What Will Larry Do?

Posted on July 8, 2011 by Larry

One of the problems of being in the middle is that I can see both sides. I don’t necessarily agree with them, but I can appreciate their point of view.

My blog this morning – Who’s Accountable – touched a nerve because, in addition to the people that commented directly on the blog, I’ve also had several private conversations with Apple and people who are very, very upset with Apple.

What’s become obvious over the last week, is that the way the Final Cut Pro X launch was handled has totally overshadowed the features of Final Cut Pro X.

Over the last several days, I’ve been consumed with trying to decide what to do – stay with Final Cut or move to another platform. If I switch, what do I switch to? What advice should I give to others trying to make the same choice?

As my office will attest, all this internal debating has not made me a pleasant person to be around.

Let me share my thinking with you — then, you can decide for yourself whether you agree or disagree.

First, let me say that I think the launch of Final Cut Pro X was very badly handled. As I’ve written, I don’t think Apple needed to cancel Final Cut Studio (3) as abruptly and coldly as they did. They should have given us more time to make an orderly transition. They were thinking as a technology company, not as editors managing a decade of assets.

Canceling Final Cut Server, even though it was incompatible with Final Cut Pro X, has unnecessarily jeopardized companies building a business on that platform.

Apple never does things accidentally, so they will disagree with me. Probably strongly disagree… I remember a remark one of the people at Apple told me before the launch, in that they were expecting a lot of controversy over the new version of Final Cut Pro.

Well, we can certainly agree about that.

I also think that Apple seriously erred in not providing a conversion utility between Final Cut Pro 7 and FCP X. The one-two punch of canceling FCS (3) and an inability to convert old projects dominated the discussion far more than the merits of FCP X.

Apple will disagree, but the launch did not take the feelings and passion of editors properly into account. And damage was done.

On the other hand, there are some very cool new features in Final Cut Pro X. Some editors are writing and telling me how much they are enjoying the new program. (Just as other editors are writing to tell me, at length, why they are moving to Avid or Adobe.)

There’s a lot of passion on both sides. And both sides have some truth behind them.

But, let’s look at a few more points:

* Apple said in their presentation at NAB that FCP X redefines video editing for the next ten years. There is lots of additional development planned.

* Apple told me that because FCP X is distributed via the App Store, they can update the program much more frequently than when it was sold as a package on DVD.

* Apple wrote in their FAQ that they are already working on adding new features, such as XML and multicam, to the product and releasing updates quickly.

* Apple has stressed that FCP X is designed to provide a feature set for professionals, and not just as an upgrade for iMovie. (I am not saying they MET the needs of professionals, but a look at the architecture of FCP X reveals features that no iMovie user would ever need.)

* However, it is also self-evident that Apple needed to provide a clear and consistent upgrade path to iMovie users who were totally lost trying to understand how Final Cut Express works. Apple feels that it is possible for one product to meet both needs.

As I wrote in an earlier blog – Moving Forward – the first rule of business is to stay in business. All of us should keep an eye on our options. Check out what Avid, Adobe, and Media 100 are offering. If you feel you can’t wait, then switch.

But I would also suggest that many of us would benefit by taking a deep breath and giving Apple a chance to live up to their promises for the program.

Final Cut Studio (3) still works.

It took Avid, Adobe, and Apple many years to evolve their programs to their current feature set. I’m willing to give Apple a few months to get their act together and fix what’s broken with FCP X.

I’m going to stay with Final Cut Pro for a while. Work at learning the new version. Give feedback to Apple on what they need to do to improve things. And share what I learn with you.

Final Cut Pro X has a lot of exciting potential – but, for many of us, that potential is not yet realized.

The burden is on Apple to deliver on their promises, update the program quickly, and repair the damage they did during the launch. The proof is in the program.

If they succeed, great. If not, Avid and Adobe will still be around in six months.

Larry

89 Responses to What Will Larry Do?

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Allynn says:

July 9, 2011 at 7:14 am

Larry, I can certainly understand your willingness to stick with Apple in the short turn. I just hope you’ll be putting out some “how to switch to…” training material in six months!

I have an Apple sponsored training session for ex-FCP in Boston on Tuesday. I had planned on spending the weekend going over your training materials and really getting ready to get something out of it. But then I realized, I’m not going to use it. Not now. Not ever. If I have to invest time to learn a whole new interface then let it be something that is at least a little familiar. I got the Adobe Premiere Classroom in a Book yesterday and I’m already more than half way through it.

I’m still sad. I’m still really, *really* sad. There is so much that YOU taught me about FCP that I’m never going to be able to use again. I was just getting really comfortable with all those wonderful keyboard shortcuts. I wasn’t even **thinking** about them. And now… a whole new (slightly clunky) interface to come to terms with. So Larry, I hope, I really **really** hope that you’ll come with me and so many others soon. We need you to help us find the most effecient way to learn Premiere (and Avid). I’ve shut the door on Apple but I’m keeping it open for you.
Floris says:

July 9, 2011 at 7:19 am

Another good read Larry.

