Final Cut Pro seems to be one of those things that every editor has an opinion on. They have different ways they edit. Different things they like doing with the program, and lots of notes about how it runs. Well, the one thing they can agree on is that Apple needs to do a better job listening to them.
Now, a collection of video editors has written an open letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook. They want him to be more proactive in updating Final Cut so that it actually competes with similar software.
They want a commitment for the software to actually get better, and not just sit stagnantly.
'Marianne'Credit: Netflix
What Editors Are Saying
Galliano Olivier, editor of Marianne, a French TV drama series edited in Final Cut and distributed by Netflix, says, “In France, it is extremely difficult to get permission to edit TV with Final Cut Pro. You can’t use it without fighting producers, directors, post-production supervisors, sound editors, etc...”
Knut Hake BFS, editor of Blood Red Sky, a feature film distributed by Netflix and edited using Final Cut Pro, says, “I think it would make a big difference for workflow consultants, systems integrators, and third-party developers if there was a public beta program for Final Cut Pro. Apple already do it for iOS, macOS, and even Safari. It would make Final Cut more reliable and make it much easier for people to fit Final Cut into their plans for the future.”
Jeff Asher, editor of Big Sky, a series on ABC and Hulu, says, “As a TV editor, my job consists of being creative and being fast. Final Cut is the best NLE to achieve both of those goals. Now we need Apple on board with a roadmap and open dialogue with Film and TV creators to restore confidence lost over 10 years ago.”
'Blood Red Sky'Credit: Netflix
Petitioning Apple
The petition aims to help this all happen by asking for specific fixes and updates that will make the workflow much easier. It ends this way:
"We hope you will start showing that Apple aims to make Final Cut Pro the best application for editing TV and movies. We believe that this could lead to a Pro Apps renaissance as pioneering as your amazing M1 Max MacBook Pros and the M1 Ultra Mac Studio. It’s wonderful that Apple TV+ has become the first streaming platform to have a Best Picture Oscar winner with CODA, but it’s disappointing to know that Final Cut Pro is so unlikely to have been a possible choice as the film’s editing app. We hope you will encourage our industry to see Final Cut Pro as a professional choice for editors of future award-winning TV shows and movies, and for millions more editors all over the world."
Final Cut Pro has been a hot topic ever since the shift from FCP7 to FCPX. Love it or hate it, editors all over the world cut their teeth on the NLE. Letting it fade away in the realm of the "consumer" feels unjust. But let us know your thoughts in the comments!
