Jerry Hofmann
Forum Replies Created
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Those are the facts… he moved around a bit, did iMovie 11 I know… but this fellow has designed the NLE software that 70% of the industry has or is using. He knows what the pros need. If Apple released software with holes in it, it may well not have been Randy who gave the green light folks.
It took Apple many months to write FCP X based on Code that was already written for iMovie. What makes you think they had the time to add all of the features we need? They didn’t guys. IT took the Pro Apps team about 9 months just to port Color from Unix to OS X. I was on that beta too. They didn’t change anything other than to make it round trip with FCP. THIS TOOK MONTHS. No pile of new features from the software they bough (it was called Final Touch).
So releasing software that WILL work for some. (if you’re all file based, and can live without layout to tape and external video (Many users are in this boat) you could jump to X and stay there right now.
I’ve been on many betas of FCP. When we got to the end of the FCP 4 beta we got a questionnaire asking whether or not the software is ready from our point of view. There were about 15? or so of us on this test. We ALL said NO WAY is it ready. Too buggy etc… The bean counters at Apple said release NOW. So they had to release buggy software. If you’ve been around and ran FCP 4.0 you know what I mean. Within about 24 hours we were already in a NEW beta (4.1)… Hey, can’t blame Randy for that one, so why jump to the conclusion it’s his doing the way things are with this release?
Jerry
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I love it.
Go Bill!
Jerry
Apple Certified Trainer, Producer, Writer, Director Editor, Gun for Hire and other things. I ski. My Blog: https://blogs.creativecow.net/Jerry-Hofmann
Current DVD:
https://store.creativecow.net/p/81/jerry_hofmanns_final_cut_system_setup8-Core 3.0 Intel Mac Pro, Dual 2 gig G5, AJA Kona SD, AJA Kona 2, Huge Systems Array UL3D, AJA Io HD, 17″ MBP, Matrox MXO2 with MAX – Cinema Displays I have a 22″ that I paid 4k for still working. G4 with Kona SD card, and SCSI card.
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Nice post. FCP X is as you describe. New. You can’t run FCP 7 like you did MC, you can’t run MC like you did Adobe. You have to learn to use the tool as it was designed to be used. FCP X isn’t any different.
Jerry
Apple Certified Trainer, Producer, Writer, Director Editor, Gun for Hire and other things. I ski. My Blog: https://blogs.creativecow.net/Jerry-Hofmann
Current DVD:
https://store.creativecow.net/p/81/jerry_hofmanns_final_cut_system_setup8-Core 3.0 Intel Mac Pro, Dual 2 gig G5, AJA Kona SD, AJA Kona 2, Huge Systems Array UL3D, AJA Io HD, 17″ MBP, Matrox MXO2 with MAX – Cinema Displays I have a 22″ that I paid 4k for still working. G4 with Kona SD card, and SCSI card.
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Why release as it is? Maybe they didn’t think it would upset them all as much. Maybe they thought we’d have a more mature and professional attitude toward the new foundation (that’s how they presented it, and that’s how I see it). They were wrong apparently. I like what I’m seeing. I miss what it doesn’t have, but for the most part, this looks friendlier than FCP 7 ever did, and if that makes a pro think he’ll lose clients to it because it’s easier to learn or just anybody can now get into the game (that actually happened a decade ago with FCP intro), then that editor doesn’t believe in his own worth, what HE brings to the project.
I think that software doesn’t make shows. People do. A great editor will be hired because he makes great edit decisions, not because he runs this or that software. A great editor brings something to the project that you won’t get without him, right?
The beta tester thing… All software from any manufacturer is beta until the next full release. The only true “release” software is the version which was updated last just before the next full release of new beta software… right?
Jerry
Apple Certified Trainer, Producer, Writer, Director Editor, Gun for Hire and other things. I ski. My Blog: https://blogs.creativecow.net/Jerry-Hofmann
Current DVD:
https://store.creativecow.net/p/81/jerry_hofmanns_final_cut_system_setup8-Core 3.0 Intel Mac Pro, Dual 2 gig G5, AJA Kona SD, AJA Kona 2, Huge Systems Array UL3D, AJA Io HD, 17″ MBP, Matrox MXO2 with MAX – Cinema Displays I have a 22″ that I paid 4k for still working. G4 with Kona SD card, and SCSI card.
