Moving Forward

Posted on July 2, 2011 by Larry

Well, the last two weeks certainly have been tumultuous. But this weekend is a good time to take stock and figure out where we go from here.

Over the years I’ve learned that Apple does not follow the market, it tries to lead the market. And, with megahits like the iMac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad, it is impossible to ignore their success.

However, it isn’t always successful, which is why we find ourselves in the position we are in now. And, keep in mind that it is US, not Apple, that are in a difficult position. Apple’s DNA (and vast bank account) insulates them from clamor and controversy in the marketplace.

Yesterday, as I was thinking about this blog, I sent an email to my contacts at Apple asking if they would either announce a timetable of when we could see the next “major release” of Final Cut Pro X, or whether Apple was considering re-releasing Final Cut Studio (3) to the market.

Apple did not respond to my email; which I’ve also learned is an answer in itself.

So, the decision is not up to Apple, they have already told us what they are going to do. The decision is up to us – how will we respond?

THE MARKET

Apple has opened up a huge new market to video editing – I call it the “middle market” – people that need more than iMovie, but don’t need the vast capabilities of Final Cut Studio (3).

This is a good thing, I think, because ultimately it will give many of us work as these users push up against the barriers of FCP X and need to accomplish tasks that can’t currently be met with FCP X.

I remember the desktop publishing wars of the 1980’s. Graphics designers did not go away when our computers starting displaying fonts and images. What happened was that the graphics design tools got better and designers with creativity and skill got more work.

The situation is the same today. Creativity and story-telling are still in demand, but the audience and tools continue to evolve.

OUR CHOICE

As I see it, we all have three choices:

1. Convert to Final Cut Pro X
2. Do nothing, at least for a while
3. Switch to a different editing program

CONVERTING

For single editor shops that work exclusively with tapeless formats and principally output to files, Final Cut Pro X is very attractive.

I am getting many emails each day from people that are working with it and are pleased with their results.

For non-mission-critical projects, the current version of FCP X may meet your needs.

ABSTAINING

As I’ve written for years, however, even if Apple released an all-singing, all-dancing, rock-star of a program, I would still counsel waiting until a dot One release.

This is especially true for large shops, edit houses with massive amounts of existing material that they need to repurpose, or editors working on deadlines that cannot be missed.

Apple’s emphasis on secrecy during development in order to maximize surprise at launch means that the initial release of a product is almost never stable enough for serious use.

As examples, FCP 4.0 didn’t stabilize until version 4.0.2, FCP 5 took until version 5.0.4 and, some would argue, 5.1.4 to become solid. FCP 6 took until version 6.0.2 (with four more versions after that), and FCP 7 is currently sitting at version 7.0.3. (And the sordid history of QuickTime releases and bug fixes is best left for a mature audience…)

As I’ve written many times in the past, waiting before upgrading is never a mistake. I tend to wait a few months before upgrading my production gear. However, at the same time, I will upgrade my testing gear to the latest version – and start to learn it – as soon as it is released.

There is no harm in waiting until FCP X starts to stabilize.

SWITCHING

The wild card in this whole equation is the cancellation of Final Cut Studio (3). Our decisions would be a lot easier if Apple had not forced our hand.

First, I am deeply saddened that Apple’s vaunted engineering prowess is unable to code a conversion utility from FCP 7 to FCP X. However, they say they can’t, so I believe them. (And, even if they can, they won’t; which works out to the same thing.)

This means that if you have a large number of FCP 7 projects that you have even a remote possibility of needing in the future, you would be foolish NOT to purchase a product that can read them.

Whether you go with Avid Media Composer and Automatic Duck, or Adobe Production Premium, you, your company, your media and your projects have a far greater priority than the political and emotional issues of supporting, or not supporting, the latest release of Final Cut Pro.

Protect yourself first.

Pick the software you are most comfortable working with. Hire an assistant editor to have them do tests to see how well your projects transfer from FCP 7 into it.

Both Avid and Adobe are running “Switcher” campaigns — which doesn’t surprise me. If I were doing their marketing I would do exactly the same thing. Take advantage of this special pricing – protect your assets.

