Chris Harlan
Forum Replies Created
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[Charlie Austin] “Can’t we all just get along? After all, the biggest problem we all face, regardless of NLE, is our damn clients! :-D”
Here, here. Being here, over the last several years, has totally convinced me of X’s viability. It’s been a very enjoyable discussion, and I’ve probably learned as much about myself, and why I work the way I do, as I’ve learned about X. Hooray for the observed life, and all.
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[Andy Branner] “[Chris Harlan] “you talk a lot of very angry, very bitter nonsense”
(he says all angry and bitter… 😀 Oh the irony.):-)))))) … mmmh-hmmm. Sure. I’d say that says a LOT more about your frame of mind than mine.
“Maybe it does! Who knows? We’ll have to see.
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[Charlie Austin] “Chris Harlan] “The problem is consistency–the ability to instantly find, among the SFX, the three tracks of foley, as opposed to the other five tracks of SFX, as opposed to the dialog tracks, as opposed to the temp music score, etc. ”
While I agree that the X timeline needs stronger organizational options, I actually find that – if you set your roles properly on import – doing what you say above is actually easier than with track layout. Just select the Role/Subrole in the index and it’s instantly visible in the timeline. I actually find it easier to pick out little clips than using tracks.”
I think the roles highlight thing is great. Its one of the things X has that nothing else does. Where it falls short for me, though, is the overall map of the timeline, seeing everything in relation with each other, being able to take in the visual complexity at a glance, and then to navigate by it. For me, its like looking at a score, and I can see things in the composition. And, this is undoubtedly a personal preference, but I like that there is a consistent geography that becomes part of muscle memory. Music is down, dialog is up, SFX are in between. I start heading in that direction before I’m even looking. As I think about it, that sense of location may be the reason that I will always continue to prefer tracks. That hadn’t occurred to me until just now. Funny the things we learn, being here.
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[Jeremy Garchow] “You can label audio components with a title.
ALso, if you take the time to add Roles to the Audio Components, you can have a Role to select them all (or highlight them all).
Currently, this is a bit tricky in FCPX, but it can be done, and hopefully, will get better.
“I’m not saying it can’t be done. Its just not as clear, and the question for anyone individually, is how important is that clarity vs. the value that the magnetic timeline brings. For me, in my work, once I can navigate using audio on a timeline, that particular stumbling block goes away. My guess is that, for something far more complicated, it would not.
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I wish you much luck on your own path to cushiness; may you achieve it some day. And, if you do–or, perhaps, already have–may it not be ripped out from under you.
I have to tell you dude, you talk a lot of very angry, very bitter nonsense.
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[Jeremy Garchow] “The stems, the stereo audio, SFX, anything that has multiple channels of audio gets collapsed down to one object. If you need to explode it, you can, if you need to hide a channel, you can, but that doesn’t mean you have to see it on the timeline. Granted, FCPX isn’t perfect on the visual organizational part of this, but they are working on it.
Same for the Star Trek grab. All of that could get condensed if you want it to. FCPX does need color labeling, no doubt about that.
My point is, FCPX does simplify some of those complexities. It’s not perfect and needs more work, but as far as controlling large amounts of data in a fell swoop, FCPX seems to be purpose built for it.
“I agree with a lot of that, and being able to collapse it would be terrific. The problem is consistency–the ability to instantly find, among the SFX, the three tracks of foley, as opposed to the other five tracks of SFX, as opposed to the dialog tracks, as opposed to the temp music score, etc. If I know that all foley is on track 18-24, throughout the cut, than I can find it immediately, anywhere, anytime. Color-coding would probably be enough for me, as I usually work with 18-24 audio tracks, and only five major categories which sometimes gets extended to eight. Would it be enough for a major film? I don’t know, but my guess is that it would be too confining.
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[Scott Witthaus] “There is a lot of fear involved here as well: This new toy threatens the status quo and might be something that needs to be learned. It (seems) hard to learn.”
The new toy didn’t upset the status quo; the discontinuation of FCP 7 did. Everybody who was on FCP Studio had to, or will have to, learn something new. So, choices have to be made. That’s why this forum came into existence. Yes, the transition to Premiere is a pretty soft learning curve, but the transition to Media Composer, depending on how you used FCP, is every bit a steep as going to X.
[Scott Witthaus] “What cracks me up is that the same complaints we saw from Avid editors talking about FCP3-7 are the complaints we hear from FCP7 editors talking about X (see above). We saw it with Avid|DS (except for the cost part), we saw it with Final Cut (legacy) and now we see it with FCPX. And so it goes…”
In my world, which is Los Angeles, Avid never lost its dominance. X has a lot of great stuff, but there are some areas that its not just as good at. I don’t know why we have to have this constant argument about there needing to be a top dog, or ring to rule them all. My personal choices right now are for Premiere and Media Composer, but that’s because I like the interface better, not because I think you’re wrong in wanting to use X.
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I’m digging it too.
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Now Bill, you know I’m basically cool with you having called Avid AVOID, right? You just did an all caps NEVER and I happened to remember the exception. It was a setup that I could just not resist.
Frankly, I’ve quite enjoyed some of your discussions lately.
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[Charlie Austin] “:-) People do tend to get worked up when someone attacks the tools of their trade huh? I fall into it every now and again.;-)
Other than the stuff I said in the other thread, it really doesn’t matter to me. He’s entitled to his opinion, even if it’s wrong. lol The timing sure is interesting though. Hold on while I adjust my tinfoil hat….
“Yup. I’ve got no problem with vehement disagreement of anything he said. I just saw the mounting anger over his audacity in having his picture over the techniques forum, and simply wanted to interject a little truth in there, in that he didn’t put it up there. Ironic, it is; diabolical, it’s not.