How to Learn Final Cut Pro

Learning Final Cut Pro is useful for anyone using a Mac who needs to create high quality video. Options to learn Final Cut Pro include public classes, private training, online training and books. The best ways for learning Final Cut pro depend upon the timeframe available for learning, whether there are unique requirements for any immediate video projects, and the available budget.

What is Final Cut Pro

For users working on a Mac who need to create high quality video, learning Final Cut Pro is important as it is one of the most widely used digital video tools. Final Cut Pro is a video editing application developed by Apple which runs on macOS computers such as the iMac and MacBook. Captured video from a digital camera or phone is transferred to a computer for editing using Final Cut Pro. The raw digital video footage that is imported is edited, refined, and exported using Final Cut Pro. After editing, completed video files can be exported for use in a variety of formats, such as traditional television, as a movie, or for online use, whether on a social media network, YouTube, Vimeo, or corporate video. While Apple is widely known for the computers and phones they create, they started to develop Final Cut Pro to make certain that high quality video editing applications would be available for users of their hardware, after a concern in 1999 that other software vendors may not continue to develop for the macOS. While this concern is no longer an issue, Apple continues to develop Final Cut Pro and complimentary tools for video editing and effects. The current version is also known as Final Cut Pro X.

Public classes for learning Final Cut Pro

Learning Final Cut pro in a traditional classroom setting with other students is an option for those who live in an area where courses are offered. These are Final Cut courses with a live instructor in the same classroom, and taught by expert instructors with professional experience creating videos with Final Cut, including films and commercials. For example, American Graphics Institute offers regularly scheduled public Final Cut Classes that teach students to efficiently create high-quality videos, including an introductory course, an advanced course, and a separate course for experienced editors. There are Final Cut classes available online, as well as in Boston and Philadelphia.

Learning Final Cut with private training

Private Final Cut training offers greater flexibility when learning Final Cut Pro. Sessions can focus on specific topics, can be scheduled based upon individual’s needs, and can occur either in a classroom or at a place of business. Private Final Cut courses are taught to either an individual or group of people from a single organization.

Online courses to learn Final Cut Pro

It is possible to learn Final Cut Pro without traveling, as it is possible to attend online Final Cut classes from home or office. These Final Cut courses online are led by a live instructor with whom students can communicate via a provided headset, and participants can view the instructor’s display from their monitors. If questions arise, students can also share their monitors with the instructor.

Books and videos for learning Final Cut

Many books and videos on Final Cut are readily available due to the popularity of this software. Students who choose this method can learn at their own pace without disrupting the learning process of other students. While generally a slower option for learning that doesn’t afford an opportunity to ask a live instructor, this is the lowest cost option for learning Final Cut.