Backgrounds and Generators

Gotta love Larry Jordan, especially when he starts chuckling to himself.

Here's a nice quick introduction to some of the many backgrounds and generators in FCPX. The important thing to remember here is that within each generator you have many, many more options available to you in the inspector.

Rendering is Fucking Wack!

I've been using FCP7 for the past couple of days.
I'm cutting a massive, hour long performance of Alan Moore. It's very long with loads of effects and all sorts of aspect ratios ranging from VHS in 4:3 to some anamorphic 2.35:1.
I started it in FCP7 and it's so complicated I haven't dared try and move it over to FCPX because I just know it'll create some kind of online nightmare. Anyway, even if I could migrate the project I am editing alongside 2 other editors who don't use FCPX so I'm stuck with it.
What's my point? I don't actually have one except to say that rendering is a bitch. I'd forgotten how much of my time I used to waste rendering. Thank fuck for FCPX.

Turn Off Background Render

Background rendering sounds great and works very well, but actually most of the time you don't need it.

The real time playback of un-rendered clips is handled so well that rendering everything all the time is just a waste of processing power and disk space - remember all render files are ProRes.

Turn it off: Final Cut Pro / Preferences / Playback

Then you can render everything by pressing SHIFT + CONTROL + R or selectively render by selecting clips and pressing CONTROL + R.

Am I just trying to make it more like FCP7? Er....maybe.

Get More RAM!

FCPX eats RAM, so get more.

I just upgraded my Mac Pro from 6GB to 10GB and there is a very noticeable difference to the way FCPX responds.

Yes, I know 10GB sounds ridiculous, but most people seem to recommend 8GB at least for FCPX.

Now go and buy some more RAM.

Getting Started with FCPX

So you've bought FCP.

Where the hell do you start?

APPLE WORKSHOPS
The best thing to do is get your ass down to an Apple store and do one of their introductory workshops. It lasts two hours, you'll get a great overview and you'll be able to ask questions. It's perfect, however I will say that the tutor at the workshop I attended had problems answering some questions about FCPX and also had no professional experience as an editor.

PROLABS
If you're near the Covent Garden Apple store you might want to take advantage of the ProLabs series. This is an 8 hour FCPX course and it's absolutely free. I've just booked myself on the next one, so I'll let you know what it's like.

If you're not near an Apple store, don't worry, there are plenty of great online tutorials:

LARRY JORDAN
Larry is probably the most knowledgeable of all the FCPX tutors I have watched. He knows everything and is very good at describing every minute detail of FCPX. I love Larry and you could do a lot worse than watch his tutorials if you want to get into FCPX. My only criticism is how long he takes to get to the point!

LYNDA
Comprehensive and well executed set of tutorials.

IZZY VIDEO
There's a pretty good set of free tutorials Izzy's website.

FCPX Free Trial

Apple are offering a free 30 day trial of FCPX. I don't think Apple have ever offered a trial of any their software before.

I'm guessing it's because many previous FCP users asked for their money back after paying 200 quid for something they didn't understand.

Whatever the reason, it's a great opportunity for people wanting to test the water.

The best thing to do with a trial like this is to use it to actually produce a finished project. Don't just download it and press a few buttons and do a few online tutorials. Actually shoot some footage and start using FCPX to make something. This will force you to solve problems and really get to grips with the software. We both know that the best way to learn is on the job, so do exactly that.

Sure, choose a simple project or one that doesn't matter if you balls it up, but treat it like a proper project and you'll gain a lot more from the 30 days of free FCPX use.

The Real Cost of FCPX

One of the great things about Final Cut Pro X is the price.

At 200 quid it's a quarter of the price of fCP7 or premiere and £2000 cheaper than the hilariously priced Avid Media Composer.

Unfortunately that 200 quid isn't the end of it.

Compressor - £35
Motion - £35

and

OpenCL compatible video card - £200

I have 2 machines I use for editing: A first gen Mac Pro [2007]. And the very cool, black, Intel Macbook [2008]. Why Apple never made a black anodised, Aluminium MacBook Pro I don't know.

These machines are pretty amazing and they both rock FCP7 real hard. Fuck ProRes, I was using the MacBook to edit H264 while on a tour bus on the Usher tour in 2011.

However, neither of them will run FCPX despite being very capable Intel Machines.

FCPX requires a video card that supports OpenCL. From what I can gather OpenCL allows the graphics card to be used for non graphics stuff.

There's a list of compatible video cards on the Apple website. I opted for the ATI Radeon 5770, which cost me £200 from ebay. This is a very good card that not only seemed to speed up my computer, but also made it quieter and cooler.

So that's £470 for FCPX.

Over twice the advertised price.

It doesn't stop there.

My MacPro has 6 gig of ram, which FCPX frequently gobbles up leaving me operating sluggishly if I am running any other programs.

More RAM - £200

So we're at £665, which is practically the price of FCP Studio. And I've still go to replace my laptop for £1500.

FCPX sounds cheap, but it's not.

Is it worth it? Yes.