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Panel at Editors Guild regarding using FCP on feature “Hoot”
So I went to a panel last night at the Editors Guild and they were discussing using FCP for feature film work….and I must say, as a feature editor, that loves the FCP interface, and hate that I am always forced to use Avid Media Composer….I brought my partner, a die hard Avid editor…..and our first assistant to the meeting hoping to sell them on using FCP on our next job….we had gone to NAB and they really liked what they saw in FCP……that said I must say that it was a bit of a bummer hearing these guys talk about some major issues that they had using FCP…..
One major issue was on jobs using more than one editor…..like you would use Avid Unity…..which is great that it will lock out other users from overrighting someone elses work….FCP has no equivelent to this system in XSAN and XRAID……really dangerous……
They also seemed to have sync issues, saying that FCP for whatever reason could not transcode a 23.98 project QT to a 29.97 file for sound turnover……said that FCP cant seem to do the math correctly, and that they used….After Effects……to do the conversion….is this true? Note they were using the DVCProHD codec….it was a bummer to hear the snickers throughout the room from “Avid” Editors….I wish I could remember all of the issues they had…I will try and find out and compile a list because I believe that there are work arounds for these things, and the creative freedom that I think I get from FCP’s interface outways the cons, as long as these issues can be worked out…….anyone in here at that meeting last night?
Paul
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2 Replies
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Paul,
Not at the meeting, but not surprised by the “snickers” from the Avid folks. Look, if you want to use FCP, use it. There are plenty of people who do use FCP and get the work done.
As for the “permissions issue” and networked users, I think I’m qualified to speak to that. At our facility we operate a system that has almost 100 FCP systems connected via X-SAN. I can confidently say that we’ve never had a problem with someone “overwriting” someone else’s project. You’ve got to be RETARDED to do that! X-SAN can create a permissions system down to the file level that prevents that kind of stupidity.
Part of the problem is that Avid centric folks just don’t understand the concept that “projects” for FCP/X-SAN are irrelevent . In a sense, the entire X-SAN is your project. Media is kept in folders (so are sequences) and every one has access to everything. If you organize your media intelligently, the importance of a project is minimized. I laugh when the Avid folks say, “but Unity allows simultaneous users within a project”. So what! Even on an Avid, you can’t have simultaneous users on a timeline. That’s what it comes down to.
I don’t work in the film world, so I can’t address the conversion issue.
mark
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For another view on using FCP, I would highly suggest the October 2005 DVD from LAFCPUG where Sean Cullen and Walter Murch discuss editing Jarhead on FCP.
https://www.intelligentassistance.com/shop/lafcpug.html
I recall that they talk a lot about sound. I believe they were using a digital pipeline for sound (using tapes is starting to be an old fashioned way to work).
I believe there are some hardware cards that will do the 23.98 to 29.97 conversion on the fly. I believe you can also export a sequence at 29.97, bring that back in and play it to tape, or paste to a 29.97 sequence and render.
However, using After Effects is a very easy method also.
Avid is probably an easier system to use if you haven’t completely figured out your workflow ahead of time, as it is more tested. However, as Walter Murch and Sean Cullen show, if you are organized and test every aspect, you can be innovative and succesful using Final Cut for a film.
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