Since Apple launched Final Cut Pro X last Tuesday, I’ve had more than 3,500 emails that range from “I’m enjoying FCP X and creating useful projects,” to “FCP X will destroy my ability to make a living.” (And, ah, far worse, I’m sad to say.)
When I first saw Final Cut X, I was excited by its potential, but warned Apple that this release would be intensely polarizing to the editing community. It does not give me pleasure to see that I was right.
Worse, Apple has alienated the very people who can make a very visible statement as to the inadequacy of the program. No clearer example can be found than the public ridicule of FCP X on the Conan O’Brien show.
Or, as David Pogue wrote in his New York Times blog: “…let me be clear on this point — I think Apple blew it.”
With the possible exception of the launch of MobileMe, I can’t think of an Apple product launch which has spun more wildly out of control than this one. Apple did not just blow this launch, they went out of their way to alienate their key customer base.
Which is a shame, because FCP X has such great potential — but now, Apple has to concentrate on damage control, rather than getting people excited about the new program.
After the launch, Apple compounded their problems with three extremely poorly timed moves:
1. Canceling Final Cut Studio (3) and pulling all existing product from the market. This is devastating to shops that can’t use Final Cut Pro X. The two applications can co-exist on the same system — killing FCP 7 will not boost sales of FCP X to those shops that can’t run it. All it does is set up a black market for FCP 7.
2. Not providing – then publicly stating (thru David Pogue’s New York Times blog) that they do not plan to provide – a conversion utility from FCP 7 to FCP X. Not only does this render a HUGE number of past projects inaccessible, it sets up the obvious conclusion that if Apple is willing to discontinue support for legacy applications with no warning, what’s to prevent them from doing so again in the future? Every time you watch a movie that is more than 6 months old, you are dealing with legacy assets. Not providing a conversion utility is completely inexcusable.
3. Leaving the support for interchange formats – XML, EDL, OMF and others – to third-parties; or not supporting them at all. Yes, the video and film industry needs to move into the current century. However, Hollywood is very reluctant to change what works. Meeting deadlines is far more important than adopting new technology. Apple’s walled garden approach is totally at odds with the nature of post-production, where the editing system is the hub around which a wide variety of other applications revolve. On any editing project I routinely run 5-10 other programs simultaneously — only three of which are from Apple. I am constantly moving data between programs. This, combined with a lack of support for network-based storage, highlight grave development decisions in determining what features to include in the program.
NOTE: Apple told Pogue that they are working on providing the specs for their XML API. This is essential for any third-party developer to access conversion “hooks” in the program. David didn’t report that they mentioned when this would be available, however.
When I was talking with Apple prior to the launch, they told me that they extensively researched the market to determine what needed to be in the new program. In retrospect, I wonder what people they were talking with.
As I was working with the program, developing my FCP X training series, I often felt that the program was developed for two different audiences. Some features, effects for instance, are clearly geared for the iMovie crowd, while others, like trimming or 4K support, are geared for pros. The program sometimes felt like it wasn’t sure what it wanted to be when it grew up.
In FCP X, Apple got some things amazingly right. But they also got key features amazingly wrong. And if they don’t change course, this software, which has significant potential, is going to spin further and further out of control. At which point, its feature set is irrelevant, its reputation will be set. We’ll be looking at another Mac Cube.
Apple does not normally ever comment on future products – though they did this year, prior to WWDC, because they needed to reset expectations. Because of the visibility of this product into an audience that can cause extensive PR damage to Apple, I suggest that Apple break its usual vow of silence and do three things:
1. Immediately return Final Cut Studio (3) to the market. If it is not compatible with Lion (and I don’t know whether it is or not) label it so. But put it back on store shelves so consumers have the ability to work with the existing version until FCP X is ready for prime time.
2. Fund the development of a conversion utility – either at Apple or thru a 3rd-party – and announce the development with a tentative release date.
3. Publicly announce a road-map for FCP X that just covers the next 3-4 months. Apple needs to be in damage control mode and the best way to defuse the situation is to communicate. Answering the question: “What features will Apple add to FCP X, and when?” will go a long way to calming people down.
I have written in my earlier blog (read it here) that FCP X has a lot of potential, and, for some, it meets their needs very nicely. I still believe that.
I was also pleased to provide training on FCP X so that new and existing users can get up to speed on it quickly.
I don’t mind helping a product develop into its full potential. I enjoy providing feedback and helping people to learn new software. I don’t even mind that FCP X is missing some features; this is to be expected in any new software.
But I mind a great deal being forced to adopt a product because other options are removed, forced to lose access to my legacy projects, and forced to work in the dark concerning when critically needed features will be forthcoming.
