With a press release, OpenAI announced the closure of Sora, the generative artificial intelligence tool that allowed creating video clips from text and promised to “revolutionize film production.” At the same time, Disney cancelled a one-billion-dollar investment specifically on Sora.

Sure, there are still VEO3, Runway ML, Seedance, or LTX Studio on the market, but this could be good news for those who believe the human touch in storytelling is still fundamental.

SometAImes it can be useful in Filmmaking

I recognize that tools like Stable Diffusion, Z-Image, or Midjourney can be useful in the early phases of creating a moodboard, but personally I prefer to privilege platforms like Frameset or Shotdeck in the pre-production phase. Text-to-image tools are the last resort since I prefer to prioritize authenticity above all else. And in any case, it’s better to work with a concept artist than with Draw Things or the defunct Invoke AI.

It’s a different story for AI-powered tools like Magic Mask in DaVinci Resolve and Magnetic Mask in Final Cut, or transcription functions that help me do faster what I was already doing myself.

Audience Perception of ‘AI Filmmaking’

Some time ago, a Baringa survey caught my attention in which it emerged that 52% of respondents would prefer to watch a film, perhaps imperfect, but created by humans rather than one technically flawless but created by AI. And the percentage rises to 57% among Gen Z (born between 1998 and 2008), who theoretically should be the preferred target of big tech investing in AI.

Moreover, almost all respondents agreed that AI content must be explicitly labeled, and this, in an era of deepfakes and reality alteration, is a significant data point.

If the public prefers human imperfection, why does the industry keep pushing AI? Perhaps because the economic discourse is more complex than it seems.

“If you don’t use Generative AI, you’ll be left behind.” They said.

I never bought this concept. For me, it’s exactly the opposite: delegating everything to a dataset in a sense ‘atrophies creativity’ and becomes an obstacle to improving as creatives.

Furthermore, the excitement that comes from creating is missing: at one point I played around with Stable Diffusion locally (I prefer to avoid cloud-based tools as much as possible) and often got good results, but I wasn’t creating anything and I knew that was nothing more than a ‘puzzle’ made from other artists’ work who might not have authorized the use of their material to train various AI models. Sure, nice to look at but without real meaning and going out and shoot it’s way better.

Image Rights and Ethical Dilemma in Filmmaking

Recently I read that Val Kilmer will ‘act’ in a film for which he had been hired but to which he couldn’t participate due to his passing. His image and voice will be reconstructed by AI and his heirs will receive compensation for the ‘performance’.

This creates a precedent that could change the perception of AI use in audiovisual media: actors will ask for higher and higher compensation to grant their image rights, and this could make AI use less profitable than one might think.

Image rights protection obviously also applies to ordinary citizens: a normal person who recognizes themselves in a commercial or fiction product created by AI can rightfully claim image rights, so AI filmmaking could become too expensive to be sustainable, besides generating a series of ethical questions. So, hire real actors and actresses.

This creates a precedent: if today we pay Val Kilmer’s heirs, what happens tomorrow when an ordinary citizen recognizes themselves in an AI commercial? Image rights could become a prohibitive cost for the entire sector.

AI’s Environmental Impact: Is It Really Worth It?

It’s known that data centers managing the clouds on which various AI models run produce emissions in the air, require a lot of storage (in fact SSD prices are rising) and need water for cooling processes necessary to prevent machines from overheating.

In this sense, news that a data center built in Uruguay limited drinking water supplies for residents in surrounding areas made headlines.

Is it worth it? Is this what we should ‘embrace’? Can innovation be defined as such when it benefits the community, otherwise it’s just technological progress that advantages a narrow elite. Is the priority really to produce images and videos with AI instead of using it to help research for curing autoimmune diseases, find innovative solutions to preserve the environment, or address the housing emergency? I don’t think so.

What to Really “Embrace”.

There’s a difference between creating and generating. Between telling and producing.

The closure of Sora made me think about all the hours spent shooting, editing, making mistakes and correcting. About those stories that maybe no one will ever see, except me. And about those that instead, for some reason, touch someone.

