Category: Apple Pro Apps

Macromedia Final Cut

Macromedia Final Cut t-shirt. Fits a much younger man.

I was tipped off at my first NAB in 1998 that Macromedia were showing their new NLE in a little room off the show floor, in among a maze of temporary rooms in the basement of the Sands Convention Center. It was the last demo of NAB.

At the end of the demo – where I immediately knew this was going to be the “hot new NLE” – they threw out T shirts, and in a jump that would do the NBA proud, I caught this T shirt.

Thanks to some recent dieting since NAB 2011, I now fit into this again! Amazing co-incidence just days before a whole new version of Final Cut Pro drops.

Apple Pro Apps Item of Interest

What we don’t know about FCP X at LAFCPUG

Post author By Philip
Post date June 13, 2011
18 Comments on What we don’t know about FCP X at LAFCPUG

What we don’t know about FCP X – http://tinyurl.com/l2ltp What my last year’s obsession can tell us about the unreleased FCP X. (A lot)

If you’re not in LA, don’t want to wait, or are busy Wednesday night, you can get a longer version, with a whole lot of bonus material from Filmmaking Webinars.

Apple Pro Apps Metadata

Why did Apple base Final Cut Pro X on Metadata?

Post author By Philip
Post date May 31, 2011
23 Comments on Why did Apple base Final Cut Pro X on Metadata?

Last September, in myÂ What should Apple do with Final Cut Pro article, one of the bullet points was:

Better media and metadata management.

Right in with 64 bit, all processors used and the use of the GPU. I immediately qualified myself:

Ok, there probably arenâ€™t that many people clamoring for better metadata management, but itâ€™s a significant part of better media management, and crucially important for the future of automation in post production.

Then toward the end of that article, under the heading of what I thought that Apple should do, other than what everyone expected, I said:

More metadata automation. Well, part of me hopes they wonâ€™t because thatâ€™s my field, but it would be nice to see source metadata being used to auto-populate Titles or Master Templates (like iMovie for iPhone does).

Truthfully, I was indulging in some wishful thinking. I still don’t think we’ll get – at least not with Final Cut Pro X v1 – auto-populating titles or Master Templates, but I am very pleasantly surprised how far Apple have “come around to my way of thinking”.

OK, let’s call it parallel development then, as I’m fairly sure that Apple had their metadata-centric rewrite well under way by the time I was writing, but it is gratifying to have one’s position validated.Â For a company that didn’t really show much sign of “getting” metadata with Final Cut Pro 1-7, they have certainly embraced it for Final Cut Pro X.

Apple Pro Apps The Business of Production

What the heck is a “pro” anyway?

Post author By Philip
Post date May 15, 2011
29 Comments on What the heck is a “pro” anyway?

Yes, this is probably going to be a rant. I’m just about over hearing that Final Cut Pro X is “not for pros”, as if that had some useful meaning.

Guess what folks, that’s a totally meaningless sentence and anyone who says it is… Well, let’s just say I don’t have a high opinion of their thinking processes.

Apple Pro Apps Item of Interest

Getting ready for FCP X Free Webinar

Post author By Philip
Post date May 11, 2011
7 Comments on Getting ready for FCP X Free Webinar

Getting ready for Final Cut Pro X http://tinyurl.com/6z25w8j

My Free Webinar is at 10 am where I outline what we know, and build on that with my research over the last couple of years. I think I’ve got insights that haven’t been published yet.

Apple Pro Apps

It’s hard to say goodbye

Josh Mellicker of DVCreators.net posted on Facebook today that it was the 12th anniversary of the release of theirÂ first Final Cut Pro training product. Congratulations are in order. It also set me off thinking back.

The first inkling I had was at NAB – my first – in 1998. I had been aware of the Media 100/Apple QuickTime/KeyGrip announcement of a year earlier, of which only the QuickTime team had delivered their part: a cross platform fully featured QuickTime authoring environment. KeyGrip was to be the software that powered Media 100’s Windows efforts, as well as having a Mac version.

As soon as I saw Final Cut Pro, I knew my days as a Media 100 enthusiast would soon be over! It was the tool to grow into and I knew from that first view that it would be a hit.

Apple Pro Apps

Why I think I was wrong about an XML Project format for Final Cut Pro X

Post author By Philip
Post date April 17, 2011
17 Comments on Why I think I was wrong about an XML Project format for Final Cut Pro X

When I summarized What I thought I knew about Final Cut Pro X, one item was that the Project format would change from being a Binary format to an XML-based format. Then I got a couple more data points that have led me to rethink that.

The primary data point happened last night when rewatching the Sneak Peek on YouTube and heard Peter Steinauer (Architect ofÂ Final Cut Pro)Â say about Smart Collections:

“The collection is based on Queries”

Queries mean databases in my mind.

Apple Pro Apps Business & Marketing

Why the Pro Apps – particularly Final Cut Pro X – are important to Apple

Post author By Philip
Post date April 16, 2011
51 Comments on Why the Pro Apps – particularly Final Cut Pro X – are important to Apple

As part of the Sneak Peek of Final Cut Pro X at the NAB 2011 Supermeet, Apple updated their user stats to 2 million customs (with 94% satisfaction).

Now, my understanding is (with help from Oliver Peters) that this number includes Final Cut Express and the early individual sales of DVD Studio Pro and Motion. Some customers will be included having paid only $199, while others will have paid the $995 purchase price and one or more upgrades. For a customer who purchased FCP 1 for $995 and paid for every upgrade, then that customer has invested, over the 12 years since NAB 1999, around $3750.

But balance that with those who bought educational pricing, and other discounted opportunities plus those low priced buy-ins and I’ll assign an average income per user of $1000. Â I think that’s conservative but the data to make a more accurate assessment isn’t available to me. (If you have it philip @ intelligentassistance.com without the spaces.) Besides, it makes the numbers easy to work with.

So, 2 million customers with an average revenue per customer of $1000 (over 12 years) and that gives a gross revenue of $2 billion dollars or roughly $168 million in revenue per year.

Apple Pro Apps Item of Interest Presentations

Preparing for Final Cut Pro X

Post author By Philip
Post date April 16, 2011
7 Comments on Preparing for Final Cut Pro X

Preparing for Final Cut Pro X http://tinyurl.com/3dwkorr My first (and only??) FCP X seminar. Get in quickly because it’s filling very fast.

Because it’s before Final Cut Pro X ships, I’ll be drawing from my last year of fairly accurate researching and writing about Final Cut Pro X and merging it with the recent preview to give you the best preparation for the upcoming release.

While you’re there, check out the rest of the other upcoming Final Cut Pro X webinars at Final Cut Pro X Webinar Central.

Working with Effects Inside Final Cut Pro X
Presented by Kevin McAuliffe

Media Management Inside Final Cut Pro X
Presented by Brent Altomare

Color Correcting Inside Final Cut Pro X
Presented by Ben Brownlee

Apple Pro Apps Item of Interest

Terence and Philip examine the new Final Cut Pro X “sneak peek”

Post author By Philip
Post date April 16, 2011

Terence and Philip examine the FCP X preview. http://tinyurl.com/43skvaz Episode 25 of the Terence and Philip Show.

In this Episode – recorded while Philip was still in Las Vegas before the show ended – Terence and Philip share their thoughts on the preview of Final Cut Pro X. The good, the bad and the questions.