Creative Workflow Roundup: Final Cut Pro’s AI Updates, Ben Affleck on AI in Film, ElevenLabs Enhancements, AI-Powered Social Media, and More!
In This Week’s Roundup: Apple’s Final Cut Pro 11 gets AI-powered features, Ben Affleck weighs in on AI’s impact on acting and filmmaking, ElevenLabs refines its audio production workflow, and Rowan Cheung shares how his AI avatar redefined social media content creation. Plus, even more AI news!
Final Cut Pro 11 and Logic Pro Updates: AI Features and Workflow Enhancements
The News: Apple's Final Cut Pro (and Logic Pro) updates deliver significant improvements for producers. Final Cut Pro 11 for Mac introduces features like AI-powered Magnetic Mask for quick subject isolation and support for spatial video editing. Magnetic Mask, though impressive for efficiency, may still require manual adjustments in some scenarios. There are also updated tools for the iPad version, including new transitions and haptic feedback. Updates to the Final Cut Camera app allow 120fps filming in Apple Log and include tools for better shot alignment. Logic Pro for Mac also sees a few smaller updates like a new Quantec Room Simulator plugin for professional-grade reverb.
Lab Notes: I know some editors still prefer Final Cut. However, for at least the last decade, Apple’s video editing software is generally way behind Adobe in terms of the cadence of feature updates. I remember back in 2010 when Final Cut 7 was widely regarded as the industry standard. When Final Cut X launched in 2011, it looked promising to me at first but I quickly discovered that it couldn’t compete with Final Cut 7 in practice. That’s when I switched to Premiere, along with almost everyone else I worked with on professional film/commercial projects.
In the years since, Final Cut has improved, and with the release of Final Cut Pro 11, there are finally compelling reasons for some to prefer it again. Magnetic Mask, for example, is particularly cool, though Adobe has a similar feature in After Effects. Still, competition in the video editing space is fierce—Blackmagic’s DaVinci Resolve is a formidable competitor, and Adobe continues to crush it with new features at an impressive pace. I might be biased since I use Adobe software primarily, but they’ve been setting the standard for integrating AI in thoughtful ways. These new AI features in Final Cut show Apple can still innovate, Magnetic Mask is a strong addition. It’ll be interesting to see if this sways any Premiere or Resolve users back to Final Cut.
Ben Affleck on AI in Filmmaking: Opportunities and Threats for Creative Roles
The News: Ben Affleck believes AI can imitate writing effectively but lacks the ability to produce revolutionary ideas on its own. For actors, Affleck sees their skills in creating and embodying characters as irreplaceable, and he is confident that acting will remain vital as the number of programs/films increases. However, he views the VFX industry as more vulnerable, suggesting that behind-the-camera roles could face disruption. Affleck highlights AI’s ability to reduce filmmaking costs, lowering barriers to entry and enabling more people to create projects. He likens AI to a craftsman that requires direction to fulfill a creator’s vision.
Lab Notes: A post on the r/VFX subreddit disagrees with Affleck’s take, particularly on his claim that AI can’t replace actors but will disrupt VFX. The poster argues that VFX requires significant spatial awareness—lighting, reflections, and off-camera movements—which are the same challenges Affleck cites as insurmountable for AI in acting. They also note that, aside from deepfakes, AI hasn’t meaningfully replaced VFX workflows quite yet.
In my view, both acting and VFX are likely to face disruption as AI tools improve. Creatives often resist imagining how advanced AI could become, but it’s possible that some forms of AI-generated media will eventually surpass human producers in getting ROI from entertaining or informing audiences. Still, I think the majority of popular media will continue to involve humans because we naturally crave and seek out that human connection. Fully AI-generated media may find a niche, but the most compelling projects will probably come from small teams or even solo creators leveraging AI to achieve what once required entire studios. Whether it’s through streamlining workflows or enabling new voices, the disruption is unavoidable—and it will reshape how we think about creativity.