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Metaphors and terminology
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[Tony West] “When “I” hear “The Main Event” I think of Floyd Mayweather’s fight or the top card. I don’t think about a kids birthday parties or trips…….
…..and not a person covering the NHL or concerts. I’m saying that’s wrong.”I get that and I agree with your rationale. However, that’s the point of the terminology issue. There are all sorts of editing projects ranging from films to sports to commercials to home movies. Because Event seems very specific and therefore limited to certain genres, many think that Apple should have chosen a more generic term consistent with the editing industry. For example, I create an Event file to put only sequences (Projects) into. In that case, the term Event, doesn’t seem to apply.
– Oliver
Oliver Peters Post Production Services, LLC
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com -
[Oliver Peters] ” many think that Apple should have chosen a more generic term consistent with the editing industry. For example, I create an Event file to put only sequences (Projects) into. In that case, the term Event, doesn’t seem to apply.”
I hear you, and I have done the same thing.
In my doc I made events of each person I interviewed. Is a person an “event”? No.
While one could make the argument that they are describing “events” that happened in their lives.
I don’t think it’s that confusing to people using or learning the program. If it were, then I would say they messed up because it is hindering editors.
Once you know what it is, you know what it is. You aren’t still wondering what it is.
I just think it’s kind of nitpicky
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[Tony West] “While one could make the argument that they are describing “events” that happened in their lives….
….. just think it’s kind of nitpicky”I agree. In the end, it’s just a data file and an organizing tool within the interface. But specifics are important in UI design, so nitpicking is certainly warranted, albeit at a very, very minor level.
– Oliver
Oliver Peters Post Production Services, LLC
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com -
[Oliver Peters] “so nitpicking is certainly warranted, albeit at a very, very minor level.”
The complete lack of standards in interface design and naming conventions is not, if you back the camera up, very minor. Its effect on the user of every digital device being used professionally, and in all appliances in our consumer lives, is an increase in learning curve and a significant lack of ergonomics. None of this is “intuitive” for most as is claimed often. It’s arbitrary and often illogical.
Starting way back when “Command” on a Mac was an “Alt/opt” on a PC. At least they could agree on SHIFT and QWERTY.
Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Canon 5D Mark III/70D, Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV40, Sony Z7U/VX2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; FCP X write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.
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[Craig Alan] “It’s arbitrary and often illogical. “
Much like language itself.
It’s arbitrary and illogical that as I travel the world I have to understand “Where’s the pot”, “Where’s the head?” “Little boys room?” “Bathroom, Restroom, WC, Loo?” PLUS similar variations in dozens of languages.
Yet, hardly anyone ever really fails get their idea across – in context.
I’m having trouble understanding the nature of the big problem here.
If you’re smart enough to edit, I suspect you’re smart enough to adapt to word variations – in context.
My 2 cents.
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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You’re not getting it. I have adjusted. And I still don’t like it and would be very pleased if they just called “projects” “timelines” and just let you put imports into folders or containers or bins. At least they still called them clips. No where in my post did I say I wasn’t able to learn it. My point was that it would be more ergonomic if NLE’s and all digital devices had some standards. The standards should be based on the most ergonomic designs. Apple has many times improved on design elements of digital interfaces. I think FCP X has some of these as well. I like the little tail of connected clips. I like magnetism. I like P to turn it off. I don’t like not having the option to have multiple tracks. Just like I like having only one viewer window except for those times when I need two and Apple put that back in. I don’t mind having export presets to go to Vimeo and the like, but I don’t like the interface not telling me what that codec will be or give me the option to use that preset for another destination. Calling a timeline a Project is flat out misguided. And it still is annoying that I can’t have a Library without an “Event” but I can have one without a timeline. And as a result of this design choice somehow I often end up with these extra open Library and Event that I just need to get rid of before starting to edit. I’d like to be able to open FC and then select one of the recent projects I’m working on not have one open or a blank one open and have these extra steps to get rid of the extra ones. I like FCPX basic layout of its windows, but not being able to have keyboard shortcuts to rearrange them for different steps in the editing process is less ergonomic not more. Seriously that is pretty much a standard feature … no?
