[Tracy Smith]

Here’s a quote from me, “Editing has nothing to do with your NLE!” How you tell your story is irrelevant to what tool you are using to put it together. I am totally disgusted at how Apple has gone about the implementation of FCPX. But could I use the program as is to tell a really good story? Yes. Could I use AVID, Premiere, Media 100 Imovie or windows movie maker? Yes. Could I open two windows of Quicktime 7 and manually do it. Yes. Could I go back to tape to tape and still do it? Yes. The issues at hand are how hard is it going to be to input material or output it? Can I color correct with total control? Can I mix audio? How easy is it to conform to final outputs? I tell my clients all the time “Go ahead name your screen!”
Apple and Final Cut are an emotional issue with me too. I helped lots of folks decide to use it. It’s not that they won’t get it right but when? And I am no longer waiting for them. We need to be able to work in the real world which means anything from Beta Tape to Blue Ray. From Flash to H.264 Quick Times. From WMV to AVI. From WAV, to AIFF to AAC. It is not up to Apple to decide how and what we produce to serve their interest. We did that. We bought their machines back when Gil totally fracced up Apple prior to Mr. Jobs return. We did our evangelical bit. We were the creatives Apple Computer built their business on. I will not as a business person count on Apple to serve me. They will not anymore. They are a consumer mobile tech company now. We are professional image makers and storytellers. Apple computers and software are simply tools. Nothing more. Apple is a company whose computers we may use. Whose mobile tech we may use. Whose software we may use. Whose distribution we may use. What Apple doesn’t get anymore is my over enthusiastic fan boy loyalty. And I promise no more loyalty to a brand out of this Producer. I am going to do my job. And for now I will use all the tools I can to make something happen so my client and my audience enjoy it.

[Tracy Smith]

There is not a panic, nor is it paranoia, it is anger. Anger over the investment in a set of tools that has just been given this status: EOL. There was no warning, no ability to plan. A shell game was played on the “upgrade” to the product.
Some of us made the decision to see what Apple was going to do, we did that out of brand loyalty. This time Apple has gone too far. Shake is gone, Soundtrack is gone, Color is gone DVD SP is gone. (where was the blu ray upgrade on that? It’s been 2 years right?)
Now if we wish to move forward we are going to be asked to re-invest more money with 3rd party vendors to fill the gaps. Why? We purchased a suite of tools. A suite of tools we honestly should not have to purchase again from 3rd party vendors to ensure compatibility. A 2.4 billion dollar collective investment,, that said we trusted them with our business, and we were willing to use their product to help us make a living. That was just spit on. To ensure better profits from the app store.
Make no mistake it is not about paranoia, nor is it panic. I am an apple fan for a lot of years, Jobs has been one of my real life heroes. People can’t risk their businesses on things like this. Make no mistake, this time they really did act like a bunch of appholes!

[Tracy Smith]

Scott,
Thank you for the nice words. You never know how people will react. We did a side by side with Android and IOS and being bluntly honest there wasn’t enough difference to argue about. Both good products, pick the one you like. And that’s what we all will do. Trust bonds are a tough thing. I am finally at my end of singing the praises of Apple. They are a good company and If their tools work for me great, and if they don’t, fine, we use something else. From this point forward at least with me, all solutions will be considered without my “loyal” behavior being included.

[Tracy Smith]

My frustration level with Apple is beginning to get a little more than I can take. From updates that temporarily cripple the abilities of the suite, to the inability to address customer needs, over what they think are our wants. From Blu-Ray, to FCPX there’s been a string of how Apple wants it to be, versus how it is.
For the last 16 years, since the days of Radius Telecast I have been an Apple supporter and user. We have spent thousands upon thousands of dollars on their tech. And recommended it to others. And now they temporarily abandon support of an entire client base? Trying to force everyone’s hand?
I like Apple’s computer tech, I can’t lie about that. But I am tired of being an Apple cheerleader. My emotions are running pretty high on this subject. I feel betrayed, because of my investment in time and money. And pissed because I have recommended the tech to so many people.
Bottom line, buy the best tool for the job. Purchase the computer that will work for you. And don’t get too attached. It is your stories, and commercial messages that count. Not your NLE. Learn to edit on anything in front of you. Tell your story the best you can. Forget about the rest of the marketing hype. With our Artist’s proficiency with After Effects, we will most likely upgrade the Adobe Software. It seems to be the best path. Of course the bottom line, I will adapt to anything that is needed to tell the story.

[Tracy Smith]

Mr. Zelin,
I know this a bit late, I just saw your response. Thank You. The format issues drive me up the wall.
And station folks 4 months away from a digital switch over who are still thinking analog, or not even realizing at this point what they are dealing with are sending me over the edge. When I wrote that post I had just returned from a station master control, to view how they were ingesting an HD spot we had made, the MC op showed me his HD monitor he was using, and all I saw was the same monitor I had seen 6 years ago with an HD-SD letterbox feed, he wasn’t looking at an HD signal. This kind of stuff gets to me.
Digital to Digital, lets all of us save the quality of our produced stuff too.

