Best thing I learned at LAFCPUG meeting tonight

That FCP 6 can out put levels and pans in your OMF for a Pro Tools person to use. Goodbye Automatic Duck!

Now, I was told that Automatic Duck still had extra flexibility. Im not sure what it is. But pans and levels are what matter to me. Cool.

-CJ

I would have thought it was my tips on organization...but...what-EVER!

:^)


www.shanerosseditor.com

Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
[itunes.apple.com]

Shane-

I thought the organization tips were great. As you said, so many people are starting out editing these days without a background as an assistant- and really don't know good organization techniques. I'd love to check out your disc to see what other goodies you covered.

Andrew

Yes, the tips were great. Thanks.

And I'm still thankful for your past introduction into the world of very high quality format conversions and uprezzing in Compressor.

-Christopher S. Johnson

Thanks Andrew and Chris.

My post, just so you know, was meant to be humorous. "LOOK AT ME!"...no...thus the smiley. Just so people don't think I am full of myself.

But thanks for the comments.

Now, if EVERYONE buys the disk, and we ALL organize in the same way, then going from job to job at different companies and working with other editors would be easy as everyone would have a uniform organizational style. This was how it was in Avid land, for the most part. If you went from company to company, the basic structure would be there, only with a few changes that were unique to the company.

I had a box of 60 of these things...sold 3. So...I have quite a few left. And I hear the Cow has like 3000 units...


www.shanerosseditor.com

Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
[itunes.apple.com]

Shane's organization message is truly important, and thankfully we have him as a resource to learn from his long-term work. I take his methods one step further (sometimes) by making a still frame of each file, and organizing them like a storyboard before I start cutting.

The nice kid from SF's demo about his group review and approval app was neat because I like writing PHP code. His demo spoke more to me as a PHP author and programmer than to his intended audience of users of his app. Nonetheless, I think he should do well with it!

One suggestion in the Lobby that kind of went over his head, is one that should be considered by all writers of software apps that run on web servers: include in your product line of offerings the option to host and manage user's files for a fee.

I bought Quicken for $49, and optionally spend $9.95/month to have all of my Quicken backup files stored on their server. What a huge amount of money Quicken makes from the after market, compared to the original price of the app.

He's selling his app for like $700 now, and the user must have a webserver and domain name. He could earn a lot more by hosting that web server himself as an add on product for the customer, and charging monthly rates of $20 - $40 or more, and earn his keep by keeping watch on his user's files. Also, would save tons of tech support time and cost, because he (staff) would do it for the customer, and charge, rather than hand holding over the phone.

His demo 'movie' was done in AE and Flash. I think we FCS users should be happy to know that FCP 6, Motion 3 and Quartz Composer can do all those neat things - and more! So for those of us who sat on the sidelines for AE and Flash, now have the Apple tools to do the same - and more!


The Soundtrack Pro demo was bloated with off topic narcissism. About a third of the chatter was a superflous waste of time, including the start-up banter. The presentation was nervous energy, punctuated with too many "Okay?'s, and unassured repetitions of descriptions.

Not all of the features demo'd work on machines that don't have the first huge and necessary step accomplished to set up audio devices, and if STP likes what it sees.

That is going to be a huge pain for many dedicated and loyal users to work through. Seeing the features demo'd on a machine that does work can be a carrot stick to lead everyone to the same goal, but in this industry it can be a a show of inadequate knowledge and preparation, false pride and insulting.

The Apple rep's repeated utterance of the term "H U D" was really really really really creepy, and reflected poorly on the Apple name that I - and many of us - have stood loyal to for over 20 years.

I am hoping to find the Toon Boon software one of the Show & Tell participants referred to.

I am sorry that the audience for last night's show was, as Michael described it, the lowest in some time. It was the first meeting I attended in 2 years. It takes a huge dedicated effort to drive an hour to get there, mostly on surface streets with an overabundance off ill-timed red lights, and an hour back, and I'm only in Venice Beach.

The truth is though, in documentary, after I have really anal organized bins for the left brain, I start to make crazy right brained tabs that show Icon View and have Subclips with new names, like phrases, that are similar to cartoon word balloons.

I then arrange these floating icons in IDEA STRINGS and CLUSTERS. These are like solar systems of topics. This allows me to easily set up "he said - she said" cuts that really help propel the story. It also lets me quickly try alternative folks saying similar things. Its a cross between a story board and a Jackson Pollock painting!

