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
← Older Comments Newer Comments →-
Floris says:
June 26, 2011 at 8:28 pm
-
Ron Priest says:
June 26, 2011 at 8:37 pm
-
Gavin says:
June 26, 2011 at 8:42 pm
-
Jonah Lee Walker says:
June 26, 2011 at 9:05 pm
-
Chaba Gryphon says:
June 26, 2011 at 9:06 pm
-
Jim says:
June 26, 2011 at 9:14 pm
-
Mark Raudonis says:
June 26, 2011 at 9:22 pm
-
Larry says:
June 26, 2011 at 9:27 pm
-
Bernard says:
June 26, 2011 at 9:34 pm
-
dennis Kane says:
June 26, 2011 at 10:01 pm
-
Paulo Alexandrino says:
June 26, 2011 at 10:05 pm
← Older Comments Newer Comments →Final Cut Pro X doesn’t even support ‘send to motion’. That’s pathetic, when both applications launch on the same day. I am really disappointed in apple. I already ordered a Premiere Pro training book. I am not going to wait as a stupid sheep… my blind faith in Apple is over. They need to work really hard to win me back as a customer… but I guess they couldn’t care less.
Mr.Floppy
The complaint is not that we can’t continue to use FCP 7 if we have it, but if Apple stops supporting it we will have no choice but to stop using it in the future. Especially if FCP 7 is not compatible with Lion, in that case you’re (we are) dead in the water as early as next month when Lion is released. In that case, we can’t continue to use FCP 7 unless we don’t care that we’ll never be able to update our OS, or maybe even iTunes as far as that goes.
The other complaint is that those who have or will be purchasing new workstations in the future, now can’t purchase FCP 7 for those machines since they have taken it off the store shelves. These people will only have 1 of 3 choices, the way I see it. Install it on new machines without the proper licensee (illegally) making it impossible to use on more than one machine on the same network, (2) Purchase it on the black market, or (3) Be forced to use FCPX, and that may not be an option because it may not be conducive to their required workflow.
Larry your article sums up exactly how i feel about FCPX, and sadly Apples actions speak louder then their words when it comes to their pro clients.
Thanks for being a voice, and i really hope apple take heed to your words and see that maybe, just maybe…. they have made a mistake.
Thanks for saying what needed to be said.
I am learning FCP X, and the more I learn the more I find I don’t like. I am looking into learning Premiere Pro, and maybe getting Media Composer 5 for my Mac, because if FCP X is all we get, then I will no longer be using Final Cut Pro in the near future.
Thank you Larry. Finally you did what I was waiting for. I started watching the London Supermeet videos on YouTube and frankly I couldn’t stomach the idea that you sold out to Apple in exchange for making the $$$s on our backs, and that you were not criticizing them because you didn’t want to bite the hand that feeds you. This post finally confirmed that that is not the case.
I’m not gonna go through all the problems again because they have been expressed ad infinitum. What I will say is this: I’m still not sure what happened. Apple and Steve Jobs is notoriously picky and dare I say anal about every little detail regarding the company and its products. I find it very hard to believe that this was a screw-up. This kind of failure is something a rookie company makes, not Apple. They know very well how to make a great product because they have done it before. They know how crucial those left out features are to pro users. No, I think this was a deliberate attempt and it came from arrogance. Apple used to be a cutting edge, hip company and we all know that Steve Jobs is not exactly Mr. Nice Guy. But, with this fiasco Apple showed us that they have become a giant, arrogant bully with a mean streak. I really believe that they knew what they were doing and they just didn’t care because they believe that they can do whatever they want, they believe that they can get away with it and that we jut gonna blindly and faithfully fall in line and accept our fate. Well, I for one will not do that. I’m done with the games Apple and Steve Jobs is playing. I’m through.
Adobe here I come. I’m running into your arms. Hold me!
Too much? 😉
Bout 10-12 years ago, Steve Jobs and Apple did this very same thing to the professional market. They said, bugger off, we don’t care to Avid and Media 100 which had a large market share in the professional digital video market. Both companies sold systems based on the Mac 9600 which had 4 or 5 slots for Avid’s and Media 100’s cards.
