[John Steventon]

Ok, I should have put ‘PRO’ in bold, as it’s now not even just a contender with Avid, it’s surpassing it, but what I mean is that the interface is still designed so that someone with very little knowledge can get up and running really quickly on FCP – that there are still a lot of design features aimed at the new user, rather than Avid, which when it first came out at least, needed a lot of knowledge to do anything other than basic editing properly.

I didn’t mean that in a bad way, just that Avid still considers itself a professional system that’s aimed only at ‘Broadcast professionals’ (if only by their ridiculous pricing schemes) whereas FCP realises there’s a bigger market out there than just the Broadcasters, and so has designed it to be user friendly for someone completely new to editing too.

Sorry if I seemed overly down on it with THAT phrase – I really thought that was the most complimentary part of my mail too…. 🙂

John

John
Success is merely a failiure to imagine more…

G5 2.7Ghz, 4.5Gb ram, Blackmagic Decklink/multibridge, 5.6Tb Infortrend storage, FCP Studio 5.02, Makie MCU control, Yahama 5.1 surround, JVC DTV multi-format monitor, 2x23inch Apple monitors – and a partirdge on a pear tree.

[John Steventon]

Thanks guys,

I’m running 5.04. the same thing happened on 5.02 – but I’m assuming this just isn’t something that was addressed. I spoke to my reseller about upgraading to 5.1 – who said there wasn’t much point as all it did was at functionality for those with Intel based G5’s – no other significant changes were made.

Good advice?

I’ll go through MM again just to be sure I’m not missing something, but I’ve had a friend from Apple tech support walk through the steps (admittedly over the phone) to try to sort this, and the same thing happens time and time again. Much to his dismay and surprise.

I’ll investigate 5.1 and see what that will do for me.

Thanks again.

John

John
Success is merely a failiure to imagine more…

G5 2.7Ghz, 4.5Gb ram, Blackmagic Decklink/multibridge, 5.6Tb Infortrend storage, FCP Studio 5.02, Makie MCU control, Yahama 5.1 surround, JVC DTV multi-format monitor, 2x23inch Apple monitors – and a partirdge on a pear tree.

[John Steventon]

Can I just ask why you need a D/A?

Seems completely redundant when DigiBeta already is digial. Get a Decklink card, hook in the DigiBeta, and you’re sorted – in and out.

Am I missing something mad here? Why are you using analogue outputs from the Digibeta? Why are you using analogue inputs BACK to the Digibeta? If it’s for broadcast, keep it all digital – 10 bit uncompressed – don’t mash it down if you don’t have to.

Or AM I missing something?

John

[John Steventon]

Hi,

I did a side step to incorporate FCP into the edit facility I’m at a year ago. We still have four Avids, but bought in a FCPHD system for high-def work.

70% of the interface is the same, so you’ll pick up the basics of editing almost immediately. Some of the finer controls however, take a little more examination (I was going through hell trying to navigate the timeline properly, zooming in and out to quickly etc until I came on here).

However, like others have said, FCP isn’t Avid. FCP explodes the capabilities of desktop editing into new realms as compared to a basic Media Composer. The control over the image can be incredible (especially with the right plug-ins) and you can creat a great looking programme.

However (again) as someone used to the stability of workflow on Avid (and yes, there IS actually stability) I’ve found myself wanting to set fire to my FCP suite a couple of times. Be prepared for a few gremlins for file location and recollection, be prepared for a frustrating time if you use FCP for basic audio work (pops and static clicks everywhere) and be prepared for some insanity if you go through an offline/online process (I think this is dependant on if you use subclips though – I’m about to post something about this).

As it’s still considered a ‘Pro-sumer’ application, FCP tries to cover a lot of bases for how to do things. instead of one way to do an action, there’s three or four, so if you’re used to Avid, M100, Premier – are completely new to editing, or just like the idea of copy and paste everywhere, then it’s all catered for – which is a massive pain as you’ll end up wanting to do one thing, but the system will decide you want to do something else (lift-splic being the most annoying for this).

As long as you realise it’s NOT an Avid, it’s just kinda similar, you’ll be fine. Don’t fall into the trap that I did of thinking they were the same. Avid is easier to use, there’s no doubt – as it’s not as complicated – FCP can do 1000 more things than Media Composer, but 500 of them are bloody hard to do, and the other 500 will undo themselves if you switch projects.

And don’t even start me on rendering, or the voo-doo of the realtime effects. The need to re-render effects over and over again means I lose a lot of time in onlines, and the RT thing isn’t always RT. It may be switched to play best quality etc – but that doesn’t mean it will. Render everything before mastering, don’t rely on it.

Other than that, I really enjoy working with FCP – when they iron out the gremlins, add better time-code reference (like the Avid timecode window) and a couple of other tweaks, it’ll blow Avid completely out of the market for the similar priced products.

