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Apple Releases Final Cut Pro X 10.1

Today, Apple updated Final Cut Pro X to version 10.1 — probably the most significant update since Final Cut’s initial release. (In case you are wondering, my vote for second most significant update is version 10.0.3.) This new version sports hundreds of new features, both large and small, and some very exciting improvements.

The update is free and available on the Mac App store. However, it requires OS X Mavericks to run. Plus, it requires updating all existing FCP X Events and Projects.

If you are in the middle of a big project – DON’T UPGRADE!! Finish the project, then upgrade.

When you do, there is a lot to look forward to:

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

I like this new version for its speed, media management, and the improvements to the editing process. As with all updates to any editing software, never update in the middle of a project. But, when you update, you’ll be glad you did.

Updating events and projects needs to be approached with caution, but, once you understand how it works, updating is straight-forward.

Here’s a detailed look at what to expect in the new version.

RUNS EVEN FASTER


(Click image to view larger version.)

While I haven’t done any formal performance testing, I was surprised by how smooth and quick the application felt as I was creating my latest Final Cut Pro X training — and I was running it on a 2010 iMac!

NOTE: More RAM helps. There is a big difference in Final Cut’s performance between running on 4 GB of RAM and 16 GB of RAM. FCP X will use as much RAM as you can give it; though, if you are on a limited budget, 16 GB is RAM is fine. Also, always store media to a second drive; don’t use the boot drive.

And, before you ask, no, I haven’t run this on a Mac Pro – new or old. Like I said, even on an older iMac, the software feels very smooth.

MEDIA MANAGEMENT

Better performance is always good, especially as we step up into larger frame sizes, but the biggest change is media management. Judging from my email and the most popular articles on my website, media management drives most people nuts. And not just Final Cut, media management for any video editing software is confusing to many people.

Apple thought they fixed it with their initial concept of Events and Projects. But there was still confusion, and quitting Final Cut just to move events in and out of the app was a mess.

In this version, Apple replaced Events and Projects with Libraries. The old Event Library is gone, replaced by the Libraries pane. Libraries contain Media, Events and Projects. Events are now more like folders, or bins, which store stuff. Projects are now stored in Events. With a single keystroke, we can now create instant “Snapshots” of a project to serve as a reference for a particular point in the edit.

You can open, close, and backup Libraries without ever quitting Final Cut. And, the old limit of about 2,000 clips per event has been significantly expanded. A Library is a “bundle,” similar to Keynote. A Bundle acts like a single file, but stores all your media and other elements inside itself. This means it is very easy to backup, move, or copy entire libraries.

The only downside – and it’s a big one – is that all current Events and Libraries need to be updated before they can be used in Final Cut 10.1. However, media files are fine and don’t require updating.

NOTE: I’ve written a separate blog that details media management in the new version. Read it here.

– – –

Before you upgrade your editing system, watch this short eight-minute video that explains what you need to know about upgrading Events and Projects.

– – –

NOTE: The excellent utility from Intelligent Assistant, “Event Manager X” can be a help in upgrading Events and Projects. Even better, the folks at Intelligent Assistance are now offering this utility for free. To learn more, visit: www.intelligentassistance.com.

I really like the new media management. It is faster, safer, easier and better… once you get through the update process. However, updating is a one-time-only procedure which is straight-forward – just watch my video first.

NOTE: Apple also has a white paper that describes this process as well. To learn more, visit: www.apple.com/finalcutpro/

OTHER COOL NEW FEATURES

There are lots of new features, some big and some small, that make using the program a lot more fun.


(Click image to view larger version.)

The list goes on:

There’s a lot in the new version – and we’ll be talking about it for a long while to come.

SUMMARY

The latest version of Apple’s Final Cut Pro X does not deliver world peace. Nor does it fulfill every editor’s wish list. But Apple has done a solid job of adding features that we can use in our projects every day to make our edits go faster, easier and with a bit more fun.

And, as soon as you are between projects, I recommend you upgrade. The faster performance and new media management, alone, make the upgrade worthwhile.

LEARN MORE

I just completed all-new training on this version of Final Cut Pro X. To see the first 15 movies – which will give you a Quick Start into the application – visit my YouTube channel.

To download your own copy of my Final Cut Pro X training, please visit our store.

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79 Responses to Apple Releases Final Cut Pro X 10.1

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  1. David Bayles says:
    December 19, 2013 at 10:09 am

    Does Compressor 4.1 also support .mts files? In other words can I open an .mts file in Compressor 4.1 and convert it to, say ProRes? This wasn’t possible in previous versions as far as I know.

    Reply
    • Larry says:
      December 19, 2013 at 10:35 am

      David:

      I don’t know, because I don’t have any MTS files to test with. In general, though, if FCP supports MTS, I would expect Compressor to, as well.

      But, again, I don’t know for sure.

      Larry

      Reply
  2. David Bayles says:
    December 19, 2013 at 11:22 am

    Any chance I you can test this short (6MB) .MTS clip I just captured?

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/8r1y76dfbwiziji/Test-In-Compressor.MTS

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Larry Jordan says:
      December 19, 2013 at 12:29 pm

      David:

      Happy to, but I’m completely buried until tomorrow.

      Larry

      Reply
    • Joel says:
      December 27, 2013 at 12:18 am

      From the article:

      FCP X now natively supports both MTS and MT2S files, as well as improved linking to REDCODE RAW files.

      From my iMac:

      I was able to select a .mts file in the 10.1 import window and the file showed up as a viewable video in the application.

