FinalCutExpress
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Apple discontinues Final Cut Express, reportedly ends Server too
Now that some Tuesday's Final Cut Pro X is available, additional details about Apple's pro video edition solution are available. Engadget has confirmed with Apple that there won't be a boxed (studio suite) version of Final Cut Pro X. Instead, it will only be available for download through the Mac App Store, alongside separate purchases of Motion (US$49.99) and Compressor ($49.99). Also, there will be no special upgrade price for owners of previous versions of Final Cut Pro, but with the new price point, it's hard to really complain about that. Finally, Engadget confirms that the days of Final Cut Express are over -- it's either iMovie or Final Cut Pro X from Apple. AppleInsider corroborates these claims, but adds Final Cut Server to the list. According to "a person familiar with Apple's retail operations," AppleInsider reports that Final Cut Server has been discontinued as of June 21.
Gift guide for amateur video producers
We all have a friend of family member obsessed with posting videos on YouTube. Their cats, dogs, babies and whatever else are all fodder for two minutes of teh funny. This holiday season, help them improve their craft and produce the next big viral hit with these gift suggestions.SoftwareQuality editing software is not cheap. So it's surprising, actually, that Final Cut Express 4 is reasonably priced ($199US) for the amount of power it packs. I recommend this over cheaper options like iMovie for two reasons. First, it's an extremely capable application that isn't missing much from its much pricer big brother. An amateur video producer won't quickly grow bored of its capabilities. Second, and more important, if the person you are giving this to has any ambitions of becoming a professional, familiarity with the Final Cut way of doing things will be a huge advantage in the marketplace. We are all too aware that the iPhone, in its unjailbroken state, doesn't record video. That doesn't mean it can't be used as a tool in video production. Slate is a simple application that replaces the iconic clapping chalk slate used for years throughout Hollywood. Reviewers in the App Store have some legit complaints about it, but it's still a fun application with a bunch of potential. HardwareLet's face it. You're not going to drop almost $5,000US on this badboy. (Note to wife: want!) But how about under $150US for a camera that captures 60 minutes of video, at decent quality, requiring no tapes or memory cards, and fits in your front pocket? Enter the Flip Video family of cameras. These little machines aren't going to do it for professionals, but for amateurs looking to record precious family moments or spontaneous news events, it'll do the trick nicely. And it's called a Flip for a reason -- it has a USB connector integrated into its design. It flips out and, with a little bit of adjusting (a dozen or so business cards tucked under one side of a MacBook) it connects easily to just about any computer. Flip Video last month announced a high-def version of the camera called the MinoHD. It sells for about $229US. There's also a competing Kodak camera, the Zi6, that has a fanbase of its own.One of the best presents you can give an aspiring video producer -- besides a gig at LucasFilm -- is more hard drive space. Digital video consumes sick amounts of storage. Luckily, hard drives in the terabyte range are coming into the realm of affordability. A quick poke around Amazon.com shows a few options for under $150US. Some of these may not cut it for actual production work, as speed is of the essence, but for nearline storage, they'll do the trick quite nicely. Stocking StuffersLast-minute shoppers rejoice. There are many cheap, easy-to-order products out there with which you can fill your aspiring video producer's stocking. Mini tripod -- Shaky video is distracting when it's not intentional. A tiny, tabletop tripod is very handy for any videographer to have in his bag of tricks; newer Flip Video cameras have a tripod mount built in. Personal telepromter -- I saw this demoed last year at a conference and I was blown away. It works great with any Mac laptop with a built-in iSight camera, it's cheap, and it's very cool. Snowball -- No, not the frozen kind. The Blue Snowball mic is one of my favorite pieces of post-production kit. It's great for laying down voiceovers, and works equally well for recording audio for video podcasts. It's a USB mic, so it's not going to hook up to a camcorder, but for studio work it gets the job done in style.
