More than a decade after the release of the video editor Final Cut Pro X, Apple has updated it to Final Cut Pro 11. The program includes support for AI masks, timeline subtitle generation, spatial video editing, and a number of workflow improvements. The new version is free for users of the existing one, beginners can buy it for $299; Final Cut Pro for iPad and Final Cut Camera for iPhone also received some updates.
Image source: theverge.com
Many of the new features significantly improve the video editor, writes The Verge. The speed and accuracy of the Magnetic Mask feature in the desktop version is impressive: you can select an object with one click of the mouse and continue editing only that area of the frame. The feature doesn’t work perfectly, requiring minor adjustments on the part of the user, but it’s also worth noting the speed of the process: on a MacBook Pro with an older 10-core M1 Pro chip, creating a mask for a 45-second fragment takes less than a minute—much longer than in Adobe After Effects.
An interesting innovation in Final Cut Pro 11 is the automatic generation of subtitles – it is based on a language model trained by Apple. The algorithm does not always work perfectly, but it is important that it is performed locally, without sending data to the cloud. The standard capabilities of the program do not involve stylizing subtitles – this requires plugins. But it is possible to search for a video fragment by text.
The iPad app now includes AI-powered light and color enhancements that debuted in Final Cut Pro 10.8 for Mac. In practice, it copes with its task quite effectively; the number of presets in the application has increased, the soundtrack library has been supplemented with new compositions. The tablet app now has a haptic feedback feature when working with the Apple Pencil Pro stylus; There is also support for simple touch gestures. Custom color and contrast settings (LUTs) are still missing from the iPad version.
Final Cut Camera now offers the ability to shoot HEVC video with the Apple Log color profile without having to enable the storage-hungry ProRes codec. Previewing LUT settings while recording is also supported. Finally, the application has a new level indicator – a tilt and rotation indicator, which helps you frame the shot correctly.