Apple says FCP 7 will run on Lion. However, it would be foolish to expect it to run on every operating system in the future. At some point, you will need to convert your assets. The best time to do so is now while all your projects, media, and the software you are using is current.

Whether you want to convert your whole operation to a new platform depends upon many different factors; cost not the least of them.

But the first rule of business is to stay in business. Protect yourself. Make sure you can get access to your assets in the future.

LARRY’S RECOMMENDATION

For new Final Cut users, purchase FCP X and enjoy it. It has many good things to recommend it.

For existing Final Cut 7 users, it is too early to know what FCP X is really going to be. But it is also way too risky to bet the ranch on it.

Download FCP X and learn it, but be very cautious putting it into serious production.

I recommend you create a system for converting your FCP 7 assets to either Avid or Adobe.

Then, wait and see what Apple does with the next release of FCP X. For me, the next release, not the current one, will set the direction for the future.

But protect yourself now.

CONCLUSION

This event gives all of us a chance to stop and reflect on who we are and what we do.

The core of what I do, personally, is to train, teach, and inform. I do this across a wide variety of products and using a wide variety of media. My core value does not change with this update.

What changes are the subjects that I teach. And, as we all know, technology is a constantly evolving mix of old and new products.

Think about what YOU do – are you a Final Cut editor, OR are you an editor that uses Final Cut? Are you defined by the technology you use or the stories that you tell?

As you are deciding whether to convert, abstain, or switch, spend a few minutes thinking about who you are, what you do, and how you want to earn a living.

In the past, religious wars were fought over Apple vs. Avid. The new war is FCP 7 vs. FCP X. Like all wars, these battles create a flurry of impressive fireworks, but leave a bloody trail of destruction in their wake. And very rarely do they settle anything. Old tensions still simmer.

So, let’s slow down and take stock. Apple has given us an opportunity to make a choice. They aren’t going to change their direction, so we need to decide if we are comfortable where they are taking us.

And that choice is different for each one of us.

Let me know what you think.

Larry

61 Responses to Moving Forward

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DUDLEY SAUNDERS says:

July 5, 2011 at 2:25 am

In a tragic sort of way, I think it’s funny: for years we despaired of Avid’s arrogance, refusal to listen, etc etc in the face of FCP’s responsive ascendancy … and now Apple is behaving the way Avid used to. Me, I’ve spent the last 7 years working exclusively on the Avid and panicking that my atrophying FCP skills were going to make me unmarketable … and now I feel like Apple may have saved my career. Sure, I’m brushing up on FCP 7, since I bet a lot of shops will wait as long as possible to reinvest – but I think the need for technically strong Avid editors just got a serious boost. Thank you, Apple!
Tom Ackroyd says:

July 5, 2011 at 5:17 am

I am following David Roth Weiss’ advice and will run and maintain separate partitions: http://library.creativecow.net/weiss_roth_david/FCP-10-MAC-Lion/1

I have a quad core Intel Xeon Mac Pro running 10.6.7.

In one partition I will have Snow Leopard, FCS 3 and CS5 Production Suite. In there I can revisit FCP 7 projects and revise them within FCP 7 or output them as XML.

Meanwhile I will learn Premiere Pro and FCP X. In another partition I will have CS5, FCP X and the new Motion and Compressor – first on Snow Leopard and then on Lion.

Currently, FCP X is nowhere near ready for all I need to do. But after a year I hope to be able to make a decision to switch to FCP X or another NLE. I hope to be able to indefinitely keep a machine for long-term legacy access to FCP 7 work once the OS outgrows my current hardware.

My initial worry is resurrecting DSLR-based projects. I usually import these into Log & Transfer – direct from camera disk or cloned disk images – as ProRes transcodes. I have yet to discover how to translate this acquisition workflow completely accurately from XML to Premiere Pro, but I’m sure there’s a way.