This launch has been compared to Coca-Cola launching New Coke – resulting in a humiliating loss of market share.
With Final Cut Pro X, however, the situation is worse — with New Coke, only our ability to sip soda was affected. With Final Cut Pro X, we are talking losing livelihoods.
Let me know what you think,
Larry
253 Responses to Apple's Challenges
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Nivardo Cavalcante says:
June 26, 2011 at 7:42 pm
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Oliver Neubert says:
June 26, 2011 at 7:56 pm
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ron sussman says:
June 26, 2011 at 8:02 pm
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Larry says:
June 26, 2011 at 8:25 pm
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Oliver Neubert says:
June 26, 2011 at 8:03 pm
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Brent says:
June 26, 2011 at 8:05 pm
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Larry says:
June 26, 2011 at 8:22 pm
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James says:
June 26, 2011 at 8:15 pm
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Vlad says:
June 26, 2011 at 8:17 pm
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RABERCO says:
June 26, 2011 at 8:20 pm
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True Professional says:
June 26, 2011 at 8:21 pm
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Chris Messineo says:
June 26, 2011 at 8:28 pm
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Larry says:
June 26, 2011 at 8:42 pm
← Older Comments Newer Comments →@Art Bell: I would begin by boycotting Apple products. Yes we can live with others doing the same thing. I will. If she wants to end the tool I have to work so I can do the same.
@ Billy – last week I did exactly what you did, clicked on that purple icon that had been sitting in my dock for over a year, I had been wondering about the same things, integration and such.
I am quite sure in 2 years, my mobile phone will be an iPhone, but I am not sure, if in 2 years I will edit with Final Cut or if I am still buying Apple computers then.
This is sad, but I also feel the loss of trust.
I agree with the opinion that they can be secretive when it comes to consumer products. They are not necessary for our survival. But the future of one of our main tools for income is our concern. Whether we get the new ipod with he same functions as the old one, let Apple decide. A product like FCP follows different rules, here the users should decide, or at least be asked. I honestly cannot believe that ANY professional editors were involved in the creation of the list of “must can dos” ( I am sure there is a proper term for that) – if they claim that there were – they must have been conned and should get their money back.
someone on another blog post mentioned that the last version of iMove was V9, thus making FCPX really iMovie version X=10. Makes total sense when looked at in that light.
Larry as a trainer and supposed authority on FCP, as well as others like Ripple Training should have rang the bell earlier. I realize you are in the business of selling training materials and I have been following you for years but your lack of honest initial coverage should have been much more critical of Apple and FCPX from the beginning. Unfortunately, your reputation has been tarnished as well in the eyes of a lot of pros.
Ron:
I’ve mentioned this before, so I won’t belabor it. Everything I’ve written is based upon what I knew at the time. I do think FCP X has tremendous potential and I am getting a lot of emails from people who are happily using it.
That being said, I also agree that the way events unfolded over the last few days are very disheartening to professional editors.
However, I have never purposefully written a review biased specifically to sell a product — even mine.
Larry
@ mr. Floppy:
FCP 7 should return for the people who need to set up a new edit suite. FCP X is not an option.
Many people have to make adjustments to “old” projects such as corporate films that get updated a couple of times per year. If you want to do this in the future you need to keep a mac with the current software and hope nothing goes wrong because it is no longer supported.
Well said Larry. I agree with it all, though would like to add one glaring omission… Color (like some above stated).
I’ve been using FCP for 8 years now. I’ve cut over 100 short doc films on it, and even a feature for television. For higher-end projects FCP X cuts out our ability to send media for professional color grading. No way to do it that I’ve heard of (or read in the manual. I read the manual, yes.).
If I can’t export for professional color work, then I can’t use FCP X.
Larry, there isn’t a way to do this, is there? I’m not talking about one full project prores file, I’m talking media managed with individual clips on a timeline, or else sending directly to (the discontinued) Color.
At the moment, you are correct, FCP X does not support exporting clips for color grading.
Larry
I moved from Premiere on the PC to FCP over 10 years ago.
I actually bought Final Cut Pro X and am so disappointed by it that I will be ditching the Mac platform altogether. There are many other missing features that haven’t been mentioned. No ‘send to Motion’ for example. something I rely on on a daily basis. Also, the fact that many of FCP7’s effects have been either dumbed down or removed completely. If, like me, you use these extensively, then even if Apple were to develop a tool for importing older projects, you would be missing many of the effects that may be crucial to your work.
Apple, clearly no longer care about the professional market. I was a Shake apologist, but no more. Apple has lost my respect for good!
IMHO Apple is moving towards retiring FCP from its line up. The money they are making is coming from phones and gadgets and its teeny bop consumer audience. So I am not holding my breath, but am holding on to my FCP7. (and stock)
This is a very very good article Larry – – as usually you’re even tempered, fair – and thoughtful.
