Apple has quietly posted a FAQ for Final Cut Pro X in response to the many questions and criticisms. (via 9to5Mac). The FAQ appears not to be linked from Apple's main site, and has not yet been publicized.
Final Cut Pro X is a breakthrough in nonlinear video editing. The application has impressed many pro editors, and it has also generated a lot of discussion in the pro video community. We know people have questions about the new features in Final Cut Pro X and how it compares with previous versions of Final Cut Pro. Here are the answers to the most common questions we’ve heard.
The FAQ mirrors some of the same issues addressed in David Pogue's article with responses from Apple product managers, but also gives a few more specifics.
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Regarding importing from Final Cut Pro 7, Apple says that due to the many changes there was no way to "translate" old projects without losing or changing data. So, Apple suggests that users continue to use Final Cut Pro 7 for existing projects.
As for Multicam editing, Apple again promises that "it will" support it. The "next major release" will provide "great multicam support".
Another feature they promise will be coming is export of XML. They say they "know how important XML export" is to their users and expect to add it to Final Cut Pro X. A set of APIs will be released in the next few weeks so that 3rd party developers can access the "next-generation XML in Final Cut Pro X". Similiarly, OMF, AAF and EDL support should become available through 3rd parties once the API is available. One third party solution is already available for OMF and AMF export.
Finally, assigning audio tracks for export is promised for a "summer" update which will "allow you to use metadata tags to categorize your audio clips by type and export them directly from Final Cut Pro X."
Final Cut Pro X was released just last week, but was met with significant complaints due to missing features. The rest of the FAQ provides some more details that may be of interest to professional video editors.
Top Rated Comments
For me, this FAQ just appears to admit that FCPX wasn't really ready for mainstream release (and really shouldn't have been given the 'Pro' moniker).
They should have just waited till these features where ready and release Final Cut Pro X then, why they wanted to get it out before Lion, who knows?
The release lacked features that people didn't even fathom weren't going to be included. It's a different level of justified complaining.
The best equivalent is that when Lion is released, it turns out it doesn't work with current Mac formatted hard drives. You have to reformat everything in a new format. It's just so absurd, it wouldn't have occurred to people to ask Apple specifically if Mac formatted hard drives were supported in Lion. (just a hypothetical example).
If people were just complaining that the interface was different, I'd probably fall on your side and tell people to suck it up and try it. But that's not what people are complaining about.
arn
"not yet" means they shouldn't have pulled FCS3. That was the worst part about this whole thing.
I just hope us Logic Pro producer/editor/engineers don't get as f'ed over as you FCP people did. Why did they release this as commercial when its CLEARLY a beta quality program? missing features, workflow compatibility, hardware compatibility. Is this whole debacle sounds like it may end up in class action lawsuit land.