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
← Older Comments Newer Comments →-
Gerry Fraiberg says:
July 4, 2011 at 1:02 pm
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dennis Kane says:
July 4, 2011 at 1:10 pm
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Larry says:
July 4, 2011 at 1:15 pm
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cesar says:
July 4, 2011 at 1:23 pm
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russtafa says:
July 4, 2011 at 1:26 pm
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aegger says:
July 4, 2011 at 2:56 pm
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Dick Applebaum says:
July 4, 2011 at 5:21 pm
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DUDLEY SAUNDERS says:
July 5, 2011 at 2:25 am
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Tom Ackroyd says:
July 5, 2011 at 5:17 am
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Mal says:
July 5, 2011 at 5:38 am
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Larry says:
July 5, 2011 at 10:56 am
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Wayne says:
July 5, 2011 at 8:37 am
← Older Comments Newer Comments →Hello Larry,
Thanks for the thoughtful blog. As editors, we live in interesting times.
I admit it, I drank the Kool-aid. I bought FCP X on day one, more out of curiosity than actual need. And a bit of response to the marketing hype. Another thing that swayed me to jump in is the fact that Randy Ubilos has been involved in the development. FCP 7 has been working quite well for me. In fact, FCP 5 still works on my G5.
There is a lot that I like in FCP X – I find the interface much easier on the eyes, especially how images stand out from the gray GUI. The scopes are much improved. Titling is improved, with changes easily made in the Inspector. Background rendering, 64 bit speed are a couple of other things to like. There is, however, a learning curve to this new editing paradigm. I will continue using FCP 7 until I’m up to speed and comfortable with X. I thought of asking for a refund, but then decided to hang in and learn this new radically different tool set.
As a one man band shop shooting HDV on a Sony Z5U, the lack of tape ingest is a disappointment. I could add a digital back for $800 or buy a Nikon D7000 (I’m a Nikon guy) for $1200. But I can buy a lot of tape for that money. So Log & Batch Capture in FCP7 will be the workaround.
I can certainly understand the sense of abandonment and betrayal felt by large post houses with a lot more invested than I have. But I’m not about to take advantage of cross grade offers from Adobe and Avid. I’ve already spent $400 with Apple (Compressor and Motion) and have no compelling reason to switch. Who knows – FCP X might just develop into the next great editing thing.
Larry
I am a little confused. Can’t someone continuing using FCP 7, thereby not losing access to all their existing data, and also have FCP X on their system ?
I don’t mean running at the same time, but on the boot drive, so one can explore and learn ? Does a new Mac OS prevent me from accessing FCP 7 ?
Thank you
Dennis
Dennis:
You are correct. You can have both versions installed on the same system, but can only run one at time.
Larry
Hola Larry, saludos desde España. Mi eterna duda (la cuál me llega a indignar) es porque no consta el español como idioma de cabecera .
Esto si es preocupante en pleno siglo XXI, y además de mal gusto, de poca cultura y de una prepotencia inusitada.
Mientras tanto iré tanteando FCPX y sus venideras actualizaciones.
[ Rough Translation via Google & SDL ]
Hello Larry, Greetings from Spain. My eternal question (which comes to enrage me) is because it has Spanish as the language header. This is worrisome in the 21ST century, and in addition to bad taste, of little culture and a unusual arrogance. In the meantime [i’m looking at] FCP X and its succeeding updates.
Just to clarify one issue.
I think Final Cut 10 is going to suit some people really really well and I am sure that this will be a truly great experience for some people who will use it for interesting creative projects.
Apple should have just given a timeline for continuing support for Final Cut Pro 7..say an 18 month timeline then us..the end users could have made thoughtful and logical decisions on how to proceed.
I am not sure this complies with EEC trading and consumer law which applies to use here in Europe..Interesting!!!
I am in this business for 15 years. I had an online editor on my AMiga 4000, then SpeedRazor, then FAST Edition (later Pinnacle and finally Avid Liquid), then I used Edius and ended up in MAC-Land with FCP6 and 7.
Every time I switched I had to leave some good workflows behind (well, maybe not from the Amiga; but the OS rocked). And FCP7 was actually the WORSt editor I used for its time. It was based on old technology. AVID had the same problem with Liquid: a superior editor, but not ready for HD. So they simply EOLed it. Just like Apple did now with FCP…which was MIA anyway. I know many have their stuido built around it, many broadcaststation still use their standard-def facility, due to the costs involved, but does that mean it is a standard still?
APPLE looks forward. Always. They throw out the floppy and the FW400-plug while we all still use them.
I used FCPX now for a few weeks and today edited in FCP7 and man do I miss the skimmer there…and the connected clips, and many other features…..FCPX is just soooooo much faster and easier to edit.
Apple will fix the audio-bus, the XML and AJA, Matrox and BM will bring drivers. Then we are already halfway there.
A couple tweaks in the UI and a few old features back and we are all smiling again.
I will use FCPx for a big project next. The only real questionmark is the Audio-output, but we will find a workaround…..
I just realized something that could mitigate one of the issues!
With Lion, you will be able to run multiple instances of OS X on a single computer.
If done properly, that would mean that you could run FCPX under one instance and FCP7 under another — and have access to the files from either system.
Not as nice as an import or running both under a single OS X instance… but hey, we’re creative, right?
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!
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 …
**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.
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
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.