[Mark Dobson]

I article well interesting found.

Tool all like other any NLE learn need.

Learn easier think i not.

[Mark Dobson]

I’ll put my hand up.

Apart from using FCP7 to import XF files onto the system I’ve been using FCPX since it was released 9 months ago and can’t see any reason to stop using it or switch.

I can’t say it’s been an easy journey or that I have not questioned my decision to use the software but I’m now really excited to be working with FCPX.

But then we probably fit the customer profile for this software. We are a small production house doing almost everything internally with no real need to send files out for external production work.

We have now produced around 15 programmes on the system and each one gets faster as I learn how to circumnavigate the present flaws of the system, the main one being sluggish behaviour once a project gets beyond 10 minutes.

I’m just back from 5 days filming and am about to import 300Gb of 1080p files onto the system. I know that once I’ve created the various events it will take me a very short time to organise the files into various categories through using keyword collections. Probably a couple of hours.

Clip skimming is an incredibly powerful tool for anylysing material quickly and accurately.

I really look forward to the next update because I’m confident it will address even more of the inherent flaws in this new software.

[Mark Dobson]

I’m still here because I think that FCPX is a great improvement over FCP7.

I’m not alone but I love to hear other, sometime very strong, opinions about this software.

This forum is the first one I’ve ever joined and I think it’s great, especially when it goes slightly off topic and looks at the more esoteric considerations of NLE editing.

FCPX has tremendous flaws but the improvements since version 10.0.0 have been phenomenal.

I’m here to stay.

[Mark Dobson]

Hi David,

Well I can’t pass your offer by.

Although I’m not inclined to change my editing software at the moment it will be interesting to see what similarities or differences there are.

I’m not one of the brainiest editors and I couldn’t, as others do, happily switch between NLE systems on a day to day basis.

Just the one horse for me.

[Mark Dobson]

It’s alway great to catch Larry live.

He is an incredibly knowledgeable guy and is also very approachable.

He has great sense of humour, very dry, and doesn’t do the slightly ponderous 3 stage learning technique that he uses in his online tutorials.

1. This is my name and this is what we are about to learn and in case you miss that here are my words typed onto the screen.

2. this is actually what I am teaching and its really is quite interesting and . . .

3. This is what I have just been teaching you and in case you missed that, here are my words typed onto the screen and by the way this is my name.

The snappiest online trainer I’ve come across is Michael Wohl.

He really shifts through the material with the knowledge that we are able to rewind and watch anything we haven’t picked up the first time.

And lets not forget Ripple Training who create great tutorial material and, like Larry, also provide an immense amount of free stuff through their weekly podcasts.

Never been a better time to learn.

[Mark Dobson]

[tony west] “He has been making films since the 50’s”

Thanks for the link Tony.

I think you might be confusing our bearded FCP(X) guru for Larry Jordan the independent Bay Area filmmaker who has been making films since 1952. (Wikipedia)

That would make pour Larry about 80 years old and if it is the same guy does he eat nectar to stay looking so youthful?

I dont’ think our Larry is quite that old!

And if so so am I!

[Mark Dobson]

I’ve had the stabilisation option disappear – but that was back in 10.0.2.

All of these bugs are very idiosyncratic to the machine, operating system, etc etc

Presumably you have been through the trashing the preferences routine?

If not download this free software kindly provided by Digital Rebellion

https://www.digitalrebellion.com/prefman/

If that doesn’t do the trick another, more severe, option is to trash the FCPX application ( from your applications folder only – NB – do not trash anything in your movie folder )

Then simply re-download it from the app store. One of the benefits of both the app store and FCPX is that this is a very simple and, depending on your internet connection, fast operation.

In my experience this tends to resolve lots of issues.

Good luck

[Mark Dobson]

[Steve Connor] “Just lost a couple of hours work because of the undo bug which I thought had gone in 10.03. The bug also affected the backup file.”

Bad Luck.

I hadn’t actually realised it had been fixed!

It’s an infrequent bug on my setup but there is no way of knowing you have it until you hit undo. So it’s quite possible to not realise that undo is not working, shut down and next time you launch realise that all the work you did in the last session has not been saved.

The only thing to do is to, by force of habit, hit undo / redo frequently , then at least you don’t incur too much damage.

[Mark Dobson]

[Bill Davis] “We all know people who are “stuck” in DVD land. So it make sense to cater to them as long as they ask for it. “

I’ve just produced a compilation DVD for client. They requested it. It’s got 4 Safety Training films on it and a sub menu with a collection of clips where something dangerous is going on in the scene. These clip are programmed to plays twice.

The DVD is going to be given to a group of trainers as they go round the organisation giving workshops.

The advantage of the DVD is that all these files are compiled onto one disk, it’s idiot proof, its a focussed publication and everybody understands how to use it.

Whilst there will be a time when DVDs are a thing of the past I think it’s a bit premature to hold a memorial service right now.

[Mark Dobson]

[Michael Brassert] “For the first time in 30 years I am stumped on where to go next. I so want to embrace FCPX. Has 10.0.3 made it viable moving forward? Is there hope?”

If I were you I would run FCPX in tandem with your present set up which presumably still works well.

I don’t actually think that FCPX is ready for the big time yet. It’s getting there and is fine for people like me who shoot and edit their own material albeit to broadcast specifications. But I don’t think I would run a production house around it.

I really like FCPX and in many ways feel like I am willing it work better than it does. I find it absolutely frustrating and unreliable against tight deadlines. Whilst 10.0.3 is substantially better than the product that was launched last summer it is still very twitchy and throws absolute wobblies from time to time.

All my main concerns have been answered, broadcast monitoring, support for 3rd party apps, multi cam, etc etc but it still has a long way to go before it can be considered as a reliable alternative to FCP7 or a real contender up against Avid and Premier Pro.

Most people in the situation you describe have already switched away from Apple.

However, for me I know that FCPX is going to be my primary editing tool for many years to come in fact it will probably see me through into retirement, beekeeping and non digital activities.