FEATURE REQUESTS - FCP 5.x BE SPECIFIC!

be specific, the apple Gods are listening...

this thread might get things rolling:
[www.lafcpug.org]

Derive sequence settings from clip.

In other words if you have a file in a bin and you want to use it and possibly a few more like it in a sequence how about having the ability to ask FCP to automatically set the sequence settings to match the attributes of the file in the bin that you select.

Undo History List for christ's sake!

New and Improved Media Manager!

Mixed codec in same sequence would be nice.

Detect Audio Peak at a user's defined setting, not just 0db.

Adjust Font Size for the entire interface - ie. Avid

Better Time Remao interface

A better "Find Bin" rather than Reveal Master Clip since some clips are independent and don't have Master clips.

That's it for now.


-CHL

yay!

1- Re-do the media manager - PERIOD. rock solid up-rezzing and consoldation. Everyone got their multi-cam edit. let's get serious about this one now.

2- (this may not be possible) have FCP (or even a seperate app) that will look at your system AND project AND seq you want to layoff and advise or somehow automatically 'set' fcp and you system for layoff to get the best possible results meaning:

A- put FCP in some sort of 'safe' mode or pared down mode that concentrates on the seq for layoff. like maybe open the seq only in a new project thus clearing away the 'clutter' of the rest of the project - basically setting ITSELF up to create the best envoirnment for a layoff.

B- Advising on drive space 'buffer' - meaning - do you have enough free space on the drive that will be handling the layoff

C- maybe a quick-ish test to see if FCP will have problems reading the media and renderfiles during layoff.

D- take over your mac a bit - look for open programs, shut down cpu/ram draining stuff that you don't need to run - look for common hardware/software conflicts. is the drive reading fast enough? i would be into fcp becoming a ruthless dictator of my entire system in order to do a smooth layoff

(**the above is for anyone without a x-raid or scsi raid. i know that the above may be rediculous, and maybe even impossible - but laying off in fcp can be a problem with dropped frames/skips etc. on long layoffs it can be the death of you. additionally - what i have described may not even be the problem per se - but the point is - anything for more reliable layoffs)

3 MUCH more maleable marker system. Considering FCP *sells* itself - to a certain degree - as the flexible, affordable pro editing app that can be done on the beach on your laptop - i think they need to beef up 'communication' tools. Marker notes being a huge one. editor cuts - producer has own FCP and watches and lays down her notes.

think....Avid (*he wipes the rotten tomatoes out of his eyes). The locator system is great and has existed for at least 7 years as i know it. i would love markers that would:

A - when on the timeline MOVE with the cut.
B-open in a seperate bin as a list in the order they appear on the timeline - double click jumps you to location on the timeline
C-PRINTABLE!
D-PRINTABLE!

4 - this is a maybe - would it be usefull if in/out marks 'cancels' or overides other selected clips in the timeline? after 4 years i STILL sometimes delete something i can't see in the timeline (like it's scrolled out of view) that i have acidentally still selected. it's probably me and my flawed working style - not you. or is it?

5 global settings. some kind of parent setting that i can throw on a flash drive when moving to another FCP system that brings everthing with it - buttons/layout/keyboard in one 'setting'

i love the feature request time of the year!

thanks all
fp

Can we make the system either stop trying to import MP3s or actually handle them?

Stop what we're doing now. Stoppit!

Koz

1. Better media Manager - please.

2. An honest to goodness TIME REMAPPING TOOL that creates clips using something similar to Avid's FluidMotion Technology that doesn't use lame-a$$ "frame blending", but uses "pixel morphing" technology.

From Avid's site:

Avid's patented FluidMotionª technology gives editors rampable motion effects that track every pixel in the image to synthesize totally new frames. It creates amazingly smooth slow-motion effects and film look from interlaced sources.

FluidMotionª
Incredibly smooth slow-motion effects and Òfit-to-fillÓ video using patented pixel morphing technology. Control speed and position using an intuitive curve-based keyframing. Apply the look of 24 fps progressive frame rates to 30 fps interlaced sources with the exclusive FluidFilm feature.

If you haven't seen clips made with this technology, you must. It is spectacular and would push FCP to another level.

- Joey



When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

>New and Improved Media Manager!

