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Those who want to disagree with “Rule 1” are free to do so.
But just understand, I certainly didn’t “make it up”.

It is the first “rule” I ever learned when I started “creating” back in the Iron Age.

And, it has been “Rule 1” for as long as “art” has been created.

Painters hide their portrait work from the subject.
Sculptors, song-writers, inventors… they all want to keep their projects “clean” and “in flux” by their own hand until THEY decide its ready.

YES, THERE ARE ALWAYS EXCEPTIONS (the King who is the “patron” would want to “peak” and many times the artist would capitulate (he’d almost HAVE TO).

And I often get the urge to SHOW OFF an edit before its done, but I also know who to show it to (as you have said) but I still take in ANY critique filtered thru my own judgment.

For instance, only I know WHY a certain cutaways are placed where they are (I know what I had to cover).

What’s more, artists know that “the house” (those watching, AT THE MOMENT) can change completely and without any explanation from “cold” to “warm” viewing the same work.
(A play gets giggles and “polite applause” on Wed. and roaring laughter and a “standing ovation” on Thu.)

So, as I use it, “never show a work in progress” (like Murphy’s Law) is a “TRUISM”… meaning it is more often true than not.

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Hi Peter,

You keep trying to say that none of us could be speaking “well” of a “CRT” monitor.

Can you explain why you don’t think that’s a possibility?

A CRT is STILL the most accurate, and most economical way to view SD video.
And for HD, an HD CRT can provide the highest possible resolution as well.

CRTs are still the main “critical” monitors in thousands of professional post suites.

There are plenty of us who still use CRTs as computer monitors as well.
I’ve spent too many hours with the teeny-tiny pixel squares cutting thru the typeface on LCD computer monitors (can you say FCP Browser Type?).

Give me the (now) less expensive 21″ CRTs and I’m just fine.

Maybe someday a good LCD or Plasma monitor (costing under $3000) will display camera output as accurately as a good CRT monitor (costing under $800), but that day is not yet here.

These are my opinions.
Anyone can disagree, of course, but please explain WHY.

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There are any number of combinations to choose under the various the settings options.
Below is a set that I have used for emailing FCP files and have had few problems or complaints on the receiving end.
You can start with these and try an export, view it, and make any changes you think you’d like (including the “SIZE” setting.)
You can then just drop the new file right into an open email window on the Mac and send it.
————————————–
File> Export > Using Quicktime Conversion
Format: Quicktime Movie
Options…

Video
Settings…
Video compressor – Sorenson Video 3
Quality: Low
Frames per second: 15
? Key frame: every 30 frames
Limit Data Rate NOT CHECKED
Size:
Custom – 240×180

Sound
Settings…
Compressor: IMA 4:1
Rate: 16 kHz,
Size: 16 bit,
Use: Mono

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The audio is, by default, MUTED to the Mac’s speaker output during Log and Capture.

You should normally monitor the audio directly from the camcorder or deck you are using to capture.

NOTE:
Many people have reported that noise or “pops” appear in the captured clips if the Mac audio is left on WHILE capturing… so may want to choose “Off During Capture.”

However, there is a way you can turn ON the Mac’s speaker if you really WANT to:

Final Cut Pro (menu) > Audio/Video Settings… > Capture Presets (tab)

“Duplicate” the Capture Preset you are now using, when the window opens rename it (I added “MacAudioOn” to the file name).

Click open the “Advanced” button in the Audio section and turn speakers to “ON during Capture.”
The Mac speakers/audio-out will now play Audio during the preview in the Log and Capture window.

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[Peter Ralph] “A CRT monitor – do you mean NTSC? “

Nope.

I’ve (we’ve) been talking about the differences between LCD (laptop and otherwise) and CRT monitors and they ARE very different.

LCD have very limited “sweet” angles so that if you are at a slightly “wrong” angle you can make a very “wrong” iris decision.
The color renditions are different (you can’t really judge true chroma levels… not really a big deal) but the contrast “steps” are very different (LCDs are limited) and that can give you the wrong impression of whether the blacks are too high or low (as well as incorrect readings on white-clipping areas).

Sure, lots of folks shoot with LCD monitors (I would LOVE to… much more convenient than bulky CRTs) but I can’t RELY on them for correct “feedback” when I NEED to know under LIVE SHOW conditions.
(I shoot stage presentaions with ZERO chance for re-takes… kind of like a WEDDING!)

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1. Restart the Mac.

2. Mixdown your audio at certain intervals DURING the edit (you can do this without destroying any multi-track layer options).
Yes, audio has a profound effect on the speed that FCP can process. A mixdown will ease the burden.
Once there’s a mixdown, if you make any audio changes, they will only affect the small areas that you actually adjusted. So the next time you mixdown it will take a shorter time.

3. In extreme cases, “slice up” longer timelines and edit shorter “sections” at a time and FCP should respond faster to each.

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[tony salgado] “You will be actually fooled by an inaccurate monitor regardless of what the dvrack tells you. “

This is no small matter.
You can actually get back to edit a video and discover (on a “real” monitor) that the image is severely under-exposed, or you THOUGHT that the focus looked “sweet” on the LCD only to find that the bride’s detailed veil is actually a bit blurry in the close-ups during the entire ceremony!

I’d much rather make my LIVE under-the-gun decisions on a trusted CRT monitor than have a vectorscope, waveform monitor or other gear (which I DO have).
When you can SEE that your image looks RIGHT, you can feel confident about the rest of the production.

Beleive me, I have come home from shoots where I “trusted” the camera’s LCD for exposure, etc. and had a real “surprise” (that did not merit a cake!)

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Computer screens are simply not the same contrast or resolution as NTSC or PAL video monitors.
They can flat-out “lie” to you about your levels and focus (as will the LCD’s built in to camcorders.)

Since you asked, my advice is to spend your money on a good CRT (not LCD) shooting monitor.
If that monitor is properly set-up, you can make dead-on iris, focus and framing decisions based on it during the critical parts of the ceremony.

Direct-to-Computer is “nice” little feature… A truthful monitor can help save your ASSETS.

As for playing demos to clients, use your camcorder hooked up to your “good” monitor.

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Are you rendering in FCP before checking?

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[Uwe Klimmeck] “1) Days or weeks of work are printed to a final mastertape: I sit and watch.
2) It’s your responsibility as an editor to deliver a clean master: I sit and watch.
3) I do not trust FinalCutPro at all when it is editing to tape. “

I agree, but its not that I don’t trust FCP… I don’t really trust ANYTHING (including ME) unless I sit and watch carefully.

Many times I have caught little mistakes that should be fixed as I “dub-out.”
Typo’s on CGs are a good thing to check one last time (especially if you have been working alone).

Missed or poorly-timed (within the “flow”) transitions, or bad audio mixes… just any little item that might be improved… its a good “final inspection” stage.