Final Cut Studio 4: Further Confirmation
March 10, 2011
The night is darkest just before the dawn...
Back in September, I experienced every bloggers dream. I literally walked into one of Apple’s retail stores, and struck up a conversation with the man next to me about Apple. We chatted about Apple as a company, Steve Jobs, and other random tidbits. Then, I brought up my frustration with Apple’s lack of attention to Final Cut Studio. It turned out that he actually worked for Apple… and was one of the guys in charge of the Final Cut Studio division.
I hesitated… I was unsure whether or not I could ask him questions. But before I could ask him whether or not I could ask him questions, he just started talking. And he talked a lot.
So when I posted my story on September 5th, that was not just my wish list. The revamped but still completely familiar interface, the dramatically increased speed, the revamped Motion and Color, and all the other goodies were all plans back in September, and most likely still are today. But perhaps the most intriguing and exciting part of what he told me was that Apple was preparing to release this puppy much earlier than usual — instead of the 2-3 years between major upgrades, FCS3 was slated to hit around April 2011.
Now we’re in March 2011, and others are finally starting to catch word of what’s going on. TechCrunch reports that several editors and other video professionals were invited for a special sneak peek of Apple’s latest offering. They reiterate the significance of the update, calling it “dramatic and ambitious”, that it’s even upping it’s professional focus, and most importantly, it’s slated to arrive in Spring 2011.
Furthermore, Larry Jordan claims to have been one of the editors invited, a claim which I completely believe considering his prevalence in the Final Cut instruction community. I actually know him personally… he’s expressed thoroughly his love for the program. So when he says that it’s a “jaw-dropper”, and that “it’s gonna be a great year” for video editors, I believe him.
The seeds that I was told about back in September are finally beginning to manifest themselves, and I couldn’t be happier. With big names being invited to see the program, we can be sure that Apple is gearing up to finally release it… and soon. But for the time being, for those who are impatiently awaiting the release along with me, all I can do is quote Larry Jordan one more time…
“Believe.”
…I love mac soda….and final cut too…..it’s all coming together…real soon..
Good article, but it’s actually FCS 4 which is coming, not FCS 3.
Oh man, I so desperately want to touch the new Final Cut.
After all the rumors I truly, madly, deeply believe is’t to going blow my mind.
yea, yea, yea…..it’s going to be a good year…..for final cut!!…and us…
Oh good god fanboys. If FCP was porn you’d be getting jizzz all over your face.
I will take issue with one point,
“But perhaps the most intriguing and exciting part of what he told me was that Apple was preparing to release this puppy much earlier than usual — instead of the 2-3 years between major upgrades, FCS3 was slated to hit around April 2011.”
Final Cut Studio 3 was Released in July 2009. The last two successive upgrades have both been almost exactly 2 years apart. So on it’s existing release schedule, FCS4 isn’t “late”, “delayed”, or anything until this July. Making an April release early, but not “much earlier”.
@Steve. What could possibly compel you to take what I can only assume is valuable time out of your day and come to a site about Apple, and Final Cut rumours- if you have no interest?
@Disproportionate Pictures – Oh I have great interest in FCP I just don’t slobber and fall backwards over myself praising apple and believing the world revolves around FCP like a lot of these fanboys. I’ll be happy when a new version comes out but since FCP is old and rather crappy in it’s current form I’ve moved on to other software which the fanboys won’t do. They’d rather masturbate all over the current rumors and believe this new version will make gold for them. It won’t. It’s only software and as nice as it may be it will have its own set of problems. they all do
Right. Now maybe you don’t understand. But not all of us have the choice of different editing software. If you are your own boss and you can afford Avid and AJA, sure, why stick with FCP? It’s out of date while Avid keeps on developing. However, for those who cannot take such journey, we are very excited a new release of the software we spend 8 hours a day on is coming out.
If you like to read the rumors, not the comments then I suggest you don’t waste your time by reading them.
And don’t try to offend people if you only dare to do so behind your computer, safe and sound at home.
@ Steve. As Wesley says above, I think the passion comes from people who [like myself] spend a great deal of time on the software, and look forward to it’s development. Everyone may not express that interest as dispassionately or objectively as you do- but hey. There are a lot worse thing people could be passionate about, so it’ a harmless addiction from my perspective.
