Final Cut Pro X Pro Users Only??

[Andy Edwards]

[Helge Løken] “But then again, multitouch is the future and FCPX seems to be going in the same direction as all the other Apple apps (including Lion) – a push towards more touch interfaces.”

Totally speculating…. I think this is a definite “feature” in future versions to come. With the iPad changing the hardware landscape, the Ap store model and gesture based track pad’s, Apple will definitely be offering more touch based software. Keyboard options will still be there…. for a little while. Think back to Apple getting rid of the Floppy disk and the uproar. It will be an interesting couple of months as the new software gets released with the new operating system.

[Jason Porthouse]

I’m with the optimists on this one. From what I’ve seen the interface will radically ease some of the grind of programme making – as a largely documentary editor the keyframe view (of source material) and keyword ability will be enough for me alone. It’s nice that they’ve gotten round to background rendering (my Fast Silver had it 8 years ago, but that was a hardware based system) and I’m truly looking forward to seeing what else it will do. $299 seems a fair price point when you take into account all the other suite series, remember this is just FCP so when Motion, Color et al (in whatever guise they are replaced) come along it may not seem so cheap.

A lot has been mentioned about the ‘one screen’ interface – do we know this is a limitation, or is it just for the convenience of the demo? Ditto with the lack of a viewer, but I’ve worked ‘Murch’ style with only one canvas window occasionally and it’s never been an issue – it forces you to look at whatever monitor you have rather than the viewer/canvas combo. It seems the one viewer in the new interface switches automatically anyway – I think this is one of those ‘wont miss the old way after a day’ type UI developments.

At the end of the day, our job is about telling stories. If this tool helps me do it quicker, better and with less stress thats a good thing in my book. Roll on June…

_________________________________

Before you criticise a man, walk a mile in his shoes.
Then when you do criticise him, you’ll be a mile away. And have his shoes.

*the artist formally known as Jaymags*

[Paul Keyserling]

As a recent purchaser of FCS 3 I don’t understand the crisis. I knew a new version was imminent but I invested in a tool I needed NOW, and which I expect will continue to be useful well into the future. It’s not the shiniest thing on the shelf any more but it still gets the job done as well as it did yesterday.

I was burned by Autodesk years ago when they “end of lined” *Edit. As annoyed as I was, I continued to use that system for years – until its IBM box died.

Why all the dithering? When the time comes that you need something different – whether because of source material changes,changes in your work demands and customer demands, or equipment mortality – you’ll purchase something that suits your purposes.

I own a $30,000 white elephant camera that decreasingly meets the needs of clients. That’s something to whine about. But then, it still makes beautiful pictures so …….

Paul Keyserling
Big Pictures
Beaufort, SC

[Matthew Sonnenfeld]

Question… does this mean that FCPX will be available on the app store ONLY or will it be possible to get a box and discs at all?

I’m asking this for three reasons…

1) The information stored on the discs for FCS3 is huge and download times over the internet for 50+ gigs of software and add-ons just sounds un practical and pathetically slow (not to mention if something happens to your internet and your download goes wrong?)

2) Currently you are allowed to put one license of FCS3 on one desktop and one laptop using the same disc. Will you need to pay for this individually on each computer you put it on? i.e. a new licensing rules that effectively double the cost of FCPX and the other applications (should they still be forthcoming). How could this be remedied?

3) What if your computer crashes or it needs to be reinstalled for any reason? Will apple have a system to make this possible?

Maybe these are all issues that have already come up in the app store and have already been resolved, but if it is anything like the itunes store, I’m scared. I’ve lost hundreds of dollars worth of music because my computer crashed and apple doesn’t let you re-download music that you’ve already purchased from the itunes store. They seem to expect that you have Time Machine going and make it your responsibility to back up via hard drive (Which also may crash!), and if you don’t have it, too bad.

I just don’t like the feeling that hundreds of dollars worth of software isn’t MINE, on my bookshelf, always there when/if I need it.

Panasonic HPX170 P
2008 Unibody Macbook Pro 15 inch, 2.8 Ghz, 4GB RAM
CalDigit VR
Final Cut Pro Studio 3
Avid Media Composer
The College of WIlliam and Mary

[Cameron Clendaniel]

I honestly don’t understand all the speculative hand-wringing or the reaction that this software has been dumbed-down for the “masses” (people are even complaining that FCPX doesn’t cost enough).

First, we don’t know nearly enough details to do anything more than waste time on being potentially concerned about unknowns. Why would one assume that because something is simply not mentioned in the presentation that it won’t be in the program? Just wait to find out. Once you know something for a fact, then complain and adjust accordingly. Nearly every advancement that was mentioned seemed quite positive to me.

