[Sandeep Sajeev]

“It seems to promote database queries instead of true familiarity with your working materials. Not sure that’s a good thing.”

is this statement incorrect? Feels right to me.
Isn’t this the exact trade off with X? greater speed in appraisal, but with some associated, real, cognitive shortcuts?

I think this depends on how you like to work. If you’re used to associating footage with Bins, and that’s been your pre-cut process, then Keywords etc are a refined progression of that concept and make it very clear exactly where you’re at, if that makes sense? Add in Ranges, Favorites, and NG’s and it’s a very streamlined package.

However if you’re used to working through your selects etc in the timeline, it’s probably not as useful.

The inability to manually arrange your clips within these Collections can also be an issue if you like to storyboard your edits before you cut them in. I know lots of editors who like to this, hell when I sit on Smoke, this is how I like to operate as well. So yes, while there are some real issues that it can throw up, it seems to be, in my opinion of course, dependent to a certain degree on how you like to work.

To me, this is the one major shortcoming that Apple needs to address; the program needs to be adaptable to different modes of working.

[Sandeep Sajeev]

It’s actually, possibly, fundamentally dumb with regard to an editor’s cognitive and spatial appraisal and understanding of the various assets,

This is very harsh and totally disregards the fact that plenty of us find this not to be the case. There was a thread on here earlier which highlighted the different ways in which people like to work, so if your argument is that X doesn’t have the same flexibility that editors are used to, then that’s something I’d certainly agree with it.

But characterising the underpinnings of X as being fundamentally dumb is very dismissive of the real innovation that does exist within the software.

[Sandeep Sajeev]

Totally agree. Being able to cycle through options so rapidly is fantastic for agency sessions. And Agency creatives love love Auditions. Plus, with the vast amounts of footage that is now the norm on any halfway decent shoot the tagging etc is a godsend.

I got on board at version 10.04, so I guess I missed a lot of the angst that came before. The timeline doesn’t bother me, t’s quirky but I’m ok with those quirks.

I like FCPX.

[Sandeep Sajeev]

Disagree on AppleCare not being worth it. I’ve had my DVD drive fail and my FireWire ports stop working. Both were replaced under AppleCare. The cost of getting it done without AppleCare (my warranty had expired) was a way higher than paying for AppleCare.

[Sandeep Sajeev]

I’d like more info on this as well.
Thanks!

[Sandeep Sajeev]

Personally I benefitted from Adobe’s educational discounts when I was a student, and it made a big difference when I graduated and was looking for work as an assistant editor (I’d do After Effects comps along with logging, syncing etc as an assist). To get to the point where some programs can’t afford the seats is really disappointing. In education, ideally (I understand that reality is quite different), one must never make choices based on cost and as Adobe’s package is full featured it makes sense for general media programs to teach some video editing, some effects work, and some sound editing to their students.

Hopefully Adobe will re-evaluate this policy. If, as it is claimed, Production Premium is making inroads into the FCP Studio market, then surely there is room to be flexible when it comes to the bottom line.

I also agree that Smoke is worth a look. It’s free as are all the Autodesk 3D tools for 3 years. And you’re entitled to all maintenance upgrades and service packs.

[Sandeep Sajeev]

The real magic will be posting footage on the cloud via dropbox so I can get it simultaneously in the edit bay and have instant access to comment on coverage or eye lines etc.

This sounds fantastic.

I will be doing a Pilot next month and I’ll let you know how we set up exactly.

Looking forward to this. Will pick up a copy of the app in the meantime.

Best,
Sandeep.

[Sandeep Sajeev]

It’s a real shame what’s happening with Avid. Hope this new CEO is able to stop the bleeding. The products deserve better.

[Sandeep Sajeev]

Thanks Nick.

Guess I’ll be downloading Audacity. Strange that something so ubiquitous isn’t in X, the Audio toolset is actually pretty good.

Sandeep.

[Sandeep Sajeev]

No difference.