Having different names for things develop due to cultural references is one thing. Renaming the components of a craft or science or tool is something else. If grips want to call an electrical extension cord a stinger and it catches on so production crew members know what that means … that’s cool. But I still want to go to home depot or even a production industry supply house and order an electrical extension cord. I want to order a battery not a brick.
Bottom line I don’t mind learing something new. But I’m getting bored learning something new again and again. Opened up my notes app on my iPhone after updating IOS. Now my notes are organized by devices that I think the note was generated on. Don’t get it. Annoying. Don’t want to take the time to learn it. Yes I can learn it. Don’t mind the new tools. Do mind the new interface.
Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Canon 5D Mark III/70D, Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV40, Sony Z7U/VX2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; FCP X write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.
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[Craig Alan] “You’re not getting it. I have adjusted.”
I think I am. Look Craig, I TOTALLY understand that many, MANY editors don’t like the way Apple changed a playing field to which they were completely accustomed. It’s not that I don’t get that. I do. I was accustomed to the old way as well.
What I jettisoned extremely early was any sense of aggrievement that I felt towards the changes.
If somebody wants to remain pissed at Apple for the changes they made, that’s their business. Argue the terminology into the ground if you like. Be upset because they somehow aren’t holding fast what you and I expected in matters of operation, language, whatever. I just think it’s often a big waste of time.
I just tested my contention. Pulled out my phone. Asked Siri “What is an EVENT in FCP X?” and within a second, had 5 useful citations to read that explained things.
Terminology ignorance and even confusion is a fading problem. If I don’t know what a term means IN CONTEXT – and the answer is literally 3 seconds away in my pocket – how is that anything but MY fault?
So the only thing left to argue is that my personal inconvenience trumps whatever progress the NLE designers felt they needed to make. And I simply don’t agree with that.
That’s all.
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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Recently watched an interview with Jonathan Ive. He made a point of saying that Apple doesn’t change things just for the sake of being different but rather they think things through to be a better user experience.
They might not be doing it consciously, but all companies now-a-days have to come up with new models/versions etc every season to satisfy the bottom line even if they have nothing new of significance to offer.
Library was actually a long standing computer container that kept things hidden from the average user. It was also not as easily backed up and could become corrupted like any compex container on a computer. It was also the perfect master file name for version 1 of FCP X because all projects were contained in it at the root level of a media drive (by default the system drive). Not a good idea. Super pleased this evolved into a system that offers a great deal of control. Better I think than any finder/NLE relationship of any program I have used. (I’m not as experienced as many on this site – but I have tried MC, FCP3-7, the old iMovie, Aperture, QT pro.
I’m not hung up on FCP X’s core interface, but I do think there is room for improvement and the naming conventions are one of them. It does not change anything functional to call what is now called a ‘project’ a “timeline” and an EVENT a media folder (my choice) or collection (very intuitive new name coming from Apple) or folder (tried and universally understood). And I think that if they added the OPTION of layers aka tracks to connected clips’ abilities they would have the best of both worlds. It could replace secondary storylines which are a somewhat poor design not because it’s different than FCP 7 but because it has a different set of rules and functions than the primary. I get that compounding clips fill the gap in terms of working with these components. And again compounding like nesting is a nice option. But compounds should not be the only way to allow secondary storylines to have organized complexity. If you are not ready to have them compounded, you should not be forced to do it to solve the organizational mess that is the alternative.
I also don’t think that FCP X is as different as most people seem to view it. I think 99% of its form, function, and concepts are like any other NLE. After all, the edit types are the same, the end product is the same, what you import is the same, the meta data is the same. How different could it be? FCP X took some features to their next logical step – snapping became magnetic – creating a really easy rough cut experience. But working in the small bottom space of the inspector to work with audio tracks is a step back not forward. OTOH I really like the way the crop/transform tool works.
