New Final Cut Pro at Supermeet, April 12

Still curious as to speculation as to what the Apple booth will do for the first 50% of NAB before Tuesday night. Pretend there's nothing new? Lose all the visitors for the first half of the convention? Or if they're going to have the booth going Mon and Tue all day... what will the big surprise be Wednesday night?

There is no Apple booth. There hasn't been one for a few years.

All the best,

Tom

Regardless of what you say about the rhymes and reasons behind the late change, you have to remember what the "F.C.P" in our user group and the FCP Network stands for!

If any of you think its unfair on Avid et al then... well... yes it is.

But!

If we were the Adobe, Avid or AJA User Group then you know full well, if the tables were turned, then it would be exactly the same story.

The audience is the important factor in this. The community that we all helped to build around the NLE that was once scoffed at.

And BECAUSE of the users and community, it is now the most prolific editor on the planet.

One or two people are going to be pissed - but honestly - we are and always will be FCPug and we will use Avid and Adobe where it excels or is necessary - I use Avid, I use Premiere - as an professional editor I need to be able to use the tools on offer. But in this case; if there wasn't something seriously FCP related on the FCPUG SuperMeet Stage then surely THAT would be the travesty?

I say stop the whinging - if there is FCP then there is a SuperMeet - if there is a SuperMeet then there is a platform for other products to show what they can add to our post-production arsenal.

Roll on the "Special Guest" and roll on something to guarantee the future of our favourite NLE and our user groups!



For instant answers to more than one hundred common FCP questions, check out the LAFCPUG FAQ Wiki here : [www.lafcpug.org]

Sorry to disagree with you, but how exactly would Apple force Michael to do this? He doesn't owe them anything and they don't own any part of lafcpug as far as I know. If this were my organization and this wasn't worth it I certainly would tell them to move on. Must be something pretty good and thanks to Mike for bringing this to us, the members of LAFCPUG.

I expect it to be amazing, then all of us will get it and moan about how different and difficult it is for about three months, then we will all settle down and get back to work, hopefully with some great new tools to make our work faster, easier and more interesting.

So in the future in my head I'm excited, then intimidated, then grumbling about change and how things used to be so much better, then resigned, then happy. And then making feature requests.

Ben just gave us the "King's" Speech (sorry, I couldn't resist!)

Did I miss anything?

- Loren

Today's FCP 8 keytip:
Oh, damn, now they're all gonna change.

Your Final Cut Studio KeyGuide? Power Pack.
Now available at KeyGuide Central.
www.neotrondesign.com

I think they're all snoozing after a hard day's typing.

It's just you and me now, Loren. Kinda sad and lonely.

Harry.

LOL. Except we'll be first in line at the upgrade release.

- Loren

Today's FCP 7 keytip:
Nudge a Canvas layer by SUBpixels
with Command-Option with Arrow keys !

Your Final Cut Studio KeyGuide? Power Pack.
Now available at KeyGuide Central.
www.neotrondesign.com

I feel for Mike, I really, do. I just listened to the Digital Production Buzz from a couple of weeks ago, where Phil joked with Mike and Larry talking about Apple making an announcement at the same time the Supermeet was to happen...Yikes.

What is the most expected thing from such an event ?

Tell me something I don't know !

Before the " hijack " we weren't in such a situation.

Now we are.

I think you need to read the terms under which a user group can be formed using Apple's names and trademarks.

All the best,

Tom

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There's no reason for Apple to hide under the illusion of veiled secrecy in this case. The entire presentation is bumped, at least Apple should have the professional courtesy to say why.

When does Apple ever roll any differently? Come on everything they do they keep as secret as possible with very very few exceptions when they actually anounce upcoming products or plans for the future - but those are few and far between. and as King Bens speech pointed out, this is a FCPug....

Josh B Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
and as King
> Bens speech pointed out, this is a FCPug....

This is also an event that was near sold out with the agenda. One that many folks, including myself were looking forward to seeing.

