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Wednesday, June 29, 2011

More for your reading list - X files episode 2 (FCP X)

Lest anyone should feel underinformed, here's today's slew of recommended reading with my own precis

http://www.apple.com/finalcutpro/faq/

and about time too - Apple responses to some of the current questions in the ether.   I particularly like the phrase ' it has also generated a lot of discussion in the pro video community' as a masterpiece of understatement.   Nothing especially new if you've seen the Pogue article, but firmer promises of ways to export OMF and interface with track-based audio mixing apps (which they all are!) though the implied tagging of clips looks like a messy workround which will not save time (to put it mildly).
But the tone is as conciliatory as I expect Apple ever gets.  And there's a firm assurance that FCP 7 will work with Lion (if there's anybody left in the room!)

http://library.creativecow.net/tutorials/fcpxtechnique

the first of the free tutorial videos online.   I haven't sampled them yet - I have to confess that I find  video-based tutorials slow and inefficient compared to a well-written article or even a manual.   But that's just me...they're fine for walk-throughs and first looks.

http://danrubottom.com/2011/06/what-apple-did-get-right-in-final-cut-pro-x-part-1/

some good news about the newer audio features to partly compensate for the lack of a dedicated audio app, or OMF export

http://digitalcomposting.wordpress.com/2011/06/28/x-vs-pro/

now this one is compelling, authoritative and worrisome.  Written from the perspective of a software developer (not just any old software, but the awesome 'Shake'), the piece skewers the Apple corporate culture.   It has the ring of truth, commercial truth, about it.

This is his final para, which summarises the position I'm finding myself in (well, apart from the heartbreak.   It IS only software after all):

So if you’re really a professional you shouldn’t want to be reliant on software from a company like Apple.  Because your heart will be broken.  Because they’re not reliant on you.  Use Apple’s tools to take you as far as they can – they’re an incredible bargain in terms of price-performance.  But once you’re ready to move up to the next level, find yourself a software provider whose life-blood flows only as long as they keep their professional customers happy.  It only makes sense.

A reminder - bring yourselves, your insights and your opinions to the wefcpug on Monday night (July 4).   We'll discover it was all an Independence Day joke (american sense of humour);  the real FCP X will be launched and demo'd:  viewers, timelines tracks and exports will be restored and we can reconfigure our desktops to our hearts' content.