-
Some overlooked FCP7 Improvements
-
[Joseph Owens] “its single-character editing allows for very detailed kerning”
[Matt Callac] “I don’t think it’s too much to ask to be able to have a dollar sign smaller than the actual numbers behind it.”
Check out the new Adjust Glyph tool in Motion 4
https://www.apple.com/finalcutstudio/whats-new.html#motionNow thats a lot more text control then I ever saw in livetype.
There are no “technical solutions” to your “artistic problems”.
Don’t let technology get in the way of your creativity! -
[Andrew Keil] “Firstly, lack of a search bar in the browser is unforgivable in my opinion. There is no excuse. “
But the find command has been vastly improved, including searchable markers. Thank you, Apple.
[Andrew Keil] “Why is the text generator from motion not integrated into FCP to replace the text tool?”
I always thought that Motion should just be a part of FCP. Why round trip?
[Andrew Keil] “f you want to author Blu-Ray you have to look elsewhere, because Apple is treating its Pro-sumer market like the consumer market, they want downloads and that’s it.
“It’s all my customers want, until they want the tape master, but whatever, if you need BluRay I see your point. I just feels like a stop gap technology to me.
[Andrew Keil] ” is it really worth trumpeting automatic upload to MobileMe when this can already be done through Quicktime?”
Agree, big deal…
[Andrew Keil] “You can already screen share in iChat, so is this really a banner update? “
This is kind of cool, clients that are hesitant to come in and slow down my day, will now be able to watch me edit from their office, car, hotel, whatever, with timecode. It’s pretty sweet.
And you are missing all the under the hood improvements. FCP7 is going to be a pretty fast beast, with greater organizational under pinnings, which in my opinion has been sorely lacking from FCP since day 1.
[Andrew Keil] “The Interface of Color did need an overhaul. “
Say what you want about the quirky interface of Color, but that program has been a seriously great addition to the suite. The quality that is achievable by rendering from Color has really shown in our productions, and we are constantly getting praises from the difference in Pre Color and Post Color look from our videos. The interface? Yeah maybe it can be improved, but I am very happy with Color just being there as it’s not impossible. I don’t mind learning a tools quirks in the result is great.
[Andrew Keil] “I’ll still be using FCS, but it seems to me that it is just not a priority for Apple anymore.”
I imagine that it sells the most amount of desktop computers for Apple. Consumers don’t want MacPros. Vegas? Come on. You think that’s Sony’s priority?
-
This is exactly WHY I never used LiveType, and why for a while I wouldn’t even use the Boris 3D type tool that’s built in to FCP – because you can not count on Apple to keep these add-ons in place. Once they decide the cost to integrate them into a new version isn’t worth it, they get the axe. And your old project no longer open properly in the new version.
I use the Boris 3D type now but with the knowledge that Apple may kill it sometime in the future.
Joe Murray
Edit at Joe’s
Charlotte, NC -
well even if it is only 1%, then with a touted user base of approx 1 million registered users, thats still an awful lot of people who use Livetype.
I never use Motion, i tried and found it to slow and buggy. All my fx work is done with AE or Shake. I have a library of legals and riders that get used on almost every commercial i make, and they are all made using Livetype. I rarely use the animation features, but as an easily adjustable text generator, it does a fine job.
I don’t want Apple to waste time and resources improving it, but i would hope they continue to supply it so those who do use it still have the option.
2cents worth?.
Adam
Adam Taylor
Video Editor/Audio Mixer/ Compositor/Motion GFX/Barista
Character Options Ltd
Oldham, UKhttp://www.sculptedbliss.co.uk
-
[Andrew Keil] “This is not window dressing, it needed addressing and they haven’t done it. The App has barely changed since they bought FInal Touch and re-named it. “
And thank goodness for that. Leave Color alone, the app and especially the UI is perfectly fine as it is. It makes sense. If anything I would prefer the rest of the suite be brought in line with Color.
