Blog Archives

An in-depth look at configuration, setup and use of the new Mac Pro for video editing.

Today, Apple updated Final Cut Pro X to version 10.1 — probably the most significant update since Final Cut’s initial release. (In case you are wondering, my vote for second most significant update is version 10.0.3.) This new version sports …

Compressing video using WebM takes forever! Here is more information about why and some custom settings you can use to speed things up.

First, let’s be clear: The new MacPro is not yet shipping. So, like a group of blind folks describing an elephant, we are getting a lot of different opinions on what this new animal is. Second, the instant Apple revealed …

Recently, at the Supermeet at IBC in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, I was asked by the show organizers to discuss: “Is Final Cut Pro X Ready For Professional Use?” In thinking about this topic, I realized that this answer is more …

Products break. I accept that. However, reputable companies make it easy to figure out what the problems are and get them fixed. They also honor warranties. This does not seem to be true with the folks at iLok. And because …

One of the promises Adobe made when it went to its new subscription pricing was to make much more frequent updates to all their software. This evening, less than five months after the initial CC release, Adobe emphasized its promises …

[ This article generated a lot of technical comments. Be sure to view the comments in this blog to learn more. ] Updated: June 15, to reflect a variety of technical comments from readers. On Monday, Apple gladdened the hearts …

This afternoon, at the 2013 Adobe MAX, Jacob Rosenberg, Chief Technology Officer and Partner at Bandito Brothers gave a presentation showcasing the history and projects of his full-service media company.

This evening, at the Adobe MAX conference, I had an extended on-the-record conversation with Bill Roberts, Director of Product Management for Video and Audio Solutions at Adobe.

This morning, at the seventh annual Adobe Max conference, Adobe announced new versions of its products – all focused on the Creative Cloud and shipping June 17.

A commentary on how to pick the best video frame rate to shoot your project, with a look back at history.

Recently, I’ve been writing blogs about the challenges to editing as a career: Can You Still Have a Career in Editing Thoughts on the Ten-Worst College Majors But there is always room for one more creative person in our craft, …

Apple Insider has an excellent analysis on the future of the Mac Pro, and Macintosh computers in general. This is in line with my earlier blog about the future of the Mac Pro.

I’ve been thinking a lot about careers in media recently. It started with a recent blog I wrote, called: “Can You Still Have a Career in Editing?” which generated a LOT of comments, both pro and con. Then, I was …

Any NAB Show is too massive to be summarized in a single blog post. This show represents the current state of a multi-billion dollar industry composed of thousands of wildly different companies. I enjoy walking the halls just to learn about …

PART 1 of 3 – PLANNING For the sixth year in a row, our podcast – DigitalProductionBuzz.com – is the official podcast of the NAB Show. During the event, which starts Monday, April 8, we will be broadcasting live shows, …

Final Cut Pro X is in the news again. This time in the LA Times. Is this a signal of something bigger to come?

Three emails got me thinking today. The first was from Jack Reilly, of Future Media Concepts who is organizing Post-Production World at NAB. He’s asked me to host a Hot Panels session Wednesday at NAB on The Future of Editing. …

[ I wrote this blog a month ago at the request of a publisher who ultimately decided not to run it. I’m posting it here in hopes of starting a conversation about the subject. Comments are moderated and intolerant comments …

OK. I’m impressed! Last November, the day they went on sale, I ordered a 27″ iMac to replace my main editing system. (Click here to read about the system I ordered.) It arrived the end of December and, as these …

The end of a year is a good time to look back and reflect on changes over the last twelve months, which is how this blog starts. Then, I included some of your comments. In my newsletter, I invited readers to …

I’ve gotten a lot of questions recently on USB 3 vs. Thunderbolt, so I wanted to share what I’ve learned.  (By the way, I updated this to provide clarity on USB 3 speeds.) Thunderbolt and USB 3 are both protocols …

I bought a new 27″ iMac when they went on sale Friday, specifically for video editing. And, because I’ve had a lot of requests recently, I wanted to tell you what I bought and why. WHAT SIZE IMAC? I bought: …

The 10.0.6 release of Final Cut Pro X, earlier today, is probably the most extensive update to the program since its initial release; with the 10.0.3 release coming in second.

