Could Adobe (or someone else) adopt magnetic timeline features in a tracked timeline?

[Simon Ubsdell]

[Steve Connor] “could they (or should they) implement magnetic timeline features in a tracked timeline?”

Or could they actually even leapfrog Apple and come up with an even more interesting approach to the timeline?

Given the mind-boggling R&D creativity and talent at Adobe, I wouldn’t put it past them!

Dennis?

🙂

Simon Ubsdell
tokyo-uk.com

[Oliver Peters]

The magnetic features in a simplified manner already exist in various NLEs, including FCP 7 and MC. The more complex features, like moving things with connected clips also exist as part of trimming modes. However there, it’s the simpler moving left or right on the timeline as you trim. None pf these are quite as elegant as how Apple does it, but sometimes the results are more predictable. By that I mean that vertical order is maintained, which something isn’t the case with FCP X.

– Oliver

Oliver Peters Post Production Services, LLC
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com

[Dennis Radeke]

Sorry guys, we don’t (and I can’t) comment on what we are working on. Any inferences you might make are entirely your own.

Thanks,
Dennis – Suddenly corporate Adobe sounding guy! 😉

[David Lawrence]

[Steve Connor] “I imagine that Adobe are looking hard at FCPX to see how they can try and match some of the features that it has. With the new search function they are improving metadata handling, Dennis hinted below they are looking at the audio handling, but could they (or should they) implement magnetic timeline features in a tracked timeline?”

The features of the magnetic timeline that people like (object grouping, synced ripple, and collision avoidance) can absolutely be implemented in a tracked timeline. As Oliver points out, other NLEs have some forms of this already but none of them take the idea as far as FCPX so far. I think there’s opportunity for tremendous UI innovation in tracked timelines borrowing from the best features of all the NLEs. I can certainly think of a few! 😉

_______________________
David Lawrence
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[Charlie Austin]

[Steve Connor] “I imagine that Adobe are looking hard at FCPX to see how they can try and match some of the features that it has.”

A bunch of those features are patented, so it’s not likely anyone will be able to do the exact same things. I’m sure we’ll see more stuff like Skimming vs. Hover Scrub, Clever Bins vs Smart Collections etc… There’s a whole lot more going on in the X UI than just clips moving out of each others way though.

https://alex4d.com/notes/item/apple-magnetic-timeline-fcpx-patent

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~ My FCPX Babbling blog ~
~”It is a poor craftsman who blames his tools.”~
~”The function you just attempted is not yet implemented”~

[John Rofrano]

Sony Vegas Pro already has this capability and it’s implementation pales in comparison to Apple’s magnetic timeline because at the core of the problem are the tracks themselves!

Scenario:
Let’s say you have two tracks and two primary clips with two connected clips. Now you need swap the order of the primary clips but it causes the connected clips to overlap in length. What do you do?

Trackless Magnetic Timeline:
What does FCP X do? It happily stacks the clips 3 high, 4 high etc, as needed. No problem.

Track Based Timeline:
What would a track based NLE do? It only has two tracks! Should it create a 3rd track automatically? How would you feed about new tracks suddenly popping up? Over time would you wind up with 10 tracks, 9 of which only have one clip on them?

The problem is the tracks. Get rid of the tracks… get rid of the problem.

That’s one of the reason’s I use FCP X. No stink’n tracks. Liberating! 😉

~jr

http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com

[David Lawrence]

[John Rofrano] “The problem is the tracks. Get rid of the tracks… get rid of the problem. “

I can imagine scenarios with trackless space that can open and close between tracks… layering scenarios ala Fairlight. Lots of possibilities that improve on FCPX.

The problem isn’t tracks, it’s limited imagination. 😉

_______________________
David Lawrence
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[David Mathis]

[John Rofrano] “The problem is the tracks. Get rid of the tracks… get rid of the problem.

That’s one of the reason’s I use FCP X. No stink’n tracks. Liberating! ;-)”

I agree though for personal preferences I prefer audio tracks, not sure why.

I just thought of a new signature thinking about that super duper awesome magnetic timeline: The magnetic timeline it’s magnet-o-matic!

[Charlie Austin]

[John Rofrano] “The problem is the tracks. Get rid of the tracks… get rid of the problem. “

Yep. Look, I’m sure Adobe or Avid could rewrite their NLE’s to function in a trackless manner. They obviously have very talented people working on these apps. But they won’t. Look what happened when Apple did it. It took 3 or 4 years to get to a point where their new NLE was seen as actually useable for “pro’s”. Some of that was perception but honestly, for the first year or so it really wasn’t useable at the “high end”.

For Apple, no biggie, eat the losses and press on. Kill the old version (though it still works) and force users to make a choice, even if that choice is another NLE. For other companies? I don’t see how they could do that and stay viable. Especially Avid. And I don’t think they really feel a need. Some people like their tracks and patching and mixers and panels and bins.

And finally, a lot of FCP X functionality is due to frameworks etc in the OS. Like, a huge chunk of it. How’s that gonna work for a cross-platform application? It won’t.

So I’m sure we’ll see all vendors “borrow” ideas from each other. BMD has “borrowed” more from X than anyone else, but it’s still essentially the same as any tracked NLE. Just prettier. 🙂 FCP X is 4 years into an admitted 10 year dev plan. I don’t think we’ve seen anything yet.

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~ My FCPX Babbling blog ~
~”It is a poor craftsman who blames his tools.”~
~”The function you just attempted is not yet implemented”~

[Charlie Austin]

[David Lawrence] “The problem isn’t tracks, it’s limited imagination. ;)”

To me, the lack of tracks is hardly the most unique feature of the FCP X timeline/media representation. People who think that’s the big difference between X and MC/Pr etc aren’t using their imagination. 😉

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~ My FCPX Babbling blog ~
~”It is a poor craftsman who blames his tools.”~
~”The function you just attempted is not yet implemented”~