But in the middle of the night I wake up convinced I must restore all my projects from backup, delete the graphics and output clean versions to 4444 and separate checkerboarded audio files because there’s no way legacy text, fx and audio settings are gonna translate every time …
Mal says:

July 5, 2011 at 5:38 am

**Hopefully this is seen as constructive criticism, more along the line of gentle ribbing — not to be taken too seriously**

Mellifluous, easy-going, likeable voice and manner notwithstanding, Larry, you’ve flip-flopped on this issue more than a fresh fish that’s just landed in the boat.

Many years ago in my home town, the major football league wanted two professional teams to merge. It seemed a fait accompli. It was all but done. One influential football journalist (on the day before the teams’ members voted) wrote an article in full support of the merger; glowing about the league and the way forward.

Little did he realize that the members at their respective meetings would just about RIOT with flaming torches and any idea of a merger was well and truly demolished. This same journalist the very next day came out with an article savaging the fact that the league had ever considered a merger and what a terrible idea it was.

This is what’s called having an opinion that you think fits with the popular trend.

Larry, you were quoted as saying that the software FCPX was not ready for primetime and that you had serious reservations; THEN you came out and changed your opinion, saying that after meeting with Apple your fears were well and truly addressed, in fact you were wrong, and that you fully supported the release — this was followed by a glowing review — THEN — as the flaming torches and pitchforks stormed past your door you come out with criticisms and quite pointed requiems. Somewhere squeezed in there you may have presented that it wasn’t the program itself, rather the handling of the release.

Imagine a movie reviewer who gets to see a movie courtesy of the studio and comes out saying it’s the BEST movie ever. Then it dies disastrously in a cauldron of hatred and suddenly the reviewer (sensing the mood) says that the movie is very flawed and there’s clearly horrible mistakes.

In the issue of FCPX, someone who had access to and had done extensive training videos should have seen exactly the issues that would cause a storm.

I don’t know if you had a conflict of interest and failed to navigate it as best you could, no matter how you want to spin it (and I generally think you’re a nice guy trying to do his best and not rock too many boats) — I hope next time you stand by your convictions (whatever they are!!!) from the beginning.
Wayne says:

July 5, 2011 at 8:37 am

Thanks for the response, Larry. I guess this is exactly like, as aegger mentioned, when the latest Mac came out… And it didn’t contain a floppy disc! What about all those floppies people still had? Apple didn’t seem too worried about anyone who had important data on old disks. Yet it still worked out, and not only were they the industry leader in that respect, everyone agrees now it was a necessary evil to move technology forward.

Just like this supposed move by Apple that not only seems to have killed every pro’s respect for the company, but also their businesses somehow. (Seems that way from what I’ve been reading in the blogs, anyway.) And, just like the previous example I made, not only will there more likely third party workarounds made for all the current “faults,” but will survive, prosper, and become a standard for everyone. (Everyone seems to also forget all the pundits saying that the new Apple Tablet will be a huge mistake that will take the company down. “Net-Books are king!”

Of course, I might be wrong.
Larry says:

July 5, 2011 at 10:56 am

Mal:

I agree – constantly changing opinions is worse than no opinions at all. However, in my case, I discovered that the information I had when I first started writing was incorrect. I far prefer to admit I was wrong and provide revised advice when I discover that what I knew was incorrect, than to steadfastly repeat the same opinion which is based on false information.

I don’t like making mistakes. However, I especially don’t like repeating them.

Thanks!

Larry
Dick Applebaum says:

July 5, 2011 at 11:28 am

Apple has stated in their FCPX FAQ:

“Can I import projects from Final Cut Pro 7 into Final Cut Pro X?
Final Cut Pro X includes an all-new project architecture structured around a trackless timeline and connected clips. In addition, Final Cut Pro X features new and redesigned audio effects, video effects, and color grading tools. Because of these changes, there is no way to “translate” or bring in old projects without changing or losing data.”

http://www.apple.com/finalcutpro/faq/

I have seen, elsewhere, that Apple has some hooks in FCPX that, potentially, could be activated to allow FCPX to import FCP7 projects.

I have also read that Apple abandoned the import effort because they can’t do a “complete” job — up to Apple standards.

Adobe offers an FCP7 import capability to Premiere on a “best effort” basis.

Adobe’s solution isn’t perfect nor complete, but at least you can bring your FCP7 projects into their app and start using it.

