Is Final Cut Server Production Ready? Yes!

On June 26th, Apple released Final Cut Server 1.1, their first maintenance update, to the long awaited Final Cut Server product. After testing it for the past few weeks, I can say it is most definitely production ready.

The biggest issue that the 1.1 update addressed was the FCP “check in/check out” file feature. In the original server release, when you checked in a FCP binary file it would parse the file, digging through it to find all your timelines, bins and media. Then, it would convert that info into an .xml, link it all up and store the .xml and media in Final Cut Server’s database.
When you checked out the file, it would only be checking out the .xml file it created.

This posed two problems. First, when you went to open the .xml file in FCP, if the file had any real substance (for example a full 22min TV show or even worse a feature length production with thousands of media clips and multiple versions of timelines), it would just take forever for it to re-build that .xml file back into a FCP binary file. In my tests the original binary would open in FCP in 3 min. and yet it took almost 15 min. for the checked out .xml to open… Ughh!!

The second problem with this method was that Final Cut Server didn’t do a very good job of parsing the original binary in the first place. Consequently, the .xml it created had all kinds of problems remembering positions of video, fx and text clips. And you could just forget it if you used any kind of fx plug-ins. I found this out on the very first FCP project I put into Final Cut Server and immediately put the brakes on implementing it as a workflow in our studio.

Another concern I had with 1.0 was regarding importing or “uploading” as it is termed in Final Cut Server. If you uploaded a file and it existed on an “Edit-in-place device” Final Cut Server would add the file to its database creating a reference to its location, but not moving the original file. What I realized was that if someone accidentally deleted the file out of Final Cut Server, it would actually delete the original as well without even offering up a dialogue box asking if you really wanted to take this action. FCS is a java application and it may not seem that you are affecting original source files, but in fact you are which is why it’s so important for the software to notify you of changes.

Well, I’m happy to say my two big issues have been completely fixed as well as a few others in the 1.1 update. Final Cut Server now checks in your original FCP binary and while it still parses it to find all of the media links it thankfully leaves the binary intact, which is what the user checks out. You never have to worry about the file being modified by FCS, because it’s the same file you checked in (barring no one else has checked it out and made changes). Furthermore, now when you delete something in FCS it asks if you want to delete the “asset only” or if you want to delete the “asset and the file”.

These fixes, along with the absolutely incredible Compressor integration, makes FCS a must have for any post-production facility, regardless of its size. I can setup an automated workflow which will recompress my media, burn timecode, automatically post to my ftp and then email me and my client when it’s all finished. In an industry where time is money, and everybody needs work done “yesterday”, this kind of workflow is priceless. Final Cut Server 1.1 is amazing…positively amazing.

I will admit, setting up and configuring FCS is a bit of work, but only because it’s extremely customizable. Reading the server documentation helped, but I would fully recommend the book "Getting Started with Final Cut Server" from the Apple Pro Training Series which you can get [amazon:y9fqdt7m][/amazon:y9fqdt7m] . I’ve read it cover to cover and then some. It’s a great start to wrapping your brain around the software. All in all, I think once FCS is fully configured it would make an invaluable asset to any studio.

Reviewed by Craig Russo- Craig is a VFX Producer at 310 Studios in Burbank, CA. He also provides technical product reviews for Ani-Jobs.com.

Pricing
Final Cut Server is available [finalcutserver:y9fqdt7m][/finalcutserver:y9fqdt7m] and at Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of $999 (US) for one server and 10 concurrent client licenses, and $1,999 (US) for one server and unlimited client licenses. Full system requirements and more information on Final Cut Server can be found at Apple.com.