A Must Read for all current and future Final Cut Pro X users

Question

Take a breath people, as this article states, Final Cut Pro X IS NOT an upgrade to Final Cut Pro 7, it is an entirely new program. Much like Final Cut Pro 1 was the start of a new revolution in NLE video editing, Final Cut Pro X is the beginning of a new revolution. Anyone that has a clue of what they are doing or talking about when it comes to professional workflows knows you can't expect to switch to a new product and a new workflow from day 1. There is an evolutionary process to this, just like there was when the first Final Cut Studio came out, and then version 2 and then version 3 or any new version of OS X for that matter. It will take time for third-party developers to catch up just as it did with every other major release.  In the meantime, you don't change a major piece of your workflow that your business or jobs depend on until that major piece has been out, tested and guarunteed to work for YOUR workflow, PERIOD! If you've purchased final cut pro X already, take this time to start learning a new way of looking at editing, a new way of working while the software catches up to the standards and features that every professional desires. If you havn't purchased it yet, either do so knowing what your getting right now, or simply wait for the evolutionary process to run its coarse.
This is the way the world of software works people, anyone that doesn't understand this, frankly, doesn't have a clue.
http://library.creativecow.net/adcock_gary/FCPX/1

Answer 1

Original post: "Anyone that has a clue of what they are doing or talking about when it comes to professional workflows knows you can't expect to switch to a new product and a new workflow from day 1."
Even this shows ignorance of the professional marketplace. The fundamental workflow of the professional editor hasn't changed in 80+ years: The shots get delivered to the Editor, the Editor edits the shots and delivers the results. While I can see how editing software can change the way this fundamental workflow is accomplished, it will not change the fundamental workflow of movie making or programme itself. And therein lies the massive problem with FCPX! However Apple decides to redefine the workflow of how the professional editor edits, it must also provide the basic tools which allow the Editor to take delivery of the shots and make delivery to the other personnel involved in making the film. In a professional environment there are others with whom you must collaborate, when was the last time you saw film or TV credits where only one person was listed? Apple has decided NOT to incorporate in FCPX the fundamental tools which allow for the accepting and delivery of materials within the professional environment using internationally accepted standards. Apple has also left out a range of other essential features required by professionals.
FCPX is an excellently placed product. It's exactly what the makers of wedding DVDs, youtube contributors and the serious home enthusiasts has been lacking; an easy to use yet powerful and semi-automated video maker. It's an iMovie Plus, a Final Cut Express X, it fills a hole in the market and will be of benefit to hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of people (far more potential customers than the relatively limited market of professional editors!). Unfortunately, what it is NOT is a Final Cut Pro X!! Because except for wedding DVDs, p*rn movies and a few other very simple editing jobs, it is unusable for the vast majority of professional editing situations.
It seems to me there are two reasons why so many people are so angry about FCPX. The first is that it is called Final Cut Pro X (Final Cut Professional 10) and has been marketed to everyone (including professional editors) as an upgrade from FCP7, this is at least misleading and at worst probably borders on misrepresentation. The second reason is that new features like iMovie import and Vimeo and Youtube export have been given prominence, while at the same time basic professional functionality has been removed. This is a very clear indication that the Final Cut software has been repositioned towards the prosumer market and away from the professional market. This is a real kick in the teeth for those who have built their careers and business around this software and Apple has made the situation worse by marketing this kick in the teeth as a major improvement?!
I've seen messages in other threads from happy amateurs telling the professionals to stop b*tching as FCP7 still works and they can continue using that version. This again demonstrates ignorance of the highly competitive nature of the professional editing marketplace. You need to be doing it better and more efficiently than the next editor. FCP7 has been in need of an update for a few years now, the longer professional editors stick with FCP7, the further behind the competition they will fall. It seems clear that for the foreseeable future FCP7 is Apple's last professional video editing software which means a considerable outlay for Editors, to buy new systems, new software and retrain themselves and employees. It's likely that the release of FCPX and the way it has been marketed will make life very difficult for many editors and may even ultimately cost some their livelihoods.
<Edited by Host>