Apple’s Final Cut Pro software has helped to reignite the dream of filmmaking for the masses, according to Salon.com’s Damien Cave. Cave’s comments come in a new article entitled Apple’s moviemaking revolution.
Cave cites several examples of independent filmmakers and established professionals who have turned to Final Cut Pro because of its feature set, ease of use, and low price. The software, combined with a FireWire-equipped Mac, gives cash-strapped independent filmmakers a viable alternative to bulky, expensive Avid editing systems. “It has everything that’s needed to slay the giant: cheapness, affordability and power,” said indie filmmaker Charles Wachter.
Obviously, many pros still prefer to work with Avid systems because they’ve been established for a decade, and some folks feel that Avid systems handle raw film and file storage better, said Cave. But Final Cut Pro seems to have the momentum at the low end of the market — especially for users who find Avid systems to be expensive, proprietary, and too rigid for their use.
Even Boston’s public television station WGBH — which produces content that’s distributed to other PBS affiliates nationwide — now uses Final Cut Pro to produce some content.
“Anything shot on digital video (as opposed to film), newsy segments that need to be edited quickly or in the field and projects with minimal budgets all fit under the Final Cut umbrella,” said Cave.
Despite the inroads that Final Cut Pro has made into Hollywood, said Cave, there’s still a strong base of users — principally established veterans — who prefer Avid. Meanwhile, a “growing, wily contingent of filmmakers, editors and educators” are making the case for Final Cut Pro instead.
“Computer historians might find some irony in the fact that Apple is, in this battle, being praised for being open, for beating a company that’s regularly denounced for creating closed ‘turnkey’ systems, those that lock proprietary hardware and software together,” said Cave.