Personally, I’ve stuck with Final Cut software because: A: it works for me and my workflow and B: it’s the platform all my clients use so until I see the “mass migration” to another platform in my own circles, I have little motivation to switch. I’d never begrudge someone who begrudge someone for whom native h264 editing is an integral part of their workflow moving to Premier. But let’s not go overboard with how out of date FCS is. LOTS of companies still do work everyday on the software, make money, meet deadlines. The lion’s share of features are still cut on AVID and FCP, where Premier is still trying to break in.
It’s true that if Apple doesn’t show some real progress and innovation in this release people may be wondering where the future in this platform is going, but really- even if Apple only delivered on 64bit and non-QT workflow, it would probably satisfy 80% of it’s user base. An I quite honestly believe that only 5% of the people who are complaining about the lack of 64bit functionality could actually benefit from it’s inclusion. Some people love to bitch and complain.
….hey steve…dig this… get a life…final cut to me is my life!….I feel real good and artistic when I use it….it makes me money…that gets me the things i want..and makes my life happy…..and yes the new fc thats coming soon…..WILL BE GREAT…
Blah blah blah fanboys. Realize that the world doesn’t revolve around FCP. If this new version sucks you’ll still say “well the next version is going to be the good one” or it it’s just iMovie + that slows down your workflow you’ll say “oh it’s just a new way of working, it’s good when I learn it.” I make money from it too, just less than other applications.
Thanks, Steve. Can you send me lottery numbers from the future too?
Steve, seriously man. Can you read?
I just admitted that final cut sucks and I’m telling you, Premiere and Avid have allready got my attention. If the next released is bad I’d be a fool to stick with it. But right now, for my company it’s to big an investment in both time and money to switch to an alternate program. I don’t know about you, but I’ve actually got work to do, you know?
Three questions, and please, don’t walk away from the subject again and answer these;
1. Why are you involving iMovie? We are dedicated editors and I for one have never even touched iMovie. I focus on pro-apps.
2. Why are you so negative to us?
3. How old are you?
hay all…who the hell cares what “steve says” do what you want…go with adobe,avid,or stay with fc….that’s what life’s all about….and steve…edit with what ever you want…..but be cool…
Wesley said I just admitted that final cut sucks…
Well I don’t think so…
how do we know if this is all true?
I could make a blog up and say Final Cut Pro will be sold to Adobe!
You guys really believe what you read in the Internet?
I put no particular stock in Mike’s story–Larry Jordan’s post on his blog is the only solid information we have. But there’s little doubt that FCS4 is on it’s way soon. I’m going to say optimistically within 40 days, but I’d be very surprised if it isn’t within 2 months.
Now that the US iPad launch is out of the way, Apple has a bunch of stuff they may want to push out the door before WWDC. Including the annual iOS preview, iMac updates, possible MacPro updates, Apple Cinema Displays with Thunderbolt [to allow for daisy chaining], and [yes] Final Cut Studio.
I hope we don’t disappointed when the NEW FINAL CUT STUDIO comes out…What do you all think will be new…64bit…a new
uI………what more..???
…PS,… What is all your wish list’s….and when do you all think it will be here????
Well my wish list is more like a update and bring back list.
1) 64bit and Speed
2) better ProRes support (Motion kills ProRes in Best mode)
3) bring back the Shake: Morph tools, Keylight, turn of real time render in Motion or a option (After Effects like)
4) Real particles in Motion
4) 3D Test for Titles in Motion and Final Cut Pro
5) Blu-Ray Blu-Ray and Blu-Ray why even support HD if we can’t even deliver it to the customer??
6) They can leave Color as it is!
yes I agree….. 64bit and Speed… and Blu-Ray….But I don’t think Blu-ray will be there…that sucks..
ps….I just hope a new final cut will be here…lol
I’m going to come back to this site and say ‘I told you so’ when this new version of FCP is iMovie Pro and you guys say …. “we’ll they’ll fix a lot of things in the NEXT update!”
Or people could evaluate it based on what it is when it gets launched.
Since you’ve already seen the future or made up your mind, don’t bother checking it out when it’s released, don’t bother coming back here and pissing in the wind, and just move onto Premier Pro or AVID full time if that’s going to meet your needs.
But don’t condemn others for using a solution that works for them.