I do think FCP 7 needed an overhaul and new features. But throwing out the baby with the dirty bath water was not all good. Nor all bad. Nor do I think it was revolutionary. I do object to having years of experience with an app thrown out on a regular basis. I’m now about as comfortable with X as I was on 7. I like the rough cut better. I like teaching it better. With two tracks of audio I like it better. But once I get into three or more tracks of audio I prefer 7. And I was never completely at peace in 7 with audio. Things would get out of cync. I was hoping for a better system but feel this was one step forward …
[Bill Davis] “TOTALLY understand that many, MANY editors don’t like the way Apple changed a playing field to which they were completely accustomed”
Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Canon 5D Mark III/70D, Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV40, Sony Z7U/VX2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; FCP X write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.
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[Craig Alan] ” an EVENT a media folder (my choice)”
Some folks might get hung up on your choice also Craig, since the word “media”s definition has to do with mass communication, television, radio and newspapers.
We started using it a different way in our biz after digital card recording.
[Craig Alan] “I also don’t think that FCP X is as different as most people seem to view it. I think 99% of its form, function, and concepts are like any other NLE.”
This seems like arguing both sides. If it’s only 1% then that’s tiny and folks are overreacting.
If it is a very disruptive act Apple made then it would seem like it is more then 1%I like that they tried to get outside the box. They do plenty of things that I don’t like also so I feel your pain.
I want to be able to block a number on my iPhone with a click. All that technology and I can’t do that one thing ; )
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[Tony West] “”media”s definition has to do with mass communication, television, radio and newspapers.”
point taken so skip that. Then folder or collection or bin.
[Tony West] “This seems like arguing both sides. If it’s only 1% then that’s tiny and folks are overreacting.
If it is a very disruptive act Apple made then it would seem like it is more then 1%”I was playing loose with 99% but the devil is in the details and I think the sudden EOL to FCP 7 which was an industry standard and X’s initial lack of features was what caused the uproar.
Plus X was a different app. Just cause I was saying it does 99% of what all editing apps do, does not mean it does it the same way. Some features like connected clips is radically different than tracks. But its purpose is similar in that they both function as layers. Whatever is on top dominates the image and shares the audio equally. If you were a very skilled FCP 7 user or someone who slowly and painfully learned enough of FCP 7 to get the job done then it was very disruptive.
Regardless how similar a feature set might be each new app comes with a learning curve. When you’ve mastered a craft and trying to make art with it, it’s very disruptive. If you’ve learned enough of a craft to express yourself and trying to be artistic, it is very disruptive. Particularly compared to everything is the same except this annoyance has been fixed and this and that has been beefed up and this new feature is new and cool. So looking forward to 64 bit FCP 8.
I think X is easier to learn but had initially more missing features than was acceptable.
My point is that X isn’t all that different in function or form (once you get to know it, like any app of the same type). If Adobe had been a non-monthly bill I would have gone that route and been equally annoyed that 7 was EOL.
What I was pointing out was that the process (not the app) is the same. You import media. You organize your imports. You do a rough cut. You tweak your rough cut. You add layers/b-roll. You fix the audio. You add transitions and effects. You color correct. ETC All similar work flow just done differently or slightly differently. It’s not like you’ve never edited before. But the learning curve is beyond an annoyance if you were already fluent with the previous app. And to have to face this on-goingly with every app you use both as a pro and as a consumer, I think is counter-productive.
I still want to send an unwanted call to voice mail or block it all together. If I knew how to do it on IOS 8 and now I’m clueless and the call is coming in when I’m in the middle of something important …. give me a break.
I’m not feeling the pain anymore. I’m as good with FCP X as I was with 7. But that took time and I really don’t want to go through that again 5 years from now. I just want to use these apps and learn new ones, not learn the same ones over again all the time. Life is short. Who’s serving who? Is the tail wagging the dog?
Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Canon 5D Mark III/70D, Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV40, Sony Z7U/VX2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; FCP X write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.
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