Preserving the genuineness of storytelling means choosing to be present. To go out with the camera. To sit in front of Final Cut Pro or DaVinci Resolve and see your story take shape, little by little.

This is my approach. If you want to see it in action, my portfolio is here: https://www.michelangelotorres.net.

Installing Post Haste

Post Haste is a small, free program that create folder structure for our projects, to download visiting: www.digitalrebellion.com/posthaste

Download the version for your operating system, install it, and open the app. From the main screen, click “New Template” to create the folder structure for your documentary. Let’s name this template: “Short Documentary”.

Building the folder structure

Click the + icon to add new folders.

Interviews

1. 01 Interview Cam A Contains footage recorded with your main camera.
2. 02 Interview Cam B For footage captured with your secondary camera.
3. 03 Audio Store all audio files recorded with external microphones or audio recorders. If you use a separate audio source, this folder is essential.

B‑roll

4. 04 B-roll Wide – Wide shots
5. 05 B-roll Medium – Medium shots
6. 06 B-roll Close – Close-ups

Additional assets

7. 07 Music – All music tracks used in the project
8. 08 Graphics – Logos, titles, motion graphics, and other visual elements

These are the folders you’ll import directly into your editing software. The numbering helps maintain a clear and logical order.

Supporting folders (equally important!)

These folders won’t go into your timeline, but they’re crucial for a professional workflow.

Backups and versions

• Daily XML Save XML backups here at the end of each editing session. Tip: keep one copy on an external drive and another in the cloud.
• Edit Drafts All work‑in‑progress edits to send to clients for review.

DaVinci Resolve workflow

If you’re doing color grading in Resolve, add:

• To Resolve XML files exported from Final Cut or Premiere.
• From Resolve XML files exported from Resolve to bring the project back into your editing software.

If you work exclusively in Resolve, you can skip these.

Final versions

• Grading Drafts Graded versions to share with clients before the final export.
• Final Export Store your master file here (e.g., ProRes 422 or 4444) and any additional versions required.

Useful extras

• Subtitles Especially helpful if you’re working in multiple languages.
• Legal Release forms, location permits, contracts, and any documents to share with producers or clients.

Creating your project

Return to the Post Haste home screen and click “New Project”. Fill in the fields: client name, project date, project title. Select the “Short Documentary” template, choose a destination (an external drive is recommended), and click “Create”.

Within seconds, you’ll have a perfectly organized folder structure ready for efficient and stress‑free editing.

NIKON ZR: A POCKET-SIZED RED?

I had already written about Nikon’s acquisition of RED Digital Cinema, and there was widespread curiosity about the direction the Japanese giant would take in professional video. The new Nikon ZR seems to provide a clear answer.

The supported codecs speak for themselves: ProRes, ProRes RAW, N-RAW (Nikon’s proprietary codec), RED RAW NE (Nikon Edition), an optimized version of Redcode RAW.

If the RED Komodo brought the RED workflow to a wider audience, the ZR takes it even further, into the pockets of independent filmmakers, thanks to its dimensions of just 134 × 100.5 × 72 mm and a weight of 630 g.
And the price? Just over €2,000, a bold challenge to Sony FX3 and Panasonic S1 II .

FUJIFILM GFX ETERNA 55: THE LEAP INTO CINEMA

After years of progress (think XH2s and GFX 100 II) Fujifilm takes a major step with the GFX ETERNA 55. The inspiration is the Arri Alexa 65. Fuji added its own innovations. The new F-Log 2C profile is designed specifically for filmmakers.
At around €17,000, Fujifilm brings medium-format cinematography to a wider audience than ever before.

CANON C50: THE LITTLE SISTER AIMING HIGH

Presented as the successor to the R5C and the little sister of the C70, the Canon C50 directly challenges the Sony FX3.
Key features include: Internal RAW, OpenGate 3:2

The price around €3,400 surely appeals to both indie filmmakers and those already working in a Canon pipeline.

BLACKMAGIC AND THE PRORES RAW MOVE

With a surprising move, Blackmagic Design added ProRes RAW support to DaVinci Resolve Studio and the Pocket Cinema Camera 4K.

