[Herb Sevush]

[Oliver Peters] “It would be interested to see how something like this would apply to FCPX if Apple had done this.”

If Apple had created this it would be genius, but Microsoft created it, so it can’t be good.

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

[Herb Sevush]

[Steve Connor] “I’m very glad he was “ignorant” otherwise he might have created just another version of Avid.”

First, let me be clear that I was talking about his work on what eventually became Final Cut 1-5, which is what the interview was about.

On that point I have a few responses to your comments.

First, do you think Avid is such a pinnacle of design that it would be the only direction someone with an editing background could come up with? That’s quite a compliment to Avid.

Second, what makes you think Final Cut Pro 1 is anything other than “just another version of Avid?”

Finally, personally, I will always prefer decisions made from a position of knowledge to those made from a position of ignorance.

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

[Herb Sevush]

[Oliver Peters] ” But, there are also visual differences like motion blur, which lend to something that is subliminally perceived as more “imaginary” than as “reality”.”

Any discussion of frame rates becomes very complicated, very quickly, especially if an historical understanding is missing.

If motion blur is so important then why not 22 frames or 20, why the magical “24”, when it is not tied to anything inherent in the human perceiving mechanism or in something as basic as the local AC current, which is where we get the video standard of 30fps (and, as a kludge, 29.97) and the Brits get 25.

Silent films had standardized on 18 fps for almost 10 years, with no complaints about flickering artifacts, before sound came in and required 24 fps to create a usable audio playback mechanism, so there is no reason, except for the happenstance of history, to stick with 24 now. If it’s motion blur you want and also the desire to save on transmission bandwidth, then let’s go back to 18fps now that audio playback is no longer an issue. 24 is 24 because of the technological limitations of a century ago, there is nothing inherently special about it, it is the “imperial vs metric” conflict of the motion picture world.

For myself, I work in Broadcast and see no reason to shoot in 24, rather than the 30(29.97) my work is transmitted at. If I were releasing in Theatrical I would work in 24 for the same reason. I doubt many viewers can tell the difference, I know there is no objective reason to choose one over the other as “better” in all contexts.

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

[Herb Sevush]

[Phillip Brock] “It’s a new bug in premiere. Happens to me daily. I just duplicate the sequence and it seems to work for me.”

Same here. Another PITA, courtesy of Adobe.

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

[Herb Sevush]

[Bill Davis] “Films are lovely. Films are wonderful. But Films also are the past.. Film is precisely what was traditionally designed to roll in front of the spark in the gap between carbon rods.

I know what you meant. And I know you likely haven’t touched actual “film” in years, but it still clearly informs how you think. You think in “movies” or in “TV” And that’s fine. “

There is a difference between studying the past and wanting to go back there. I read a lot about ancient history because I find many relevant things to learn about the rise and fall of civilizations, but I have no desire to live in any time but now.

I read and study about the beginnings of “moving pictures” because there is much to learn that is applicable to the work I do; but I have no desire to work on a Kem again, no desire to work in an on-line CMX room again, no desire to cut with edit* again.

New techniques, in all fields, are based on the tradition’s of the past. To be ignorant of them is nothing to be proud of.

I would recommend Isaac Asimov’s “Twilight” to understand the repercussions of forgetting history, but books are old, Asimov is dead and forgotten, and what could he have to say to you anyway? Instead I’ll hit you with something even older:

“If you would understand anything, observe its beginning and its development.”
Aristotle

[Bill Davis] “So like it or not – his thinking was the major “pivot point” that, over time, largely moved the industry from Steenbecks to Laptops – and ushered individually produced video toward becoming the Lingua Franca of the modern world.”

True, and I wish his thinking was more informed; he’s a very smart guy, he would have used that knowledge to everyone’s advantage.

[Bill Davis] “This forum should be for them – just as much as it’s for you – if it’s to remain relevant going forward. “

This forum is for everybody but trolls.

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

[Herb Sevush]

[Bill Davis] “It’s all been downhill since we retired the Carbon Arc! “

Nothing I said indicated a desire to return to the past.

I believe every industry has built up wisdom over the (often) hundreds of years of it’s existence and the neglect to use and incorporate that knowledge by software designers stepping into uncharted waters is a shameful waste. This goes on in every field – my wife is a nurse and the software they use to chart their patient’s care is criminal in the way it forces nurses to work – bad for the nurses, bad for the insurance companies, worse for the patients.

I don’t think it too much to ask that an NLE designer actually know something about the “E” part of that word, something beyond what you could learn in the AV squad at High School. As Oliver pointed out, Randy was hardly unique in his ignorance, I was pointing him out because he was the subject of the interview.

[Bill Davis] “All I know is that I spent last week re-purposing client video design templates for IGTV.”

I realize that you live in the best of all possible worlds, but did it ever occur to you that it could be better still?

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

[Herb Sevush]

[Bill Davis] “Knowing the past, typically helps understand the present – and maybe even a bit about the future.”

Yes, realizing that one of the key designers of NLEs had zero knowledge of film editing techniques and needs, and almost as little understanding of previous video editing workflows, does explain an awful lot.

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

[Herb Sevush]

Well then, happy birthday Bill.

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

[Herb Sevush]

Bill,

So they want an experienced editor, one who lives in England, knows FCPX, and works in Broadcast. I guess that lets both you and me off the list.

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

[Herb Sevush]

[Steve Connor] “Yes update – it’s not Premiere Pro :)”

Ouch. Oh my, it’s true, the truth hurts.

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