And as for “barely changing since they bought Final Touch,” I would beg to differ. There are quite a few new improvements in the application since I spent $5,000 on Final Touch HD. First the upgraded codecs, the curves in the Primary In and the Secondaries were added / vastly improved with Color 1.0. Now Color 1.5 adds a huge leap with speed changes / graphics file recognition along with more codec recognition.
These are huge additions since Final Touch 2.5 / 2.6.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Editor, Colorist, Director, Writer, Consultant, Author.
Credits include multiple Emmy, Telly, Aurora and Peabody Awards.
Biscardi Creative MediaCreative Cow Forum Host:
Apple Final Cut Pro, Apple Motion, Apple Color, AJA Kona, Business & Marketing, Maxx Digital. -
So the file browser in Color doesn’t need an overhaul then? What about viewing folders or files with names anything longer than a few characters in list view? You can’t read the full file name, there isn’t even a tooltip when you mouse over it.
How about the fact that the Open file window acts completely differently to every other application? No sidebar, no nothing, just some legacy interface that is not in keeping with any other app in well, Apple’s entire line of software!
How about the fact that the way user preferences is set up makes it much more taxing to make a project portable? The way the default project, media and render directory works means that there is a lot of checking that needs done to ensure that a project behaves itself. Why can’t I just save a color project file like any other project file, why the need for it to act differently?
What about the text rendering in the app. broken, ugly and again, words cut off. I’m looking at the user preferences pane now on a 1920×1200 screen and I see the option saying “Internal Pixel for…” followed by a dialogue box saying “..floating point”, hardly the best interface design is it?I just feel that there is a little bit of excuse making for Apple here. Color is a fine application and like you, I have had a lot of very good results with it, but there is a little bit of a fight with it and there absolutely doesn’t need to be.
It’s a fond saying that the application needs to get out of the way in order for us as professionals to focus on creativity. Can you honestly say that in this update there was absolutely nothing for them to address?
Either Apple has an interface design standard or it doesn’t, why should FCS be any less intuitive than other Apps?
-
[Andrew Keil] “So the file browser in Color doesn’t need an overhaul then? What about viewing folders or files with names anything longer than a few characters in list view? You can’t read the full file name, there isn’t even a tooltip when you mouse over it. “
Sure, maybe. Vaild points. ALthough I never look at the files in folder view, just list view.
[Andrew Keil] “How about the fact that the Open file window acts completely differently to every other application? No sidebar, no nothing, just some legacy interface that is not in keeping with any other app in well, Apple’s entire line of software! “
This is because Apple purchased the software, and didn’t write it from the ground up. Maybe in due time.
[Andrew Keil] “How about the fact that the way user preferences is set up makes it much more taxing to make a project portable? The way the default project, media and render directory works means that there is a lot of checking that needs done to ensure that a project behaves itself. Why can’t I just save a color project file like any other project file, why the need for it to act differently? “
Again all valid points, you should leave feedback, but this also has to do with the original code was created.
[Andrew Keil] “What about the text rendering in the app. broken, ugly and again, words cut off. I’m looking at the user preferences pane now on a 1920×1200 screen and I see the option saying “Internal Pixel for…” followed by a dialogue box saying “..floating point”, hardly the best interface design is it? “
Time for a bigger monitor? 🙂
[Andrew Keil] “but there is a little bit of a fight with it and there absolutely doesn’t need to be. “
I am just happy i have to do less prep work when going from FCP to COlor. That in itself is a huge time saver.
[Andrew Keil] “Can you honestly say that in this update there was absolutely nothing for them to address? “
No, I didn’t say that. There’s always stuff to address as nothing is perfect. Ever.
[Andrew Keil] “Either Apple has an interface design standard or it doesn’t, why should FCS be any less intuitive than other Apps?”
Because they bought it and didn’t design it.
Jeremy
-
Getting into a lot of replies now! Hope this doesn’t look too confusing
[Andrew Keil] “So the file browser in Color doesn’t need an overhaul then? What about viewing folders or files with names anything longer than a few characters in list view? You can’t read the full file name, there isn’t even a tooltip when you mouse over it. “
Sure, maybe. Vaild points. ALthough I never look at the files in folder view, just list view.