      I didn’t see your question answered, and I finally found an mts floating around freely, almost all my mts files are enclosed in camera archives.

      Loving 10.1! Also enjoying the Tutorial Larry, thanks!

      Reply
  3. Brianbobcat says:
    December 19, 2013 at 1:06 pm

    I was so excited when I read that list, and then went to download it on my MacPro. 10.9 only?! I’m still on 10.7, about to go 10.8. My Retina MBP is only 10.8. Why? (I know why, speed, RAM, etc. but wanted to add the rhetorical comment none the less.)

    Reply
  4. Mark Suszko says:
    December 19, 2013 at 3:43 pm

    Larry, we just got two brand-spanking new iMacs, fully-loaded. Question: with the new version FCPX, can we capture from DVCPro 25 and DVCPRo HD tape, thru a BlackMagic Design UltraStudio 4k, using SDI from the decks into the 4k, and thunderbolt into the imacs? Would we get machine control of the decks, or just a “wild” free-running capture of that kind of source? What’s everybody using to get tape source into the new version of FCPX? Do I still need an outside capture application?

    Reply
    • Larry says:
      December 19, 2013 at 4:40 pm

      Mark:

      Capturing tape into FCP X is identical to “Capture Now” in FCP 7. No machine control, aside from play/stop.

      Yes, an outside capture utility will help – and Blackmagic Design has a good one that MAY be free with the Ultrastudio app.

      Larry

      Reply
      • Mark Suszko says:
        February 17, 2014 at 11:24 am

        An update on our image/ blackmagic ultrastudio 4k situation regarding deck control: We DID get the MediaExpress application to successfully capture from our DVC Pro decks WITH remote machine control: there was a menu setting in the decks that needed to be changed first. We now have things more or less the way we wanted, however, the Black Magic Media Express app doesn’t let us actually put any logging data in the blanks provided… If someone can get a hold of BMD and get an answer on that, I’ve been posting in their forum for weeks without an answer.

        Reply
  5. Bart says:
    December 19, 2013 at 4:45 pm

    Why should you always store media to a second drive and not the bot drive?

    Reply
  6. Bart says:
    December 19, 2013 at 4:46 pm

    boot*

    Reply
  7. Ryan says:
    December 19, 2013 at 9:11 pm

    Larry,
    The advice to not upgrade in the middle of a project is sound, but… I have a project in 10.0.9 that’s being wonky: edits go to the wrong place, extra frames added from one clip to another… Curious in this type of scenario if it might be better to bite the bullet and upgrade in the middle of the project.

    Reply
    • Larry Jordan says:
      December 19, 2013 at 10:03 pm

      Ryan:

      It MIGHT be better, but this sound more like a corrupt project or bad preference files. In which case, updating will either fix it, or break it entirely.

      I would try creating a new project and copying media from teh old project to the new one before you decide to update.

      Larry

      Reply
  8. Richard Harvey says:
    December 20, 2013 at 5:13 am

    Larry, just working my way through your excellent new training. I targeted titles, as these always seem to be a bit of nightmare. I could not find any help on one particular bug-bear – every time I insert a new title it defaults to the ghastly Gill Sans. To change it, you have a lengthy scroll, every time. Is there an easy way to set the default font for a project? Oh, and I have another little local difficulty – ever since the Mavericks upgrade, QT 10 produces crackling distortion in my outboard Firewire Saffire Pro sound card. If I use QT7 it works fine, or the internal MacPro speaker on QT10 is fine, as are iTunes etc played any way. I can choose QT7 for your training, but your on-line videos default to QT10, and are unplayable on the monitors. Any ideas?

    Reply
    • Larry Jordan says:
      December 20, 2013 at 9:37 am

      Richard, Richard, Richard….

      HOW can you describe a font as beautiful as Gill Sans as, deep sigh…, “ghastly.” It SHOULD default to the ghastly Helvetica. I would suggest trashing your preference files. This article can help: http://www.larryjordan.biz/improving-fcp-x-performance/

      And Apple is doing MAJOR work under the hood on audio and video systems. You will probably need to update the drivers for your sound card.

      Larry

      Reply
      • Richard Harvey says:
        December 20, 2013 at 12:00 pm

        Thanks, Larry. Perhaps I was a bit harsh on Gill Sans, but Helvetica is SO much nicer (!) But can I set a default for a project? I trashed preferences (using the latest version of Preference Manager), and now get Helvetica Neue as the default. But if I do a title in say Trebuchet MS, and then try to do another – there it is – back to Helvetica Neue. Why won’t it just stay in the font I last set?

        The Saffire is just back from being serviced by Focusrite, and appears to have absolutely the latest drivers – which they claim are Mavericks compatible. As you would say, sigh.

        Reply
  9. Dennis says:
    December 20, 2013 at 9:40 am

    Hi Larry,

    Can you tell us which books match which versions of the new software? It’s hard to know which books out there match which versions of the software – it would be helpful if you could publish a list of which books to buy for the new versions. Keeping all the books straight is a headache.

    For example, it seems the new update makes major changes to Motion 5 and Compressor 4 and the books already out there on the subject will be made obsolete now.

    Thanks,

    Reply
  10. Don Stewart says:
    December 20, 2013 at 10:46 am

    Larry. I have a Mac Air (2012) with 8GB RAM and am running FCP .03 and big external drives, and have generally been happy, even though an Air I know is not the ideal platform. Thinking of upgrading to the 10.1, but it looks like you’ll need a separate sound card. Will that be a problem for my Air? Thanks, Don

    Reply
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