Thanks again for taking the time to “post up” I found it enlightening!

T

[Tracy Smith]

Adam,
There is really only one thing to do, get clearance from the artists and composers themselves.
You can do this yourself, or hire a clearance company.

“These rights are administered and licensed by the publisher who accounts directly to the writer.”

“A synchronization license is the license required to make and distribute audio visual recordings. A synchronization license does not include the right to use an existing recording (master) in association with a new audio visual product. You will need to obtain an additional “master use” license in order to combine an existing recording with a new audio visual project. To obtain a master license you will need to contact the owner of the sound recording, usually a record label”

There’s good info here: https://www.signature-sound.com/11quest.html#q5

or get in touch with some clearance experts.

You can search the info fairly quickly with BMI and ASCAPs search engines. You may want to give them a call, they’ve been very helpful to us.

[Tracy Smith]

Maybe this can help in a simple way.

Progressive is one complete picture.
Interlace is one complete picture broken down into two parts.

There is a slight loss of information in an interlace. (This is due to the “flyback of the scanning beam)

Interlace is a method that was developed to accommodate cathode ray tube technology.

If you shoot progressive, edit it in progressive, output it the way that is required.

If you are worried about your pictures looking right, don’t worry, progressive will maintain it’s “film look” when it is interlaced for delivery.

If you are worried about your show looking the way you designed it. Please put bars and tone and a slate at the beginning, once it is set up at the broadcast facility it will play back as designed.

The importance of “24P Film look” is basically a marketing item for video cameras. Movies are projected at 24p. (The also have a shutter on the projector to stop flicker. Essentially “interlacing” ) They are rarely shot completely in 24P. Do not get caught in this “cool” trap. Use the frame rates that give you the best picture for the situation.

Final Cut will produce it right, but what you see on the timeline is not necessarily what happens in the end because of the way FCP works. If you are in doubt. Export a small section and look at it in full res. Then convert it to your end medium and watch it.

A lot of old school folks (some engineers) do not understand digital as well as analogue.
Some of the digital folks do not understand analogue TV.
Digital is not less than analogue anymore, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Look at it on a scope (Yes use the scopes “Luke”…let the scopes be with you!)

Make your decisions from there.

Always produce with your audience, end product and delivery in mind.

Tracy Smith
Black Hawk Entertainment

[Tracy Smith]

This post thread has been fun today, especially seeing everyone’s thoughts. I just had
2 more cents worth…and it’s 2 cents that deviates from the topic.

No matter what ever happens with Apple, or any other provider, we are all folks who aspire to tell stories one way or another. I love the digital tech. I think it enables us to tell our stories in a way never before available. We are “Creatives” and we wear that title with pride, sometimes a wry smile, or a little crow. Dreamers made effective and productive by this technology.
My background is in broadcasting. I saw the good part of it and the totally evil part of it. Digital imaging and sound manipulation is providing a vehicle to finally chomp away the smoke and mirrors of an industry that is badly in need of reform. Not too mention a big dose of real integrity. Apple does not need to be at NAB. They need to communicate with their consumer base, and that includes pros who’ve adopted (and paid for) their technology in order to produce the stories.
I sincerely like using Apple’s products. They have been my favorites. Nothing is perfect or absolute. I did not see FCP at NAB the first time. I was brought into a Panansonic Post Box
edit bay and shown by a friend what this new Final Cut program could do. I saw it’s potential, and it changed how I worked. It married my two loves of the business Producing (Directing) and Editing.
I’ve edited with Avid, Ulead,Premiere, Panasonic, Sony, Toaster, even the Techtronix box with a “shark”. A couple of the above mention systems made me want to go back to tape to tape. My favorite to this date is Final Cut Pro. And I did not find this program at NAB. I spent money, and didn’t get bribed with S.W.A.G.

How many of you actually saw FCP at NAB? Or bought it there? Then apply that to the rumor mill!

Produce On!!!

[Tracy Smith]

Just thought I would throw my “2cents”

The big shows like NAB are going to see a decline. With the ability to market and communicate being what they are now, the trade shows as they have existed, are not as needed.

As far as Apple ignoring it’s Professional user base, I think that is conjecture. From their new “cradle to grave” marketing scheme, selling Ipods and IPhones, leading a consumer to the computers, and quite possibly inspiring a few people to become professionals. That is strengthening their products, not weakening them. It is damn smart marketing.

What is happening is 1. The end user. 2. Distribution 3. Content Creation
And ten years from now, do you really need the traditional distributors? Not really. You have built a pretty good loyal customer base over the years. So why would they take a jab at the content creation side they have promoted both professionally and in the amateur ranks? The folks at Apple are not dumb.

Professional does not mean you do movies and television. Apple knows this. NAB is the Broadcasters. And in the giant scheme of digital content creation. Broadcasting is not the only game in town. They are simply a distribution channel.

And right now electronic distribution seems to be in Apple’s Court. It is simply strategy.

[Tracy Smith]

I had to work late so I didn’t get to post this, the card they put in our G4 was the 9800 pro.