May 20, 2013 - 04:00 PM EDT — AAPL: 442.93 (+9.67, +2.23%) | NASDAQ: 3498.965 (+33.722, +0.97%)

RUMOR: Apple scrapped completed 64-bit Final Cut Pro 8 to build Final Cut Pro X

Wednesday, November 30, 2011 · 12:59 pm · 19 Comments

“Looks like Apple thought their completed 64bit FCP8 was a dead end,” fcp.co reports. “Richard Harrington [RHED Pixel] says, ‘There was a Final Cut 8 and it was 64-bit and it was done and they looked at it and said ‘This is not what we want to do, this is evolutionary, this is not revolutionary’ and they killed it.’”

Read more in the full article here.

Eric Slivka reports for MacRumors, “Curiously, the video of Harrington’s interview was removed from public view after his comment was publicized by fcp.co. The report notes there has been no corroborating evidence of a finished Final Cut Pro 8 product, but also that there is no reason to disbelieve Harrington and that it does not appear that the comment has been taken out of context.”

Read more in the full article here.

Categories: Rumor

Tags: Final Cut, Final Cut Pro, Final Cut Pro 8, Final Cut Pro X, NLE, non-linear editing

Thank You for supporting MacDailyNews!

 Apple 13.3" MacBook Air dual-core Intel Core i7 2.0GHz, 8GB RAM, 512GB Flash Storage, Intel HD Graphics 4000, Mac OS X Lion (Z0ND-20GHZ8GB512) only $2,159.99
 Secret Sale Exclusive for MacMall Valued Customers Only
 Apple 15.4" MacBook Pro (with Retina display) quad-core Intel Core i7 2.3GHz/16GB RAM/256GB FS/IntelHD Graphics4000/OS X Lion (Z0MK-15-2.3-16-256RT) only $2,333.99
 Apple Blowouts: Up to $649 OFF on Last Gen Macs. Prices start at $1,999.99 w/ Free Upgrade to OS X Mountain Lion & Free FedEx Overnight ends 02/08 6:15PM PST.
 Apple 13.3" MacBook Pro dual-core Intel Core i7 2.9GHz, 8GB RAM, 750GB 5400-rpm hard drive, Intel HD Graphics 4000, Ships with Mountain Lion (MD102LL/A) only $1,419.97

Comment Feed

19 Comments

Arnold Ziffel

Wednesday, November 30, 2011 - 1:13 pm · Reply

Good !
John

Wednesday, November 30, 2011 - 1:14 pm · Reply

I hope it is true…no other company on planet earth would do that. Love it.
Mikey

Wednesday, November 30, 2011 - 1:27 pm · Reply

Apple made a dumb move here. When you move into the professional arena, as they did with FCP and Logic, people spend tremendous time organizing a workflow. They’ve got deadlines, often with millions of dollars riding on them. Maybe FCP-X is brilliant, but that doesn’t matter. A pro simply can’t slow down and completely relearn a workflow–especially if there’s no guarantee they can achieve the desired result. This little revolution may throw a lot of business back to Avid or to someone else, after Apple spent a decade winning over those tough customers. The smart thing to do would have been evolutionary improvement in FCP, while growing iMovie into something for newer pros–those with the time to learn it. Dumb, dumb.
- praus
  
  Wednesday, November 30, 2011 - 1:31 pm · Reply
  
  So you’re saying folks will go learn Avid instead of the new product from Apple? Logic fail. If you have to learn something new anyways, you might as well stick with a company thats actually trying to innovate.
  - Mikey
    
    Wednesday, November 30, 2011 - 1:40 pm · Reply
    
    No failure of logic here. Avid is already known and in use in that business. It’s usually the second choice and fallback. It was once the first choice, until Apple studied what the users needed. Then Apple decided to dictate to established professionals–never a good idea. There’s very little new for the the pro to learn with Avid–he already knows the product.
    - RevDrX
      
      Wednesday, November 30, 2011 - 3:14 pm · Reply
      
      Actually, Apple made a smart business decision. As a professional film/video editor I know that the market for high end video editing is only as big as the editing industry, a few thousand real pros worldwide, but there are millions of folks with home video cameras who want more than iMovie but are too intimidated to try FCP7.
      FCPX is a good product, if you can use it without comparing it to what you are used to. Just don’t be all like “I don’t like this new thing because it’s not like the old thing”.
  - Terry
    
    Wednesday, November 30, 2011 - 4:21 pm · Reply
    
    Yes, people will switch. Besides, many of us video editors know avid anyway. Final Cut Pro X is the future. Sadly, it isn’t the present, where’ll the billable hours are.
- saldin2011
  
  Wednesday, November 30, 2011 - 1:58 pm · Reply
  
  People can keep using the version they currently have, and buy FCP-X and set it up on the side to get acquainted with it. Only a fool would substitute their current proven solution for an untested one.
  - Bream Rockmetteller
    
