Apple lays off 40 Final Cut Employees

[Ben Holmes]

Well – I guess it IS unsubstantiated, but it comes from a former Apple coder (who worked on Final Cut) and I see no reason to think it’s false – why else would Pete Warden be putting forward specific ex-employees for other work on his own blog?

https://aeportal.blogspot.com/2010/02/lone-twitter-apple-lays-off-40-of-final.html

And naturally the word comes from outside Apple – you may have noticed they’re pretty secretive. Anyone seeing some kind of Adobe conspiracy here needs to take off the tin hat and get some fresh air.

I take the opposite view from Walter about this – I think for as long as Apple sell pro computers (and that’s actually most of them if you include MacBook PROs) and continue to make big money from them, Final Cut will continue to be a huge driver of sales, and will remain under Apple’s control. Spinning it off is just not going to happen – can you see a situation where another company could release Final Cut on PCs? Unthinkable for Apple. Even a more tightly controlled spin-off is just not Apple’s thing.

I’ve also long been in the camp unconcerned about Apple abandoning Pro Apps – I don’t believe the success of the iPhone means they’ve stopped selling computers. I also recognise that the requirement to re-write FCP from the ground up and go 64-bit means a slowing of new features for a while.

However, if you look at Pete’s reply in the above link (and really, what reason do you have to think he’s lying – apart from that “Apple is evil” line in his tweet – after they laid his friends off?), Apple have laid off experienced “creatives, product managers and graphics coders”. These sound like people who actually do real work on FCP. I also don’t think it can be that small a part of a Pro Apps team. Why not relocate them if you’re cutting back on off-site staff? At the very least, some word as to why would be useful.

Personally, I’m still in the camp that sees Apple continuing to support what continues to be a growing market, and a massively popular piece of software that drives a lot of hardware sales. I can simply see no reason for them to do otherwise. I’d still like to see some word from Apple why this happened – some word what their intentions are for FCP before users jump ship. A little less ‘veil of secrecy’ nonsense.

And to whoever said they wish less of this kind of thing was posted on this forum – I’m sorry, but I wish this were posted on the internet more, and the story spread until Apple feel they should comment – as they have on other topics once it hits the mainstream blogosphere. I also think the future of FCP is one of the most important topics that could be discussed here. It certainly makes a change from two hundred posts about why someone’s graphics look worse in their canvas.

Edit Out Ltd
—————————-
FCP Editor/Trainer/System Consultant
EVS/VT Supervisor for live broadcast
RED camera transfer/post
Independent Director/Producer

https://www.blackmagic-design.com/casestudies/detail.asp?case=therydercup

[Rafael Amador]

Perhaps Apple saw that the ProApp Division walks too slow.
The asset of Apple is not the people that today have an iPhone and tomorrow they may have another brand.
The asset of Apple are the professionals that works with a Mac.
Take this away, and what is Appel?
I don’t think they have become insane in Cupertino.
Rafael

http://www.nagavideo.com

[Ben Holmes]

[Rafael Amador] “Perhaps Apple saw that the ProApp Division walks too slow. “

I like that theory! It sure feels like the Final Cut division needs a kick – maybe this is a sign of a restructuring for the better?

Trouble is – with Apple we will never know. I do know that if this is the case, unless they just finished a new FC product, if there is a new team we are a LONG way from a new product…

Edit Out Ltd
—————————-
FCP Editor/Trainer/System Consultant
EVS/VT Supervisor for live broadcast
RED camera transfer/post
Independent Director/Producer

https://www.blackmagic-design.com/casestudies/detail.asp?case=therydercup

[Craig Shields]

I hate to see people loose their jobs, but it is the way of the world right now. I would have to think that this means that they are pretty much done with the re-write of FCP and now they are trimming the fat. I really can’t see them selling because FCP still sells Macs. Period.

And who else is going to buy that big cash-sucking 30″ Cinema?

[Walter Biscardi]

[Ben Holmes] “Spinning it off is just not going to happen – can you see a situation where another company could release Final Cut on PCs? Unthinkable for Apple. Even a more tightly controlled spin-off is just not Apple’s thing.”

As we have learned in the past. Never say never when it comes to Apple and Steve Jobs. Remember Final Cut was a Windows app when it first appeared.

There’s a lot of good reasons and some bad ones why a spin off of would and would not work.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Editor, Colorist, Director, Writer, Consultant, Author.
HD Post and Production
Biscardi Creative Media

“Foul Water, Fiery Serpent” now in Post.

Creative Cow Forum Host:
Apple Final Cut Pro, Apple Motion, Apple Color, AJA Kona, Business & Marketing, Maxx Digital.

Blog!

Twitter!

[Ron Trelle]

One optional consideration on this. Apple has done this in the past in Pro Apps are when a team is not performing to expectations. After Aperture v1 was released, they fired most of that team and rehired newer people. Also, I read somewhere that FCS was consolidated under a VP who has an Adobe background, so it could be that he didn’t like progress as compared to what’s happening with Premiere. Just a thought.

[Allan White]

Great point re:comparison w. Premiere. Seen the “Mercury” engine demos? Impressive performance. Mac editors deserve better.

– Allan White, Video Producer, Luis Palau Assoc.

Quad 3Ghz Mac Pro, 10GB RAM, X1900 GPU, XSAN, CatDV Server

[Joe Meme]

Devin,

The lone report did not say FCP engineers were laid off, except maybe one instance which was elaborated on (former Apple ee) Warden’s blog. That blog noted layoffs in LA and Austin not Cupertino. Maybe they’re outsourcing to China or India, or eliminating apps from FCS in favor of other purchases. Who knows.

Adobe is not “bringing up the rumor” and alas has never supported AE Portal News — or ANY previous efforts.

[Don Walker]

I bought the Adobe production bundle so i could get PS and AE and Sound Booth which I like better than Soundtrack Pro, all for a great price…. of course Premiere is setting on my hard drive also. Is anybody else tempted to do a project in another App now and then, just to be ready to bailout?
Don

John 3:16

[Arc Nevada]

Adobe has approved several cards for the Mercury Playback Engine with more to come. The MPE is amazing. I think the only option for FCP is the RED Rocket. I don’t think the Red Rocket accelerates anything other than the R3D codecs but I am not 100% sure. It is also very expensive.