This is the crazy, personal, and subjective set of bins that another editor would find distasteful and like wearing someone else's dirty shirt. But I tell you it lets me make connections between persons and topics that are really powerful.

This method works when working from a "weak script" and/or when the editor has to hammer out the story as a writer. This puts much more creative responsibility on the editor for story.

And if I die :-) the Reel Bins and Music and Graphics bins are still there in their neat little place for another editor.

- Christopher S. Johnson

Sorry I wasn't there but Toronto to LA is a bit too long a commute for me. I will do it sometime though. I have a desire to see the sights and eat the food.

I have tried to impart to any assistants I have trained the importance for organization and some sort of adherence to LOGICAL structures. I sum it up in:

The BUS theory [music sting, flash of lightning]
First you make a joke that BUS is an acronym for something clever and then you correct yourself and say "no, actually it means that if anyone gets hit by a bus in the middle of a project, any other person could step in and figure it out and find everything." Act all serious, furrow your brow so they know you want them to pay attention to this very important thing you are saying and once you have their undivided attention, give them a quick list of things you never want to see EVER in a browser. (BIN01, untitled sequence XX, change me, THIS ONE, final final, final final Super final 03 etc.) Then move on to trying to explain DF vs NDF or something they will forget anyway.

I will assume that that was what Shane was covering at the meeting. Just my abbreviated take on it.

ak
Sleeplings, AWAKE!

Never mind would a mod please remove my post

David at Movies Rock in Toronto
[www.tofcpug.com]

We're not going away quite yet.

It is true that FCP 6 has improved OMF export, now including level and pan info in the file. If that was the only thing you previously needed our exporter for, then you may not need it as much now.

What does Pro Export FCP 3.0 do that FCP 6 doesn't? Export AAF, but that doesn't impact that many people, but our OMF export for going out to Avid editing systems is still a pretty big deal to a lot of folks.

Looking ahead we have big plans for the export plug-in, major improvements all around, including to the FCP to PT path, so keep an eye on us. :-)

--
Wes Plate
Automatic Duck, Inc.
[www.automaticduck.com]

The Apple rep was quick to point out to me that your plug-in still had more flexibility

-Christopher.

The best two things I learned at last night's meeting was Shane's organizational tips (Bought the DVD) and the Soundtrack capabilities.

You can read my writeup here if you missed the demo:

[bscenefilms.blogspot.com]

The 3rd best thing I learned was what Little Frog has to do with HD. Thanks, Shane

Dont know what demo you were watching Nick but it wasn't same one I was. The STP demo was excellent. Reflected real world use of STP2 rather than the canned sexy stuff you would find in a corporate demo. And Steve and Jeremy did a great job. I could not of been happier.

I know this was your first meeting and perhaps your expectations were set a bit too high (as I find with many who attend their first lafcpug meeting,) but "bloated off topic narcism" is way unfair to those that gave the demo.

Michael Horton
-------------------

Mike

Just a correction for your blog post. It's Jeremy Roush not Steve Edwards

Michael Horton
-------------------

Thanks, Mike - All fixed!

The STP demo was very informative. I found it valuable. And Ive learned tons of good stuff from Steve Martin. And at the same time, one good stiff drink or a Valium may have helped take the edge off of his presentation. But we like Steve -- just one little gear lower.

Oh and Mike, thanks for trying to get a BALANCED opinion of STP expressed. Even though nobody took your lead its good to not become fan boys and keep our objective head about us. Keep the Han Solo attitude.

- Christopher S. Johnson

Let me be clear here. I'm not dissing canned sexy stuff corporate demos here. No one does better demos than Apple. Its just that we've already seen it, and its my job to at least try and bring a new perspective to a lafcpug show. Can't do that sometimes but I do try.

Michael Horton
-------------------

And you succeed. Last night, in the Buddhist perspective, was perfect. Even the creepy murder movie with the hard to hear dialog. All of you rock. I think you have a damn good balance going on at LAFCPUG, Mike.