So if you buy a ticket to a show, you expect to see the show you purchased for right? So what if the week before the show, all of the performers you paid to see were now replaced by a single person. What's your reaction?

I believe most of the uproar, including from myself, is that this is now an Apple Marketing Event. You generally don't pay to go to a marketing event. Heck AJA has the most legendary (and expensive) parties in all of NAB, but you don't pay a dime to attend because it's a marketing event. If Apple really wanted to have a marketing event all to themselves, they could have easily set that up.

Or they could have easily taken over the last 1/2, 1/3, 1/4 whatever of the FCPUG Supermeet.

So this tells me one of two things:
Apple has THE best NLE ever.
Or, they don't want the audience to see it in comparison to what Avid and Adobe was going to show.

It will have to be the most flawless and impressive demonstration ever put on by any NLE manufacturer at NAB. You make a bold move by taking over an event, you damn well better deliver the goods. Absolutely no pressure at all on the demo team.

Whatever it turns out to be, it will be a very interesting event. I know I'm so glad to have absolutely nothing to do with it, except to sit back and let it unfold.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
biscardicreative.com

Tom Wolsky -"Can't hijack the event? You don't think so? What planet are you on? When the 1000 pound gorilla walks into the room you're convinced. You don't have a choice. Period. You're big footed.

Yes, they could do their own event. In the past they have done their own event, more than once. But they decided deliberately and callously not to do that, to spring this on Michael one week before the event. If you think they just decided to do this yesterday you're kidding yourself. It's been planned and scripted for some time. The script starts with we'll screw everyone connected with and sponsoring the Supermeet and go on from there.

This is so typical of Apple's pathological paranoia. I'm sure it'll be great, but it completely sucks. It's just disgustingly bad manners if nothing else. Those involved, those who plotted this, should be ashamed of themselves."


Since you feel so strongly about this, maybe you should consider boycotting the event? I on the other hand had no desire to attend the event until the new venue was announced. I hope to be pleasantly surprised.

I think you're confusing Tom's critique of Apple's behavior with a critique of the importance of Apple previewing software that he, along with the rest of us, find important to our professionally livelihood.

It's certainly possible that Tom along with the many of us, find Apple's presentation professionally important. That doesn't mean Apple handled this well.

The fundamental concern some have is that either Apple did not inform the organizers that they wanted the entire meeting at the point the Apple knew this internally . . . or something triggered Apple to change the amount of time that was initially planed at a very late stage. That would be speculation though. Perhaps they were motivated by Avid's presence as well as other direct competitors. That's all speculative though.

Professionally we'll still chose the best tool for the job. Apple's behavior may still impact the organizing of future user group meetings as presenters might be gun shy knowing that such booking is not firm as long as Apple has some voice. That may even be Apple's intent . . . to ensure that Avid, Adobe and other competitors won't ever devote resources again to a user group associated with FCP.

Walter is right. This has turned into an Apple marketing event that FCPUG members have paid to attend. THINK ABOUT THAT. Another analogy would be if you bought tickets to a huge ROCK show with 20 of your favorite bands and then a few days before the show you found out that one band is playing and forced the rest to cancel. FCPUG members should not have to PAY to watch Apple unearth the new NLE. We are gonna have to pay for it when it is released so why pay to see the demo / announcement???

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

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So if you buy a ticket to a show, you expect to see the show you purchased for right? So what if the week before the show, all of the performers you paid to see were now replaced by a single person. What's your reaction?

I believe most of the uproar, including from myself, is that this is now an Apple Marketing Event. You generally don't pay to go to a marketing event. Heck AJA has the most legendary (and expensive) parties in all of NAB, but you don't pay a dime to attend because it's a marketing event. If Apple really wanted to have a marketing event all to themselves, they could have easily set that up.

I eat my words, i didn't think about it like that walter... point taken if i were looking forward to say a presentation by Blackmagic id be a little upset... but if what everyone thinks is going to be shown is going to be shown personally that would make up for it for me

Joe, on the other hand you could be getting a chance to ask questions and talk over something with inportant people waaaaay ahead of everyone else - something a lot of people would be very happy about im sure. Likewise i guess having the option of whether you wanted to pay for that would have been nice!

