Final Cut Express
Encyclopedia
Final Cut Express is a discontinued video editing software
created by Apple Inc. It is the consumer version of Final Cut Pro
and is designed for advanced editing of digital video
as well as high-definition video
, which is used by many amateur and professional videographers
. Final Cut Express is considered a step above iMovie
in terms of capabilities, but a step underneath Final Cut Pro and its suite of applications. As of June 21, 2011, Final Cut Express is discontinued, in favor of Final Cut Pro X.
3, was released at Macworld Conference and Expo in San Francisco in 2003. The second version, based on Final Cut Pro 4, was released at Macworld San Francisco in 2004. The third version, capable of editing high definition video, was also announced at Macworld San Francisco a year later, and was released as Final Cut Express HD in February 2005. It was based on Final Cut Pro HD (version 4.5) and included LiveType 1.2 and Soundtrack 1.2.
Final Cut Express version 3.5 was released with little fanfare in May 2006 as a Universal Binary
. In addition to improving real-time rendering with Dynamic RT, version 3.5 upgraded LiveType to version 2.0 and Soundtrack to version 1.5.
In November 2007, Apple released Final Cut Express 4, which although it does not support real-time editing in the AVCHD
format (it only allows for transcoding AVCHD to Apple Intermediate Codec (AIC) provided that the camera is actually attached to the computer - it cannot convert AVCHD files stored elsewhere and is currently for Intel processors only), imports iMovie '08 projects and includes 50 new filters. It does not include Soundtrack 1.5, but it does still include LiveType
which enables users to create advanced text for the movies they create in Final Cut. The price was dropped from $299 for version 3.5 to $199 for version 4.0.
In June 2011, Final Cut Express was officially discontinued, in favor of Final Cut Pro X.
, but lacks some film-specific features, including Cinema Tools
, multi-cam editing, batch capture, and a time code
view. The program can perform 32 undo operations, while Final Cut Pro can do 99 http://www.apple.com/finalcut/index.html.
Features the program does include are:
One feature of Final Cut Express that is not available in Final Cut Pro is the ability to import iMovie '08
projects (though transitions are not preserved).
and transitions without rendering. Audio that is not in the native AIFF
file format needs rendering before it can be played back. RT Extreme has three modes: 'Safe', for seeing multiple video layers at a quality that more or less guarantees a smooth playback; 'Unlimited', which allows the maximum number of composited video layers to be viewed at the same time; and 'Dynamic', which alternates between these settings depending on how many simultaneous video tracks are present. Frame dropping may result from using 'Unlimited' on low-resource machines.
interface and features wrapping, alignment, leading, kerning and tracking features, as well as allowing up to five custom outlines and five custom drop shadow
s to be defined for a selected portion of the title.
, but designed for videographers who wish to add music to their films. Soundtrack comes with around 4,000 professionally-recorded instrument loops and sound effects that can be arranged in multiple tracks beneath the video track.
To use Soundtrack, users export their Final Cut Express sequence, or a marked portion thereof, as a reference file, which can include scoring markers defined in the timeline. This reference file can be imported as the video track in Soundtrack.
Soundtrack is functionally and visually identical to Soundtrack Pro's multitrack editing mode, but includes fewer Logic plugins and lacks the highly regarded noise removal tool.
Soundtrack was removed from Final Cut Express 4, which lowered its price and may have encouraged people to buy Logic Express.
Video editing software
Video editing software, is application software which handles the post-production video editing of digital video sequences on a computer non-linear editing systems...
created by Apple Inc. It is the consumer version of Final Cut Pro
Final Cut Pro
Final Cut Pro is a non-linear video editing software developed by Macromedia Inc. and then Apple Inc. The most recent version, Final Cut Pro X, runs on Mac personal computers powered by Mac OS X version 10.6.7 or later and using Intel processors...
and is designed for advanced editing of digital video
DV
DV is a format for the digital recording and playing back of digital video. The DV codec was launched in 1995 with joint efforts of leading producers of video camcorders....
as well as high-definition video
HDV
HDV is a format for recording of high-definition video on DV cassette tape. The format was originally developed by JVC and supported by Sony, Canon and Sharp...