It is a way to bring your legacy FCP7 projects forward.

With all that in mind, I wondered if it were possible to build a tool that would allow import of FCP7 projects into FCPX.

There are some issues, but I think the short answer is yes!

The 2 biggest issues are:

1) the FCPX magnetic “trackless” timeline

2) the lack of FCPX effects equivalent to those available in FCP7

I believe that 2) will fade as an issue, over time, as developers rewrite their plugins for FCPX

The magnetic/trackless timeline issue isn’t quite so easy. If you import your FCP7 project, and then FCPX rearranges everything — how do you get your mind around “your project” so you can start working on it.

What if there were a way to preserve (or approximate) the FCP7 track layout within FCPX.

I think there is a way!

Over the holiday weekend, I exported the XML from a small FCP7 sequence, opened it in a text editor, and manually recreated it in FCPX.

Some things needed to be kludged together to preserve the FCP7 “track look” within the FCPX “trackless” timeline. And, though they may look like tracks, they aren’t tracks — they can’t be manipulated as an entity.

It wasn’t perfect, but it was close enough!

I was able to manually import a simple project.

I believe, with a little effort, and a few tweaks to the FCPX UI, that Apple could do an acceptable job of importing FCP7 projects — bringing them forward to the new FCPX editing paradigm.

For anyone interested, I posted some pictures and links at:

http://forums.appleinsider.com/showthread.php?p=1894933#post1894933
Dj says:

July 5, 2011 at 12:01 pm

Larry,

What exactly was the incorrect information that you had and why do you think Apple provided you with it?
Floris says:

July 5, 2011 at 12:51 pm

If the past has proven one thing: Apple has been right an awful amount of times with deadly precision. And I like a lot in the new FCP X.

However, they have proven that they are not good for you if you run a business. Lesson learned: don’t depend on them for your survival.

I’ve decided to move to Adobe (a year ago already, because of the Dynamic Link and great community) but I’m currently learning FCP X for smaller and more experimental projects. When the XML import/export is back, many new possibilities open again.

People also shouldn’t not forget that they can update for $800 now to Adobe or $995 to Avid, but the next upgrade (CS6/Avid 6) is going to cost them as much or even more. So decide now if you can afford these feature updates… FCP X is very cheap in that regard!

Interesting times… someone has to move the industry forward. I like Premiere Pro a lot, many people to do, but most of us are looking at it from a Final Cut Pro perspective (it can do almost anything, and some things more). That’s not how you change workflows or the way people interact with software in general.

And also think of this:
– Final Cut Pro X has a touch ready interface (think of it and then look at the application, the large buttons… the skimmer, the range selection tool… coming from iMovie.. .which is on iPad already)
– The future is touch (or gestures like Microsoft Kinect)
– Tablets will become far more powerful in the near future

Also think of this: will Avid or Adobe work this way? So in a way, Apple is investing now in the future. They’ve done it in a very wrong and customer unfriendly way (screw you customer!) but I do think they have a vision… which I can’t say of Adobe and Avid.
Ethan says:

July 5, 2011 at 4:40 pm

Larry, something that could be tremendously valuable for you to do at this point would be to create a comparison document or training seminar on the merits of Media Composer vs. Premiere (w/ Production Premium), for those coming from Final Cut. I haven’t seen anything like this online, and it would be a great help for those who are contemplating switching, and would like something more objective and comprehensive than promotional materials and anecdotal accounts. I realize that Adobe and Avid are not your forte, so perhaps you can get assistance from people who are already experts on those platforms.
Mike Gilligan says:

July 6, 2011 at 12:09 am

Larry,
I have a friend who made some money with Apple stock and he took my wife and me to dinner. Ergo: Apple took me to dinner. Thank you i-Pad! I’m also used to the FCP X routine: I had a Discreet edit*.
We only have two editors working at a time, so it’s very easy to keep working with Studio 3 while being courted by Avid and Adobe. I am told that CNN has 200 FCP’s, which is a problem. I don’t know how long Apple will support Studio 3, but for us, it’s easy enough to bail any time.
Mike G