Version 1.0 is the new 0.9 – CNet Article

[David Lawrence]

[Jeremy Garchow] “My point is that FCP7 was used by Pros AND Prosumers, or pros in other areas of production that aren’t editors. FCP7 was not “Pro Only”, it was too cheap.”

We’re in agreement here. My point is that FCP legacy scaled in both directions — from hobbyists and prosumers cutting on a laptop, all the way to Fortune 500 companies like Disney and CNN.

[Walter Soyka] “FCP was enormously fluid, flexible, and tactile. Compared with Avid, FCP offered a multitude of ways to accomplish the same editorial operations, and never required the interruption of a mode change to continue work. I think FCP’s interface — which built on what came before, while also offering new ways of working — played an important role in its success.”

The importance of this cannot be overstated. Sure, FCP legacy was far from enterprise-ready when it launched, but it was cheap, flexible, open, and most important of all, designed around an industry standard UI paradigm. XML was an important part of this, but so was an industry standard timeline UI that for many people simply worked better. Being better and incrementally building on industry standards is very different than being clever and dumping industry standards in favor of your own.

[Jeremy Garchow] “FCPX isn’t there yet for XML, but once it is there, then all we are getting down to is UI.”

Isn’t that the core of what this debate we’ve been having for the past 6 months is all about? It’s all about the UI and who it’s designed for and whether it’s so baked into the data architecture that it’s beyond repair.

[Aindreas Gallagher] “the idea that one application can be simultaneously successful as a consumer/prosumer hand holding environment and a full featured, open, deep professional software environment is a lie. Sophistication and options engender necessary complexity. “

This statement is spot on. Apple is trying to have it both ways. On the one hand they want to simplify the UI to make it more approachable and attractive to hobbyists, prosumers, and iMovie users who want to step up to something more powerful. On the other hand, they’re trying to attract/retain professional users by adding a bunch of high-end features.

The problem, is that this strategy simply doesn’t work. UI flexibility/control directly and necessarily lead to complexity. You usually have to choose – simple/optimized or complex/flexible. They’re on different sides of the design spectrum. Moving in one direction pulls you away from the other. It’s very difficult and very rare to nail simple/flexible.

Some may argue that iOS does this but in fact it’s a great example of simple/optimized. The reason the iPad is a hit is because Steve Jobs/Apple was smart enough to realize that a tablet should not try to be a laptop. It’s successful because it’s a simple, highly optimized device. It can certainly replace a laptop for may basic uses, but laptops aren’t going away anytime soon.

It’s very clear that Apple wants to put a consumer-friendly face on a product that was formally targeted mainly to professionals. I think the fallout from this decision will prove to be a huge barrier moving forward. Adding pro features may not be enough to fix this. It all depends on how FCPX fits into high-end workflows and adapts to complex editorial needs.

Agree that the big 2012 update will tell us a lot. But I wouldn’t use broadcast monitoring as the main indicator of Apple’s seriousness. I’d also look at the project bloat bug. That kind of deep, architectural FUBAR should have some Pro App engineer’s hair on fire right now. If they can’t get that fixed ASAP, then I think it says a lot about how baked in the design problems are.

_______________________
David Lawrence
art~media~design~research
propaganda.com
publicmattersgroup.com
facebook.com/dlawrence
twitter.com/dhl

[Aindreas Gallagher]

I love that guy. And now I feel I know a little more why.

http://www.ogallchoir.net
promo producer/editor.grading/motion graphics

[Herb Sevush]

“There’s no such thing as soy milk. It’s soy juice. But they couldn’t sell soy juice, so they called it soy milk. Because anytime you say soy juice, you actually start to gag. And … we all know there’s no such thing as Soy milk ’cause there’s no soy titty, is there?”

Lewis Black

And we all know there’s no such thing as Final Cut Pro 10, because there are no tracks, but if they called it Imovie Pro we would start to gag …

Herb Sevush
Zebra Productions
—————————
nothin’ attached to nothin’
“Deciding the spine is the process of editing” F. Bieberkopf

[Craig Seeman]

And there’s no such thing as a bin in an NLE either. A bin is a physical boxie thing I drop little film clips in.
And if you’re using a Red or Alexa you ain’t using film neither. Heck you ain’t even taping.

I’m going to go back to drinking my coconut milk now.