So, Steve, does that mean you chickened out on my questions?
1. because if rumors prove true then Apple will be basing some of a new fcp off of iMovie
2. I’m only pointing out that fanboy worship of Apple won’t let you objectively look at Apple things.
3. old enough to know there’s more than Apple products in the world
One apple…to rule them all………..we love apple….final cut is the best…..what do you think of that steve…hahahah……Im a Fanboy…and love it……too bad you have nothing to love..
oh may I have lots of things to love. my family, my pets, my friends… when you actually profess love and/or hate for software and hardware and these technical things then I feel for you. You should make no attachment to this stuff.
3. old enough to know there’s more than Apple products in the world
Yeah Avid workflow sucks and Premiere well I have not seen Premiere in any Pro environment!
I go with Smoke if Final Cut can’t keep it’s Promises!
Hmmmm… to say Avid’s workflow sucks shows a total lack of undestanding of Avid. FCP and Smoke are two entirely different animals and not really comparable at all.
Steve no shit! Thats is why Smoke cost a bit more.
FIrst of all yeah Avid workflow does suck. Maybe that is way they have adopted over the years and they are coming out of there arrogant hole.
I have been working in a Avid world for 8 years and thanks to Editshare we can choose what we want to work with. It is funny that we have more Final Cut License then an other tool.
Besides it is not the software it is the creator that knows how to use the tools for the right job.
Avid is Broadcast team player compared to Final Cut but thanks to Editshare this is not a issues anymore!
Why am I arguing with a 16 year old kid that calls himself Steve!?
yeah!…Well steve.. we all love our family , pets and friends……more then THINGS…..that should be a given…..chill out..
The new FCP won’t be based on iMovie- at least not any iMovie we’ve yet seen. iMovie is based on QTkit. If FCP is going 64bit, then it will likely based on AVFoundation. This is wonderful for a host of reasons, the least of which is that Quicktime was never meant to be an “movie” format, but it’s been wrangled into that purpose since the 90′s. If Apple has cleaned the slate and is starting over, with a new code base, a new foundation, and [by some accounts] a new UI; then this is indeed [along with the new Thunderbolt ports introduced on the MBP] a clear indication that Apple has not forgotten the pro market, and is taking it very seriously.
Based on what limited information we have, this is not a minor features add-on. This is an entirely new product. Is some of what Apple has learned in iMovie be ported over to FCP? Likely, yes. But just because we may see some of those lessoned learned ported over to FCP, doesn’t in any way mean the program will be dumbed down. Personally, I’d LOVE to see some innovation in editorial UI. I’ve been editing for 20 years, from film, to tape, to AVID, to Media100, to Final Cut- and all these programs are holding onto a very old paradigm for user interface. And to think that couldn’t change or get better, is silly.
Whatever Apple does will surely not please everyone, as it never does. But I’m reading a lot of people talking about how they want to see a big update, but they don’t want anything to change. Well, you can’t have it both ways.
I hear Apple is innovating with this release. That excites me. Will the product they come up with be for me? I have no clue.
…when the first cars started to come out…a lot of horse and buggy people did not like it….but they got over it …..now look at what we got……lol…..
ps…..final cut will be the new car…..all the rest will be the horse and buggy….
@Tom – your lack of understanding of the difference in Smoke and FCP makes me question your knowledge of Avid.
@Disproportionate – that’s true what you posted but I think you should credit the blogs that have pointed that out as that sounds like it was lifted almost verbatim
Smoke is a editing and post Software is this is not true then Autodesk are marketing it wrong and the software that I test drove after last years NAB was something else!
Steve lets see some of your work first!
The marketing of Smoke and the reality of Smoke are two different things. It’s an amazing tool but it isn’t an offline tool no matter how Autodesk markets it. Find me editors actually offlining in Smoke…. there aren’t any.
WB11 use this bad boy.
hello all..the new final cut is coming real soon…wow!
…are you all happy about the new FCP?
Hahaha! Steve said the world doesn’t revolve around Final Cut. Well I have news for you Steve; if you’re an editor your world does revolve around your editing software. Editors spend countless hours absorbing knowledge about its capabilities. If we look at it objectively, as you self profess to be doing, than there are only three options out there: Avid, Final Cut, and Premiere. Only two of those options require no hardware additions or dongles, and are reasonably priced for most of us. The only real difference (that I personally see) between Final Cut and Premiere is the fact that Final Cut cannot be installed on a PC, while Premier can. Avid’s workflow is cumbersome because it has a huge learning curve – and switching to a product with a huge learning curve can be detrimental to your real world business.