Not something a development team can use: be specific about what you want improved, in what way for what reason.

>Mixed codec in same sequence would be nice.

Try Dynamic RT - no limitation in version 5 right now. When processor power catches up, it'll be finished quality in real time. Even mix PAL in NTSC timelines.

>Adjust Font Size for the entire interface - ie. Avid

More than just in the bins?

>Better Time Remap interface
>A better "Find Bin" rather than Reveal Master Clip since some clips are independent and don't have Master clips.

So, define how you'd like these items to work differently. To a developer/engineer "better" is not helpful.

On the subject of markers I'll like to be able to lassoo a group of markers and drag them to a new time, or enter an offset ot move all together. Optionally lock Sequence Markers to specific clips, so if that clip moves, the Sequence marker moves as well.

Philip

A real and effective set of motion trackers that can track direction scale and rotation can apply the detected motion to other clips for corner pinning etc as in After Effects.

A decent bezier system for drawing garbage mattes etc. The current nightmare system of having to pick each point in the plugin GUI and then reselect it again to make every change is just unbelievably bad but the fact that the points cannot even be accurately selected in the viewer window anyway makes it worse than bad and then add to that the fact that redraws of mattes are sooo slooowww.

bad bad bad...

Fix the matte drawing system please.

Philip Hodgetts wrote:

> >New and Improved Media Manager!
>
> Not something a development team can use: be specific about
> what you want improved, in what way for what reason.

They know full well what is broken. It's not like it's a perfect system and we're asking for a redesign. We're asking for a Media Manager to work when copying, moving, trimming, etc. without deleting too much media or not deleting enough media.

> >Mixed codec in same sequence would be nice.
>
> Try Dynamic RT - no limitation in version 5 right now. When
> processor power catches up, it'll be finished quality in real
> time. Even mix PAL in NTSC timelines.

I use Dynamic RT everyday. It's effect is less than satisfying to be kind. "When processor power catches up" is not something that is going to happen by the next version - so they need to tweak the codes if it is possible.

>
> >Adjust Font Size for the entire interface - ie. Avid
>
> More than just in the bins?

Yes, hence the "entire interface." Larger font sizes in the browser is certainly an improvement. But it's not a complete answer. The timecode fields are still tiny, the contextual menus that pop up when you right click on a clip or anything else is still too small for weaker eyes.

>
> >Better Time Remap interface
> >A better "Find Bin" rather than Reveal Master Clip since some
> clips are independent and don't have Master clips.
>
> So, define how you'd like these items to work differently. To a
> developer/engineer "better" is not helpful.

Define better? How bout a real Find Bin feature instead of Reveal Master Clip? What is hard to understad about this? IF a clip is Independent, Reveal Master clip doesn't reveal anything in the Browser since it has no Master clip. So instead put in a Find Bin feature that "Finds the Bin." After all, that's what Reveal Master Clip is suppose to be anyways.

-CHL

automatically set the sequence settings to match the attributes of the file in the bin that you select.

Bad suggestion. How would you scale/move/zoom into an oversized graphic? I really don't see what's so hard about Easy Setup. Open a new project and choose your media type with Easy Setup. It's so....easy.

KM

Chi, if they "know full well what's broken" why do you think it is that they haven't "fixed it"?

Are you saying they're incompetent? Are you saying they're deliberately and maliciously releasing software that they (Apple) knows doesn't work? What are you accusing them of in a statement like that? Why would Apple release Final Cut Pro with a Media Manager that they knew was "broken"?

For what it's worth I did a lot of testing for the Mastering Clips and Media product from Intelligent Assistance and found Media Manager to be consistent within its limitations. I could get consistent results in every test by working with it, rather than trying to make it work in a way that it can't. It would be nice if it handled time remapped media (or time changed) media better, but Media 100 never managed that trick reliably (and Media 100's media management was much simpler than FCPs). Freeze Frames will never media manage correctly because they're a freeze of the Timeline, so there's no media to reference, at all. The quickest look at the clip attributes for a freeze frame would make that obvious.

But within its limitations I've found it consistent.

Philip

Bezier Garbage masks would be a huge benefit, but click and drag to set position works now; and if you arrange viewer and canvas well, it's really not that difficult. Maybe I've just gotten used to it.

