:00:30:00 in the viewer it will also move the play head to 10:00:30:00 in the timeline as they are ‘ganged’ together.
I hope this makes sense, it was harder to write down than it is to do!
By the way your video training for FCP X is fantastic. Keep up the good work!
Cheers,
Vid
Vid:
I think you can do this in the new Multicam function.
You can add the sync track as an angle in the multiclip – then, in the Angle Viewer, you can display the timecode for every angle in your multiclip. Because all the angles are grouped together, wherever you move, everytning stays in sync.
You would use the Angle Viewer, rather than the normal Viewer, to see timecode in all your different angles.
Larry
P.S. Thanks for your very kind words on my FCP X training – I’m very proud of it!
does 10.0.3
– support ‘print to tape’ as in 7?
– and can we export to a referenced .mov file as in 7?
GottaRun:
Yes, using AJA or Blackmagic Design utilities. We use these same utilities to capture from non-FireWire devices.
No, on the other hand, I no longer recommend this as an option. The reason being that since almost all video is now file-based, exporting only a reference movie means we don’t have a backup of our project should a render file disappear or the media files be taken off line. Self-contained movies – though a bit slower to export – are always guaranteed to work.
I stopped recommending reference movies a year ago or so – too many were breaking.
Larry
Thanks for the suggestion, Andrew. I’ve never used Adobe. However, this is a good time to start. It’s annoying, though. I could do almost anything I needed with DVD SP except Blu-ray.
It’s not good to be married to one product. So I’m finally going to learn a second system. I’m finally aware of the obvious.
Ceasar:
Adobe Encore is a solid product. I, like you, relied heavily on DVD Studio Pro – and still do. However, for anything HD, Encore is an excellent choice. As of now, though, I’d still use Compressor for compressing, rather than Adobe Media Encoder.
Larry
Hi Larry, that solves my timecode question, thanks!
Still not sure about ganging though. A little more detail on my workflow on FCP 7 maybe.
I’ve got my multiclip on a 1up view in the viewer ganged to my timeline. I watch my first angle and say at 5 secs in I like a 2 sec segment, I mark my in and out points and as the clip is ganged to the timeline it overwrites to the corresponding part of my timeline. I carry on only laying down the parts of my first angle that I like. I then go back to the start of my timeline and as I’m ganged to the viewer my multiclip is also in the right place. I now switch to my second angle as a 1up view in the viewer and again just lay down the parts of the clip i like to the timeline and repeat the process for all my angles.
Once I’ve done this process I would then start refining my edit on the timeline in the usual multiclip way by adding edits where needed and changing angles.
Now in FCPX am I right in thinking that the gang button doesn’t exist so if I wanted to do the same process and at 5 secs into my first angle lay down a 2 sec segment, I would have to manually move my play head to five seconds on my timeline rather than it moving there automatically as it would if it were ganged.
I hope this makes sense, oh and please don’t feel obliged to answer my post, I’m sure I’ve taken up enough of your time already. It’s very kind of you to give your time to answer posts like these.
All the best.
Vid:
I think you are making your life WAY too complex.
In simple terms, what I would do is look at all my angles in the multiclip – in either FCP 7 or FCP X, this works the same way.
Move the playhead back and forth with the mouse, timecode offsets, keyboard — whatever. This, too, works the same in both.
When I find the shot I want, put an edit in the multiclip. Why look at only one angle when you can see ALL of them. Your version works, but wastes a LOT of time.
Take a look at one of my multicam tutorials for a faster way to work.
Larry
Larry, thanks as always for being first with this news. Wow! Yes indeed, this perhaps should have been the first release — but here we are. Now, you will note this Tuesday night, that Intelligent Assistant “7toX” is now in the top 10 of all paid programs in the Apple App Store. Congrats to Phillip H. and all. May you all make a mint on this, as you so very much deserve.
Best, David A., LA
Larry – As I have expressed in previous correspondences; I am still not ready to even consider cutting my pro work in X (getting closer I guess with Multicam). One thing I have noticed that is either my imagination, or an excellent point that favors X. I have a Sony Lipstick that I use as a supplemental camera. It uses AVCHD. I have had an awful time importing this (transcoded to Prores) into 7. Countless crashes. So I pulled it into X, and then accessed the resulting transcoded file in 7. I had it fix some audio while doing the job. Very simple.This was 31/2 hours of video on a 32GB card. PERFECT!
I may have found my 1st compliment for X; and a real negative for 7.
Best,
-Al
Al:
Thanks for the update – as I’ve been saying, FCP X may not be for everyone, but it can do things related to tapeless media really, really well.
Larry
Larry, I have used Toast for Blu-ray Disc. The problem is I find that it lacks all the authoring tools and options that I want. It works, though. I’ve never had a single problem with Toast. . . knock wood.
Thanks for reinforcing the point about Adobe. I’ve seen a couple of demos at New Jersey Final Cut Pro User Group meetings. It did look good.
Regarding the lack of out-of-synch indicators in the Timeline: I imagine you and others have mentioned this to Apple. It’s a glaring omission. Has Apple at least indicated that it’s in the works?
I sometimes get the impression that the people who create these products are creative and mathematical geniuses who have never worked in a place like a newsroom where you have to bang out multiple stories every day under the deadline pressure of live programming.
When you work under those conditions you want as many saftey-nets as possible. And even if you don’t, why not provide them when they existed in the previous version?
Um, yes… It’s been mentioned.
It’s on my list of “Things To Keep Bugging Apple About.”
Larry
Thanks Larry,
I always appreciate your balanced tone amongst all the hyperbole and hysteria.
Larry,
Thanks for the info. I am but a lowly independent photographer who has been asked to help some local charities with their video needs. I donate my time and the proceeds of these charities literally goes to orphanages.
What has drawn me to Premiere Pro 5.5 is the ability to work with AVCHD and other file formats without transcoding. We end up using cameras of multiple brands, sources and file formats because they are cameras people happen to have. We mix a Sony VG10, Canon 7d, D7000 nikon and some Canon avchd cams. I tried FCX 10.0.1 trial and it would not open my VG10 files, I had to transcode with a 3rd party app. When FCX did try to ingest the VG10 files to Intermediate codec it would crash. I then tried the PP 5.5 trail and got to work right away.
So, is the 10.0.3 FCX opening files to be worked on right away or is there still the transcoding runaround? It really isn’t spelled out clearly. I can’t get around my limitations as far as cameras go but I do have a choice in my NLE (I am personally paying for the app). Any info on this would be helpful.
Thanks
FCP X can work with AVCHD natively, and provides the option to transcode to ProRes (Apple calls it “optimizing”) in the background so that the transcode process does not slow down your editing.
Larry
Larry,
What you are describing means I can just jump in and start working? This would be new with 10.0.3 right? I definitely was not able to work right away with the 30 day trial of 10.0.1
The audio matching would have saved me a ton of time on this last charity concert video. I don’t think that is on PP 5.5
Thanks for your time.
David:
First, check here – http://www.apple.com/finalcutpro/resources – and make sure your camera is supported by FCP X.
If so, then, yes, you should be able to import your media and start editing while the transcoding is happening in the background. FCP will automatically switch over to the transcoded files when they are complete. AVCHD can be edited natively, but it is MUCH more processor intensive, which means renders and exports will take longer – even though they are done in the background.
Larry