The Editblog on PVC by Scott Simmons

I’m more excited about trying FCP X now than I was then but it’s still very iMovie-looking.

The most interesting tid-bit to come out of the whole Final Cut Pro X preview at Tuesday night’s SuperMeet came not during the hour long on-stage demo but rather it was during the time after as I walked around the SuperMeet expo and talked to a number of developers and fellow editors to get their reaction to FCP X. The reaction was mostly cautiously optimistic. I also happened into a conversation with someone who works for Apple and had been (or maybe still is) on the FCP team. And then when I got home I dug back into iMovie and darn if they really don’t look a lot alike.

Unfortunately I wasn’t privy to the Apple executives who were apparently watching the demo from the front of the room. While this Apple employee I talked to didn’t let out any secrets or new information about FCP X he said a few things that were quite telling.

Discussion right after the SuperMeet.

When he asked what I thought about the demo I was honest: I love the “thinking different” with many new features like Audition. That’s a totally new way of comparing clips during the edit. Secondary Storylines (while a dumb name) is quite nice too as that’s another new concept when it comes to putting an edit together. Keywording could be a God-send in the organization area for the disciplined editor if he/she takes time to set it up properly.

Many things are still just too unknown for the professional editor. Things like the Magnetic Timeline and the new Viewer-less way of marking clips to build that timeline will have to be worked with, and pounded on, before judgement can be passed. read more....