—————————————————————————–
**Still the same problem, you can’t read filenames in list view either.
—————————————————————————–
[Andrew Keil] “How about the fact that the Open file window acts completely differently to every other application? No sidebar, no nothing, just some legacy interface that is not in keeping with any other app in well, Apple’s entire line of software! “This is because Apple purchased the software, and didn’t write it from the ground up. Maybe in due time.
—————————————————————————–
Yeah and they purchased FCP as well from Macromedia way back in the mists of time, they have upgraded and enhanced that many times. So the argument there is that they can buy an app that does not act like their other software, and then proceed to do incremental upgrades for 2 years and that’s it?
—————————————————————————–
[Andrew Keil] “How about the fact that the way user preferences is set up makes it much more taxing to make a project portable? The way the default project, media and render directory works means that there is a lot of checking that needs done to ensure that a project behaves itself. Why can’t I just save a color project file like any other project file, why the need for it to act differently? “Again all valid points, you should leave feedback, but this also has to do with the original code was created.
—————————————————————————–
Again, the original code is Apple’s problem now, they own it, it’s up to them to fix it, and I have left feedback!
—————————————————————————–
[Andrew Keil] “What about the text rendering in the app. broken, ugly and again, words cut off. I’m looking at the user preferences pane now on a 1920×1200 screen and I see the option saying “Internal Pixel for…” followed by a dialogue box saying “..floating point”, hardly the best interface design is it? “Time for a bigger monitor? 🙂
—————————————————————————–
🙂 I am such a cheapskate, but this is a 17″ MBP I’m working on here (and I know I shouldn’t be CC on it, outputting the canvas to an external monitor”) it’s no slouch, it’s not an entry level machine, it’s the top of the line, too much to ask for text to fit?
—————————————————————————–
[Andrew Keil] “but there is a little bit of a fight with it and there absolutely doesn’t need to be. “I am just happy i have to do less prep work when going from FCP to COlor. That in itself is a huge time saver.
—————————————————————————–
Again, these are bugs! bugs! I don’t see them fixing something that was wrong in the first place as a new feature, that’s just lazy.
—————————————————————————–
[Andrew Keil] “Can you honestly say that in this update there was absolutely nothing for them to address? “No, I didn’t say that. There’s always stuff to address as nothing is perfect. Ever.
—————————————————————————–
True, but there’s a little bit of apologising going on here, c’mon admit it, I’m not pulling things out of the sky here, these are valid concerns and there’s every reason to be a little annoyed that they haven’t been addressed.
—————————————————————————–
[Andrew Keil] “Either Apple has an interface design standard or it doesn’t, why should FCS be any less intuitive than other Apps?”Because they bought it and didn’t design it.
—————————————————————————–
Again, you bought it you own it, lame excuse for not fixing things.
—————————————————————————– -
[Andrew Keil] “So the file browser in Color doesn’t need an overhaul then? What about viewing folders or files with names anything longer than a few characters in list view? You can’t read the full file name, there isn’t even a tooltip when you mouse over it. “
I never view files in the browser, haven’t been affected by this even back in the Final Touch days. I work from the timeline so I don’t care much about the clip names in the browser quite honestly.
[Andrew Keil] “How about the fact that the Open file window acts completely differently to every other application? No sidebar, no nothing, just some legacy interface that is not in keeping with any other app in well, Apple’s entire line of software! “
It wasn’t designed by Apple, it operates like I would expect a Unix application to open. So it operates differently than any other Apple app, and? No big deal in my opinion.
[Andrew Keil] “How about the fact that the way user preferences is set up makes it much more taxing to make a project portable? The way the default project, media and render directory works means that there is a lot of checking that needs done to ensure that a project behaves itself. Why can’t I just save a color project file like any other project file, why the need for it to act differently? “
It works essentially the same as FCP. If you want to move a project to another machine, then you have to reset the Scratch Discs in FCP and you have to Reconnect the Media. In Color you have to reset the Media and Render locations. It’s about the same. Color is VERY portable, we’ve worked projects on multiple machines / multiple locations for years.
