The future of FC?

After all the commotion caused by the new Final Cut X (I don’t think anyone would dare to call it Pro) the truth is that many editing professionals are considering a change of working software. After all, if I have to learn a new software I prefer to use one that seems to have more continuity than Steve’s creations.

For this reason and very cleverly, the direct competition of FC, namely Adobe Premier and Avid MC, have launched promotions for those who want to switch to their programs.

Here is the Avid one and here is the Premier one.

In this article by Creative Cow Helmut Kobler, author of several books about FC, explains his reasons why it is time to stop trusting Apple and switch to another editor, he proposes Premier. For some time now, Apple has decided to leave aside the professional world to dedicate itself fully to the consumer market with iPhones, iPads and other “I’s”. Final Cut is the latest (and most famous) example, but before that came the purchase and later discontinuation of Shake or the professional servers Xserve…

Some colleagues justify the lack of professional options of the new Final Cut (no EDL or XML support, no tape support, no support for external hardware or RAW files, just to name a few) with the excuse that it is a brand new software (or based on Imovie rather) and that it is waiting for the new OS Lion to have all those features and more. Still this would not justify the decision to discontinue Color or DVD Studio Pro (undoubtedly too professional software for the user Apple is now targeting) and neither in my opinion the decision to change the whole interface and shortcuts of the new Final.

I don’t edit mostly in Final Cut (I only conformed and used Color) but of course I have many friends who do, and I find it disrespectful of Apple to have completely changed all the options and shortcuts of their work tool. Professional comes from profession, that is to make a living and lentils with what one does. All of us who are dedicated to professional post-production use certain tools to work, which should be a means and not an end in themselves, if suddenly companies for market reasons decide to discontinue or completely change the programs we use, we are forced to relearn how to use the tool, neglecting what really matters: what we do with that tool.

The people at Apple don’t give a damn about what is done with their software (film, video or cross stitch) they sell hardware and go for what makes them the most money: currently the massive sale of high-end consumer electronics. And if the development of these gadgets requires them to discontinue software that is used daily at a professional level, that’s fine, let people learn others.

Unfortunately this only confirms a strong opinion I had: post-production professionals should NOT depend on software designed or purchased by Apple, because tomorrow, with the arrival of the new I… Steve will decide to discontinue it. Avid, Adobe, Blackmagic, etc. are companies that are mostly dedicated to the world of professional film and video, so for their own interest they take more care of their products and their users (imagine that Adobe discontinues Photoshop), which obviously does not guarantee anything, but at least reduces the possibilities.

I trust that Apple will improve the new Final in the future to make it a tool with which you can do more than just edit your vacation video (of course with all due respect to all those who do this) Although I would still think twice about buying it for my studio.