This news excites several groups of users, for example: editors who use Final Cut Pro but color grade in DaVinci Resolve, videographers using Atomos Ninja V who want to integrate Resolve, Pocket 4K users, who can now work more smoothly with Apple codecs

The move has multiple goals: relaunching the Pocket 4K, pressuring Atomos, and limiting Baselight’s growth. Traditionally for high-end productions, Baselight is gaining popularity among indie filmmakers. This is thanks to more YouTube tutorials and recent support for the Dehancer plugin, loved for film emulation.

Looking ahead, it’s important to note that ProRes RAW is an Apple proprietary codec. If upcoming iPhone Pro models integrate it natively, a closer collaboration between Cupertino and Blackmagic wouldn’t be surprising, a sort of favor exchange that could finally lead to BRAW support in Final Cut Pro.

CONCLUSION

While Nikon, Canon, and Fujifilm raised the bar in hardware, the real challenge is increasingly about codecs. ProRes RAW, BRAW, N-RAW, and RED RAW NE define future workflows.
The good news? Even small creative teams can benefit today.

In recent years, Final Cut Pro seems to have stalled. Updates are rare, innovation is scarce, and the software has lost the creative momentum that once made it a benchmark for professional editors.Still, that doesn’t mean the story is over. The potential is there, waiting.
If Apple chose to invest with intent and clarity, we could witness the rise of a complete, fluid, and integrated ecosystem. One that speaks to editors, VFX artists, sound designers, and colorists alike.
That’s why this article goes beyond a wishlist. It’s a concrete vision of what Final Cut Pro should become by 2026 not just to survive, but to lead.

Final Cut Pro: The Creative Hub

Apple has introduced automatic transcription, which is useful for documentaries and subtitles. But we’re still far behind tools like Descript or DaVinci Resolve, which allow text-based editing, multilingual translation, and flexible formatting.
We need a leap forward: more languages, richer formatting options, and integrated text editing. A system that lets you move from spoken word to final cut with ease.

iCloud as the New Frame.io

Anyone working remotely knows how essential Frame.io  is. But Apple already has the tools to build a native alternative, powered by iCloud, with timeline comments, automatic versioning, and real-time sync.
A collaborative system designed for remote editors who want to stay within the Apple ecosystem.

Native ARRIRAW Support, Please

Final Cut Pro supports ProRes RAW and Redcode RAW (via plugins), but not ARRIRAW. Yet ARRI has released its SDK and doesn’t oppose integration.
Color Finale Transcoder is a great workaround, even for Blackmagic’s BRAW, which isn’t natively supported for obvious reasons. But native support for more professional codecs would send a strong signal from Apple.

Color Grading: Final Cut Needs to Evolve

We don’t need a new app. We need Final Cut Pro to integrate advanced color grading tools that can compete with external solutions.
That means new color wheels (including HDR), ACES support, accurate Color Space Transform, and AI-powered auto-balancing. These tools shouldn’t replace third-party plugins, but offer a solid, professional foundation for those who want to stay inside Final Cut’s ecosystem.

Better iPad Integration

Final Cut Pro for iPad was a welcome surprise. It marked a step forward, but one that still feels isolated.
Now imagine starting a project on iPad and continuing seamlessly on a MacBook Pro, Mac mini, or Studio via iCloud—just like you already do with Pages or GarageBand. That kind of continuity isn’t just convenient. It’s essential.
A frictionless, interruption-free workflow would let creators move between devices with the same fluidity, wherever they are. It’s the kind of experience that empowers creativity, not limits it.

Logic Pro: Closer to Sound Design

Logic Pro has always been the playground of music producers. But it has the potential to become a go-to tool for sound editors as well.
To make that leap, Apple could introduce advanced audio routing support for ambisonics and spatial audio, film-oriented sound design plugins, and libraries for foley and ambiences. These additions would open the door to a broader userbase beyond music production.
At the same time, Final Cut Pro should evolve in parallel. It needs streamlined tools for quick audio mixing, especially for lighter content like IG Stories, TikTok posts, or branded videos.
Not every project requires studio-level post-production, but every project deserves polished sound. For this reason, Apple should make the audio workflow more accessible and deeply integrated.

