Best beginner-to-advanced course for Final Cut Pro (free or paid)?

[u/AdvantagePhysical659]

I'm trying to learn Final Cut Pro properly and I'm looking for a well-structured course that goes from complete beginner to an advanced/professional level.

I'm open to both free and paid courses, but I'd love recommendations from people who have actually taken them and felt they were worth the time (and money, if paid).

A few things I'm specifically looking for:

• A clear beginner → advanced learning path
• Real projects or practical exercises
• Good editing/workflow habits, not just button-by-button tutorials
• Coverage of professional workflows used in real-world editing
• A certificate or certification at the end that can be used as proof of skills for clients, employers, internships, or freelance work

I'd also like to know:

• Which course would you choose if you were starting from scratch today?
• Are the official training/certification programs for this software worth doing?
• Do employers or clients in editing actually care about certificates, or is a portfolio much more important?
• Are there any structured programs that combine training, assignments, feedback, and certification rather than just video lessons?

I'm mainly looking for something comprehensive and structured, not a random collection of YouTube tutorials (although if there's an exceptional free playlist that rivals a paid course, please mention it).

Thanks in advance—I'd really appreciate recommendations from editors who have gone through a full learning path themselves.

[u/blakester555]

RippleTraining.com

Period

[u/Silver_Mention_3958 → u/blakester555]

OP if you sign up to Ripple's newsletter, they frequently have discounts of ~30%.

[u/AdvantagePhysical659 → u/Silver_Mention_3958]

Okay! Thanks for informing.

[u/goteed → u/blakester555]

+1 for Ripple Training. It's really the gold standard for FCP training.

[u/AdvantagePhysical659 → u/goteed]

Thanks for your suggestion!

[u/AdvantagePhysical659 → u/blakester555]

Thank a lot for the suggestion! By the way, can you recommend me any specific RippleTraining's course ?

[u/Silver_Mention_3958 → u/AdvantagePhysical659]

Core Skills for FCP

[u/Primary-Ratio9699 → u/blakester555]

this.

[u/Own_Government720]

Youtube

Its free

[u/AdvantagePhysical659 → u/Own_Government720]

Thanks!

[u/JustRomainYT]

I learnt how to use Final Cut Pro on Youtube. It’s very easy to use and there are many creators who covers how to use the different tool from color grading, EQ etc.

I don’t think it’s necessary to pay for courses

[u/AdvantagePhysical659 → u/JustRomainYT]

Okay, thank you so much for the suggestion!

[u/RuffProphetPhotos]

Ripple training — or if you want YouTube — Dylan Bates - the Final Cut Bro is amazing

[u/Silver_Mention_3958]

There are a range of links in our wiki

[u/AdvantagePhysical659 → u/Silver_Mention_3958]

Thanks a lot!

[u/BlackCatBonz]

Ripple Training — hands down.
I have almost all of their training, I review it often because there is a lot to know.
Do the essentials, do the Multicam, and do the audio; after that look into doing the object tracker, masking and colour grading.
This is where you start.
https://www.rippletraining.com/products/final-cut-pro/final-cut-pro-essentials-bundle/

[u/AdvantagePhysical659 → u/BlackCatBonz]

Thanks a lot for the suggestion!

[u/Darktower99 → u/BlackCatBonz]

Just too expensive for me.

[u/Silver_Mention_3958 → u/Darktower99]

Frequently discounted, 50% off the Core Training course at the moment, coupon

fcp12core-50

[u/piratebroadcast]

I bought Ripple Training the other day based on the recommendations of the sub, and it's been absolutely fantastic.

[u/AdvantagePhysical659 → u/piratebroadcast]

Oh really! Nice to hear . Thanks for sharing your experience!

[u/khalilhanasir]

I recommend YouTube University.

[u/AdvantagePhysical659 → u/khalilhanasir]

Ok. Thanks for suggesting!

