Behind the Final Cut

Brad West
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  • Film Interviews
  • Updated Monthly

Behind the Final Cut is your monthly deep dive podcast into the art and craft of video editing with Final Cut Pro. We interview professional editors and creators to go behind the timeline, breaking down real-world workflows, editing techniques, and post-production secrets.

Episodes

  1. 6d ago

    Ep 2: Something Big Is Happening to Final Cut Pro with Dylan Bates (The Final Cut Bro)

    For episode 2 of Behind the Final Cut, I sat down with Dylan Bates, better known as The Final Cut Bro. Dylan started editing at nine, bought his first copy of Final Cut Pro X with every iTunes gift card in Walmart, and grew up on film sets with Hollywood veterans. He went from a church admin job to editing a weekly show, then quit a new job on its first day to go all in on YouTube. Today he's an Apple Certified Instructor for Final Cut Pro and Motion, and the developer behind plugins like Pro Zooms and Pro Subtitles. The first half is about Motion, pitched at editors who have never opened it: why it feels foreign at first, the first project Dylan says you should build, and the tools he has built in it since. From there it moves to the companion apps he now makes for Final Cut Pro (DropHawk Pro included) and the one app he still wishes existed. Then the news. Apple bought MotionVFX, and Dylan gives his estimate of when that work actually shows up in Final Cut. He and I weigh Creator Studio against a one-time purchase (Dylan despises subscriptions, and still calls it the best deal on the market unless you already own the apps), ask whether a subscription gets editors better features, and work out why Resolve's update lists look so much longer than Final Cut's. Guest: Dylan Bates, The Final Cut Bro Website: https://thefinalcutbro.com YouTube: https://youtube.com/thefinalcutbro Watch the video version: https://youtu.be/vxEHsdL5rEU Brad West: https://bradwestmedia.com 00:00 - Introduction 01:11 - Dylan’s Journey: Editing Since Age 9 03:47 - Growing Up on Film Sets With Hollywood Veterans 05:21 - From Church Admin to Weekly Video Editor 06:55 - Quitting His Job on Day One for YouTube 08:51 - What Hollywood Sets Taught Him About Editing 10:31 - The Final Cut Pro Tools Dylan Uses Most 11:35 - Why Dylan Won’t Leave Final Cut Pro 12:22 - Moving from Final Cut Pro 7 to FCP X 13:01 - What Final Cut Pro Gets Wrong About Audio 14:53 - How to Get Started in Motion 16:18 - The First Motion Project You Should Build 18:07 - Dylan’s Favorite Tools He Has Built in Motion 21:01 - Building Companion Apps for Final Cut Pro 24:01 - The Final Cut Pro Companion App Dylan Wishes Existed 25:14 - Inside His Motion Masterclass 27:20 - Do Apple Certifications Matter? 29:18 - Why Your Work Matters More Than Your Qualifications 30:48 - The #1 Habit Every Editor Should Adopt 32:08 - Apple Bought MotionVFX: What Happens Next 35:11 - Creator Studio vs One-Time Purchase 37:45 - Will a FCP Subscription Get Us Better Features? 39:20 - Final Cut Pro vs DaVinci Resolve Updates 41:22 - Is Final Cut Pro Finally Catching Up? 42:44 - Life Outside Final Cut Pro 44:31 - Where to Find Dylan 45:02 - Previous Guest Question: The Future of Video Editing

  2. Sep 3

    Ep 1: The Future of Video Editing (And How AI Changes Everything) with Matthew O'Brien

    For episode 1 of Behind the Final Cut, I sat down with Matthew O'Brien, an editor and Final Cut Pro coach who has handled high-stakes live show content, J-Lo included, where getting it wrong isn't an option. Most of our conversation is about where editing goes next. Matthew has a clear prediction for how we'll work with editing software ten years from now, and I push him on where it breaks. We also get into the one thing he doesn't think AI can replace, and the dark side of all of it. Along the way: what Apple buying MotionVFX means for the creators who built a business around it, the feature Final Cut Pro needs most, the biggest file management mistake Matthew sees, and the simplest way to actually learn keyboard shortcuts. Guest: Matthew O'Brien Website: https://matthewobrien.co YouTube: https://youtube.com/@matthewTobrien Watch the video version: https://youtu.be/LPv_5TPOTc8 Brad West: https://bradwestmedia.com 00:00 Introduction 00:59 Matthew's Journey as a Video Editor 02:59 Apple Bought MotionVFX: What It Means 07:05 The Big Problem With Editing Subscriptions 09:18 The #1 Feature Final Cut Pro Needs 12:27 Film Emulation & Better Color Grading 14:00 Upgrading Final Cut's Color Tools 14:52 How AI Will Change Video Editing 18:11 The Dark Side of AI 20:24 Matthew's Go-To Plugins & Audio Tools 21:32 The Underrated App Every Editor Needs 22:34 The Biggest File Management Mistake 25:09 High-Stakes Editing for J-Lo & Live Shows 29:16 Essential Advice for Beginner Editors 32:23 Advice for Advanced Editors to Stay in the Flow 34:25 What AI Editing Tools Can't Replace 36:02 The #1 Habit to Speed Up Your Edits 37:38 The Most Important Skill Outside Editing 39:52 Nightmare Clients & The "Client Button" 43:54 Creative Outlets Beyond Video Editing

  • 2 Episodes

About

Behind the Final Cut is your monthly deep dive podcast into the art and craft of video editing with Final Cut Pro. We interview professional editors and creators to go behind the timeline, breaking down real-world workflows, editing techniques, and post-production secrets.

Information

  • Creator
    Brad West
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    2
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Brad West
  • Show Website
    Behind the Final Cut

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