Still, I'm sure it could be improved.

Philip

As far as multiple codecs working seamlessly in one timeline, dynamic RT doesn't cut it. Other applications have been able to handle this without issue for some time. It's more than just being able to be real-time playback. It's actually allowing you to work with different formats as if they're all the same.

Time remap was very poorly designed in my view. The whole concept of fixed duration with variable speed makes for the mess we have. There has to be an interface that will allow you to correctly control the speed and duration of the media for the one clip you're working in it without pulling extra media. Speed changes also need to look much better. The technology is there it just hasn't been written into FCP.

Unfortunately all of these things, while really essential to the users, all long, long overdue, are not marketable. But I really do think Apple needs to put aside the idea of swinging for the fences with every new release, instead just try to fix and put right all the little things that need to be put right, marqueed and moveable markers, moveable sequence markers, colored markers, marqueed and moveable groups of keyframes.

LAFCPUG has lists and lists of feature requests. I looked through the last list that was made prior to v5. The first item on the list, multicamera, was implemented, but almost nothing else. Though a bunch of stuff that nobody on any feature request list I ever saw was done. New reconnect? Film info all over the place? Ever see a feature request for autoselect? Mute/solo? Timeline keyframe editing? Button bars? Anybody ever see a feature request for button bars? There's obviously limited resources. It's really important to use them wisely on features or fixes that the users really care about.



All the best,

Tom

Philip Hodgetts wrote:

> Bezier Garbage masks would be a huge benefit, but click and
> drag to set position works now;

If you are talking about clicking in the picture to position points it does not work at all if you have resized the picture. The points end up totally off.

>and if you arrange viewer and
> canvas well, it's really not that difficult. Maybe I've just
> gotten used to it.

No offence but if you feel that way I am guessing it is because you do not do anything very complex with it and or have not used anything to draw mattes that is any good. Things I can do litterally in seconds in After Effects take hours in FCP if I can do them at all. And unfortunately the latter is more often the case.

> Still, I'm sure it could be improved.


Try the After Effects demo

Given the responsiveness of the Final Cut Pro team to user requests - something over 50 of FCP 4's features were directly from the user Top 10 of the year prior - I've always worked on the assumption that the user requests that could be done within the capability of FCP's architecture have/are being done, and those that aren't being done have some fundamental problem. Multicam stayed at the top of the Top 10 list for a couple of FCP revisions, until it could be done right.

New reconnect to me was a godsend. it saves me about an hour a week on a typical week. Buttons, not for me personally but for people migrating from Avid it's something they expect. Mute/solo are essential basic features that probably should have been there before. Autoselect... well, can't say much positive about that Film info all over isn't important to me but probably is if I was working in film.

But I like the feature requests for Markers, and for marqueing and movind groups of keyframes. I'd like 16 bit support for After Effects plug-ins too.

Cheers

Philip

Kevin Monahan wrote:

> automatically set the sequence settings to match the
> attributes of the file in the bin that you select.
>
> Bad suggestion.

Bad response.

How would you scale/move/zoom into an oversized
> graphic?

The same way you do it when put a dv format clip into a HD sequence or vice versa now I guess.

I really don't see what's so hard about Easy Setup.
> Open a new project and choose your media type with Easy Setup.
> It's so....easy.

And the way I suggest would be so.... Easier.

Just select the clip in the bin you want to conform to and press the button.

You would not even have to open the clip to see what it was and especially useful if there was some easy to miss anomaly in the attributes like in the field order.

My friend, I am insulted. I've been an After Effects user since Version 2. And you clearly never read any of my MacDesign Magazine tutorials that made extensive use of garbage mattes. Or haven't used my GREAT visualFX with FCP that also teach the use of Garbage Mattes.

Before you go off half-cocked again and make stupid uninformed comments, google my name for a minute.

You are so aptly named.

