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What does FCPX teach new editors?
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[Craig Seeman] “That a single clip can exist in multiple collections is hard (but not impossible) to replicate in other NLEs.”
That’s surely not true, is it? There is nothing easier in FCP7 than copying a clip to new bin and it’s probably faster to do. Is that really any different? (In Media Composer too it’s a doddle to have copies of the same clip in different bins – something that happens all the time with feature film edit organization.
Simon Ubsdell
Director/Editor/Writer
http://www.tokyo-uk.com -
I know that there’s a mix in attitude toward FCPX from the posters here, so I can’t thank everyone enough for their thoughts and civility. I’m learning a lot in this conversation, and I hope there is much more to come.
I’m going to continue challenging a few points and asking a few questions here, but I hope it doesn’t come across as argumentative. I really respect the diversity of opinion on FCPX will affect the future of editorial, and I’m hoping to understand everyone’s perspective a bit more deeply so I can better formulate my own.
[Craig Seeman] “I don’t think it’s hiding things in this context. I think it exposes vertical relationships which previously were difficult to manage in other NLEs if you had to move the base of the stack. It allows the computer to do something that wasn’t done easily in an NLE previously.”
I think FCPX hides a lot of the mechanics — like file management, media types, track layout, even absolute time — asking the editor instead to focus first on defining the relationships between the clips.
Maybe I got a bit derailed by the comparison to nodal compositing. I think that nodal compositing requires the compositor (the person) to think mechanically like their compositing app to get work done. In this regard, nodal compositing strikes me as much more similar to how FCP worked than how FCPX works.
I think that FCPX has much more defined perspective on how to work than FCP did. Jean-François said that FCPX felt very organic — but is it still flexible? It seems to me that it pushes the editor towards a very specific way of working. Am I wrong on this? If not, are these changes good things, or are we giving up too much for too little?
Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events -
[Jean-François Robichaud] “This might be a leftover from my linear beginnings (or it could be constructive procrastination), but it works for me. However, once I start assembling in the timeline, the process becomes more impulsive (in a good way).”
I think a lot of editors use the organization process as a “displacement activity” which puts off the dread of actually having to be creative – it’s a whole lot easier to spend time naming things and making them tidy rather than getting down to the nitty-gritty of editing.
Just enough organization is the right amount – any more and you’re wasting time. But I guess finding the right balance is the key 😉
Simon Ubsdell
Director/Editor/Writer
http://www.tokyo-uk.com -
In FCPX I don’t have to copy/duplicate the clip. I place the clip in each Collection. They then are keyword searchable. In other NLEs the bin doesn’t “tag” anything to the clip. I’ve used both Avid (first 12 years) and FCP (last 10 years) and neither are as easy or as flexible as FCPX doing this. Even searching a clip that meets the criteria (has been placed in) multiple Collections is easy. If I need to find Interviews, Chicago, exterior it takes me seconds because the clips are tagged with those keywords rather than just sitting in those bins.
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[Matt Callac] “While you do come up with really good stuff Fiddling around with the edit. Which FCPX is great for. Planning and conceptualizing is a really big part of the process, that I’d imagine someone learning to edit on X would skip.”
As I mentioned earlier, laziness is a possibility with any NLE app… The bigger question confronting us with FCP X is whether anyone just learning to make videos and using X as their primary NLE app will be in any way prepared to work in the industry, or more importantly whether the general perception will be that they are unprepared.
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor/Colorist
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los Angeles
https://www.drwfilms.comDon’t miss my new tutorial: Prepare for a seamless transition to FCP X and OS X Lion
https://library.creativecow.net/weiss_roth_david/FCP-10-MAC-Lion/1POST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™
Creative COW contributing editor and a forum host of the Business & Marketing and Apple Final Cut Pro forums.
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[Andree Franks] “and this is the Problem I find with all applications, I don’t want to solve or troubleshoot I want to create content. But again that what Computers are there for right? Fixing them!”
There are two kinds of problem solving we’re talking about so far: technical problem solving (like converting H.264 clips to ProRes for use in FCP7) and creative problem solving (like identifying and fixing a bad cut). Sometimes technical and creative problems overlap (like fixing a bad shot that’s the only right shot for the cut). In any case, problems are inevitable in the process.
I think Matt’s point raises these questions:
First, if the only application you’ve ever used takes care of most (but not all) of the technical problems for you, are you at a disadvantage for solving the harder problems it can’t solve automatically? In other words, is a deep technical understanding still relevant, and does FCPX help or hinder its development?
Second, does removing contraints (like those that were in linear editorial) while an editor is learning the craft encourage or discourage creative problem solving? Do hard constraints paradoxically encourage more flexible problem solving, or will someone who developed without contraints think more freely?
Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events -
[David Roth Weiss] ” The bigger question confronting us with FCP X is whether anyone just learning to make videos and using X as their primary NLE app will be in any way prepared to work in the industry”
It depends on where the industry goes with FCPX.
Working on Avid Media Composer did not prepare me well for my brief attempt to learn Quantel Harry.
Someone working on FCPX may have some time adjusting to Avid or Premiere. On the other hand in FCPX gains significant market share it might be a valuable skill. -
[David Roth Weiss] “The bigger question confronting us with FCP X is whether anyone just learning to make videos and using X as their primary NLE app will be in any way prepared to work in the industry, or more importantly whether the general perception will be that they are unprepared.”
This is infinitely more down-to-earth than any of the other questions I was raising, but it’s certainly where they were all going.
Without making a judgment on how FCPX will do in the market, is the editorial mindset learned on FCPX alone transferrable? Does learning on FCPX alone encourage significant gaps in understanding?
Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events -
[Walter Soyka] “There are two kinds of problem solving we’re talking about so far: technical problem solving (like converting H.264 clips to ProRes for use in FCP7) and creative problem solving (like identifying and fixing a bad cut). Sometimes technical and creative problems overlap (like fixing a bad shot that’s the only right shot for the cut). In any case, problems are inevitable in the process.
“In my world those are no problems I call them creative challenges and would not consider them a technical problem, issues or even challenge.
Like drawing on stone wall with pencil it can be done depends on the artist. -
[Walter Soyka] ”
Without making a judgment on how FCPX will do in the market, is the editorial mindset learned on FCPX alone transferrable? Does learning on FCPX alone encourage significant gaps in understanding?”Really depends on the what criteria we choose to evaluate most heavily.
What’s more important…file formats, workflow’s etc, or the ability to craft a story. An FCPX only editor would be at the disadvantage on the formats/workflows side of things. Both are important, but i guess the question is, are both totally necessary.
-mattyc
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