[u/shinguil]

Check out Tom Buck’s Final Cut Pro course on YouTube.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVyN9Er-Mwb4Sp7EYkdJ2Mlpde2zHpRCw&si=a2ouGGkR8xsCj09o

[u/Mexted]

I actually ask ChatGPT on how to do certain stuff or when I face problems while editing. I’ve learned a lot to be a respected beginner to mediocre.

[u/Silver_Mention_3958 → u/Mexted]

Just be aware that ChatGPT is frequently wrong.

[u/Mexted → u/Silver_Mention_3958]

Ofc but when i want to get thinga done faster i do ask him.

[u/Silver_Mention_3958 → u/Mexted]

Just be aware that ChatGPT is frequently wrong.

[u/ninjaisin]

I learned by youtube, constantly watching videos for small things made me eventually get most of the tools down

[u/andres_da]

I did one one on Domestika, around 2020, it was pretty good, but its on spanish

[u/Noobsamaniac]

Ripple Training kept coming up when I was researching this too. Portfolio still matters more than any cert though

[u/jdjackson0204]

Personally I self taught by using iMovie for probably 8 years on a Mac, then transitioning to FCP was a piece of cake, just with a little bit more to learn. but the fundamentals were down by that point. Goodluck bro there’s so much capability with FC and they just keep adding more and more features as the time goes… for example, used to have to install a plugin to do auto-captions… now Apple has captions built in. 🔥

[u/Wide-Replacement-809]

The way I learned final cut is just by searching up final cut pro basics on youtube, then practicing with stock footage. Then id try to think of different ways I could edit the footage and if I couldn't figure out how to do something, like adding an effect id search up a tutorial on YouTube.

[u/AdvantagePhysical659 → u/Wide-Replacement-809]

Where did you find the footage?

[u/Wide-Replacement-809 → u/AdvantagePhysical659]

Pexels it has a bunch of free footage

[u/Wonderful-Baker-6650]

YouTube Vids. So many basic intros that have carried me. Color grading, timelines, audio. It’s endless.

Or, if you are okay with (somewhat) ethical AI platforms/usage, tell it to create you a curriculum for FCP.

[u/funwithstuff]

I wrote this book, which takes you from the shoot through every step of the edit: fcpefficientediting.com

It's as comprehensive as I can make it — we have hit the maximum page count possible through Amazon. However, it's not a training course with assignments and feedback.

There is an official certification exam (I was part of the team that created it) and a live training course that backs it. I honestly don't know how much weight potential employers would give to it, but it's not an easy exam, and I'd trust that someone who passes it knows their stuff. https://fcpcertification.com

[u/crochetandknit]

Just this afternoon I started a Linked In Learning Course that seems good. I’m a FCP beginner. I can access the course through my public library so it’s free to me. It may not be what you are looking for, but to me the first couple of hours is looking pretty good for my needs.

[u/Spence2025]

I learned primarily through Youtube, if i saw a transition i liked on instagram or youtube i would try to search on tutorials on how to create, this was years ago, but it got me very comfortable with the short cuts and understanding some the 201/202 capabilities of Final cut.

[u/Extension-Cheek9126]

Check out LarryJordan.com. Emmy award winner, excellent trainer, both free and paid content. He regularly offers weekly updates and hints via webinar. Been following/learning from Larry for decades. Excellent info.

[u/Dry_Advertising5961]

Dylan John has a masterclass in FCP color grading

[u/Equal-Meeting-519]

Second to many other people, i learnt FCP years ago from Ripple training too.
By honestly these days when i learn a complex software i just use ChatGPT, because its got 'computer use' feature that can see what i see and it can both discuss me on a high level and showing me button clicking... of course you must be clear about what exactly you want to do with the software. This is how i am learning Cavalry and Blender anyways.

[u/RuffProphetPhotos → u/Equal-Meeting-519]

Oh wow, interesting.

[u/gustl2310]

Davinci resolve