alexschwindt.blog

final cut 10.0.3: a scorecard

While I'm pretty much using the Adobe ecosystem exclusively right now, I'm still hoping for Apple to pull out of their current deathspiral and save their former powerhouse editor, Final Cut Pro. Remember, competition's always a good thing. Adobe, Apple, Avid, and Sony need to keep each other on their toes, otherwise one company dictates the future. Never a good idea.

Last week Apple announced a major update to FCP X, and while skeptics might raise a wary eyebrow, there actually is some stuff to get excited about here. But the question remains, did Apple actually do enough to earn the "pro" distinction back? Here's a quick scorecard to let you know where FCP stands today...

a final cut editor goes adobe

Those of you who are regular reader of this blog will know that while I started out on Sony's Vegas, I really became a filmmaker using Apple's Final Cut Pro suite. Sure, by 2009 it was starting to get a little long in the tooth, but that was ok because what it lacked in horsepower it made up in stability and usability.

Even better, FCP was THE industry standard. Its enormous market share meant that third-part hardware and software makers could invest huge amounts of time an effort into FCP-compatable add-ons, knowing that if they created something good and useful a sizable market would be open to it. There was a lot of security there for aspiring filmmakers.

Then Apple had to go and laid the epic goose egg that was FCP X...

early reaction to Avid Media Composer 6

I had a chance to watch the live stream of today's announcement from Avid of their new version of Media Composer 6. Avid previewed this software late last spring in order to try and capitalize on Apple's misfortune, but today's preview answered a lot of lingering questions surrounding the software. So what are some of the things we learned today, and what does that mean to filmmakers like you and me? Is Avid serious about gaining back all the editors and business they lost to Final Cut over the past decade or so?

great filmmaking websites

Last week a had a great time leading the filmmaking workshops a Leadership Institute.  I've been teaching these workshops for three years now, and I'm just blown away by how much filmmakers and video producers have changes in that time.  When I started out everything I taught in the classes was "brilliant"; now I have to be on my toes to make sure I'm one step ahead of many of these artists who are attending these workshops!

One of the things I always try to make sure I'm offering is a great set of resources for the people who come out.  In my opinion, one of the best resources I can hook producers up with (and the one I would want from other filmmakers) is a list of website where we can continue to learn and grow as artists. 

So here's the places I go to hone my craftiness...

FCP X update: too little, too late

As most of you will know, I've been a long-time Final Cut Pro advocate.  Right up until about the end of June.  That was the beginning of The Debacle known as FCP X.  Initially I was cautiously optimistic about it's future, and since that time I've done my best to see the bright side of what FCP X had to offer. 

But in the interviening time between then and now I have moved on. (I promise I'm going to get into this more in the coming weeks - for now let me just say that I'm falling harder for a new editing suite every day)

Yesterday, Apple finally released their promised "major update", and I dutifuly set about downloading it and giving it a spin.  Results?

breaking news: apple selling fcp studio. again.

This is just getting ridiculous.  Thirty minutes ago Macworld confirmed reports that Apple has decided to start selling Final Cut Pro Studio 3 again (albeit only over the phone). 

To recap on June 21st of this year Apple woke up and decided to shoot itself if the foot with the disastrous launch of FCP X.  Making matters worse, they decided to yank the venerated FCP Studio 3 off the shelves the same morning, stranding professional who'd built entire studios and infrastructures around it.

A few weeks after the release of FCP X Apple allowed resellers to do a three-day only get-it-now-or-it's-gone FCP Studio 3 sale.  After that you were just out of luck.  (or so we thought)

Fast forward two months.  Most of the proverbial dust has settled.  Perspective was just starting to break out.  Why now, of all times, does Apple decide to take this monster step backwards?

five final cut pro x deal-breakers

So last week I wrote a post listing five things the new Final Cut Pro X had going for it. As some of my friends pointed out, it actually didn't come off as particularly positive. The truth is, even though I own it I'm currently not using FCPX at all right now. 

Why, you ask?  Here are five deal-breakers that make the whole "X" a no-go...

five good things about final cut pro x

I know I've been promising this for a while now, but I wanted to really spend some time with the new Final Cut Pro X before sounding off on it.  This thing has already been torn to pieces by 'professionals' (more on that later), and rightfully so.  Apple misled it's customers when it decided to take the name "Final Cut Pro" and apply it to this entirely new software. 

But now that those of us who were primarily FCP editors have had a chance to hyperventilate into a paper bag for a couple of months, it's time to talk about what X really is, and isn't.  But before we do that we need to talk about what a "professional" is... 

Final Cut Pro X and DSLR Filmmaking

If you're wondering whether DSLRs have fundamentally changed the landscape of filmmaking look no further than yesterday's release of Final Cut Pro X.  Apple has completely overhauled their long-venerated video editing software and designed it exclusively for those of us who create conceptual projects with DSLRs.  What's shocking is they way they've deliberately left high-end professionals in the dust in the process. 

Say what . . ?

my one Final Cut Pro wish :: updated

It's widely expected that Apple will announce a brand new overhaul of Final Cut Pro tonight at the NAB conference in Las Vegas, and I thought this might be the right moment to address the one thing I'd like to see. Don't get me wrong - there's a lot of stuff I'd love to see happen; support for DSLR-generated H264 footage, iPad extensions and blu-ray support are just of few badly-needed upgrades.  But there is one needed change that is coming close to make-in-break-it territory for me...