Tom, Craig and Joe, I understand your point. Im probably in the minority, but I dont really care about the politics of the situation. Im glad the venue was changed to something that motivated me to buy a ticket and attend. The hidden irony in my situation is I live "around the corner" from the event, but found nothing of interest until Apple was at the event.

If people are that upset about the change of presentation, then I would suggest you make some online noise and petition a refund for your ticket from Apple or from the Supermeet. But I would hardly compare a $15 admission price to a $100-$200 concert ticket. But it's certainly clear that Apple pays attention to this forum. If you guys make it clear to boycott the event unless you get a refund, then you may get some real result.

Chi-Ho Lee
Film & Television Editor
Apple Certified Final Cut Pro Instructor

I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiments in Scott's article and frankly, am pretty surprised that this was the best Apple could come up with to unveil the latest version of their post-production software, which we all believed held so much promise for us as media professionals. The whole thing is just bizarre and reeks of an Apple ?marketing? decision gone very awry.

First let?s address FCPUG. I?ve known Michael since the earliest days of 2-pop.com and he has always been a stand up guy. We also know that over the years Apple has gradually backed away from working with user groups like his, (I?m so old I remember when we called them SIG?s!) and has become basically unapproachable for this type of support. So for all practical purposes, Michael and Daniel were probably put in somewhat of an untenable position. Let?s face it, It would have been the noble thing to do, but it would have also taken extremely big balls for those guys to say no to Apple.

But Christ, all those other sponsors must be VERY pissed off?

OTOH?

I think we can all agree that throughout their history, Apple has been nearly as notorious as Microsoft in their disregard for the welfare of small developers and other companies (Avid in this instance) in their quest to build the ?world?s greatest? operating system. Like anyone trying to slay a Goliath, it all seemed cute and good when they were the droopy, crunchy, bastard hippie children of the computer revolution, providing welcome contrast to the obnoxious propeller heads from Redmond. Apple?s decades long fractional market share also helped rally their troops (us) to pledge allegiance to the computer ?for the rest of us?? This, in spite of horror stories out of Cupertino regarding Steve Jobs rude, dictatorial and often humiliating management style.

But now the man who reinvented the Walkman for the digital age and put a phone into it is the 800TB gorilla. And although I agree it?s maliciously thrown around way too often, the term ?fanboy? is an apt description of a new generation of users seduced by both ?cool? (if not always the best) products and the infamous Jobsian cult of personality with a disregard or lack of knowledge of it?s ?dark side?. Apple?s not only conquered the computing industry, but as of this moment, holds many of the keys to the future of media creation, distribution and consumption. They are the new gatekeeper. The pinnacle of corporate America. What IBM was (and what Apple loathed) in 1984. And frankly, as evidenced by a dunderheaded move like this, everyone should be starting to fear them more, if even just a little.

Agreed, it won?t get much play beyond our small community of digital media creators. But I think what many of us are sensing and reacting to is that same kind of feeling we got when we saw a big bully picking on others smaller and weaker in the schoolyard. Say what you want about Avid, but they play in an extremely small and specific corner of OUR schoolyard; editing and post production.

So I say, have a little class Apple. Where?s the Vision? Values? Ethics? Anything beyond just the bottom line?

Walter posted a link to the Editor Lounge video that is located here [fcp.co]

As I noted to him, "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" takes on a new meaning for me and is a good description of my anticipation of the Tuesday Supermeet. I get the feeling that a "Bad Moon is on the Rise".

i.. i... i... I was g... g... g... going. To du... du... dooooooo. Mu.. my. Speech... again.

Quote

But I think what many of us are sensing and reacting to is that same kind of feeling we got when we saw a big bully picking on others smaller and weaker in the schoolyard.

