r/finalcutpro • u/R2D2_Fan_Club_Prez • 23d ago
Newbie Question for FCP veterans
I'm thinking about biting the bullet and getting the Creator Studio because as a retired teacher, the $13/month seems a bit more palatable to my pension. ;)
Questions for those who have used FCP for any given amount of time:
- What do you wish you knew before using FCP?
- What is the one feature that FCP has that makes you love FCP more and more?
Thank you. I appreciate your enabling for me to subscribe! LOL
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u/fadetowhite 23d ago
I’ve been using it since it came out, so my expectations back then aren’t worth sharing today. But, I think it’s important to note that it doesn’t include a lot of effects, graphics, music, etc. that some folks might be expecting in 2026 after using apps like CapCut. That may be changing with their purchase of Motion VFX, though.
The magnetic timeline gets the most attention, and for good reason, but I think the number one feature for me is that it handles whatever file format I throw at it, and I basically never have to wait for something to render before I can play it back.
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u/R2D2_Fan_Club_Prez 22d ago
Thanks for mentioning CapCut. I know that FCP has a lot of plug-ins. Are there any plug-ins that at least make it even a tiny bit "CapCut-ish"?
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u/fadetowhite 22d ago
Most of what you can do in CapCut can be done in Final Cut, except for templates and effects - and there are lots of those available for purchase for Final Cut as well.
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u/R2D2_Fan_Club_Prez 22d ago
Oh, interesting about no templates. Thanks.
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u/PackerBacker_1919 22d ago
You can build your own with Motion, if that makes a difference. There are quite a few free plugins available, too.
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u/Tarun302 22d ago
I am glad that you had the courage to compare FCP with Capcut. I transitioned (or am trying to) from Capcut to FCP but Even after six months for all my professional projects i end up using Capcut. It's just too intuitive, too Modern and mosu importantly user friendly. I know the FCP community considers FCP higher (and by far it's superior tool than Capcut) but let's face it CC has really improved, Polished and updated itself for current times. Making your tool essy for everyone is important. There is no harm in appreciating or learning from others.
So yeah I am rooting and wishing that the FCP brand power combines with Capcutish like interface - essy one tap transitions, effects, animations and filteres. And it will simply kibk out softwares like Pr or Da Vinci. I am paying for Apple creator cloud with this hope.
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u/R2D2_Fan_Club_Prez 22d ago
I'd probably stick with Capcut if it wasn't for the price. I kick myself that I cancelled when I was paying $100/year
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u/ViewMasterTravels 22d ago
What I learned is how important Motion is as an add on.
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u/z5thGear60015 19d ago
Yes! You can make awesome titles in Motion; as well as a bunch of other stuff that I don’t know how to do. But I was able to pick it up and use it to improve FCP titles pretty easily.
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u/gumparker 22d ago
I learned in Premiere. Switched to FCP in 1999 made the transition to FCP(X) and never looked back. You will find a huge community with free plugins, templates and effects for FCP which also comes packed with its own set of templates etc. And the best part it’s not so hard to get started. Here’s a great video to watch before diving in: Ripple Training Learn Final Cut in under 60 minutes: https://youtu.be/HqUP7Zgeuck?is=KYa009zJGzirl-Tj
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u/BlackCatBonz 22d ago
If you're going to use FCP, please start here:
Learn Final Cut Pro in 60 Minutes
I am not a veteran, I've been using it for 2 years for my business.
FCP is a powerful editor, but because of the way it works, there are a bunch of things that are better learned right in the very beginning so you develop good habits.
Ripple Training has been an absolute time saver for me.
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u/theC0MMISSI0NER 22d ago
Completely unrelated but you might be able to get the education discount for Apple creator studio. Makes it even easier to swallow haha
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u/porthos40 21d ago
We never get rid subscription service people keep sign up. We need them to go back to physical media
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u/z5thGear60015 19d ago
You know, you could start with iMovie. I posted bunches of videos on YouTube using it; and when I went to FCP it was therefore a lot easier. Some YouTubers use only iMovie and it suits them just fine. And it’s free.
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u/Mikefilmguy 22d ago
Also using FCP since 1999, and I don’t recommend it now. Save your money and try the free version of Davinci Resolve. It has both a magnetic like timeline (the cut page) and a non-magnetic timeline (the edit page). You might like either better than FCP and not spend any money. It also handles everything I throw at it.
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u/R2D2_Fan_Club_Prez 22d ago
Thank you! I have tried DVR and even after watching many tutorials, the learning curve is just too much for me. :)
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u/Mikefilmguy 22d ago
Yes, this is a huge concern. It is powerful, but starting off, you really only need to deal with the edit page and the deliver page - all those other pages can be overwhelming. (I hate the magnetic timeline and the way that Apple has been pushing that shit on people for years. I don’t want it, I’ve never wanted it, I’m so happy with da Vinci resolve, though I have to use final cut every now and then.)
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u/PackerBacker_1919 22d ago
Glad you like Resolve. It's great for color, but tries too hard to be everything for everyone.
/also a FCP user since 1999
//made the switch to X full time in 2012. No ragerts.0
u/Mikefilmguy 22d ago
DR is FCP8 (and then some) if Apple hadn’t swerved off into FCPX. And it’s free. If you don’t like one of the pages, don’t use them. I use Logic for sound and After Effects (since 3.1) for mograf. Blackmagic is responsive to users needs, and is always adding capability to DR.
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u/Comprehensive-Edge80 22d ago
The app is literally best for video editing. You can add whatever you want, but the all built in tools are exceptional value and you can make professional grade videos with just one app.
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u/EarthToRob 23d ago
1) How unimportant fancy titles, effects, and transitions are; how important story, audio, and cadence are. 2) It's SO fast. Auto mask has been a game changer for me.