I just had a great phone call with some of the Final Cut Pro X team at Apple, including Richard Townhill, director of pro video marketing at Apple, and I’m excited about the FCP X 10.0.1 update, now available for download via the Mac App Store, along with updates for Motion 5 (5.0.1 — includes dual display support and more) and Compressor 4.0.1. They are listening to us, and they care about the professional editor. This is a professional NLE app, and for me so far, it’s made my life a lot easier with organization and editing.

Some of the items in the FCP X update:

1. Xsan Support: You can store your footage AND your Events and Project files on a server (Lion does this very well), so multiple users can edit the same projects. Excellent for collaborative editing! Apple tells me this works better than Final Cut Pro 7 project files on an XSAN server.

2. XML Support: This is a big one, and it sounds great. Apple has broken up the XML export into two pieces, if you will, so you can export both Events and Projects. The metadata is more robust and comprehensive. Apple didn’t just add XML support, they made it better. You can use this to export to third-party apps, such as CatDV, and you can import an XML file from FCP X into DaVinci Resolve for color correcting and finishing. I understand that you can export a FCP 7 XML file, import it into CatDV and it will give you an XML file for FCP X, but remember, v. 10 features a sophisticated timeline, so there is no guarantee everything will be in the right spot.

3. Export audio and video stems via Roles: Much easier, more powerful and better than in FCP 7, you can use Roles to easily export audio and video stems as a single QuickTime movie, or as separate files. It’s no longer repetitive, no longer time-consuming to export certain audio and video files, etc., it’s one-pass, you choose what you want to export. Once again, Apple didn’t just add this support, they made it better and easier. I expect no less from them. You can then import these files or a multitrack QuickTime movie into third-party programs.

4. Camera input API: Camera manufacturers can now update their plug-in for FCP X when they put out a new camera. I remember waiting months or years for certain new codec support within FCP, so I could work with Sony HDV or Panasonic P2 files, etc. This is very cool!

5. GPU-accelerated export for faster exports of your projects.

6. Some other cool additions: Custom start timecode, fullscreen mode, one-step addition of transitions to connected clips (a BIG time saver), and a fully functional 30-day trial.

Apple went on the record, something they don’t ever do (or at least not too often), by promising multicamera and broadcast monitoring support next year (2012 — btw, I mentioned this back in July). Apple also reassured me that they care about the professional editors, and they are listening. Everything that’s part of this update is from listening to feedback. I want to say it again, Apple CARES about us, and that’s great!

They also published a white paper, “Final Cut Pro X for Final Cut Pro X Editors,” which I’ll link to in a bit.

Update: Jon Chappell from Digital Rebellion posts some info on the new FCPX XML feature. Definitely worth a read.

Second Update: The great Larry Jordan has a significant rundown of all the new features on his blog.