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RedShark News: Opinion: Which are the best NLEs right now?
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[James Ewart] “Who am I to tell them they are wrong?”
I wouldn’t tell them they are wrong. I would tell them they work in a niche market where Avid is focused and strong. If you want to make a living in that niche, you better know Avid (and probably Premiere these days). But there is a huge world of visual storytelling going on out there that doesn’t use one particular product. That’s the bigger market. Not as visible to be sure, but a huge market.
[James Ewart] “Most of the best work is being cut with Avid still. “
Depends on your definition of “best work”. What percentage of that work can be considered “good”? Just for a good debate, one could also say that the vast majority of commercials are conceptual crap (I also cut them for a living). Broadcast TV is almost unwatchable these days, being mostly reality, bad “comedy” or cop dramas. One has to comb through Netflix pretty good to find a well done movie. People are “cutting the cord” faster and faster to get only what they want. One could say this, correct? So where does that leave us? Avid cuts mostly crap? Is that inspirational marketing? I have never looked at the credits of a good movie to see what system is was cut on. Who cares? It’s the cutter, not the box (for the millionth time!). 🙂
IMHO, without coffee… 🙂
Scott Witthaus
Senior Editor/Post Production Supervisor
1708 Inc./Editorial
Professor, VCU Brandcenter -
[Scott Witthaus] “People are “cutting the cord” faster and faster to get only what they want.”
But what they want is more flexible access to the TV shows and movies they want to watch. They aren’t leaving because of the content, they are leaving because of the distribution medium. Aside from a handful of 1st party shows (which could easily be on a cable/TV channel) Netflix, Hulu, Amazon streaming, Epix, VUDU, XBL, PSN, Google Play, HBOGO (coming soon), YouTube (their pay service), etc., all just redistribute existing movies and TV shows.
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I can’t disagree with anything you say Scott and maybe ‘best’ was the wrong word.
Biggest budgets maybe?
For sure I am pleased Apple decided to upset the apple cart (bad pun sorry) and what is strangest to me is how threatened a lot of people have become not just by FCP Legacy way back when but even more so by X recently. The response has been emotional more than rational. Why I wonder?
What’s the threat? Just learn it and use it.
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[Andrew Kimery] “But what they want is more flexible access to the TV shows and movies they want to watch. They aren’t leaving because of the content, they are leaving because of the distribution medium.”
I still have basic cable through Comcast, but have not watched regular TV in years. I cut the cord because I (and my wife) want more flexibility, and because the content on regular TV is mostly crap. I still have a DVD plan through Netflix, but realized that neither I nor my wife have taken the time to request a DVD in probably 6 months. I’d probably jettison the DVD plan too if not for the occasional obscure movie I cannot find via download one way or another.
The other interesting phenomena I’ve noticed is that many young folks prefer to watch movies and TV shoes on small screens like an iPad. My wife prefers her little 13″ MacBook to the large Plasma HDTV (and high quality audio system) in my home studio. I was resistant to this at first, but realize now that the immersive illusion is still complete even with small size and sucky audio.
I’d be curious to know how widespread these two trends are more generally.
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[James Ewart] ” what is strangest to me is how threatened a lot of people have become not just by FCP Legacy way back when but even more so by X recently. The response has been emotional more than rational. Why I wonder?
What’s the threat? Just learn it and use it.”
I’m not personally aware of anyone threatened by X. If you are a broadcast or film editor how can you be threatened by a product with virtually zero market penetration in your area. I do know a lot of people pissed at Apple for the demise of Legacy, a demise that dead ended the fastest growing and most promising NLE workflow in existence. This anger is focused on X as the culprit by folks who have no use for X’s inovations — at the moment. But how you can go from that to the meme that “editors feel threatened by X” I don’t quite understand.
Herb Sevush
Zebra Productions
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nothin’ attached to nothin’
“Deciding the spine is the process of editing” F. Bieberkopf -
I would say that the negativity I experience towards FCPX (that echoes Legacy) is irrational and has an agenda. What could that agenda be?
