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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Dick Applebaum says:
July 5, 2011 at 11:28 am
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Dj says:
July 5, 2011 at 12:01 pm
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Floris says:
July 5, 2011 at 12:51 pm
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Ethan says:
July 5, 2011 at 4:40 pm
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Mike Gilligan says:
July 6, 2011 at 12:09 am
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Jerry says:
July 6, 2011 at 12:24 am
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DavidH says:
July 6, 2011 at 3:40 am
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russtafa says:
July 6, 2011 at 4:03 am
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Jason Rayment says:
July 6, 2011 at 8:46 am
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Markus says:
July 6, 2011 at 11:33 pm
← Older Comments Newer Comments →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
Larry,
What exactly was the incorrect information that you had and why do you think Apple provided you with it?
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.
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.
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
Larry,
I completely disagree with the user who wants you to stick to your original convictions regardless of the facts, that’s what politician do. I commend you for changing your opinion as new information or lack thereof comes out.
Floris made some points above that I think reveal his editing does not even have to consider workflow or collaboration in seeming to praise the “vision” of Apple even while upsetting their own apple cart.
To quote Floris after he gives Adobe Premiere some respect :
“(But) 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.”
All I can say is thank God that Adobe and Avid did not jump on the “touch vision” bandwagon!
And to Floris I will say that video editing can NOT work solely and exclusively on an Apple xPad Infinitum no matter how powerful it becomes. You are enamored with “touch” interface, apparently over “display” parameters.
Video is NOT converging. As everyone trumpets.
No indeed.
To merit the term “converge” one video output would have to wind up in only one display medium. The fact that a movie or television show winds up displayed on an iPad, on Apple tv, in a web browser, even on an iPhone is NOT CONVERGENCE. This is an illusion, plain and simple.
What a professional video editor deals with is that THEY are the only ones who HAVE to see what they are editing with the finest amount of control over color values, sound values, and the biggest screen details on the highest resolution and most standardized color monitoring.
This is not the territory for a handheld device, nor will it EVER EVER be the tool useful for the requirements of high-end editing. This is the stage where the “quality is built-in” no matter how many different formats and encodings follow so that I can watch a watered down version on my iPad.
You will certainly be able to create touchpad editing for Avid and Adobe but you are going to need more screen real estate than is available on a handheld pad.
I agree that Apple has a “vision” for THEIR hardware, of course. But Apple’s vision has left behind more sophisticated requirements for compositing the first generation of more highly financed productions.
Video is now many different formats both on the generation platforms and in the editing platform.
Video as a universally recognized “media label” has expanded and headed into a super high definition realm with uncompressed media formats, while at the same time squeezed itself down into a highly encoded, extremely lossy version of what we used to call “video” so that it can be delivered to the web and small devices.
But the magic behind what goes into all these boxes starts way back in the delivery chain with much more powerful tools than an iPad can handle.
Thank you Adobe and Avid for your lack of “vision”.
The comments by Mal were interesting.
I do reflect back to the “1700 jaws dropping” at the SuperMeet blah blah.
It is easy to get caught up in the hype and hysteria but I DO hope the very first question Larry asked the guys at Apple began with the big “C” word. Compatibility….!!!
During my battle hardened years in Engineering that has been the very first word that springs to mind when dealing with manufacturers. Larry really cannot be blamed for anything during this debacle as I have HAD manufacturers in meetings telling me bare-faced lies to get sales. Later to be shown as liars when I test equipment for example using my Audio Precision test set. To be fair there are a great deal of people who are very passionate about Final Cut Pro. Then another small group who deal in training and disseminating information at more of an educational level, and Larry is amongst that group. I do believe Larry did state/or was quoted as saying Final Cut 10 “was not really ready for professionals’ so people were warned.
For many FCP 7 became a “way of life” and most importantly a key method to earning money. Go back to Steve Jobs re: Final Cut 10 “Awesome” (please Steve for an intelligent chap get some more words in your vocabulary) Has Steve or the Apple FC gang ever edited much video one would ask. Although I have a great deal of time for Steve Jobs, a youngster of 14 who tried to beg parts from HP to build his first oscillator, so he knows how to use a soldering iron..all power to Steve!!
Maybe they can post their home videos, and other works of note on Youtube for us to really understand if they are well equipped to design and implement such software.
A good challenge for Randy Ubilos would be to show us some of his FCP 7 projects then carry on editing them in Final Cut 10 (DUH my brain hurts.) Maybe he can do some tutorials for us in his spare time for Youtube.
So you have all this pent up expectation, which was clear to see across the Internet rumour mills during 2010/2011 about this new release.
I got caught up in this to a small degree (in the interests of my daughter’s education) FCP 7 is not an important part for my continuing livelihood, but it is easy to see how important it is to a lot of people.
But I asked my daughter who is at Uni. what she thought of it all?
To quote
“Dad I am not at all bothered I will use FCP 7/Final Cut 10/Premiere whatever tools I have available. I just need to get my story out there with ideas/concepts and the rest with my motion graphics stuff/content etc” Quite a nice simple view from a young adult
We all know the river runs a bit deeper than this statement, but we have alternatives to FCP 7 if we need them. Let Final Cut 10 grow up a bit.
Has the world stopped spinning/Ozone layer disappeared? NO
So we should all calm down a bit, life will still go on, and hopefully everyone can still keep earning money and creating good “stuff”
Apple left hooks in FCP X for XML so third party vendors to add functionality to their software, the plugins are called; Avid and Premiere! So disappointed… I really think we are at a tipping point in Apples history were they care little for the end user and more about the bucks, wheres their love gone?
I think most “pros” are not giving FCP X a fair and serious look. They start playing, things are different, features are missing, they start screaming and ranting.
As Larry suggests, getting some training for FCP X is the best thing you can do. There are many, many online tutorials out there right now. I have gone through quite a few. It really helps a lot. It shows you the right way of looking at this new piece of software. It widens your narrow professional horizon. As many of you have said – there are some really powerful new concepts in FCP X.
I’ll take the “keep using the old FCP” approach while testing and learning the new X version.
I don’t think we have to start converting FCP 7 projects yet. We run a professional shop here with lots of FCP bays and very high profile clients. We’re still running FCP 5.1.4. Why? Because clients pay us to come up with concepts and solutions and not with finished products right away. We have special FCP 7 bays to do just that – finish our offline edits once our ideas have made it to the finish line. In the professional field it’s never important to be on the latest and greatest gear. We’ve survived on FCP 5.1.4 all those years. There are ways to survive on FCP 7 for quite a few years to come until X is ready.
FCP 7 will run on Lion. Great. But why upgrade to Lion? Snow Leopard runs great. Just keep it that way. Period. These are editing computers. We don’t use ours for anything else. Absolutely no need to upgrade the OS. For experimenting and playing – we have our personal ones.
So as long as you keep your editing stations on 7 and Snow Leopard, there is no need to convert anything. That’s what I call “protect yourselves”.