[Herb Sevush]

[Bill Davis] “Who’s arguing that they should be “disconnected?” “

Apparently I misunderstood what you were getting at in the previous post. But then you wrote:

[Bill Davis] “The elevation of data handling to a position perhaps “as important” as the timeline itself, appears to me to be a trend that FCP-X is driving down to the “industrial” level of video editing. “

This I don’t quite get. Are you saying that data handling, by which I gather you mean the sorting, labeling and organizing of the elements that will go into the edited sequence is as important as the actual selection and arrangement of that data on the timeline? If so I pretty much agree with that, although I don’t separate them, I think of both of them as elemental to the job, even though much of the data handling is often thought of as “ass’t editors” work.

If I’m correct in parsing your meaning, I don’t see how this data management is “new” to the industrial level of anything. I do understand that FCPX is very advanced in it’s data management and I envy you that resource. But unless I’m missing something it would be new for any level of editing – what does the “industrial level of video” have to do with it?

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

[Herb Sevush]

[Jeremy Garchow] “it’s meant to show the reality that nothing is certain.”

Death, taxes and the inability of the Jets to protect the quarterback.

[Jeremy Garchow] “I guess I’m one of the ones who said that the removal of MacPros from the Apple Stores is not a sign of the apocalypse. “

There’s way too much apocalypse going on around here, it must be something in the air.

[Jeremy Garchow] “Apple removing the MacPro is probably a practicality.”

I agree, the Apple Store argument is silly. The demise of the Mac Pro as we know it, however, is a reasonable conjecture. Not certain, but not silly.

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

[Herb Sevush]

That’s interesting Walter, although I would have thought they could have made a deal contingent upon them retaining whatever licensing deals they wanted to hold onto. But that’s all water way under the bridge now. I can’t see them allowing FCP Legacy live to embarrass them – better to kill it off, after all what’s mere money to Apple.

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

[Herb Sevush]

Your articles don’t frighten me. For Adobe and HP lack of profit growth during a recession is hardly news – it’s not like they’re not profitable. As for Avid, even if they fail as a company, the editing software will get picked up by someone else – it’s too large a base to be thrown aside. The same way FCP Legacy would have been picked up if Apple chose to spin it off – a prospect I sorely regret the absence of.

I thought I was safe investing in Apple — what did that get me?

Safety has always been an illusion. That’s why I’ve been freelancing for over thirty years – this way I don’t get blindsided by the illusion of job stability. Either that or no one wanted to offer me a job.

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

[Herb Sevush]

[Bill Davis] ” I think there will be more “PRO” video being created for OTHER than broadcast and movie distribution in the future.

This is nothing new, this has been the case since I started working in this field almost 40 years ago. There are more features and cable TV shows than ever before, there are more corporate presentations than ever before, there are more cat videos than ever before. Entertainment media was always the smallest, although often the most lucrative, piece of the media pie.

[Bill Davis] “And it will be as “pro” as people like us chose to make it – and completely disconnected from the choice of tool we use for creation.”

I don’t think the quality of the media is now, or has ever been, disconnected with the tools we use for it’s creation. I spent my first 20 years in this business making industrials, first film and then video, and everyone I worked with strove to do the best work possible with the best tools available. I don’t know how work can be disconnected from the tools you use.

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

[Herb Sevush]

[Bill Davis] “Irrespective of anything else, you craft a lovely metaphor”

Thanks Bill, was rather fond of it myself.

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

[Herb Sevush]

[Craig Seeman] “Given that nobody has been using FCPX for more than a few months, there’s a whole slew of workflows that people may be overlooking and therefore calling the program inadequate.”

After working with FCP for over 7 years I find myself constantly finding new shortcuts and new ways of doing things; almost every time I work with a different editor I learn something new. The fear is that the goals of ease and simplicity that seems to have driven the design for FCPX will make these kinds of alternatives unlikely. It is precisely that which makes FCP difficult for novices to learn that is its strength – it’s almost infinite ways of accomplishing almost anything. Ease and simplicity comes at a cost.

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

[Herb Sevush]

[Craig Seeman] “Tell me what business approach is viable in the NLE market?”

[Craig Seeman] “If you think Video Post doesn’t generate enough ROI then there is a SERIOUS industry problem and, as others have pointed out, there is.”

As far as I know there are 7 makers of professional NLE’s:
Apple, Avid, Adobe, Edius (Grass Valley), Vegas (Sony), Media 100 (Boris), Smoke (Discreet) and the 8th would be Lightworks, if it continues.

These products have all been around for years. Their parent companies don’t seem to be disappearing. Lightworks is a phoenix trying at this very moment to reemerge.

I don’t see the crisis. If Avid as a company goes under I’m willing to bet the MC software will survive. I see a very mature, sustaining market for video editors – much more so than for many other types of software. The fact that Apple chose to give up it’s leadership position in this market does not convince me the problem is with the market – I think the problem is with Apple.

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

[Herb Sevush]

James –

2 to 3 minutes is fine. It can be images from different projects cut to music, it can be short punchy snippets with original sync; as long as it’s yours, demonstrates that you’ve worked on a variety of projects and doesn’t bore the viewer. Like the song says – anything goes.

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

[Herb Sevush]

“You can argue that it was “botched” all you like – and I know you’ll find a whole lot of support.”

Including Craig and Jeremy, so it’s not just the whiners that think it was botched.

“If I’m wrong, shops will just switch programs, take it in stride just like a major upgrade, and keep moving on.”

There’s nothing “just” about switching programs, it’s a costly and time intensive pain in the rear. But yes, this is what they will be doing. What do you think they’re going to do, open up a Starbucks?

“Let’s all face it, if the editing industry was healthy and robust, this would be a blip. But instead, our industry is pretty rocky. (That post about Video Post Production Houses being among the top ten “dying” business categories was tres scary, no?)”

Large general purpose post houses have been dying off for over ten years. This does not mean the post industry isn’t healthy. Most good editors I know are working and doing fine. Ask someone producing reality TV if the post industry is dying. People are always crying out that the sky is falling, but I haven’t stepped on any clouds lately.

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