Well it has been a few years now since Apple announced that they are abruptly ceasing development on the beloved Final Cut Pro 7 (aka FCP 7). Its replacement, Final Cut Pro X, has left the FCP7 user community feeling confused and abandoned. Some FCP 7 users have adopted X, some have moved on to other editing software. A lot of FCP 7 users are still using the software, too nervous to make a change. This is because of apprehension on how they will update older projects, how they will learn the new editing software under their current deadlines, and how they can reuse their existing media. This month in Tech Edge, we will try to alleviate those fears by showing FCP 7 users that there is hope for them. Here are ten great reasons to move on from the now discontinued FCP 7º.
1. Adobe Premiere Pro can open up your old FCP 7 projects.
By exporting an XML (File/Export/XML) of your FCP 7 project. If you export using the XML format of ™Apple XML Interchange Format, Version 5∫ you can then import that XML into Adobe Premiere Pro (File/Import/select your XML from FCP 7). Keep in mind that this works best on simple sequences that are cuts only. If you send any FCP 7 video effects that Premiere does not have, then things like that won’t carry over.
2. Automatic Duck paired with Avid Media Composer can open your old FCP 7 projects too!
Media Composer can open your old FCP 7 projects with a help from a free tool. The free tool is called Automatic Duck. Automatic Duck will take your FCP 7 media and transcode it and create an AAF to open in Media Composer. Keep in mind that this product is free and should you encounter a technical issue, you have no help other than the Creative Cow user forum. To use Automatic Duck, you can get it for free at www.automaticduck.com.
3. Boris’ “AAF Transfer” can also move your FCP 7 projects to Media Composer.
Boris FX has a plug-in that also helps moving projects from FCP 7 to Avid Media Composer. It’s called ™Transfer FCP.∫ It will take your FCP7 sequence and move it into Avid Media Composer via Avid’s AMA spec.
4. You will no longer fear Apple operating system updates.
If you are a FCP7 editor, you have watched Apple’s Lion (10.7) and Mountain Lion (10.8) releases with an eyebrow raised in suspicion. Each update was rumored to finally end FCP7 support. Mountain Lion required supplemental software to install FCP7. Will Apple’s upcoming Mavericks (10.9) operating system support FCP7? Apple is tight-lipped on the topic but it really looks unlikely.
5. All of FCP 7’s competition is offering you
free 30 day trials and sometimes even discounts.
Who wants to invest time and energy into editing software that isn’t the best for them to use? Avid, Adobe, Grass Valley and Autodesk are all offering you 30 day trial of their software. It’s clear that choosing editing software is a weighty decision and the manufacturers all know it. To give you the proper time to see if their product feels right to you, they are all giving you a month to test drive their software. None of them have any features removed or any watermarking. Sometimes you can even catch a sale and get a discount for switching from FCP7.
6. All of FCP 7’s competition can do more in real time than ever before.
As a Final Cut Pro 7 editor, rendering just for real time playback is nothing new to you. Avid and Adobe can play just about anything in real time and transcode in the background, Autodesk can render in the background while playing in real time. You have to think it’s a matter of time before all of them can both render and transcode in the background. Once you switch from FCP 7, one of the first things you will notice is how much less you render.
7. FCP 7 won’t have support for 4K, 8K and beyond.
With UltraHD (4K) starting to become more affordable, it is going to show up in more and more edit bays. Sony just announced a 4K camcorder for $4500 that shoots XAVC. Sounds great? But you won’t edit that footage in FCP 7 as Sony is only supporting FCPX.
8. Developer support for FCP 7 is on the decline.
We see that Sony is not offering XAVC support for FCP 7, only FCPX. XAVC is clearly the way Sony is moving for a few years to come. The Blackmagic Cinema Camera has done the same. Those were two of the exciting cameras of the past year. As the years go by, you can only see that number going up. Apple developers aren’t going to dedicate resources and time into a product not being sold any more. Plugging, IO devices and cameras are all going to be moving off of FCP 7.
9. There is tons of help out there.
Learning new editing software has never been easier. There are free online tutorials, paid book that come with practice media and projects, user forums, YouTube videos, the local video user groups (BAVUG and Boston Creative Pro), and even official certification paths at Future Media Concepts, there has never been more help out here. Most operation questions and editing procedural questions are available online.
10. Your LinkedIn profile needed an update anyways.
Has it been a few years since you updated your LinkedIn profile and resume? Maybe 2008 when the economy crashed you were desperate to beef up your resume? By learning a new skill, you become more marketable as an individual and if you own a business, your clients will appreciate that you are always striving to become more dynamic and offer more and more services to them. There is no better time than now.
Steve McGrath is a Broadcast Sales Engineer for HB Communications. He has worked with NBC, ABC, CBS, NESN, NECN, Fox, ESPN, Pentagon, Powderhouse and many others. You can reach him at
Steve.McGrath@HBCommunications.com.
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