And I'm not dissin Steve. Ive got his color correction DVD and everything. But tell him I know a good massage therapist.... ;-)

- Christopher S. Johnson

Quote
Christopher
crazy, personal, and subjective set of bins that another editor would find distasteful and like wearing someone else's dirty shirt. But I tell you it lets me make connections between persons and topics that are really powerful.

i think it's important to have these sorts of methods.
organised is the way, but if you can add a way to "randomise" things that can really help, too.
i know you are not exactly "randomising" here, CSJ, but creating a state in which connections can grow.

i once kept a "sound library" at the end of a ProTools session (this would work in FCP, too)
all the sounds i had chosen for this particular film, including music.
i had them layered across tracks: 3 tracks of music, a few tracks of atmos, and spot fx.
it was a resource i could dip into, but also it was a way of me to hear tracks thrown randomly together.
worked for me.


cheers,
nick

I see what you mean. But I am being purposeful as well. This icons are gathered around a topic that is raising its head . And this is only seen after viewing the 30 hrs of raw footage and doing these idea clusters. You realize, "oh, there is a common theme here in these interviews that nobody saw before. The collective knowledge of all of these interviews say that Topic X is important even if the producers didnt see it.

Of course I also make clusters and strings around "must have" topics the producers wanted all along.

-Christopher S. Johnson

> this is only seen after viewing the 30 hrs of raw footage

There are many pharmaceuticals that can produce the same feeling.

--
Wes Plate
Automatic Duck, Inc.
[www.automaticduck.com]

Best thing I learned at LAFCPUG meeting Last Night
I wish I had control of some of the lights. I wish I had another spot on the presenter on the right side of the stage during the STP2 demo and the light over my head I would love to kill.
Also I am pretty damn lucky.

------------------------
Dean

"When I see you floating down the gutter I'll give you a bottle of wine."
Captain Beefheart, Trout Mask Replica.

my only complaint about the STP2 demo...not long enough. I wanted to see them fix more of the audio issues they were demoing...but I did learn some tidbits that I didn't get from the NAB show. Thanks Steve and Doug!!!

"Never underestimate a kick to the nuts"
Bas Rutten

Nick Baer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> The nice kid from SF's demo

Kid? Ha! I'll take it! At age 34, I'll take it while it lasts!

> about his group review
> and approval app was neat because I like writing
> PHP code. His demo spoke more to me as a PHP
> author and programmer than to his intended
> audience of users of his app.

Really? Hmmm, I'll have to look into this at my next demo. I really only covered the functionality of the product and how it works with media assets. I didn't get into any code or backend specifics for fear that I'd lose the audience. In fact, the only mention of PHP was that the minimum requirement is PHP 4, works on PHP 5 and doesn't require a MySQL database.

???

> Nonetheless, I
> think he should do well with it!

Thanks. The list of interested people is pretty long at this point. Sales should start in a couple of weeks so hopefully everything pans out well.

> One suggestion in the Lobby that kind of went over
> his head, is one that should be considered by all
> writers of software apps that run on web servers:
> include in your product line of offerings the
> option to host and manage user's files for a fee.

Well, it didn't go over my head. At this point, I can't say much about our plans for a subscription based option. Mum's the word, sorry to say.

> I bought Quicken for $49, and optionally spend
> $9.95/month to have all of my Quicken backup files
> stored on their server. What a huge amount of
> money Quicken makes from the after market,
> compared to the original price of the app.
>
> He's selling his app for like $700 now, and the
> user must have a webserver and domain name.

Takes about 15 minutes to set up and about $10 to $30 a month to host with services as much as 500 gigs for space and such. Web space is so easy and cheap these days, it's truly a moot point. To boot, I don't know a facility or freelancer that doesn't already have a website these days.

> He
> could earn a lot more by hosting that web server
> himself as an add on product for the customer, and
> charging monthly rates of $20 - $40 or more, and
> earn his keep by keeping watch on his user's
> files. Also, would save tons of tech support time
> and cost, because he (staff) would do it for the
> customer, and charge, rather than hand holding
> over the phone.

Well, as a post-production facility owner first and corporate empire president last (LOL), my idea is to get this into the hands of people that will use it most and at a lesser cost. Plus, the majority of facilities I know don't like their clients going to an online service outside of their own business circle (e.g., outside of their website).

> His demo 'movie' was done in AE and Flash. I
> think we FCS users should be happy to know that
> FCP 6, Motion 3 and Quartz Composer can do all
> those neat things - and more! So for those of us
> who sat on the sidelines for AE and Flash, now
> have the Apple tools to do the same - and more!

Well although the video was done in AE, it was also done with Lightwave 3D, Illustrator, Photoshop, ProTools and the almighty FCP. Flash wasn't used in the production of it, although it was played back in the FLV viewer for the event using the On2 VP6 codec. The video can be viewed at our home page as well (click the orange TV icon).

Marco Solorio | OneRiver Media | ORM Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Media Batch