, which is used by many amateur and professional videographers
Videography
Videography refers to the process of capturing moving images on electronic media even streaming media). The term includes methods of video production and post-production...
. Final Cut Express is considered a step above iMovie
IMovie
iMovie is a proprietary video editing software application which allows Mac, iPod Touch 4th generation, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, and iPad 2 users to edit their own home movies. It was originally released by Apple in 1999 as a Mac OS 8 application bundled with the first FireWire-enabled consumer Apple...
in terms of capabilities, but a step underneath Final Cut Pro and its suite of applications. As of June 21, 2011, Final Cut Express is discontinued, in favor of Final Cut Pro X.
History
Final Cut Express 1.0, based on Final Cut ProFinal Cut Pro
Final Cut Pro is a non-linear video editing software developed by Macromedia Inc. and then Apple Inc. The most recent version, Final Cut Pro X, runs on Mac personal computers powered by Mac OS X version 10.6.7 or later and using Intel processors...
3, was released at Macworld Conference and Expo in San Francisco in 2003. The second version, based on Final Cut Pro 4, was released at Macworld San Francisco in 2004. The third version, capable of editing high definition video, was also announced at Macworld San Francisco a year later, and was released as Final Cut Express HD in February 2005. It was based on Final Cut Pro HD (version 4.5) and included LiveType 1.2 and Soundtrack 1.2.
Final Cut Express version 3.5 was released with little fanfare in May 2006 as a Universal Binary
Universal binary
A universal binary is, in Apple parlance, an executable file or application bundle that runs natively on either PowerPC or Intel-manufactured IA-32 or Intel 64-based Macintosh computers; it is an implementation of the concept more generally known as a fat binary.With the release of Mac OS X Snow...
. In addition to improving real-time rendering with Dynamic RT, version 3.5 upgraded LiveType to version 2.0 and Soundtrack to version 1.5.
In November 2007, Apple released Final Cut Express 4, which although it does not support real-time editing in the AVCHD
AVCHD
AVCHD is a file-based format for the digital recording and playback of high-definition video....
format (it only allows for transcoding AVCHD to Apple Intermediate Codec (AIC) provided that the camera is actually attached to the computer - it cannot convert AVCHD files stored elsewhere and is currently for Intel processors only), imports iMovie '08 projects and includes 50 new filters. It does not include Soundtrack 1.5, but it does still include LiveType
LiveType
LiveType was a software program developed by Apple Inc. to create animated title sequences for video projects. It was discontinued with the release of Final Cut Pro X, Motion 5, and Compressor 4.-History:...
which enables users to create advanced text for the movies they create in Final Cut. The price was dropped from $299 for version 3.5 to $199 for version 4.0.
In June 2011, Final Cut Express was officially discontinued, in favor of Final Cut Pro X.
Features
Final Cut Express' interface is identical to that of Final Cut ProFinal Cut Pro
Final Cut Pro is a non-linear video editing software developed by Macromedia Inc. and then Apple Inc. The most recent version, Final Cut Pro X, runs on Mac personal computers powered by Mac OS X version 10.6.7 or later and using Intel processors...
, but lacks some film-specific features, including Cinema Tools
Cinema Tools
Cinema Tools is a software program for filmmakers, to use in conjunction with Final Cut Pro. It facilitates the creation of an integrated film database, allowing the management of film material through telecine.-Overview:...
, multi-cam editing, batch capture, and a time code
Time code
A timecode is a sequence of numeric codes generated at regular intervals by a timing system.- Video and film timecode :...
view. The program can perform 32 undo operations, while Final Cut Pro can do 99 http://www.apple.com/finalcut/index.html.
Features the program does include are:
- The ability to keyframe filters
- Dynamic RT, which changes real-time settings on-the-fly
- Motion path keyframing
- Opacity keyframing
- Ripple, roll, slip, slide and blade edits
- Picture-in-picture and split-screen effects
- Up to 99 video tracks and 12 compositing modes
- Up to 99 audio tracks
- MotionApple MotionMotion is a software application produced by Apple Inc. for their Mac OS X operating system. It is used to create and edit motion graphics, titling for video production and film production, and 2D and 3D compositing for visual effects.-History:...
project import - Two-way color correctionColor correctionColor correction by using color gels, or filters, is a process used in stage lighting, photography, television, cinematography and other disciplines, the intention of which is to alter the overall color of the light; typically the light color is measured on a scale known as color temperature, as...
