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FCPX is Ready for prime time
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[Oliver Peters] “He exports a self-contained file and places it on an upper track. This becomes less taxing on playback. Then when he makes changes, he break open that section and makes changes in that area. What it effectively gives you is a visual plot that represents a type of “visual change list”.”
I used to do that all the time.
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[Aindreas Gallagher] “(what was that just there – james cagney?)
“Full on grapefruit in the face to all non-Xers.
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Yes, I get that. Walter is notorious for his process. Those zillion clips remind me of the zillion 3×5 cards he used before he went NLE. But that’s just a particular style. I’m not convinced that other feature editors have timelines that look anything like that.
Be interesting to see what Thelma Schoonmaker, or Dan Lebenthal’s timelines look like wouldn’t it?
I wonder if they’d be more similar to Mr. Murchs or more divergent?
After all, even if you have 50 video layers, all the audience is seeing is the one on top unless you’re doing some kind of composite.
It could be argued that by employing great whopping stacks of connected clips – you could make X look pretty similar. But why?
I totally understand that to some folks, sitting down surrounded by stacks and stacks of parts bins represents the very most comforting and efficient way to assemble any sort of gizmo.
But it’s also kinda cool to be able to type two keystrokes call up a picture of all the parts similar to the one you’re thinking about using right now – and have the other thousand parts stay hidden until you decide you need to work with them.
It can be argued that if you’re looking for a hand gesture, it might be “inspiring” to also see cars and eyes and the surrounding buildings – and that “might” trigger something for the creative editor. Maybe. But it’s also possible that when you want a hand gesture – being able to DRILL DOWN to just your choice of hand gestures might be every bit as satisfying.
If you see my point.
Know someone who teaches video editing in elementary school, high school or college? Tell them to check out http://www.StartEditingNow.com – video editing curriculum complete with licensed practice content.
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[Oliver Peters] “[Braden Storrs] “I just don’t see why they would build an organizational footage network in FCP X and then render it more or less useless (except to use it as an external reference) by editing in Avid.”
Two different departments. Happens all the times. I see plenty of broadcast operations with Avid for news and FCP/Premiere/Other for creative services/promos.
“Yes. I’ll second that. Trailers, promos, epks and sizzles come from completely different departments, and often, different companies within larger companies.
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[Chris Harlan] ”
Weren’t you quite recently referring to Avid as AVOID. I believe, if memory serves well, that you were. Maybe you should think of taking the ALLCaps off of never.”Nope. Unless it was a literal typo, I’ve never, ever done that.
I have no more quarrel with X’s competitors than I do with people who like to eat roast beef sandwiches with mustard rather than the mayo and horseradish I prefer. (Actually, sometimes I even sneak in a little ketchup – but I’m nuts that way!)
I only get grumpy when people say X does NOT work well. Never when they say their software of choice does.
I still have trouble seeing quotes as “scare quotes” and seeing the ALL caps I’ve used for emphasis for 40 years of typing as shouting – but I acknowledge that it’s my flaw – nobody elses.
And I’m working on it.
Know someone who teaches video editing in elementary school, high school or college? Tell them to check out http://www.StartEditingNow.com – video editing curriculum complete with licensed practice content.
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Here is a timeline from Star Trek:
https://www.evanschiff.com/bd/articles/5-1-temp-mixes-on-star-trek-into-darknessThese timeline examples tend to be deeper into the cut where previz editing has been replaced by the first versions of the effects as they come in. Those can start accumulating into the dozens. But before that it would be some or all the elements to create the effect as the editor has selected, timed and created the overall relationship to be sent to the VFX artists. You are starting to see “outsource” effects type worflows as with Eyeon Fusion where the complexity is done in Fusion, but the renders and such can be happening at the same time and pop right into the “container” on the timeline.
Michael
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But then it still leaves the ultimate question…
What is it about the way X works that makes it either incapable or even more difficult for feature work?
I know that a “it’s great for short form, but that’s it” idea has formed around it. But right here, folks pop up all the time saying they’re doing long form with it and it’s just not a problem.
