FCP X and the dismantling of the Final Cut Suite

[David Knaggs]

Now that the "dust is settling" a bit after the FCP X release, I've noticed that I am (and a few others are posting similar thoughts) seriously considering setting up a "two-car garage" on my Mac. That is, purchasing and running Production Premium CS5.5 alongside FCP X going forward.

And I think the reason for this goes beyond FCP X itself (as a single entity) and whether or not Version 1.0 is missing some basic functionality.

It's the "need for a suite".

With the release of FCP X, Motion 5 and Compressor 4, it seems that DVD SP, Soundtrack Pro, Color and Cinema Tools have been discontinued (EOL).

No further updates or maintenance if a future OS update "breaks" any of these discontinued applications. This can leave anyone quite anxious about the tools needed to earn their daily bread.

Therefore the need is better defined as the "need for a constantly maintained and updated suite". One which keeps up with the times. Hence the need for professional self-protection and setting up a "two-car garage" editing suite.

Now, having said that, it might be possible that Apple is simply part-way into the process of folding the entire previous FCS into the one application - FCP X.

Look at the original evolution. Plain old FCP. Then FCP HD (wow!) with a few additional side apps such as LiveType and Soundtrack. Then FCP was sold only as Final Cut Suite with DVD SP (wow!), the greatly upgraded Soundtrack Pro (wow!) and Motion. Perhaps Adobe then followed suit and started bundling some of its apps into the Production Premium Suite (can't remember exactly)???

Then Apple bought the company which made Color (which I think might have been selling for $10,000+ per seat) and added it to FCS2. At no extra charge. (Wow!)

A few years later and they have apparently discontinued DVD SP, STP and Color.

A couple of years ago, I made a post saying, "wouldn't it be great ..." if they folded all of the STP sound editing tools into FCP and save all of the tedious round-tripping. And the same thing with Color, Motion, etc.

It's possible that now they have set up the base code for the new 64 bit environment, they might now go ahead and port the full features of these "discontinued" FCS apps into FCP X. STP and Color might be first. The DVD SP authoring functions could be fully folded into the Share features of FCP X. Finally, Motion and Compressor (currently selling separately for $50 each) would be folded in.

I really love the idea of being able to do everything in the one powerful app.

Perhaps that is Apple's roadmap and we're only seeing the first (flubby) step of a great journey.

In the meantime, I'm likely to set up a two-car garage. Just in case I'm wrong about Apple's direction with this. It's the safer bet.

[Evan Lloyd]

If that makes you feel comfortable, do it. It would be rad if apple put everything into FCPX, that would make life so much easier. As for me, I'm fully committed to the new software. I've finished three projects on it and I think the program is awesome, and it's only going to get better. If you want the piece of mid having two systems on your computer, go for it. No one software is perfect and unless Apple is paying you, there is no reason to not diversify. For example, I love After Effects and Lightroom. I can't live without them. It's all part of the tool box.

[Arnie Schlissel]

As I've said elsewhere on this (and other forums), it's a good idea to widen out your toolset. The release of FCP-X is proof of this. Editors who already know more than one editing platform don't seem too fazed. Editors who only know FCP "classic" are totally bent out of shape.

It's good to learn Avid, Premiere and FCP-X.

[Heath McKnight]

Not a bad idea, because who knows what Apple's next step will be, but I think something cool.

heath

[Michael Wisniewski]

I really love the idea of being able to do everything in the one powerful app.

It's hard to say what Apple is going to do, but I don't think you're going to see FCP X turn into "one all-powerful video app". In fact I think that was one of the criticisms of FCP 7, it could do a lot of things, but features suffered in terms of usability when bunched together in "one all-powerful app".

From what we've seen so far, the new architecture seems to point to independent, focused programs that can be easily accessed from within FCP X. It's easy to forget, but aside from Motion & Compressor, you can also include iTunes, iPhoto & Aperture as part of the FCP X "eco-system".

My hope is that a future versions of Garageband & Logic Studio eventually follow suit, that would solve the audio mixing criticisms of FCP X. Maybe a couple more apps for import/export and multi-cam.

Well here's to hoping anyway.

[Craig Seeman]

I think we're going to see a lot of expansion with FCPX.

Keep in mind what Apple dumped in recent years.

LiveType, Color, Shake, DVDStudioPro, FCP (legacy). They ALL have on thing in common. They were all created out of house and purchased by Apple.

Motion and Compressor are "in house" as is the new FCPX. Basically Apple wants to have control of the code base rather than bandaging a patch work quilt. That means a lot of work considering they're starting from scratch. The new suite will play together much more happily. Some people are seeing how well Motion 5 integrates (as well as what's missing). My guess is the next thing to develop will be a server based utility using the database/metadata features along with the foundation the Lion will create.

Apple decided to clean house and start over again building only on in house created code. There about the only company in the Video PostProduction field that can afford to do that precisely because the ProApps isn't their sole or primary source of income.

It's going to be a long road but this is a new trip.

[Bill Pryor]

The fact that it won't take old FCP projects is a deal killer for me. I downloaded the trial version of CS5.5 and ordered the suite last week. Then over the weekend I read Larry Jordan's blog entry which recommends the same thing for many of us. The transition will be slow for me because of the heavy work load these days. But I hope to have all the old projects, that I have to go back into periodically (around 60 different films) migrated across by the end of the year or before. I'll also be very wary of any OS upgrades until I've become competent in CS5.5.

[Jason Lowe]

Originally Posted by David Knaggs

I really love the idea of being able to do everything in the one powerful app.

I do too. Please let me know when it's released.

[Bart Walczak]

Originally Posted by Jason Lowe

I do too. Please let me know when it's released.

Don't we all?

There is a tendency to integrate at least editing, composition, and color correction in NLEs, but it's still in its infancy, even though CC software like Resolve or Film Master more and more resemble NLEs in their timeline functionality.

[Steve Kalle]

Originally Posted by Jason Lowe

I do too. Please let me know when it's released.

Well, you can have that now, but it will cost you at least $15k for the software and another $800 for the Quadro 4000 - Autodesk's Smoke on Mac. Or you could spend $45k for their turnkey Linux system for the same functionality or drop $90k on their Smoke Advanced (which includes Batch - well worth the xtra cost). Or sign up to FXPHD and use Smoke on Mac for FREE while you are a member.

[Heath McKnight]

Smoke is an incredible NLE and finishing tool, but man, my eyes popped out of my head when I saw those dollar figures!

heath