Don’t you just love morning rants?

John

[John Steventon]

Hey folks,

Thanks for the advice, I’ll be sure to try to make media offline suggestion next time it happens. I’m using an Infortrend Raid system for the drives, so I’ll work out how to check how fragmented their are, and report back.

Thanks again,

John

[John Steventon]

I’ve got the MCU – and it’s a nice mixer to use – when FCP decides it wants to use it. I’m still on 5.02 so many FCP has improve in recent releases, but I find sometimes that FCP doesn’t want to control or be controlled by the faders (it’s more likely that it doesn’t want to be controlled – I’ll move the faders, but they’ll fight against me and not update the keyframe information.)

As long as you’re only worried about levels, then it’s ok to use. Unless I’m missing something, all the button controls on the right hand side are redundant in FCP apart from the jog control (which works nice, but I wish the scrub part would work on it).

Compared to needing to use the audio mixer window, or using the pen tool with keyframes, the MCU is a great way of leveliing audio (when it wants to) but if you full control over the audio, you need to work in conjunction the mouse – and click some menus in FCP.

Hope this helped.

John

John
Success is merely a failiure to imagine more…

G5 2.7Ghz, 4.5Gb ram, Blackmagic Decklink/multibridge, 5.6Tb Infortrend storage, FCP Studio 5.02, Makie MCU control, Yahama 5.1 surround, JVC DTV multi-format monitor, 2x23inch Apple monitors – and a partirdge on a pear tree.

[John Steventon]

Hey folks,

Yeah – sorry – I meant to add that the reason I export the QT first (well, two reasons) are 1) That my system oddly loses media from time to time, or forgeets about audio keyframes etc, so if I’ve got a final edit that I know I won’t change, and everything is perfect (yeah, right!) with the programme, I have a master quicktime of it on the Raid that cannot change. The other reason is similar. If you next the sequence, it does give you the option of tweaking the edit if you need to change things – but it ALSO provides the danger of accidentally tweaking the wrong sequence, coming back to your nested edit, and find everything’s changed!!

Only really applies if you have multiple versions of the same sequence at any one time (which i often have), but I thought I’d let you know why I export a QT (and always a self-contained one) for that purpose.

Have a good weekend.

John
Success is merely a failiure to imagine more…

G5 2.7Ghz, 4.5Gb ram, Blackmagic Decklink/multibridge, 5.6Tb Infortrend storage, FCP Studio 5.02, Makie MCU control, Yahama 5.1 surround, JVC DTV multi-format monitor, 2x23inch Apple monitors – and a partirdge on a pear tree.

[John Steventon]

Export a quicktime, or a quicktime reference of the programme, re-import it, stick it onto a 4:3 timeline (but don’t change either of the properties things to Anamorphic) and it should play back as letterbox.

Remember to look at the half line at the top of the letterboxed pitcture. If it’s flickering away (or even noticeable), crop it off.

Hope this helped.

John

John
Success is merely a failiure to imagine more…

G5 2.7Ghz, 4.5Gb ram, Blackmagic Decklink/multibridge, 5.6Tb Infortrend storage, FCP Studio 5.02, Makie MCU control, Yahama 5.1 surround, JVC DTV multi-format monitor, 2x23inch Apple monitors – and a partirdge on a pear tree.

[John Steventon]

You know what – I’m a complete idiot.

Reverse match frame is just opening the clip in the viewer, and hitting F – just like trying to find the flip from the timeline.

I’m really sorry for the stupid post, obviously a bit of a blonde moment due to the amount of work I’ve got on. Sorry for wasting everybody’s time.

John

John
Success is merely a failiure to imagine more…

G5 2.7Ghz, 4.5Gb ram, Blackmagic Decklink/multibridge, 5.6Tb Infortrend storage, FCP Studio 5.02, Makie MCU control, Yahama 5.1 surround, JVC DTV multi-format monitor, 2x23inch Apple monitors – and a partirdge on a pear tree.

[John Steventon]

Unfortunately, no – all info is there. No mixdowns – all have reel and TC information.

It needs to be pointed out that out of the entire sequence, not one clip gets properly exported to the EDL – they’re all 00:00:00:00 starting points. This happens on all the Avid’s in the building – Composers and DVXpress systems alike.

It’s ok, I can get around this by exporting OMFs, but it’s just worrying the EDL manager seems to be have a management crisis!

J

John
Success is merely a failiure to imagine more…

G5 2.7Ghz, 4.5Gb ram, Blackmagic Decklink/multibridge, 5.6Tb Infortrend storage, FCP Studio 5.02, Makie MCU control, Yahama 5.1 surround, JVC DTV multi-format monitor, 2x23inch Apple monitors – and a partirdge on a pear tree.