It defies belief as to how FCP Developers could possible have thought this was a good path to go down. I do fear the damage is irreversible.
Everything you need to know about the Destruction of Final Cut Studio in 150 seconds: http://vimeo.com/25624693
I am not impressed at all with this rampant whining by so called “professionals” who are supposedly upset that Apple is not hand holding anymore, nor I am impressed with an article that demands Apple to move backwards instead of forwards. The simple fact is that this is much ado about nothing. Let me explain why….
Some of you *actual* professionals will remember a company called Nothing Real that made an incredible application called Shake that was used in feature film visual effects at major post production studios everywhere. Well, Apple bought Shake and created a similar panic as what we are witnessing here. Turns out it was all just smoke and mirrors because no one bought the software…and hence Apple let it die slowly with some back end development on a new version with a different name. To fill the void other software such as Nuke popped up in its place. Now one of the main reasons for Shake’s demise was likely the fact the almost none of these so called professionals could afford its professional price tag. Why learn Shake when you can do it in Motion or After Effects for cheap? The same rationale is what got everyone excited for the new FCP X. What use to cost over $1k was reduced to few hundred dollars. This both brought fear and anxiousness over the knowledge that now there would be more “professionals” competing for clients business. Thats the rub right there, that somehow owning and using the software includes in the professional club. Well, guess what, it doesn’t. Just because you owned the software did not turn you into a pro anymore than owning Shake turn you into a vfx wizard. So my main dislike is that these are the people who are screaming foul and talking about revolutions…and if I were Apple I would say GOOD RIDDANCE! You do NOT have to use the new version. You can stay with your legacy version and hope that other professionals take pity on you and show you sympathy by doing the same. However, technology is moving in long strides not tiny baby steps and there ARE NO GUARANTEES in the software world!
Apple is about DEMOCRATIZING media and the tools used to produce media. That is what is important about FCP *not* being AVID, it was software almost any schmuck could get their hands and learn and use AND it was affordable. So now those same people are crying foul that Apple has made the application new from the ground up to build a bigger community of users and doing it at an incredible price and these “professionals” want to cry like spoiled children making threats and demands across the internet? Seriously? Well, it is a true shame that outs the vast majority of FCP users as the charlatans they are. The fact is REAL PROS don’t cry about software. We use proprietary tools that can change all the time. This happened when Alias jumped from SGI to the PC. Everyone freaked about how Maya was going to kill jobs and hurt the industry. SGI suffered the worst of it, mostly due to the costs of their hardware, not the potential of the software that ran on Irix.
Which brings me to the main point about Apple and its future of media production. Pay attention. It is totally within reason that the future of production for the majority of producers while be in the iOS devices to come from Apple. Apple may make a tablet with two cameras that runs a version of FCP X that may allow you to shoot, edit and publish all on the go. The need for laptops and desktops will shift. Apple is anticipating this. Gone is catering to those who can afford $20k software and $50k hardware. Now the technology will allow almost anyone to produce something. Think of the RED Scarlett versus the Canon 5D, with one simple move Canon defined a whole new generation of filmmakers who are now only calling themselves filmmakers because they can afford the tech and gear. I can keep making analogies for those who don’t understand but the writing is on the wall. So go ahead and throw a tantrum against a 64bit tool written to work flawlessly and scale on the new OS, go on cry and see how far it will get you when the new young hipster streamlines production with FCP X and a 5D and that person is getting all the clients because they are faster and cheaper and getting it done.
I like Apple for their innovation, not their weakness to caving into a particular sector of their user base. People fear change but this is ridiculous! Again, you want to stay legacy, thats your choice. However you want to ride the cutting edge, then wake up! This post is for all the professionals in the industry who have been learning and changing as the tools change for the past 35 years. Don’t let these kneejerkers fool you! By the time all is said and done the NEW userbase of FCP X will look back on this and laugh…
I emailed Randy Ubillos a few days ago, the designer of FCP X, and asked about support for migrating FCP 7 projects to FCP X. Here is his word-for-word response:
“FCP7 projects do not have enough information in them to properly translate to FCPX (in FCP7 all of the clip connections live in the editor’s head, not in the timeline). We never expected anyone to switch editing software in the middle of a project, so project migration was not a priority.
Final Cut Pro X 1.0 is the beginning of a road, not the end.”
As, you can see from that quote, they never even considered migration an issue – which is startling. I can’t imagine what working editors they spoke too.
WOW!
Recycling assets is critical – its how most of us make money. To not even consider a project migration utility totally blows me away.
Thanks for sharing this!
Larry