Jefferson Graham, USA TODAY:

Apple’s Final Cut Pro X is finally ready for its big close-up.

The software, derided by many professional video editors when it launched in 2011, was just used for the first time in a big Hollywood production: Focus, starring Will Smith and Margot Robbie.

This is an important showcase for Apple’s FCPX (which had a problematic debut in 2011) and the company has launched a dedicated mini-site with a lot of photos and details on the production.

Apple writes:

Using Light Iron’s Live Play app, the production team could view same-day H.264 versions of the dailies on iPad from anywhere on set. And editing began just hours after the camera rolled. Metadata markers allowed the edit crew to quickly find and use the best shots. “When you’re cutting a movie, it’s a struggle for clarity,” says Requa. “You get fatigued and you get really tired of your footage, and you need access to a new point of view. A lot of times, the metadata provided an insight into what we were thinking when we shot it.”

Between Focus and Modern Family, Apple seems to be getting momentum back among professionals in the entertainment industry (at least in terms of public acknowledgment). Check out Apple’s website for links to the gear and plugins used in Focus, and watch the trailer with footage from the movie below.