Motion: From Plugin Engine to VFX Platform

I like Motion. It’s powerful, but often underrated. Its 3D handling is solid, the layer-based workflow is intuitive, and its plugin creation for Final Cut Pro is a major strength.
The next step? Make it appealing to VFX artists and motion designers. Let it compete with tools like Houdini, without losing its lightness.
With expanded simulation capabilities, particle systems, and AI-powered procedural animation, Motion could become a true creative lab for those working across graphics, effects, and visual interfaces. It doesn’t need to become After Effects. It needs to become Motion at its full potential.

Apple Music: Licensing and Voice-Over Integration in Final Cut Pro

Music is one of the trickiest choices in editing. It’s not just about finding the right track — it’s about knowing if you can use it, where, how, and under what license.
Imagine a native Apple Music extension inside Final Cut Pro. A dedicated window where you can search, preview, and license tracks based on usage: YouTube, broadcast, streaming, cinema.

Each track would clearly show:

• License type
• Cost
• Territorial restrictions
• Project compatibility

All integrated into the editing panel. No need to leave the app or rely on external platforms.

Protected Previews. Before purchase, tracks would be available only in watermarked versions — with a subtle but recognizable audio watermark. Alternatively, a secure playback system could prevent extraction.
This way, you can edit and test your project risk-free, and finalize the purchase only when you’re confident in your choice

Professional Voice-Overs. Final Cut could include an internal marketplace for professional voice talent. You could choose based on:

• Preview
• Narrative style
• Language
• Accent

Again, voices would be available in protected demo versions, with watermark or usage limitations until the license is purchased.

Royalty-Based Licensing. Once selected, the voice could be licensed via a royalty-based system. Every time the voice is used, the artist receives a share, not a one-time fee, but a fair and sustainable model.

Multilingual Voice Cloning. Alternatively, you could clone your own voice and translate it into other languages, preserving tone, rhythm, and intent. Similar to platforms like ElevenLabs.

Pitching to Apple TV+ via Compressor

Imagine exporting a Final Cut Pro project using a dedicated Compressor preset optimized for Apple TV+ technical standards and submitting it directly to Apple TV+ through a platform designed for filmmakers, directors, and indie producers.

This platform could include structured submission tools for pilots, shorts, or features. A professional profile, let’s call it Apple Studio Profile, could offer dashboards, analytics, and editorial tools to track proposal status.
It doesn’t exist yet, but it would fit perfectly into Apple’s strategy. Just look at App Store Connect for developers, Apple Music for Artists, and Apple Podcasts Submissions.
A similar portal for audiovisual creators wouldn’t just democratize distribution, it could unlock a new wave of original content. Today, many ideas are blocked by editorial barriers and gatekeeping. This would be a direct bridge between creativity and distribution, where Final Cut isn’t just an editing tool, but a gateway to the industry.

Conclusion: The Future of Final Cut Pro Isn’t Waited For. It’s Built

Final Cut Pro still has the potential to be the heart of a modern creative pipeline. I use it daily it’s my companion at work, as you can see on my portfolio. But to thrive, it needs courage. It needs listening. It needs the spark that once made Apple the brand for creators.
By 2026, updates won’t be enough. Creators want tools that speak their language, anticipate their needs, and remove friction.
Apple has the tech, the ecosystem, the community. Now it must choose: lead the creative revolution—or watch the market move on. Because the future of post-production isn’t built with patches. It’s built with vision.

Negli ultimi anni, Final Cut Pro sembra essersi fermato. Gli aggiornamenti sono rari, le innovazioni scarse. Il software ha perso quella spinta creativa che lo rendeva un riferimento per i professionisti. Eppure, le potenzialità ci sono tutte.
Se Apple decidesse di investire davvero, potremmo trovarci davanti a un ecosistema completo, fluido e integrato, appetibile per montatori, VFX artist, sound editor e colorist.