@Fred1
You say Apple is a year behind… but maybe they are 3 years ahead. That might sound stupid… but think of this: Apple is trying to shift paradigms, like they have done so many times before.

Everyone wanted Apple to release a Netbook. They didn’t, Steve Jobs said he didn’t believe in Netbooks. Why? At that time Apple was already working on the iPad. People said, no way that will work… touch only, no keyboard. Look now, two years later: the iPad is a huge success, Netbooks are almost gone (the Chromebook is some sort of Netbook, but otherwise) and the competition is WAY behind Apple (huge market share with the iPad). Another great example is the App Store: name any other application store that even comes closes to the App/iTunes store in terms of brand recognition, reach… or profit for that matter.

Again… I hate how Apple does business, I love how Adobe threats the community… but I don’t write Final Cut Pro X off yet. Also, if you are a professional you should make a rational decision and as Larry says, wait a month or six till the storm lays down, the application gets updated etc. (Lion is around the corner, and I expect there will be an update, as FCPX under Lion does not have a full screen option which I’m sure it will have at day one of the release of the new OS). Apple also mentioned that the first update was coming in few weeks, which happens to coincide with Lion’s expected release (next week). As I mentioned before: the crossgrade prices are awesome… but the next update (MC 6/CS6) will cost you as much if not more. Be aware of that!

I really see a lot of potential in Final Cut Pro X and are working trough Larry’s training material to learn how to work the program. I also use CS5 as it is an amazing swiss army knife (AE, Photoshop, Encore, Flash) which I already used often in conjunction with Final Cut Pro.

Things I really like so far:
– Compound clips
– Synchronized clips
– Selections
– Auditions
– Timeline index
– The filmstrip (odd at first, so natural now already)
– The skimmer (fast with my Wacom Pen)
– Usability… the keyboard and mouse controls are very powerful, I never liked Premiere’s usability (hence I still used Final Cut Pro) so this is a major win already)
– HD UI… the waveforms, timeline clips… they are really good to read out
– Keyword engine (so fast, so natural… and smart collections work very well in every other Application I have used (iTunes ,Mail, Gmail, Aperture) so why wouldn’t they work in a professional environment?

Things I dislike:
– Some bugs, can’t wait for first update
– You can’t delete or move stuff when there are background processes in progress
– You can’t hide projects from the viewer
– Compressor old interface (although the sharing/qmaster stuff already has the new look, so I bet this is coming soon to the rest of the app)
– No XML
– No multicam
– No ‘send to motion’ (hope this comes with the XML features)
– Not possible to set odd dimensions (i.e. 500×500)
– No colored markers (used them a lot… I do suspect however that keywords are more powerful (with the new Timeline index they fly), so I might change this in a like after I have spend more time with them.
– No custom window arrangements/workspaces
– No keyboard shortcut for clip height/appearance

Probably more stuff but I haven’t really gotten to effects/cc/audio mixing.

At the end: we’re all editors and we tell stories. There is no wrong or right way to do that, use the tool that best suits your needs.

Larry, are you attending IBC in Amsterdam?
Lou Borella says:

July 9, 2011 at 7:47 am

Larry
I posted my timeline of the psuedo-hypothetical FCPX lifeline on an earlier post. My gist is the pros do not trust Apple anymore. 4+ years of waiting was wasted. I just started digging into Premier Pro and I’m amazed at feature set. I always thought that FCP was still holding up because I was so productive with it. I can’t believe what I’ve been missing.

Apple is now many years behind in too many areas with Final Cut. Fred1 is absolutely correct. Apple is now playing catch up and Adobe will continue to add features. I’m sure thethe many cool things that FCPX is does will find their way into Premier very quickly (unfortunately Adobe will charge us an arm and a leg for the upgrade).

Avid on the other hand is now so ridiculously far behind.
Here are some of the questions i’ve been asking Avid for 15 years.

Will my settings work?
Can I import still images and retain the dimensions yet?
Do I still have to constantly select tracks to add and manipulate audio keyframes?
Does dupe detection work across multiple video tracks yet?
Can I load precomputes into the source monitor yet?
Do I still have to treat filler like a clip?
Is the audio waveform useable yet?
Will Quicktime movies automatically update if there is a change or do I have to reimport or relink?
Is there a freeze frame dialogue box or do I still have to use the pulldown menu to change settings?
Can anyone tell me the difference between the six different Timewarp types?
Is 3d warp anti-aliased yet?
Can I do a soft dropshadow without buying a plugin?
Can I link stereo audio tracks yet?
Does the Media Creation settings box work yet?
Do I still have to move the black clips that are before and after a dissolve to keep the dissolve?
Leo Hans says:

July 9, 2011 at 8:06 am

I have to admit that I am convinced Premiere is not a better choice. I like a lot of things of After Effects, but the interface is horrible. Same for Premiere. (not to mention Avid in this field).

Apple is still the best on software development. It’s a shame their goals has changed.

