BBC adopts FCP X for news editing

[Steve Connor]

[Craig Seeman] “[Steve Connor] “If I choose to exit the Adobe subscription then If I need to access old projects I would bill the months subscription cost to the client.”

And if this happens three years down the road because Resolve or Lightworks or even FCPX and fellow apps becomes the Suite of your dreams…. you’ll be dragging the subscription on month after month until all the revisits to the old jobs go away. The more years in, the more years they bite you on the tail going out.”

In reality I rarely re-visit projects themselves it’s mostly masters that get pulled back up, perhaps that’s why I’m more comfortable with subscription.

[Bret Williams]

I felt the same for two years. Actually I changed my mind pretty early into CC, but Id already lost my right to change my mind. So I put my subscription up on eBay like I’ve done for many Adobe software packages in the past to recoup a large part of my original tangible investment. Oh, wait, can’t sell my subscription on eBay. The cost got even higher. Looks like CC benefits Adobe in another small way by killing the perfectly legit used software market..

In every way I can conceive this is a higher cost to the customer and a win win for Adobe.

[Lance Bachelder]

I was on monthly and always online – Walter posted the facts.

It was at a Vegas premiere that I resolved to become an avid FCPX user.

Lance Bachelder
Writer, Editor, Director
Downtown Long Beach, California
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1680680/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

[Andrew Kimery]

[Bret Williams] “Apples to Apples, what if you had to pay a subscription every time you wanted to view any of the raw files you shot with that red epic? What if you were doing this so often it was more feasible just to buy a red epic. But they didn’t allow purchases, just rentals?”

Yet this is basically how much of ‘hollywood’ and TV networks have functioned for decades (and continue to do so today). If a big production company is doing a new TV show they’ll create a new LCC just for that show. The LLC will rent everything from office space to production equipment to edit bays and after the last deliverable has been shipped off the whole tribe disbands and it’s like the company never existed. If pickups need to be shot or an edit needs to get fixed then it’s back to a rental house to get the gear you need. This isn’t always the case, but it seems to hold true for anything that runs ‘seasonally’ (as opposed to say a talk show or game show that has new episodes daily almost year round).

It’s only been in the last 15-20 years (with advent of the digital revolution) that so many people people, especially editors, started owning their tools of the trade outright. Panavision film cameras were considered some of the best (if not the best) and they were rental only. Avid’s could be bought but at six figures plus very few individuals thought it was a good investment to outright buy one.

I have a couple friends that rent their production gear out (medium range stuff) so there’s certainly still a market for it (at least in Los Angeles). Post is a little different because most people already have computers and most people, when strapped for cash, can figure out a way to acquire for free whatever software they need. If NLEs were big, separate systems (like a linear bay or old Avid’s that required special hardware to work) then I think there would be a bigger market for NLE rentals too.

[David Mathis]

[Andrew Kimery] “[Franz Bieberkopf] “Well, if you’re interested in David Mathis’ thinking on this, why not ask him?”

I’m hopping he chimes in, but he hasn’t come back to the thread yet.”

My objections to the subscription only model is that there is, at this point, no clear exit strategy and paying for services or products I do not want or need. I am also concerned about an increase in price, certain products getting dropped or no longer supported. To me that is a legitimate concern. I doubt that would happen but why take on risk when it not necessary to do so?

I do have an open mind and would be willing to subscribe but at this point the current model does not meet my needs and the long term expense is something else I need to consider. In the event Adobe were to offer some type of buyout I would more than likely join.

Granted there are those that benefit by the subscription model. Adobe made a business decision, might not agree with it but that is the way the ball bounces. My decision to not subscribe is based on what meets my current needs and budget. Again, this is a business decision, nothing personal.

I hope I have not caused any issues here, my apologies in advance if I have done so.

camera operator | editor | production assistant

[Andrew Kimery]

[Bret Williams] ” Oh, wait, can’t sell my subscription on eBay. The cost got even higher. Looks like CC benefits Adobe in another small way by killing the perfectly legit used software market.”

You can’t sell any of the applications, ebooks, movie or music downloads from Apple, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, ect., either but that’s a whole other can of worms. 😉

BTW, in a previous thread you talked about the difference between communicating and storytelling and I lost track of it but still wanted to tell you that I thought that was a really good post.

[Andrew Kimery]

[David Mathis] “I do have an open mind and would be willing to subscribe but at this point the current model does not meet my needs and the long term expense is something else I need to consider. In the event Adobe were to offer some type of buyout I would more than likely join.”

Thanks for following up David. As usual on the Internet, I think some of us took your hyperbole too literally.

[David Mathis] “I hope I have not caused any issues here, my apologies in advance if I have done so.”

Issues? This is the most lively discussion in a while. We should buy you a beer!

[Craig Seeman]

[Steve Connor] “In reality I rarely re-visit projects themselves it’s mostly masters that get pulled back up, perhaps that’s why I’m more comfortable with subscription.”

But this is actually a key to the problem. If your work fits, it’s viable. It used to be if the software fits, it’s viable (for now).

[Bret Williams]

That’s true and fair. Although it used to be one of my personal arguments for spending so much for the Master Collection CS5. I had the production bundle, and the web bundle. They allowed me to update the web bundle to CS5 Master Collection, and I sold the Production Bundle on eBay. Adobe transferred the license for me. Before getting on those bundles, I owned quite a few apps separately, like AE, PS, AI. I had a Macromedia bundle too. I think I upgraded Macromedia to web bundle and an Adone App to production bundle and sold the rest individually. My PS was so old that it had finally quit working. I think it was 4 or 5 versions old. Really, who needs the latest PS or Ai?

At least buy FCP X suite now works on 5 machines, and as far as we can tell is $300 for life. So maybe I can’t sell it, but I haven’t had to pay Apple a dime for 3 years unlike FCP legacy.

As for storytelling, there’s not much to tell. I think it’s a bizarre word that people have grabbed onto that doesn’t describe what I do for the most part. I’m usually making corporate communication video. Sure there is some storytelling involved if it happens to be an interview and broll piece. But I’m not creating mind shattering documentaries, reality TV or drama. I only brought it up because it was said that we’re all storytellers as editors as a somewhat blanket statement.

[Craig Seeman]

[Steve Connor] “Perhaps we should merge both the “or not” forums! Lively discussion on here, tumbleweeds over at the CC or Not forum,”

It’s important to consider why (I suspect) this is happening here under BBC adopts FCPX. It’s possible, over time, one may want to switch… and even switch again to yet another down the road. It’s not too difficult to do that on any NLE or Suite except Adobe. You can maintain the legacy apps for as long as you need. Adobe always requires a payment to revisit something. That price may go up. The terms may change. The app availability can be pulled.