Most of the early “it gets slow if you….” stuff has kinda faded away. And I suspect that with the new hardware and optimization on the horizon, that might completely disapper. if so, what’s left as the Achilies heel?
Many argue that it’s audio flexibility isn’t polished enough. And I can see the validity in that for the some users for now – and I know that’s not trivial. But it’s not like there aren’t workable second system solutions available..
But what about it’s handling of video makes it a poor choice if a filmmaker decides to do the audio finishing via traditional double system and sync after picture lock?
Really, I’m not saying it’s ideal, just wondering what it needs to do that it doesn’t do?
It’s hard to argue image quality, since the software itself can handle high-rez with aplomb and most of us have found it holds original footage quality astonishingly well – compositing and rendering stuff like transitions or dissolves with very high precision and beautiful output.
It has it’s 305 plus basic editors keystrokes built in – (and complete keyboard customization on top of that) that once learned, let you navigate and cut fast. It employes all the basic editing traditions from J cuts to cutaways, et al – with ease. You can stack clips, top and tail stuff, insert, overwrite, slip slide,, replace and nudge by frame to your hearts content.
Plus, and this is MAJOR for me. It’s kinda astonishingly crash resistance. Not that it never crashes, just that if it does – it typically puts you back with even your last pre-crash keystroke totally intact!
It’s kind amazing in that way. I can’t even remember the last time I lost a single element of my work while editing in X.
So where are the big issues that remain unresolved?
I’m honestly curious.
Know someone who teaches video editing in elementary school, high school or college? Tell them to check out http://www.StartEditingNow.com – video editing curriculum complete with licensed practice content.
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[Charlie Austin] “Yeah, we do the same, in 7 and Pr. I think a big complaint about X is that it’s not possible to do that. But… you can do it. It is a little convoluted at the moment, and I’d be very surprised if Apple isn’t addressing that. Right now you unfortunately do have to jump through some hoops. Be interesting to see what they come up with…
“In PPro CC can’t you open up a timeline from another project inside your own project and use it as a media source? That’s at least something.
I spent a number of years working w/a dozen other editors all sharing media (and FCP Legend project files) on a huge Xsan and it was clunky as hell compared to Avid. I did a lot of the workflow development and project/media management too and the thought of going to something more cumbersome than FCP 7 in that type of environment makes me want to tear my hair out.
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Well, that’s the 5.1 surround mix.
That kind of audio complexity for an effects laden movie is kinda given.
It seems like form the responses, that editors have developed a process where they simply toss any and everything including multiple versions of each into the timeline as a giant scratch pad.
And that’s totally cool.
All X brings to the party is the ability NOT to necessarily have to slap a thing on the timeline in order to efficiently work with it.
Essentially you have the Event Browser as an “On Deck” area that remains accessible but hidden – probably just like a tabbed alternate timline in Legacy that you can pop into as a source.
The difference, of course, is that you can’t search and find in those alternate Legacy tabbed timelines – you have to KNOW where the goodies are.
Or maybe I just used it poorly.
Since it’s no longer being sold it’s a moot point, I guess.
And so it goes.
Know someone who teaches video editing in elementary school, high school or college? Tell them to check out http://www.StartEditingNow.com – video editing curriculum complete with licensed practice content.
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[Bill Davis]: Well, that’s the 5.1 surround mix.
Scroll down to the graphic under SHOWTIME to see a version of the original timeline. They aren’t mixing 5.1 in the timeline, they are editing effects that may or may not be used by the audio post team. I have had complex 5.1 in simple picture edits – it does not need to an effects laden film.
As far as why FCPx is not being used on features such as this, everyone will have their own reasons. For me, a fundamental one (of many) is ScriptSync – the ability to see all coverage in context of the script, directly access any line, compare reads of one or all dialog, etc. is key to finding those moments that make the story.
Will FCPx be used on such a feature one day? Why not? If it could do it now, I am sure someone would do it – and perhaps they are. I could see someone like Billy Fox or Angus Wall giving it a shot.
Michael
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