SOHO EDITORS FCP EXPO at IBC: Final Cut Pro X, across the world

Right, so this year we’re gonna show Final Cut Pro X at IBC”, announced Brian Cantwell, Managing Director of Soho Editors, to our busy office early one mid-August morning. Imagine John Landis’ Trading Places scene when the trading floor is waiting for the final orange juice numbers. Pop in the capsule, cup under the dispenser and watch the caffeine run free.

Over the next 5 weeks, our training team researched, scheduled, pencilled, and debated (argued) all things Final Cut Pro X. We wanted to show everyone just how much Apple’s NLE editor was plugged into the international post production industry. Though, after the first week we realised FCPX’s support stretched much deeper than the rabbit hole that we knew.

Did you know Final Cut Pro X has a place in the world of virtual reality, or that it has the ability to digest 4K media faster than a thought? The number of new workflows utilising FCPX is so immense, there are more than you can stake a shick at. It was difficult to choose which partners to work with from so many, but we knew which ones we needed to share. With the likes of AJA’s 4K and UltraHD hardware, Blackmagic’s UHD & FCPX workflows, Tim Dashwood’s FCPX Stereoscopic 360VR plugins and Frame.IO’s cloud based project viewer that reaches to users across the world, just to name a few, our collective would make Bond villains blush.

We partnered up with a few companies including the US based FCPWORKS and founders Noah Kadner & Monica Reina. Together, we created the FCP EXPO in Amsterdam alongside IBC. Our aim: to let the international community know the true depth of Apple’s Final Cut Pro X.

With keynote presentations in hand, and backup drives at the ready, we were excited as the clock ticked down from 4 weeks to 2! Then, suddenly, it was on our doorstep, knocking frantically. We were confident, though. It was 35 days of continuous planning and cooperation from all parties that we knew it was going to go well. It went better than expected.

With the coffee still flowing, it was Saturday morning in Amsterdam, and all the partners dressed in their office best and were rearing to go. Our post production family grew and included Softron’s multicamera onset solutions and FxFactory’s newest plugins for Final Cut Pro X. We had special guest speakers such as Editor Thomas Carter and why Final Cut Pro X is his NLE of choice, Metronome’s Ronny Courtens showing their workgroup environment and Oliver Holtkamp, primetime TV editor, discussing just how powerful Final Cut Pro X is with the right hardware. Even Apple themselves joined us and kicked each day off with the first presentation . . . and they hardly ever talk to the public.

The two full days of presentations had an excellent turnout as many ventured the short walk from the RAI to join us. Our very own Alex Snelling and Rory Cantwell demo’d tips and tricks of Final Cut Pro X, and Motion, to the growing crowd throughout the weekend; standing room only by 3pm.

It was a successful weekend, and very informative, even for our training team. To top it all off, the most rewarding part was having many talented people from all over the world in one room attending our FCP EXPO. Not just our presenters and partners, but also our audience. From the industries as far east as Japan, to the sunny surfing climes of west coast USA, we had an array of skill sets present. From technical editors to producers and cinematographers, all were interested to see what Final Cut Pro X had to offer their workflow, and they did not leave disappointed.

After the 5 week deadline and delivery, we were pleased with the end result. We had packed 3 months’ worth of planning into a short period and, just as we were for the first day of the FCP EXPO, we were excited to close the last box full of cables and flyers. At the end, our partners and trainers milled about chatting with stragglers about their presentations. Some even skipped off to continue their discussions at the IBC parties of the night. However, we were ready for our beds, and finally found the chance to switch up our coffee mugs for merry pints, and take that deep breath of calm at the end of Sunday.

We have always known that Final Cut Pro X was making its way across all the big post houses around the world, and this event has shown us really how far it has come, and its real potential. There may be naysayers out there ready to shoot down any argument in defence of their preferred editor, but all we have to say to them is, regardless of their position or skill set, “just give it a try”. One more flat white, please!

Author: Amanda MK Caldeira - Soho Editors Training Manager