And how is rewriting the software to become a 64-bit program with background rendering and the ability to use more cores and more memory a sign that FCP is being dumbed-down for an iPhone? I can barely get my iPhone to open the map application. But my MacPro is being underutilized and now, apparently, it won’t be. Some of these reactions are stunning to me.

Cameron Clendaniel
film editor, NYC
http://www.camclendaniel.com

[Neil Hurwitz]

OH Come on and stop whinning like somebody took your bottle away
1.There is no resale value for FCP software, when you bought it
it was an expense not an investment
2. You have the option of staying just as you are
3.Switching to Avid is going to cost you more
So Suck it up, don’t worry about your INVESTMENT (not)
You blew the money the second you bought it
Buying software is not like buying a FDIC insured CD
YOU ARE IN BUSINESS, SUCK IT UP
JEEZ

Neil Hurwitz

[Neil Hurwitz]

” How does our nearly 10k in licenses translate for a $299 dollar app you download from the App Store? I know a bunch of people who don’t really use FCP to make a living will say its BETTER and CHILL OUT and WHAT DID YOU EXPECT. But get real. This is no change to our editorial style with this release all it did was dumb down our investment, if not make it worth NOTHING.
Anyway, AVID here we come…”

My previous post was in response to the above posted
by Alexander

Neil Hurwitz

[Tim Vaughan]

Part of me thinks that previous versions of FCP have been lagging heavily, and the “new” features that were offered really were a disappointment overall. For those who are forced to rely on secondary programs to achieve much better results for such a simple thing as text animation and graphical integration, FCP has merely been the tool to give a overall edit and provide markers. Apple has been very content the last few years to go after to iTunes/iPod/iPad/iPhone market, and has not devoted nearly as much toward the further development of their proapps suite. So we’ve really watched as companies such as Adobe and Avid and others have made leaps and bounds in overall development while Apple has released “updates” to a strong but simple editor.
Couple that in with the removal of their xserve and xraid (I don’t argue that one), Apple has been eliminating its business mindset in favor of consumer/prosumer. Honestly, the FCP suite as a whole has become less dependent in my business overall while other vendors who are focused on developing their suites are taking over. I think the only thing I use in the suite now is FCP, and everything else is done much better by other programs. But that’s just my opinion over why the pro’s are losing out (in certain aspects) with Apple.
That being said, I do agree with you that we need to wait and actually see for ourselves what will be and will not be offered before rushing to judgement. I admit, though, mentioning iMovie in a presentation to pro’s is probably not the best thing in the world to do….

Tim

Tim

[Mark Suszko]

Out of the goodness of my heart, I am announcing a special exclusive deal for ALL COW members that are perturbed by Apple’s pricing strategy for FCP-X.

For a liminted time, if you pre-order thru me, I will sell you a copy of FCP-X for $1,500 dollars, (and free shipping).

I’m taking a big hit on this, but it’s worth it to settle your fears of having under-paid for more functionality.

🙂

Seriously now, the MOST ridiculous thing I’ve heard in all of this debate is that the software is too inexpensive (!?!?!?) to be good or impress clients. This kind of thinking is at least twenty years out of date, and represents a preoccupation with trivial surface impressions rather than cold business logic. If your clients are more impressed with what you over spent on the job, rather than the actul quality of the job, they are idiots.

[T. Payton]

Great discussion.

I thought the new iMovie (8 and up) was junk too… until I started using it. It’s a completely different animal than the current NLE timeline, it is made for editorial work. It lets you get your story organized and cut quickly. Last summer our shop actually starting offlineing with iMovie and then exporting to FCP for online and I can’t imagine going back. We’re arriving at a rough cut in less time by a factor of 2 times, if not more. (We mainly do corporate, somewhat complex interview driven pieces, with the typical B-roll, and occasional still).

I think what we saw last night was an introduction to the new way to edit. Now that tape based systems are only a memory, the new FCP is forging ahead and developing a better way to edit without the shackles of “linear” based editing.

Concerning the “advanced features” of FCP. I’ve got to believe they are all in there. I do hope that Color and Soundtrack Pro are just another “room” inside FCP X, as it is silly to have to roundtrip on every single project (at least that is how it is in our workflow).

BTW. If you want to mess with iMovie I strongly recommend watching some training, because it is a different way of working. The stuff on Lynda.com is excellent.

——
T. Payton
OneCreative, Albuquerque