I also know for sure that facilities and broadcasters with huge investments in Avid technology wanted FCP Legacy to fail that X represents an even greater threat to them. They have overheads to pay in expensive parts of town and old kit they do not want to renew until they absolutely have to. A new kid in town is an expensive option for them. They would rather it failed.
As for zero market penetration. No not zero. It’s certainly not zero. Not at the BBC anyway. Okay the BBC is tiny in context but over here people watch what they do. Like Walter Murch it’s seal of approval.
Read the forums and read the vitriol directed at FCPX from various quarters and tell me that does not smack of threatened. If not threatened then what is it please? Why would they care?
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[Andrew Kimery] “Aside from a handful of 1st party shows (which could easily be on a cable/TV channel) Netflix, Hulu, Amazon streaming, Epix, VUDU, XBL, PSN, Google Play, HBOGO (coming soon), YouTube (their pay service), etc., all just redistribute existing movies and TV shows.”
Yes, but we get what we like…without having to put up with the “conceptual crap” and the networks. Subscription based television.
Scott Witthaus
Senior Editor/Post Production Supervisor
1708 Inc./Editorial
Professor, VCU Brandcenter -
[Herb Sevush] “I’m not personally aware of anyone threatened by X.”
I see it here and there. These were probably the same type of people that felt threatened by videotape tape when they were film editors, NLEs when they were videotape editors and FCP Legend when they were Avid editors. Typically, and I’m painting with a very broad brush here, these types of people seemed to be in businesses because they owned gear that few people could afford. As the financial barrier to entry lowered they faced competition and quickly freaked out because they could no longer just coast by. Whether it’s from NLEs, DSLRS or Gutenberg’s printing press, there will always be a segment of the population fearful of the democratization of their industry. Never mind the fact that pen & paper, footballs and guitars are available to damn near everyone in the industrialized world yet people still make a living as writers, athletes and musicians.
What I find most hilarious is when it’s FCP Legend users complaining about being ‘undercut’ by FCPX users when, 10-15yrs ago, FCP Legend allowed them to ‘undercut’ editors using Avid.
[James Ewart] “I also know for sure that facilities and broadcasters with huge investments in Avid technology wanted FCP Legacy to fail that X represents an even greater threat to them. They have overheads to pay in expensive parts of town and old kit they do not want to renew until they absolutely have to”
Really? Which facilities? I ask out of curiosity because in LA, in my experience, I didn’t know of any big facilities/productions that wanted FCP Legend to fail. If anything I think many of them liked that FCP Legend became ‘good enough’ so that they could ditch their Avids because of the gigantic price difference at the time. I feel like I’d be hard pressed to find a business that wouldn’t go for an option that offers very similar performance for a whole lot less money. That type of disparity is over though as all of the NLEs are very affordable these days.
[James Ewart] “Why would they care?”
For the same reason that some people care enough to convince the world that everyone should be using FCPX? Mac vs PC? Chevy vs Ford? All are emotional responses that defy logic. -
[Herb Sevush] “a demise that dead ended the fastest growing and most promising NLE workflow in existence.”
And there it is. The rare and precious, Legend of FCP Legend.
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[Scott Witthaus] “Yes, but we get what we like…without having to put up with the “conceptual crap” and the networks. Subscription based television.”
Right, people want content the studios and networks are pumping out they just don’t want the commercials (which pay for the content) or the appointment viewing (which ties into the commercials that pay for the content). And as far as quality goes… one man’s steak is another man’s cardboard. For example, I don’t care for Duck Dynasty, but it’s one of the highest rated shows ever on Cable TV. Obviously a whole lot of people like it, I’m just not one of them.
My point is, as much as people complain about TV/cable networks and movie studios people still flock to the content produced and/or made available because of the TV/cable networks and movie studios. If streaming providers only offered original content (and for the sake of argument pirating didn’t exist) there would be a lot lot fewer cord cutters.
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