Apple just stopped making the 9600 and only sold the 3 slot G3’s. Too bad so sad to Media 100 and Avid. They just said we aren’t going to make them and quit without much warning.
Then a few years back, they stopped putting firewire ports on their laptops. Sure compact flash and non tape based formats were becoming popular and more feasible but they just said, too bad so sad to those who were still ingesting tape via firewire.
Luckily, I gave up on Apple for my workstations years ago. I had installed over 150 editing systems based on the mac many moons ago. Got tired of their arrogance towards their customers and their lack of effort with legacy products. It also helped that we could build the same performance on other platforms for fewer $$.
I was at the product roll out at NAB for FCP X and was slightly amused with many FCP users and their lack of knowledge that many of the new features were already in other NLE software packages. That being said, I was curious as to the new work flow in FCP X and the added features.
After reading the post of the last week, I can only say I’m so frigging glad I don’t use many Apple products anymore and I’m certainly not curious any more.
Larry,
Glad you’ve seen the light.
What seems to be missing from the discussion over the past few days is how FCP-X will handle a shared storage workflow. Just about every other Apple product is all about sharing. FCP 7 was too. FCP and X-SAN allowed group collaboration on a wide variety of projects. But now, FCP-X forces everyone back to the 1990’s and sneaker net. Sure they promise “it’s coming”, but seriously… what is that going to look like?
Here’s something else to consider: What about the larger post houses that want to buy multiple copies? Do I really have to set up 100 itunes accounts to get the number of seats I need?
Aside from the feature sets that have been discussed quite thoroughly, it’s almost as if they are ACTIVELY trying to alienate the professional community. This is not how professionals do business. Period.
Mark
Mark:
Apple made very clear to me during our discussions that they viewed this version of FCP X as a single-user product. They explicitly said that they were not looking to support workgroups “at this time.” I took that to mean they were working on a workgroup version for the future.
This was further confirmed when I was talking to a database expert who told me that the setup of the database engine in FCP X was designed for workgroup and cloud editing environments.
So, I suspect something like that is in the future. I just wish Apple had handled the present a whole lot better.
Larry
You’re absolutely right. I’m not sure how Apple didn’t figure this catastrophe to happen. But if they can give us a timeline that would certainly calm the nerves.
Dear Larry
” are geared for pros.” What is a pro Larry ? I make money with FCP and I plan to make more money with FCP X now because of the speed increase and more benefits in future. Very disappointed in your observations. I do not plan to buy your training products.
I`m a pro photographer who also embraces video making/editing on regular basis.
To put it into perspective, 85% of my income comes from stills, the rest from video. Therefore, I do not qualify as a true pro video editor.
Still, the fact remains that this year alone, I´ve edited over 30 short films for web delivery, and about a dozen corporate events.
To do so, I´ve been happily using FCP 7. Except for a glaring issue, one that FCP X brilliantly adresses. I´m talking of background rendering.
For fellows like me (and believe me, there are quite a few), the quantum
leap that this alone bring to the speed of my workflow might just be the ticket, and compensates for the other obvious shortcomings of the software as it is now.
So, I believe that many of you nice folks are about right when saying that Apple targeted this release not for the high end editing comunity. It´s not for the prosumers either (Imovie would be enough in most cases), it`s for someone in between. Quite a large market base, who will be drawn by a serious editing software with an irresistible price point. Lots of dollars to be made, a concept I assume it´s familiar to most of us.
However, I would not rip my clothes and cry for treason (yet).
I´m pretty sure that Mister Jobs will not hang out to dry the editors in movie making industry (he`s into that as well, right?), and the others high end environments.
So, keep it together and hold on to your hats (and to your FCP 7, if you must).
Regards,
Paulo A.
PS.
Mr. Jordan, by the way:
I´m a lynda.com monthly subscriber. May I hope to see your tutorials on their database in a near future?