Actually I'm looking at Apple playing the big boys at their own game - its more like the worm has finally turned. Yes Apple has done some pretty screwed up things over the years and but then so have most people and companies and we can argue until we are blue in the face about the various rights and wrongs of the situation, but to cut a long drawn out "teaching grandma to suck eggs" comment short... I for one am totally biased because:

A. I am not going to the SM so haven't spent money on a ticket

B. I am a Star Wars and Apple "fan boy" - sosumi

So

C. you should disregard everything I say from here on in.

I really don't know what the real fuss is about - what you'll miss on stage will still (for most parts) be on the vendor stands; before, during and in the breaks of the SuperMeet; where you will be able to speak to the Sponsors directly and get the information and demos you would have seen on stage in a more personal setting.

It kinda sucks that Kevin Smith won't be there - I do love his films - but I would have missed that due to being stuck in the UK this year

Although I heard Avid are looking to have him present at a separate Avid event for those six people who really where only going to the SuperMeet for that reason alone.

Anyway I'm still angry at Avid for not having the balls to support the Kona 3G and Blackmagic Decklink in the last release so we wouldn't have to choose a PCI expander and/or another separate costly I/O solution just to run MC in addition to Smoke, Resolve, Premiere or FCP! So unless they were going to announce MC6 with quantum bells and whistles then there is nothing I'd be interested from an Avid "marketing pitch" even if its Mr Smith explaining the virtues of "PhraseFind" (similar to "Get" for FCP) which are both actually very good btw .



I just like what Apple come up with. They really put thought and design the experience they sell us in stark contrast of the PC monkeys who draw it in PC Paintbrush for the competition or copycats.

I see the thought behind the systems they employ; open or closed. There is method (and yes I concede control) in the madness. After 35 years building to this point; are you really expecting anything else?

I agree they are probably building this "Special Guest" hype in a perfectly executed and maximum effect hit, and it might have been pre-planned or it may well have been a really last minute thing.

But whatever you think about Apple. Let's all agree that Mike Horton and Dan Berube are two of the most straight-up people you will ever meet (and I'm glad to know them as good and trustworthy friends) and they undoubtably only made the EXTREMELY difficult decision because of the FCP users and their responsibility to them as FCP community leaders...


...and not because the 1000lb Gorilla was waving his iPad at them.



"Hi Mike... Dan... I was just wondering if you guys would like to see what I've been working on?"


I am just hoping the "Special Guest" brings us something worth 20 LAFCPUG pages of wow talk.



For instant answers to more than one hundred common FCP questions, check out the LAFCPUG FAQ Wiki here : [www.lafcpug.org]

Or MAYBE Apple is going to give a free copy of the new-exciting-thing to everyone at the event for being one of the faithful... That might help soothe the gnashing masses.

Based on the discussion I heard at the Editors Lounge...Im not really sure I want a copy ;-)

<"Based on the discussion I heard at the Editors Lounge...Im not really sure I want a copy">

They didn't sound very optimistic

You got that right (although I admit no real details were discussed, but it was easy enough to interpret and read between the lines of what the panel members had to say.)

Quote
Ben King

Let's all agree that Mike Horton and Dan Berube are two of the most straight-up people you will ever meet (and I'm glad to know them as good and trustworthy friends) and they undoubtably only made the EXTREMELY difficult decision because of the FCP users and their responsibility to them as FCP community leaders...and not because the 1000lb Gorilla was waving his iPad at them.

I'll drink to that

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

So who could the "very special guest" making the presentation be? I'm willing to wager that it's the same guy who said that the next FCS release would be "awesome". That would certainly reiterate the commitment to the ProApps users.

I'm willing to wager too that next week is going to shed a whole different light on the entire subject. Anything else is pure opinion and speculation. Going to just chill untill then.

Meantime, couldn't agree more wi, wi... ith the ..... k k k (bugger bugger) king's posts above.

Indeed, I've known Dan and Mike for a long time and I know hey truly care for the community their members.

Chi-Ho Lee
Film & Television Editor
Apple Certified Final Cut Pro Instructor