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Making it useless would hurt Apple more than help… they’d not sell new OS’s as quickly for one thing. They’d not sell new Macs to those who want to run FCP 7. I don’t see it being dropped for a while… There’s nothing in FCP 7 that would preclude it from running in Lion don’t think. FCP 7 is highly carbonized code which will run on intel machines and OS X for the forseeable future. If Apple were to jump to AMD chips instead, I still don’t think there would be a problem…
The change from PPC machines to intel machines caused us all to have to trade up to a new mac to run FCP 5? was it? We seemed to take that in stride as things progressed. intel machines had been around for a couple of years before the latest version of FCP required it. Nobody screamed then… I see the same thing happening with FCP 7… at least a couple of years before it won’t be supported by the latest machines.
Again though, if you wait and see, you’ll be able to make a better judgement down the line. If you decide today to jump to a new NLE… go for it. I just think that FCP X is so more an advanced application under the hood, that down the line, we’ll really embrace it.
Hey, nobody says you’ll lose a client over running FCP 7 for a while yet, and nobody says you can’t just keep the system setup you have now and continue on. If you can’t, don’t.
Do what you need to do to keep your business running, but don’t freak out just yet. The story isn’t over, nor will it ever be. I for one will not be jumping to another NLE because FCP X disappointed me. FCP 7 will reside on a partition on my Mac for a while yet, EVEN IF I went to Adobe or Avid, I’d keep it for opening legacy project files. Even Automatic Duck software doesn’t translate everything that was in an FCP 7 sequence.
I will be in the market for a new Tower when the next gen towers are delivered. (soon I hear) and have no doubt that this tower will run FCP 7… Even Apple has told me they thought it would take at least a year before most of the user base switched to FCP X way back in January. They KNOW that not everyone is ready to go to FCP X, and will still be running FCP 7. They sure don’t want to not sell those folks a tower running LIon this summer… Doesn’t make sense for them to do so as it wouldn’t work to help them sell new software that the Pro’s aren’t buying anyway, and only serve to irritate them and get them to jump to Adobe or whatevcer… It helps them to sell machines and OS’s that still support older software.
For the first time, I’m seeing all those cores crankin’ and it’s turning me on. It’s just the beginning. It’s just the foundation, it’s not over until the fat lady sings. Ya know?
Jerry
Apple Certified Trainer, Producer, Writer, Director Editor, Gun for Hire and other things. I ski. My Blog: https://blogs.creativecow.net/Jerry-Hofmann
Current DVD:
https://store.creativecow.net/p/81/jerry_hofmanns_final_cut_system_setup8-Core 3.0 Intel Mac Pro, Dual 2 gig G5, AJA Kona SD, AJA Kona 2, Huge Systems Array UL3D, AJA Io HD, 17″ MBP, Matrox MXO2 with MAX – Cinema Displays I have a 22″ that I paid 4k for still working. G4 with Kona SD card, and SCSI card.
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They are supposed to get what will work for them now. This software is so freaking inexpensive (Avid, Adobe, Apple) there’s little to stop a pro from jumping around from app to app using the one that suits the task at hand the best. I come from a world of million dollar rooms which did less than FCP 3, and cost the price of FCS 3 PER HOUR to rent… so 2k or less for an NLE sure seems inexpensive to me.
Like if you had an AJA card, you could easily use Premiere with it now, FCP 7 at the same time NOW, and I’ll bet before too long FCP X with it. Avid may well also support a Kona before long I hear from Wally. Smoke (more costly, but also a premiere finishing solution, does things the “affordable NLE’s can just dream about) supports 3G cards now as well. So… there’s where it’s at. Apple will be silent. If you can’t deal with that buy something you can deal with.
FCP 7 licenses may well be on ebay all over the place if all the FCP X haters dump FCP… right? They will not be hard to come by don’t think.
Jerry
Apple Certified Trainer, Producer, Writer, Director Editor, Gun for Hire and other things. I ski. My Blog: https://blogs.creativecow.net/Jerry-Hofmann
Current DVD:
https://store.creativecow.net/p/81/jerry_hofmanns_final_cut_system_setup8-Core 3.0 Intel Mac Pro, Dual 2 gig G5, AJA Kona SD, AJA Kona 2, Huge Systems Array UL3D, AJA Io HD, 17″ MBP, Matrox MXO2 with MAX – Cinema Displays I have a 22″ that I paid 4k for still working. G4 with Kona SD card, and SCSI card.
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Well FWIW, look at the Supermeet presentation. They in no uncertain terms made it clear they intend FCP X for professionals. It’s not ready yet for everyone I’ll agree. It will be I believe. If you can’t wait, don’t. But the whining is getting really old. Apple knew it wasn’t ready for every pro situation from the get go. They know what we’ll need and intend to deliver it according to them. If you don’t believe them, fine. Buy Premiere or Avid or whatever.