Philip (at least I use my real name) Hodgetts

I have to disagree with Philip on this one. The more I test it the more I find Media Manager doesn't work correctly. I've tried this on a few different machines. It does not behave well, produces inconsistent results. A freeze is certainly difficult for offline, but it should not be a problem for a copy or move function. Even though it's difficult it should be possible to do in offline. Speed is a mess. Try a simple reverse. Nothing fancy. What's up with that? Laura Lopez' problem is very repeatable, and has been repeatable for some time. That simply should not happen. Period. Sequences that get reduced but the file size of the copied media doesn't get reduced. What's with that? It needs a lot of work, but it's all under the hood work, and as someone said earlier, how do you promote it: Media Manager - It Finally Works. I can see that on the side of the South Hall at NAB.



All the best,

Tom

What's happened to the point and drag alignment in garbage mattes? Is it just me or have come skewed so they don't click an drag on the right spot in v5?

Garbage Mattes - Now With Accurate Crosshairs



All the best,

Tom

I would love to see the 50 requests that you believe are implemented from the LAFCPUG feature list. My point of the other items is not that they aren't good features (perhaps), just that they're not things I find on the feature request lists I've seen. The new reconnect is actually an excellent feature and I believe very necessary using Tiger. I suspect the whole Spotlight thing is bogging the search function down enormously. If you switch off the selective search it takes forever to find files even on a small PowerBook drive. This didn't happen in earlier versions of the OS. Selective search helps to get around this problem.



All the best,

Tom

Philip Hodgetts wrote:

> But within its limitations I've found it consistent.

And I am saying it is time to tackle those limitations. We all know it has limitations. And we find work arounds. But for a pro software at version 5, it's time to this major component to work the way we all expect it to work and stop the work arounds.

>Are you saying they're incompetent? Are you saying they're deliberately and maliciously releasing software that they (Apple) knows doesn't work? What are you accusing them of in a statement like that? Why would Apple release Final Cut Pro with a Media Manager that they knew was "broken"?

Your questions are way too simplistic. We all know how the software industry works. Every version of very software is released with bugs. I am saying that fixing MM is not a high enough priority on the list. Hopefully now that Multicam is out of the way, they can get to work on Media Manager. Though Multicam can use some refinement as well.

Tom is absolutely correct - they can't advertise "FCP 6, no more Media Mismangement!"

I use FCP everyday - I'm using it on a series right now and while I advocate it to almost everyone I know, it needs to address some bugs and issues that has existed for many versions now.

CHL

If Michael still has the tape from the FCP 4 launch in LA we can get it direct from that presentation where they had the feature request list in hand and noted what had been implemented from it.

I believe there are at least 50 features off earlier lists that have been implemented.

And Chi-Ho Lee, don't make the accusations if you don't want to follow through. If "they know" what's wrong they either haven't fixed it because they can't or because they don't want to. I'm interested in which one you think it is, or are you just blowing smoke?

I think I'm remembering why I don't like (or generally participate any more) in forums.

Philip out.

"If "they know" what's wrong they either haven't fixed it because they can't or because they don't want to. I'm interested in which one you think it is, or are you just blowing smoke?"

I don't think it's either, and I'm not blowing smoke. I think they've tried to fix it, but I starting to reach the conclusion I simply don't think they can, not because they're not competent or don't want to, but because the way the software is currently designed makes it impossible to fix. I also think as much as that there a testing issue. I don't think they have the resources in house or the will to have a proper QA program from alpha through to release.



All the best,

Tom

Lets try to keep the thread on topic folks. Trouble with Feature Request threads is that emotions get the best of us. Understandable, since you make a living with this software but sometimes yo need to take a deep breath before posting.

Love you all and remember, tomorrow isn't today.

Am I the only one who wants audio features?

Normalize? Even to peak values would be better than what's there now (nothing).

Koz

A simple beep when rendering is complete.

I think thats a top 50 request.
[www.lafcpug.org]

We will do another of these just for fun around Feb 2006

By my count 2-8 (leaving aside 9 write-ins) 10-11, 13-14 (15's not real), 16-24, 26-29, 31, 34, 36-43, 45-62 were not implemented.

Implemented 1, 12, 25, 30, 32, 33 and 44. Seven items.



All the best,

Tom

I believe Philip said going back to the FCP 4 release not the 5 release. In any event we can do this feature request thing each and every year and there will always be 50 requests no matter if Apple adds all 50 of them each year. Tis the way it is with users. And each year we do do this feature request thing, the requests get more goofy