Final Cut Express 4.0.1 released
Final Cut Express owners, check Software Update because FCE 4 has just been updated to 4.0.1. The detailed (and I'm serious, for Apple especially, these are detailed) release notes go over what is new and what has been added, but here are the highlights: Permission issues resolved - There was an issue on Leopard systems where FCE 4 would not open a project if it contained media that the user didn't have permission to access. This has been fixed. Tons of AVCHD improvements - There are now Easy Setup options for the AVCHD format/codec and better support for AVCHD cameras. Improved plugin support and stability You can download the update from Software Update.
Plugin Manager update 1.7.3
Today, Apple released Plugin Manager version 1.7.3 for Apple's Pro applications. In regular Apple wordiness, here's what the update says: This update improves reliability for Apple's professional applications and is recommended for all users of Final Cut Studio, Final Cut Express, Aperture, Logic Studio and related SDKs.You can download this update by opening Software Update (Apple menu > Software Update) or by downloading the installer from the Apple Support website.
Sneak-a-peek inside Final Cut Express 4
A lot has changed in the video production realm over the past year, and thankfully, Apple's recent Final Cut Express 4 addresses these new advancements in camcorder capture and post-production technology. It's been a full year and a half since Final Cut Express 3.5, and there's a number of notable updates and enhancements that make the latest version 4 worth a look. Thankfully, Jeff Carlson at Macworld gives us a nice look at some of the new additions in Final Cut Express 4, which was released less than two weeks ago. The software now includes AVCHD support, mixed video format timeline functionality, 50 new FxPlug plug-ins, the new ability to import iMovie '08 projects, and more. Give his advance look a read to learn more about this important inclusions. Sounds like this one will be worth the update. Expect a full review from the Macworld folks soon.
Save $200 instantly on a Mac and Final Cut Express HD
Apple has just announced a new Movie Deal discount promotion with the purchase of a Mac and Final Cut Express, their consumer-focused (and priced) little brother to Final Cut Pro. Through retail and online Apple Store purchases, customers can save $200 instantly with this combo, while a mail-in rebate is offered if purchased through any other retailers. Neither the email we just received nor the online offer details specify any Mac exclusions, and the email also offers free shipping on customize Macs, so it sounds like every machine is fair game. If mailing a claim, however, be prompt: they must be postmarked within 30 days of your receipt's purchase date. Oh, and hurry - offer ends March 27th, 2007.
Apple updates Aperture and Pro Apps
Apple has updated Aperture to 1.1.2 though they haven't, at the moment, provided any details as to what the update does (at least not on their website).Also lurking in your Software Update panel is the Pro Application Update 2006-01, which ' addresses several issues with underlying frameworks and shared components for Apple's professional applications and is strongly recommended for all users of: Final Cut Studio Final Cut Pro 5.1 Motion 2.1 Soundtrack Pro 1.1 DVD Studio Pro 4.1 Shake 4.1 LiveType 2.1 Compressor 2.1 Apple Qmaster 2.1 Final Cut Express HD 3.5' So get to updating, people!
Apple releases Final Cut Express HD 3.5
Apple has released Final Cut Express HD 3.5, what they are calling "a significant upgrade" to their "software solution for video enthusiasts, schools and small businesses". It is now a Universal Binary, and amongst its new features is Dynamic RT for real-time playback of multi-streamed effects and multi-layered HDV. Also, all effects, transitions and motion parameters can now be keyframed and saved as favorites for use on other projects.A new version of Soundtrack included with Final Cut Express HD 3.5 includes "improved multi-track audio editing and recording tools with tracks, busses, outputs and real-time effects processing just like a professional recording studio". Apple has also improved recording of single and multiple takes for a better way to record and edit dialog and other kinds of performances.The version of LiveType included with Final Cut Express HD 3.5 has also been upgraded to version 2.1, including 70 new animated objects, 15 new textures and 60 new customizable preset effects for text and titles. With the new LiveFont technology, animated text styles can also now be scaled to any resolution - including HD - "with blazing rendering performance, especially on the new generation of Intel-based Macs". Hint hint.Final Cut Express HD 3.5 is available now through Apple's online store for $299 USD. Owners of earlier versions can upgrade for $99 USD.