I was a videographer in the military for 5 years. We used Avid. It became so cumbersome that we switched to Premiere (because the military is still PC based). If we had Macs, and supposedly they are gravitating that way, we would have used Final Cut. Simply put Steve, or should I call you Sweet Molly, Final cut is a reasonable solution to Mac based editors on a real world budget. If Apple simply makes a hyped up version of iMovie (which I highly doubt they will) than I assume many people will switch to Premiere, simply because it has a familiar workflow when compared to that of Final Cut, and works pretty well with the other Adobe software. (and isn’t all that much more expensive).
And I have one more thing to add. If fanboys were not objective they would be slobbering all over iMovie. But as one editor has mentioned already, most of us have never opened the software or played with it.
Personally, I’m excited for this new launch. I don’t think we’ll see a new UI until the next iteration, but one can hope.
… or should I call you Sweet Molly,
hey spitsnaz…I don’t know why you said ..or should call you sweet molly…final cut is my life…I depend on it to make a living…and I feel very creative using it.
Spitsnaz my last job for the Military has proven that they already are driving Final Cut Pro.
But for what I see they are not well trained on it. But that is not my concern.
Yeah NAB is about to start we will see if Final Cut Studio 3 or 4 will hit!
hmm maybe that is why the last FInal Cut Studio update did not have a number since it was not considered a full update!
What are you talking about? The current version is called Final Cut Studio 3.
Really? Well Apple is not calling it that then!
Damn!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Cut_Studio
the NEW final cut is coming…….and be ready to think different….it’s going to blow you away……..
sweet molly films! How do you know this?
Apple has embarrassed and disappointed many “Pro” users!
Tom..be ready to be very happy…..if you like final cut now…..you will LOVE the new final cut soon….believe…
Well they killed Shake and I loved it!
tom…all your dreams will come true….for you and me………i hope?
My dream is for tighter moderation on these comments. I’m off to seek greener pastures for discussion. There’s got to be better than this.
Disproportionate Pictures ….good bye…have a nice life….
but we love you anyway…Disproportionate Pictures…stay with us…and have fun..
live is to short to be so serious…and it’s not nice to put people down!! true intelligence never mocks..but understands…and never trys to make one be like they want them to be….
where is every one?
where is everybody?
they over at the Avid side! lol
maybe I’ll be there too soon…lol
hope not….love final cut….hope they (apple) deliver soon…
…with a BIG upgrade…not like before..amen?
Well all..tomorrow is the day that tells it all.. the new final cut! WOW….let’s hope it’s GREAT….adobe is waiting to see it too…oh my..we’ll see…talk to you all tomorrow…
Wow, this website is behind the times. I have decided not to return. If anyone is still out there (as I spot a tumbleweed rolling by), here is a link to NEW information of Final Cut Pro X:
http://www.macrumors.com/2011/04/12/apple-demos-final-cut-pro-x-at-nab-2011/
Well all..tomorrow is the day that tells it all.. the new final cut! WOW….let’s hope it’s GREAT….adobe is waiting to see it too…oh my..we’ll see…talk to you all tomorrow…
…and yes they did it…….wow..it’s the best fcp ever….june where are you..
@ Steve : BURN! FCPX pawns.
If Larry Jordan believes then so do we at Visually Creative Video production. Skeptical but optimistic here in Charlotte, NC.
Thought I’d come back to the FCPX fanboy site and laugh at bit now that FCPX has shipped and is indeed a pos amateur toy that you all so lovingly slobbered over before it even shipped. Thank god we have Avid and Adobe.
@Steve: You are absolutely right. And as I said, we switched. I do however want to say to you that you’re a sad man. Let’s leave it that.
Ps: after three years of cutting on Avid, I have now returned. I am trained and licensed. But trust me, the workflow is ridiculous. It’s outdated.
No wesley, the sad ones are the slobbering fanboys that gushed all over this website and tried to say they knew of this perfect, FCP future when in reality they didn’t know shit. May they enjoy their you tube videos.
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