[Herb Sevush]

[Craig Seeman] “I’m going to go back to drinking my coconut milk now.”

There’s no breasts on a coconut either, so I guess it’s really coconut juice.

“Wise men say that time is like a river. I say time is like a river of SHIT… and as you float down that river in your little canoe, your paddles are getting smaller and smaller.”

Lewis Black

Herb Sevush
Zebra Productions
—————————
nothin’ attached to nothin’
“Deciding the spine is the process of editing” F. Bieberkopf

[Bill Davis]

[Aindreas Gallagher] “And that, children, is the story of how Apple completely destroyed FCP.
“

Well then I hope they keep destroying it again, and again, and again.

I know I’ve stretched into new work areas and even have a few completely new clients based on the fact that this particular tool is AMAZING for producing certain types of content.

And not only are my web-centric customers increasingly asking for these new types of content – my corporate clients seem to be clamoring for this (less video more motion graphics) style as well for their meeting support shows. It’s a contemporary alternative to yesterday’s “movie like” training content that everyone seems to be really tired of.

So we’ll see whether this turns out to be all “it’s crap because it can’t edit my seventh “resume movie” and give it a hollywood level look.” (which was the model that largely built Legacy, IMO) or rather turns out to be a “this thing ROCKS because it lets me communicate easily and efficiently in new ways using all sorts of moving images that people really like” product.

I’m betting on the latter.

New requirements, new tools.

That’s X in a nutshell from my perspective.

But as always – YMMV.

“Before speaking out ask yourself whether your words are true, whether they are respectful and whether they are needed in our civil discussions.”-Justice O’Connor

[Craig Seeman]

[Herb Sevush] “There’s no breasts on a coconut either,”

Well if you cut the coconut in half . . . you must have seen those pictures . . . never mind.

[Aindreas Gallagher]

[Bill Davis] ” I’ve stretched into new work areas and even have a few completely new clients based on the fact that this particular tool is AMAZING for producing certain types of content.”

[Bill Davis] “not only are my web-centric customers increasingly asking for these new types of content – “

[Bill Davis] “my corporate clients seem to be clamoring for this (less video more motion graphics) style as well”

I.. really didn’t want to have to do this Bill, but.. I have to cite you for invoking magical rainbow ponies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Pe2EN8n6uE&feature=related

http://www.ogallchoir.net
promo producer/editor.grading/motion graphics

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[Jeremy Garchow]

[David Lawrence] “Isn’t that the core of what this debate we’ve been having for the past 6 months is all about? It’s all about the UI and who it’s designed for and whether it’s so baked into the data architecture that it’s beyond repair.”

It’s some of the debate. I feel that if XML was more complete, broadcast video monitoring and capture card support was there, and Roles had more user control to function like tracks but not be tracks, this argument would be completely different. There are many things that I, personally, like about the UI. There are many helpful ways to get my job done faster and easier with great quality, without sacrificing creative at all, as a matter of fact, it helps it. I’m OK with that, really. In my feeble mind, there’s no question that Apple will fix what’s broken. I have no idea how long it’s going to take, but it’s how I feel. If they can get some XML features back in there so give us a “relationship backup” of sorts, and optimize some of the App, I’d start using it (of course, I also need monitoring, but that has already been announced). I am not afraid of it. I could care less who else uses FCPX. I don’t care if it’s a soccer mom, or Walter Murch. My job does not depend on that cache, perhaps I am lucky. What I do need is industry support from workflow enhancers (like Andreas Kiel) and hardware companies. If that isn’t there, then I am forced to look around so perhaps I can’t have one without the other. I don’t know. I hear PPro is the FCP8 that never was and Adobe is where I’d start looking. I already use the rest of the Creative Suite, and even if FCPX comes around to a level of safety I feel comfortable with, I will still use AE over Motion.

There are people (pros even) that like this software and they are actually using it on real live jobs. For them, it’s not a proverbial soy titty. But I guess they don’t count?

[Herb Sevush]

[Jeremy Garchow] “For them, it’s not a proverbial soy titty.”

By jove, I think you’ve coined a new phrase, and I’m proud to have been a part of it’s gestation.

Herb Sevush
Zebra Productions
—————————
nothin’ attached to nothin’
“Deciding the spine is the process of editing” F. Bieberkopf