I hope they are not planning to have a paid upgrade with the missing things. I don’t be happy if we have to pay 300 buck every 6 months or a year.

Since App Store (and iTunes App Store) has launched, Apple didn’t charged for any update. I bought iMovie for iPhone and it was for free when they updated it for the iPad. Same for iWork Apps when they came available for iPhone. I hope this will be the road.
Christopher Sanderson says:

July 9, 2011 at 9:43 am

Trust grows from 10+ years of sweating through from juvenile Apple products (Mac llx, FCP & DSP) to Pro ones; learning the programs weaknesses and strengths, growing with each improvement.

The products are chopped and that trust is broken.

We are back to a juvenile product in FCP ex.

Apple appears not to give a toss. Sorry, life is too short. Move on.
russtafa says:

July 9, 2011 at 11:27 am

Allyn,
According to Walter Biscardi. Quote
*****************************
http://www.vimeo.com/25656933
UPDATE: I accidentally edited out one small section of interest. Premiere Pro includes the ability to switch the Keyboard Shortcuts to match those of Avid Media Composer and Final Cut Pro.
*****************************
(Hope Conan is holding up okay)
Lou…
Agree with you 100% but during the 2 year cycle from CS6 through to CS7 how many jobs do you think you will do? Know this is an added cost burden (upgrade price), and Adobe will definitely take the mickey, but if you amortize it over that period I do not think you will find it so painful,
if you look at it from that perspective.
Anyway I think CS6 will have some really good stuff which might make that upgrade cost seem okay.
From what I am beginning to understand Adobe “appear” to be listening to YOU (US) the end user(s) and I guess ultimately there is a price to be paid for that in a product which you (us) have helped shape and form.
Floris..
Hope you enjoy trying to color grade/match color in a couple of years on your “ColorSynced” iPAD HD 4 or was that 5?
Best of luck!!!
Final Cut 10 can by no means be written off, but you can understand the bitterness people feel after such a long wait.
Allynn says:

July 9, 2011 at 12:10 pm

Thanks, Russtafa, I know about the FCP keyboard option in Premiere but I’ve decided to “cut the cord” once and for all. No reason to hold onto a set of dead shortcuts. The trully ironic thing for me is that I was a Windows girl (DOS girl, actually) and it was FCP that switched me to Macs. It might be FCP that switches me back! As everyone keeps saying: “Windows 7 doesn’t suck”

Conan is a bit confused by all this, as any two-year-old would be. But we’ve promised another year and possibly a new playmate – CatDV
Leo Hans says:

July 9, 2011 at 12:27 pm

Adobe and Avid listen to customers. Really? What does it means?

Avid evolves too slow. Maybe they listen, but the Mac version is too buggy, MC still lacks a lot of things users are asking for since more than eight years ago.

What are the wonderful things about Premiere? The ability to work with Red files? The ability to do what? Yes, you can open Premiere projects in After Effects, but if you need to have good postproduction workflow you still have to export an EDL for serious postproduction. After Effects it is not serious postproduction. Premiere->After Effects is like FCP->Motion. It’s ok for small projects, but it’s not the way to if you are looking for high end.
Cyrus Dowlatshahi says:

July 9, 2011 at 12:40 pm

I’m one of those lifelong Apple people… started out playing Oregon Trail on an Apple IIe in 1st grade. I consider myself part of the cult, not just a customer.

But I’m an adult now, and I shoot and edit professionally. Apple is a company, and a successful one at that; they know how to herd the masses forward. You’ll keep buying their products.

Obviously there isn’t a single high-end post house that has yet upgraded to FCP X; the features aren’t there yet.

But FCP 7 still works (shit, I still run 6), so please all of you, shut up.
Floris says:

July 9, 2011 at 1:19 pm

Russtafa, I can understand the bitterness. My first reaction was probably the same as yours. I don’t run a full-time business depending on Apple, I don’t have many legacy projects that I need to open in the future. I just want to create awesome stories and I feel FCP X will help me do just that.

As I said: I’m an Adobe user, since CS5… I like many things, Dynamic Link, workflows, Mercury Playback engine, the amount of formats it supports, Audition, best Photoshop integration, BluRay authoring… but I don’t care for the usability (keyboard shortcuts don’t work as well as in FCP, you can’t do everything with shortcuts, the shortcut manager is a mess) or interface design (icons are ugly, vague). I have tried Avid as well but I always feel that product is from a different generation. I really, really don’t like how the UI works (floating windows.. ugh), how the settings are stored etc. I do like the new Smart Tools… nice cross-over from the Pro Tools team.

As Larry, I will just wait and see and pick the tool accordingly. Switching takes time though, and getting good in a program takes even more time. It takes year until you learn the tricks of the trade (Larry is a good example of this 😉 I’m attending IBC in Amsterdam (tradeshow like NAB). Both Avid and Adobe are attending and I really hope they show MC 6 and CS6 (at least sneak peaks so we know what to expect).

Enough talk for today… time to get editing again!