Apple is Apple. They’ll be silently doing upgrades and dates… So if you can’t see you’re way to run FCP 7 along side it, or just wait, buy something else. But I’d submit the update/grade cycle for FCP X will be faster than what’s happened historically with FCP. The App store model is a good one too I think. No more lost serials etc.. you can download it again when you perform clean installs etc..
There’s just as much to like about FCP X as there are holes in it. It’s a START. Not the end of the line.
I’ve already posted my original reply and stand by it. If you can’t wait, don’t. If you can, do. Heck, I’ll not be losing clients over this and most likely neither will anybody else. It’s just not that earth shaking a problem. Heck I know of a place here in town that has been using an 8 year old Avid and makes plenty of money with it… you don’t have to upgrade, you don’t have to stay on any given platform. Apple knows what’s missing for the pros and is no doubt working on the code. It will come faster because FCP X is written in Cocoa code. MUCH easier to write and upgrade with. This is why I think updates/ grades will come faster than we’ve been used to.
Jerry
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Sure it does. BUT you need to buy a capture card that supports it and it’s drivers will put the control functionality in Premiere. AJA products or BM or Matrox products all work with Premiere. Just as you have to do with FCP 7.
Jerry
Apple Certified Trainer, Producer, Writer, Director Editor, Gun for Hire and other things. I ski. My Blog: https://blogs.creativecow.net/Jerry-Hofmann
Current DVD:
https://store.creativecow.net/p/81/jerry_hofmanns_final_cut_system_setup8-Core 3.0 Intel Mac Pro, Dual 2 gig G5, AJA Kona SD, AJA Kona 2, Huge Systems Array UL3D, AJA Io HD, 17″ MBP, Matrox MXO2 with MAX – Cinema Displays I have a 22″ that I paid 4k for still working. G4 with Kona SD card, and SCSI card.
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Yes, Let’s get real alright. I seriously doubt that FCP X 1.0 is the end of the line for FCP X… That’s the point I’m trying to make. It’s a 1.0 release of a new NLE just as FCP 1 was. It took Apple about 3 years to get to the point where a pro could really use it exclusively. I don’t think it will take as long this time. Because for better or worse, they are not trying to reinvent the code base from the ground up nor port a PC based app (FCP 1 was originally written for PC’s by Macromedia before Apple paid a measly 1M dollars for it).
The point is, this is just the beginning. If you can’t wait, hold on to both for a while or whatever, buy something else…I seriously doubt you’ll lose a client over keeping FCP 7, using both, or running Avid or Premiere or better yet, Smoke.
But the whining around here is getting really old. Enough already. Apple knows the user base is upset. This forum should be for helping people with their systems but the redundant posts of “I can’t use it” does nobody good. It’s not as if Apple doesn’t already know about the holes left in the software they are no doubt working on filling. After all Randy wrote Premiere, Key Grip (which became FCP) iMovie, and the various iterations of FCP along the past decade. He knows full well we need external video et all… We don’t have to tell him. They saved a few bucks porting iMovie code into this new app no doubt, and quite frankly, I don’t think it matters all that much. It’s good code. iMovie is by far the best consumer editing app out there to begin with. I like what this foundation is showing us. I’ve never seen my activity monitor pin the CPU’s with FCP 7, but FCP X does, and it even starts using the virtual cores on my i7. Hey, it’s just the beginning. If you can’t wait or go with a hybrid workflow or whatever. Don’t wait. Nobody’s hold a gun to your head. But there’s no way FCP 7 and it’s code base could become what it needs to become to compete with Adobe’s 64 bit version of CS 5.5. It will compete and then some IMHO.
Jerry
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Bill get used to Apple being silent. It’s actually one of the reasons the company has 65bllion in the bank. It’s served them very well to stay as secret as they famously are I think. Doesn’t make it easier though.
I still think the best advise is to wait and see before you invest in a crossgrade to another platform. FCP X is just being born. FCP 1 sure wasn’t ready for primetime either… Until FCP 3 most of the industry looked at it as a toy. History repeats.
Jerry
Apple Certified Trainer, Producer, Writer, Director Editor, Gun for Hire and other things. I ski. My Blog: https://blogs.creativecow.net/Jerry-Hofmann
Current DVD:
https://store.creativecow.net/p/81/jerry_hofmanns_final_cut_system_setup8-Core 3.0 Intel Mac Pro, Dual 2 gig G5, AJA Kona SD, AJA Kona 2, Huge Systems Array UL3D, AJA Io HD, 17″ MBP, Matrox MXO2 with MAX – Cinema Displays I have a 22″ that I paid 4k for still working. G4 with Kona SD card, and SCSI card.