    Wednesday, November 30, 2011 - 3:28 pm · Reply
    
    Although that’s true, 32-bit FCP 7 is a cranky bloated slug even on an 8-core Mac Pro with 16 GB of memory. Thankfully, Premiere Pro runs wonderfully and uses the same paradigm as FCP 7. It also costs the same as FCP X. So for those of us who need to keep working and would like to be more efficient with almost no learning curve there is an alternative.
- Heroin
  
  Wednesday, November 30, 2011 - 2:01 pm · Reply
  
  100% right.
- Arnold Ziffel
  
  Wednesday, November 30, 2011 - 2:11 pm · Reply
  
  I’m glad Apple got rid of the FCP classic interface – it bears no resemblance to Apple products.
  
  It took courage on Apple’s part to “knife the baby” and take the risks associated with going in a different direction.
- Tessellator
  
  Wednesday, November 30, 2011 - 2:33 pm · Reply
  
  Mikey,
  You are apparently completely clueless about the industry, there have been revolution upon revolution that have completely upturned the entire post production process. We are accustomed to completely rethinking and reinventing our post pipeline.We did with the first avids generating EDL’s, then on to DI, then full digital post and then onto full digital (Digital capture). These kinds of changes are MUCH larger than simply learning a new editor (and patching it into the pipe), trust me.
  - Mikey
    
    Wednesday, November 30, 2011 - 2:59 pm · Reply
    
    Tessellator, I’ve been around the post industry for decades. My focus is audio, but deadline and technology issues are quite similar. I know lots of people in the biz on both coasts and have been in most major facilities in L.A. and NYC. Don’t think I’m clueless. I’m not going to return the insult and call YOU clueless, but in my experience Hollywood has shown much slower uptake of new technology than independents outside of LA County. Most of their fears are rational–for example, FCP-X’s inability to import files from older versions of FCP.
    - Tessellator
      
      Thursday, December 1, 2011 - 8:22 am · Reply
      
      Mikey, while I am sorry you are offended, the post you made does indicate you are. (no matter how many cities you can spell)
      The postproduction landscape has changed dramatically in the 15 years you claim to have been a part of it. For you to claim that post professionals are going to draw a line in the sand and say, no more innovation, is ludicrous and clueless.
      FCPX’s real time ability and innovative editing workflows are no less than stunning (and unparalleled) Is it ready for every project? No of course not. It is a brand new product only a few months and much of the 3rd party support is just beginning to arrive (though at a fairly impressive rate). But to claim editors are going to learn a new editor when it is demonstrably better, faster and easier, well, I am afraid you have earned your moniker.
JB Tipton

Wednesday, November 30, 2011 - 2:22 pm · Reply

Was it “knifing the baby” or killing the golden goose?
- Kenh
  
  Wednesday, November 30, 2011 - 2:53 pm · Reply
  
  Change is good!
  Shoot yourself in the foot.
  Change accomplished.
  
  Good Change is Good Change, Bad Change is Bad Change.
Richard

Wednesday, November 30, 2011 - 3:31 pm · Reply

X is a disaster. After trying it for 2 months and a couple of productions I went back to FCP.
Jim W

Wednesday, November 30, 2011 - 3:42 pm · Reply

If they had it finished, they should release it. I was the Avid dealer in my state for 6 years and Media 100 for 10. I know of not one professional in Hawaii moving to FCPX. What Final Cut lacked was 64 bit and native support for the new file based workflow (cameras recording to flash memory). They dropped tape based and professional external monitoring, import of existing projects, XML transfer to and from other programs, the list goes on and on. I see Avid and potentially Adobe stealing this market, one which has a huge halo effect. “Such and Such a feature film was edited on Final Cut Pro.” If they have FCP 8, they should release it. Admit the mistake and leave X for the amateurs.
Tessellator

Thursday, December 1, 2011 - 10:35 am · Reply

Ok, for all the FCPX bashing trolls…
Unless you are willing to back up your “credentials” (like listing cities or editing packages and claims of 20 years of professional experience) with some real cred (like your IMDB listing (if you have one)) then give the “credentials thing” a rest. Just claiming you have experience means nothing. make real argument or quit trolling.

To any real filmmakers/editors, don’t put much stock on the words of anonymous posters who are claiming that FCPX is somehow not “professional”.
FCPX is revolutionary, that is a fact. And if the number of astroturfers constantly posting crap is any indication, it has Adobe and Avid pretty worried
But don’t take my word for it, download the demo have at it (and leave you baggage at the door -learn the new methodologies, rather than trying to make it function like FCP7) I have no doubt you will find it liberating, even exhilarating (as most professionals who don’t have an axe to grind have)