Last week, I was speaking at Postapalooza, at the Soaring Eagle Resort in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. Spread across a series of spectacular fall days in the Midwest, surrounded by editors from all over the country who wanted to learn the …

PREAMBLE I teach technology. Specifically, how to understand and use the latest tools our industry provides to tell stories with media. However, from time to time I wonder whether this deep focus on tech is the best use of my …

After a two-year hiatus, and thanks to the generosity of Avid Technology, “2 Reel Guys,” the video series that I co-executive produce and co-host, went back into production last week to create 13 new episodes.

June 21, 2011. Apple released Final Cut Pro X and our industry changed overnight. It’s been a year since that release, and I’m interested in your comments on the impact, if any, that Final Cut Pro X has had on …

This evening, I was speaking – remotely – with the Arizona Final Cut Pro Users Group. And I was asked, as happens often, “Does Apple still care about professionals?” This is a hard question, because the answer is changing. But …

Since I wrote my blog on the MacPro (read it here), Apple presented its keynote at this year’s WorldWide Developer Conference. Shortly after that, when the Apple Store reopened, not only were the new Mac portables listed, but the MacPro also …

I am a huge fan of keyboard shortcuts. For tasks that I do over and over, Bam!, hit it with a keyboard shortcut and, Poof!, it’s done. What’s not to like about keyboard shortcuts? Even if you prefer doing everything …

The fever of excitement surrounding the launch of a new Apple product is the envy of every other consumer company in the world. Rumors, gossip, and eager anticipation create a potent mix for marketing.

Posting copyrighted music to YouTube can lead to embarrassment – even when you are legally entitled to do so. YouTube’s Content ID often causes problems with royalty-free music, as this article explains.

Larry Jordan released a new version of Final Cut Pro X training that includes closed captions. Shortly after the release, Allan Freeman wrote, both to say thanks and take us to task. So here’s why we created closed-caption training.

As host of the Digital Production Buzz for the last five years, I’ve interviewed more than 600 industry executives. I write this Thursday night from my hotel room in Las Vegas. The NAB trade show just ended and during the last four days, I interviewed more than 100 industry executives for The Buzz for our NABShowBuzz.com special coverage.

Apple provides a first look at coming new features in Final Cut Pro X to Larry Jordan.

Today, Apple announced the latest update to Final Cut Pro X. Following its announcement last September that the next major version of the software would include support for multicam editing and broadcast monitoring, this update delivers on that promise.

It was not your normal day. Before the doors to MacWorld opened, I had the chance to sit down with Gary Adcock, founder of Studio 37, who lives somewhere beyond the high-end of today’s market. “So, Gary,” I asked, “is …

[Updated 12/13 with clarification on Promise and more info on the incremental cost.] I needed to buy more storage for my editing system – as if needing more storage for video editing is a surprise or something… Anyway, I decided …

Tom Keith’s voice was magical … summoning helicopters, gonzo moose, a startled cow, a man falling sixteen stories into tapioca pudding… it was a voice that created magic out of puffs of air.

[Updated Sept. 21 with a few extra details and the link to the free trial.] [Updated with a link for the QuickTime update.] [Updated with more information on Roles, and clarification on Davinci and AutoDesk.] [Updated with clarification on XSAN.] …

Watching the 3D Glee Concert Movie set up a wide range of thoughts on how to shoot and edit musical performances.

Is Final Cut Pro X truly the new future of non-linear video editing?

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 …

Like many of you, I’ve been losing sleep this last week trying to figure out what’s going to happen to my business after the debacle of the Final Cut Pro X launch. I read in a blog last night that …

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? So, let’s slow down and take stock. Apple has given us an opportunity to make a choice.

My email has been filled with such a sense of loss in recent days; a deeply loved member of the family died unexpectedly before their time. “Such a loss.” “What a waste.” “So unnecessary.” “They will be missed.” The words …

Apple responds to market complaints about Final Cut Pro X.

Since Apple launched Final Cut Pro X last Tuesday, I’ve had more than 3,500 emails that range from “I’m enjoying FCP X and creating useful projects,” to “FCP X will destroy my ability to make a living.” (And, ah, far …