FCP 6 Any improvements in the Text Generator?

[Jeremy Garchow]

Yeah, it’s called Motion 3.

FCP does need a built in, kick butt text generator, that is WYSIWYG.

[Walter Biscardi]

[Richard Martz] “Just wondering if Apple made any improvements in the Text Generator in FCP 6. To me that is one of the real shortcomings of FCP 5.”

You should never use this tool except for place holders. Use Title3D for text within FCP, that’s a solid text tool. I don’t think Apple will ever update the Text Tool because Title 3D is already there.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com
HD Editorial & Animation for Food Network’s “Good Eats”
HD Editorial for “Assignment Earth”

Read my blog! https://blogs.creativecow.net/WalterBiscardi

[Richard Martz]

Yeah I know but why put it in there if it is virtually unusable? Also the manual seems to indicate that it is a wonderful tool. I’m just dreaming I guess. Thanks Walter for the constant look at NAB for those of us who can’t get free to go this year.

Richard Martz
MagicMartz Media

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[Andy Mees]

well they could take it away, but what would be the point in that?
actually it serves a good purpose as a text handling template for those who want to create their own custom filters with fxscipt.

as recommended, stick with Title3D and ignore the basic Text generators
if you need more than Title3D, then you could do a lot worse than exploring LiveType and Motion

cheers
Andy

[Jeremy Garchow]

While Title 3D works, it’s not WYSIWYG. You have to mess around in the BOris interface, then mess around in the FCp interface. It’s a lot of clicking and waiting, and you can’t get it on a monitor until it’s applied. While it makes nice text, it needs some more functionality.

2 cents

Jeremy

[Todd Reid]

Jeremy, I couldn’t agree more.
I find Title 3D a bit cumbersome. too much parameter manipulation only to see the output and have to “go back in”.
I use Motion when I need more than basic text.

I’ve had few problems with the fct titler for just the basic bullet points and such.
Yeah there are tons of limitations and features I would love, but it does the job in a pinch.

my 2 cents

[Chris Poisson]

Boy, A-freakin’men, Title 3D sucks something awful. Pathetic dropshadow, unacceptable letterspacing, awkward kerning tool, (no keystroke control I can find) and stupid Boris interface, plus what you guys said. Also terrible when you animate parameters like tracking, not smooth at all. Just awful. Worse than the Apple tool ’cause it fails in so many more ways. Yuck!

[Tim Vaughan]

Usually I end up exporting the project out using either the duck or rendered movie and bring it in to After Effects for the actual text build. –Or build the text in AE and use it in FCP. Seriously, the text generators in FCP are just terrible. Far to bulky and cumbersome to use with any good effect. But that’s just my opinion….

Tim

Tim

[Richard Martz]

Well …fine comments by everyone. My main question was “Did Apple do anything to improve what I thought was an obvious weakness in FCP6 – text generators. And I guess the answer is that so many people have developed effective workarounds that few folks think this is a problem. Well at least some of you are living in reality and understand that the text generator as well as the Boris workaround are both restrictive. Thanks for the commentary. Maybe Apple will lend an ear in the next release of FCP7.

Richard Martz
MagicMartz Media

Final Cut Pro HD
Kona LH
After Effects
PhotoShop
Illustrator
Lots of other Fun Stuff!

[Tim Langston]

Maybe if we all write to Cayman Graphics they’ll port their CG over to Mac. I used this back on Speed Razor, thought it was nice and easy to use.

https://www.powercg.com

Or maybe Apple will buy them???

Tim