. - Chroma key
One feature of Final Cut Express that is not available in Final Cut Pro is the ability to import iMovie '08
IMovie
iMovie is a proprietary video editing software application which allows Mac, iPod Touch 4th generation, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, and iPad 2 users to edit their own home movies. It was originally released by Apple in 1999 as a Mac OS 8 application bundled with the first FireWire-enabled consumer Apple...
projects (though transitions are not preserved).
RT Extreme
Inherited from Final Cut Pro, Final Cut Express features RT Extreme, which allows previews of some video filtersFilter (video)
A video filter is a software component that is used to decode audio and video. Multiple filters can be used in a filter chain, in which each filter receives input from its previous-in-line filter upstream, processes the input and outputs the processed video to its next-in-line filter downstream...
and transitions without rendering. Audio that is not in the native AIFF
AIFF
Audio Interchange File Format is an audio file format standard used for storing sound data for personal computers and other electronic audio devices...
file format needs rendering before it can be played back. RT Extreme has three modes: 'Safe', for seeing multiple video layers at a quality that more or less guarantees a smooth playback; 'Unlimited', which allows the maximum number of composited video layers to be viewed at the same time; and 'Dynamic', which alternates between these settings depending on how many simultaneous video tracks are present. Frame dropping may result from using 'Unlimited' on low-resource machines.
Boris Calligraphy
Like Final Cut Pro, Express also comes with Boris Calligraphy, a plugin for advanced titling and scrolling/crawling titles more sophisticated than the ones that can be created with the built-in title overlays. Calligraphy has a WYSIWYGWYSIWYG
WYSIWYG is an acronym for What You See Is What You Get. The term is used in computing to describe a system in which content displayed onscreen during editing appears in a form closely corresponding to its appearance when printed or displayed as a finished product...
interface and features wrapping, alignment, leading, kerning and tracking features, as well as allowing up to five custom outlines and five custom drop shadow
Drop shadow
In computer graphics, a drop shadow is a visual effect consisting of drawing that looks like the shadow of an object, giving the impression that the object is raised above the objects behind it. The drop shadow is often used for elements of a graphical user interface such as windows or menus, and...
s to be defined for a selected portion of the title.
Soundtrack
Prior to version 4, Final Cut Express included Soundtrack 1.5, a music program similar to the consumer-level GarageBandGarageBand
GarageBand is a software application for Mac OS X and iOS that allows users to create music or podcasts. It is developed by Apple Inc. as a part of the iLife software package on Mac OS X.-Audio recording:...
, but designed for videographers who wish to add music to their films. Soundtrack comes with around 4,000 professionally-recorded instrument loops and sound effects that can be arranged in multiple tracks beneath the video track.
To use Soundtrack, users export their Final Cut Express sequence, or a marked portion thereof, as a reference file, which can include scoring markers defined in the timeline. This reference file can be imported as the video track in Soundtrack.
Soundtrack is functionally and visually identical to Soundtrack Pro's multitrack editing mode, but includes fewer Logic plugins and lacks the highly regarded noise removal tool.
Soundtrack was removed from Final Cut Express 4, which lowered its price and may have encouraged people to buy Logic Express.
Criticism
- Soundtrack has been removed from the Final Cut Express Box, as well as the export feature to soundtrack.
- Final Cut Express 4's export option for Flash Video is unstable with Leopard 10.5.4 / QuickTime v7.5 (149.5).
- Minor support for 1080p.
- No native support for AVCHD and transcoding facilities (AIC) limited to files from attached cameras only
- No complete list of input file types.
- No support for 24 frame/s timeline.
- No upgrade since August 2008.
- MP3 (and other sound files) have to be rendered manually in order to show up, otherwise a 1000 Hz beep will repeat.
- No means of changing the default overwrite edit, which easily results in inadvertent deletion of clips and track material on the Timeline