Questo articolo non è solo una lista di desideri. È una visione concreta di ciò che Final Cut Pro dovrebbe diventare nel 2026.

Final Cut Pro: il centro operativo

Apple ha introdotto la trascrizione automatica, utile per documentari e sottotitoli. Ma siamo lontani da strumenti come Descript o DaVinci Resolve, che permettono di editare dal testo, tradurre e formattare con facilità. Serve un salto di qualità: più lingue, più opzioni di formattazione, editing testuale integrato. Un sistema che permetta di passare dal parlato al montato con naturalezza.

iCloud come nuovo Frame.io

Chi lavora in remoto lo sa: Frame.io  è fondamentale. Ma Apple ha già i mezzi per creare un’alternativa nativa, basata su iCloud, con commenti in timeline, versioning automatico e sincronizzazione in tempo reale. 

Un sistema collaborativo integrato, pensato per chi monta a distanza ma vuole rimanere dentro l’ecosistema Apple.

Compatibilità con ARRIRAW, per favore

Final Cut Pro supporta ProRes RAW e Redcode RAW (tramite plugin), ma non ARRIRAW. Eppure, ARRI ha rilasciato il suo SDK e non si oppone all’integrazione. Color Finale Transcoder è un’ottima soluzione, anche per il Braw di Blackmagic che, per ovvi motivi, non viene sopportato nativamente, ma poter lavorare nativamente con sempre più codec professionali sarebbe un bel segnale da parte di Apple.

Color grading: serve un’evoluzione interna a Final Cut Pro

Non serve un nuovo software. Serve che Final Cut Pro integri strumenti avanzati per il color grading, capaci di competere con le soluzioni esterne. Servono nuove color wheels (anche HDR), supporto ad ACES, trasformazioni flessibili e AI per il bilanciamento. Sarebbero passi fondamentali. Questi strumenti non devono sostituire i plugin di terze parti, ma offrire una base solida e professionale per chi vuole lavorare direttamente dentro Final Cut, senza dover uscire dal suo ecosistema.

Maggiore integrazione con iPad

Final Cut Pro per iPad è stata una bella novità, ma ancora troppo isolata. Sarebbe davvero interessante poter iniziare un progetto su iPad e continuarlo su MacBook Pro (o Mac mini/Studio) grazie a iCloud, come già succede con Pages o GarageBand? Un flusso continuo, senza interruzioni, che permetta di lavorare ovunque con la stessa fluidità.

Logic Pro: più vicino al mondo del sound design

Logic Pro è da sempre il regno dei producer musicali, ma potrebbe diventare anche uno strumento di riferimento per i sound editor. Con l’introduzione di routing audio più avanzato, supporto per ambisonics e spatial audio, plugin dedicati al sound design filmico, e librerie per foley e ambienti, Logic potrebbe aprirsi a una nuova fascia di utenti. 

Parallelamente, Final Cut Pro dovrebbe offrire strumenti snelli per un mix audio veloce, pensati per contenuti meno impegnativi come IG Stories, TikTok o branded content. Non tutti i progetti richiedono una post audio da studio, ma tutti meritano una resa sonora curata e Apple ha le risorse per rendere questo processo accessibile e integrato.

Motion: da plugin engine a piattaforma VFX

Mi piace tantissimo Motion, è uno strumento potente, ma spesso sottovalutato. La sua gestione 3D è solida, la modalità a livelli funziona bene, e la creazione di plugin per Final Cut Pro è uno dei suoi punti di forza. Il passo successivo? Renderlo appetibile anche per VFX artist e motion designer, portandolo a competere con software come Houdini (in ambito VFX), senza perdere la sua leggerezza. 

Con un’espansione delle capacità di simulazione, gestione particellare, e strumenti AI per animazioni procedurali, Motion potrebbe diventare un vero e proprio laboratorio creativo per chi lavora tra grafica, effetti e interfacce visive, non deve diventare After Effects, deve diventare Motion al suo massimo potenziale.

