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FCP X features or lack thereof. Your opinion on the rationale.
Re: FCP X 10.3
Folks, I am a proponent of FCP X for a lot of reason I don’t care to rehash here and now. I’ve been committed since it’s buggy release. The updates (large and small) have been great, but I have to wonder why some things are missing and just was curious what you all think; knowing this isn’t based on fact necessarily.
Media management is stellar in FCP X. The speed and stability is great (in my experience). The way the application gets out of my way and lets me focus more on the creative process is fantastic too. I realize that FCP X has and perhaps is rethinking methods long used in editorial as evidenced the app itself, but I can’t help but wonder is the strategy to leave so many [what I would call] fundamental features to third party tools.
As amazing as FCP X, I keep looking over at Premiere thinking why don’t we have that yet. However, there’s not enough I like about Premier Pro to switch. Is it merely Apple’s intent is to provide the brain (FCP X) and let the third party developers provide the choice to the masses? Maybe Apple is trying to keep FCP X trim and slim because of their relentless pursuit of making their apps (and hardware) energy efficient; a topic seldom discussed with regard to what we do and the Apple hardware we all work on. Maybe these concerns Apple’s R&D has found not to really be much of a concern for most people.
Here’s what I am concerned about:
Built-in batch syncing: Can’t do this [still ]like Premiere Pro or DaVinci. PluralEyes, WooWave, DaVinci, and Premiere Pro (via XML) is not a viable option me which I’ve detailed on the Cow and FCP.co
Better color panel: Lumetri and Color Finale are great. Is it too much to ask for that level of control built in.
Batch Export: Need I explain why this is great
Social media panel: Premiere Pro’s version of dealing with social media is an innovation I would expect of Apple and is great.
Better media management: I still prefer FCP 7’s media management ins many ways. I am really bothered that there’s no dedicated method to deal with duplicate, triplicate clips, etc. when moving between almost identical libraries and events on different volumes. I’d like to also be able to rename clips on import that sticks at the Finder level as well.
Maybe I am missing Apple’s philosophy about FCP X. Perhaps if I had that understanding I’d be more forgiving. Though as much as I like choice, at this juncture I am growing tired of having to look to third party tools for seemingly fundamental processes of [this] digital age; maybe excluding the social media panel to the extent Adobe has implemented theirs.
I didn’t think at least some of those would be too much to ask for at this point, but until then the toolset is:
FCP X
Edit Ready/KYNO (testing) for pre-import and discrete project-based, Finder-level file naming.
FCP X Library Manger
NeoFinder for cataloging drives
FCP X syncing (manually setting groups of clips – a laborious process). Looking to test Tentacle sync.
KeyFlow Pro
Visual plugins of course -
59 Replies
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My opinion is if Apple and it’s tools aren’t aligning for you, then perhaps it’s time to rethink and look at the tools that are.
Or, use the right tool for the right job, and that involves many tools. As hard as Adobe is trying, it’s not a one stop shop. After Effects relies on a really strong third party eco system to fill out creative workflows, as does Premiere.
[Tangier Clarke] “Built-in batch syncing: “
I don’t know what your workflow is, and I know I have helped you with this before, but currently there is no batch syncing in FCPX, and never has been. And while Batch syncing clips doesn’t work in FCPX in the sense that you get new sync’d clips, you can make one long sync clip by selecting all the video and all the audio you want to sync, and making a sync map clip. You’d have to break down that sync clip with keywords, but it would work. You could even go further by opening the synchronized clip, and compound clipping the sync’d clips out of the sync map. This will take work, but it saves you money on third party.
[Tangier Clarke] “Batch Export: Need I explain why this is great”
FCPX Hacks is donation ware and includes a Batch Export option: https://latenitefilms.com/blog/final-cut-pro-hacks/
[Tangier Clarke] “Better media management: I still prefer FCP 7’s media management ins many ways. I am really bothered that there’s no dedicated method to deal with duplicate, triplicate clips, etc. when moving between almost identical libraries and events on different volumes. I’d like to also be able to rename clips on import that sticks at the Finder level as well.”
I would imagine this is a workflow issue. If you swap full Libraries, there are no dupes, if you start adding pieces and parts, things will duplicate as it’s the safest method to making sure you don’t lose work. Have you tried any XML work in Premiere? If you think FPCX has it bad, wait until you try Premiere.
There isn’t going to be one tool that does it all. The FCPX Ecosystem is very strong, and yes it might cost you a little extra in third party tools.
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Yes, I’ve used Premiere. And that’s why I don’t prefer it over FCP X. Although it has some very nice and wanted features; when they’re working and stable.
Thanks for the reply though. One tool I forgot to mention that comes in handy is using Decimus Synk between libraries. I use that sometimes. I realize one tool won’t do it all. I just thought these perhaps weren’t unreasonable.
At the end of the day FCP X still lets me get through my work very efficiently and my boss has seen a complete positive difference in what we can achieve with the same time and resources going from FCP 7 a while ago.
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I have three biggies I’d like to see:
Better/more versatile relinking
Batch export
Better “replace edit” functionBTW – is it my impression or did we lose some of the custom masking functions that were in the previous version? I now only see a separate Draw Mask effect, instead of it being built into the inspector.
– Oliver
Oliver Peters Post Production Services, LLC
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com -
[Oliver Peters] “BTW – is it my impression or did we lose some of the custom masking functions that were in the previous version? I now only see a separate Draw Mask effect, instead of it being built into the inspector.
“I think you’re thinking of Premiere. As far as I remember, the only masks in the inspector (shape mask and color mask) are for color effects.
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No, every effect in 10.3 has built in mask functuon (like Premiere) and has since 10.2.something.
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https://BretFX.com Up to 60% off all plugins through 11/6! -
Ah, right you are. I didn’t realize that because pretty much the only effect I use it on in Premiere is Opacity (not an effect technically). And the masks aren’t available for that in FCPX. You can add the Draw Mask in FCPX to get the same thing. I wouldn’t mind the mask being right there in the inspector, just like I wouldn’t mind Crop being in the PP effects controls.
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[Bret Williams] “No, every effect in 10.3 has built in mask functuon (like Premiere) and has since 10.2.something.”
What I’m seeing is oval/rectangular masks. Not custom shapes. I might be misremembering.
– Oliver
Oliver Peters Post Production Services, LLC
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com -
The only custom masks were via the draw mask. I thought you weren’t seeing masks at all.
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https://BretFX.com Up to 60% off all plugins through 11/6! -
Thanks.
– Oliver
Oliver Peters Post Production Services, LLC
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com -
Speaking of relinking (my comment upstream), I went to move a Library + media from one hard drive to another overnight. Then relink everything today. The only change was the volume name. All relative paths stayed the same. Media external to the Library. The relinking process is embarrassingly long and slow compared with Adobe. You have no option to pick the first match to give FCPX a head start. This was only a few hundred clips and I’m on one of the faster set-ups available (8-core nMP w/Promise2 RAID). That’s got to be improved.
– Oliver
Oliver Peters Post Production Services, LLC
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com
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