Apple Also Updates Motion and Compressor Apps
Apple updated Final Cut Pro X with an array of new features including “workflow extensions,” which allow third-party services to be tightly integrated within the Final Cut Pro UI. The first extensions released include Frame.io’s review and approval tools, the ability to browse and purchase clips from Shutterstock, and CatDV media asset management.
Frame.io workflow extension for Final Cut Pro X
Apple
The Frame.io extension allows users to upload clips or projects to Frame.io from FCP X, with the option to share links with clients for review and approval. The Frame.io playhead can be synced with the FCP X timeline playhead for jumping between comments, or all comments can be dragged from Frame.io into FCP X as a Compound Clip. The FCP X integration will also allow real-time reactions in Frame.io, allowing editors to see comments appear in real-time during a client review session so they can respond immediately — a new Frame.io feature that’s exclusive to FCP X. The FCP X extension is a free option for Frame.io users.
Shutterstock says its own extension supports the same 21 languages available on the Shutterstock web site, and that all assets are priced the same inside FCP X as they are on the web. As a bonus for the Final Cut faithful, the extension includes special collections featuring hundreds of assets that can be downloaded at no cost for use in any project, Shutterstock said. Other features include the ability to build projects with watermarked elements for previews, then quickly replace the temp elements with licensed versions before the final output.
CatDV media management tools
CatDV
CatDV’s extension allows editors to use CatDV’s search and metadata management tools to browse media for import into FCP X without leaving the NLE. Users can create automated behaviors using CatDV’s Worker Node, moving content among storage tiers. CatDV Server 7.4 is required for the Final Cut Pro extension.
FCP X workflow extensions are available for free download from the Mac App Store, Apple said, with more extensions to be added to the collection “on an ongoing basis.”
More News About FCP X, Motion and Compressor
Other new features in Final Cut Pro 10.4.4 include batch sharing, which allows multiple clips or projects to be exported in a single step for transcoding dailies or creating multiple deliverables. A Comparison Viewer allows editors to load reference images for use while color-grading. And a colorful new timecode window can be used to display clip names, project and source timecode and more. Noise-reduction capabilities have been added and closed-captions can be delivered as SRTs or burned into video.
At the same time, Apple Motion has been updated to v5.4.2 with a color-grading toolset that matches FCP X’s offerings, including color wheels, various curves, and custom LUTs. New filters are available too, including a “tiny planet” filter for making spherical animations from 360-degree video.
And Compressor 4.4.2 boasts a new 64-bit engine designed to max out use of RAM for improved performance. Like FCP X itself, Compressor supports the SRT caption format.
The new versions of all three software packages are free updates for existing users. Final Cut Pro X sells for $300, while Motion and Compressor are $50 each.