Apple Music: licenze musicali e voice-over integrati in Final Cut Pro

La musica è una delle scelte più delicate nel montaggio. Non basta trovare il brano giusto: serve capire se è utilizzabile, dove, come e con quale licenza.Sarebbe interessante avere a disposizione un’estensione nativa di Apple Music dentro Final Cut Pro. Una finestra dedicata per cercare, ascoltare e acquistare tracce musicali in base alla destinazione d’uso: YouTube, broadcast, streaming, cinema.

Ogni brano mostrerebbe:

• tipo di licenza disponibile
• costo
• restrizioni territoriali
• compatibilità con il progetto

Tutto integrato nel pannello di editing. Nessun bisogno di uscire dall’app o usare piattaforme esterne.

Preview Protette. Prima dell’acquisto, le tracce sarebbero disponibili solo in versione “watermarked”. Il watermark audio sarebbe discreto ma riconoscibile. In alternativa, si potrebbe usare un sistema di playback criptato per impedire l’estrazione.

Così puoi montare e testare il tuo progetto senza rischi. E acquistare la traccia solo quando sei sicuro della scelta.

Voice Over professionali. Final Cut potrebbe includere un marketplace interno per voci professionali. Potresti scegliere tra:

• preview
• stili narrativi
• lingue
• accenti

Anche qui, le voci sarebbero disponibili in versione demo protetta. Il watermark vocale o le limitazioni d’uso resterebbero attive fino all’acquisto della licenza.

Licenza royalty-based. Una volta selezionata la voce, potresti acquistare l’uso tramite licenza royalty-based. Ogni volta che la voce viene utilizzata, l’artista riceve una quota. Non un pagamento una tantum, ma un sistema equo e sostenibile.

Clonazione vocale multilingua. In alternativa, potresti clonare la tua voce e tradurla automaticamente in altre lingue. Il sistema manterrebbe tono, ritmo e intenzione. Un po’ come avviene su piattaforme come ElevenLabs.

Pitch per Apple TV+ tramite compressor

Sarebbe davvero interessante poter esportare un progetto da Final Cut Pro attraverso un preset dedicato in Compressor che potrebbe ottimizzare i file secondo gli standard tecnici richiesti da Apple TV+ e con la possibilità di proporlo direttamente ad Apple TV+ attraverso una piattaforma pensata per filmmaker, registi e produttori indipendenti, dove presentare pilot, cortometraggi o lungometraggi in modo strutturato e professionale, mentre un profilo professionale, chiamiamolo Apple Studio Profile, potrebbe offrire dashboard, analytics, e strumenti editoriali per monitorare lo stato delle proposte. 

Non esiste ancora, ma sarebbe perfettamente coerente con la strategia Apple: basti pensare a App Store Connect per gli sviluppatori, Apple Music for Artists per i musicisti, e Apple Podcasts Submissions per i podcaster.

Un portale simile per il mondo audiovisivo non solo democratizzerebbe l’accesso alla distribuzione, ma potrebbe anche sbloccare una nuova generazione di contenuti originali, oggi bloccati da barriere editoriali e da una filiera che spesso premia solo chi ha già accesso, diventando ponte diretto tra creatività e distribuzione, dove Final Cut non è solo uno strumento di montaggio, ma una porta d’accesso all’industria.

Conclusione: il futuro non si aspetta, si costruisce

Final Cut Pro ha ancora il potenziale per essere il cuore pulsante di una pipeline creativa moderna, fluida e integrata.

Lo dico da fruitore, poiché lo uso quotidianamente per i miei lavori. Ma serve coraggio. Serve ascolto. Serve quella scintilla che ha reso Apple il punto di riferimento per chi crea.

Nel 2026 non basterà più aggiornare un codec o aggiungere un filtro. I creativi chiedono strumenti che parlino la loro lingua, che anticipino i loro bisogni, che li aiutino a raccontare storie con più libertà e meno frizioni.

Apple ha già tutto: tecnologia, ecosistema, community. Ora deve scegliere: guidare l’innovazione o restare spettatrice.

Perché il futuro della post-produzione non si scrive con patch e plugin. Si scrive con visione.