[Andrew Keil] “What about the text rendering in the app. broken, ugly and again, words cut off. I’m looking at the user preferences pane now on a 1920×1200 screen and I see the option saying “Internal Pixel for…” followed by a dialogue box saying “..floating point”, hardly the best interface design is it? “
Honestly don’t even know what you’re talking about here, can’t follow what you’re saying.
[Andrew Keil] “I just feel that there is a little bit of excuse making for Apple here. Color is a fine application and like you, I have had a lot of very good results with it, but there is a little bit of a fight with it and there absolutely doesn’t need to be. “
Wasn’t designed by Apple or even FOR Apple. It was designed as a Unix application for professional film timing color grade. Wasn’t even supposed to be used with Video originally, the Quicktime functionality was added later. Not making any excuses for Apple, the application is fine the way it is, Apple has only improved it by making the workflow with FCP more seamless, especially now with Color 1.5.
[Andrew Keil] “It’s a fond saying that the application needs to get out of the way in order for us as professionals to focus on creativity. Can you honestly say that in this update there was absolutely nothing for them to address? “
They addressed precisely what needed to be addressed, the workflow with FCP. Speed changes, Still Images in particular were addressed. The interface didn’t need to be addressed, it’s fine the way it is. It does not need the vanilla Final Cut Studio interface slapped on the front, if anything I wish the rest of Studio would adapt an interface more like Color.
[Andrew Keil] “Either Apple has an interface design standard or it doesn’t, why should FCS be any less intuitive than other Apps?
“Again, Apple didn’t design it. Silicon Color designed it years ago and it still looks pretty much the same as it did when I purchased Final Touch HD. It’s a solid, proven interface and just because editors want it to change, doesn’t mean a professional Colorist tool should change. How many Colorists have you spoken to that would like to see that interface changed to match Final Cut Pro? Don’t think you’re going to find many who do and that’s who the app is targeted at. So either learn to think like a colorist or just stick with the tools and plug-ins in FCP.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Editor, Colorist, Director, Writer, Consultant, Author.
Credits include multiple Emmy, Telly, Aurora and Peabody Awards.
Owner, Biscardi Creative Media featuring HD Post
Biscardi Creative MediaCreative Cow Forum Host:
Apple Final Cut Pro, Apple Motion, Apple Color, AJA Kona, Business & Marketing, Maxx Digital. -
/[Andrew Keil] “What about the text rendering in the app. broken, ugly and again, words cut off. I’m looking at the user preferences pane now on a 1920×1200 screen and I see the option saying “Internal Pixel for…” followed by a dialogue box saying “..floating point”, hardly the best interface design is it? ”
Honestly don’t even know what you’re talking about here, can’t follow what you’re saying. /
What I’m saying is there are options within Color that are not immediately clear because the text within the interface is cut off because it is not properly formatted for the display, and I am not using some tiny display. I really don’t care whether this is the way it’s always been, it’s bad design, again, you may not think this is a big deal, I think it’s annoying, not the kind of thing that stops me using it, but annoying nonetheless.
I’m afraid that “think like a colorist” attitude doesn’t really wash with me here because if you look at my list of issues with the application they have precisely nothing to do with the actual coloring process within Color. It is primarily with file management and the refinement of the UI.
I think the attitude you’re taking with this is that if you have an issue with the interface, then it’s your problem, not Color’s. I’m sorry, but I really don’t see how this argument applies, how exactly does the open file dialogue in Color make me feel more like a Colorist?That it has it’s original UNIX interface is not a sign that it’s a high end app, the results that you get with it say that. I don’t get the attitude of “well that’s the way it’s always been, get used to it”, if that were the case, then wouldn’t we all be cutting linear tape to tape?
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up