FCPX Apple on NAB or?

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Intel has said they're going to be winding down its motherboard development. I don't doubt Apple is already developing motherboards for the future.

So there is a brave new world approaching. I think we've all admitted that the PC market is stagnant and in decay.
The figures show it's on a massive decline.

Apple have obviously forecast this. They are not a reactionary company they are an innovative company. So where is the puck going to be in 2-3 years from now? That is is question. Come up with an answer and you may well just figure out where Apple is going with both FCP X and the Mac Pro.

I stick by my prediction that the next MacPro will incorporate a giant touch screen.

It's time to return editing to the editors.

This is an art form that has been too long forgotten.

A render farm of iPads anyone?

I will take 7 thanks very much. :woohoo:

And hook up the iPad screens to play with each other.

One screen for my Audio levels.
One screen for Timecode.
One screen to make coffee.
One screen when I want to put my foot down.

etc

screendor wrote: I want X to succeed mainly because I like it and because we've invested lots of time and effort into putting into our shop. I don't want to have to switch to something else in two years because I can't find any X editors and my clients laugh when I tell them what we cut on. It's in everybody's interest that X becomes the platform of choice. That will take more effort from Apple than what is currently on display. Steve Jobs knew better than anyone that image counts in business. And whether it's deserved or not, the image of X in the pro marketplace ain't great.

+1

Craig Seeman: I know there are editors and facilities using FCPX that don't even want to talk about it publicly because they fear a backlash and that's bad PR for THEIR business. That's NOT a good place to be in.

+1

The simple fact is that Apple decided some years ago they were no longer participating in trade shows. MacWorld was the last one, and I think that was 2009.

Basically they didn't want their software or hardware development schedule to be dictated by anyone else. Apple hasn't participated in CES for decades- they realized that they could set their own agenda and timetable, and not try to compete with the mountain of white noise that happens during the show.

But Apple doesn't work in a complete vacuum. Over the last few years, we have seen them migrate the launch of most of their consumer oriented products [iPod, iPhone, iPad] to the fall. This is pretty easy to understand- you want to launch these products so that they're around in volume for the holiday buying season.

So Apple will align itself to meet dates when they matter. And I guess my question/comment is, IF Apple releases an amazing update in June, along with a MacPro; will not being at NAB still matter? Or does Apple's hard stance on trade shows put a ceiling on what the industry thinks Apple's commitment to X is, regardless of how good the software ultimately becomes.

On a side note- a popular blog post right now is comparing the upcoming Pr update to FCPX 10.0.8. But is that a fair comparison? X has been updated 4 times since NAB 2012, but I didn't see any of 10.0.6's big improvements listed in the X to Pr comparison.

For some products all one needs are some headlines and some time in an Apple Store. An NLE requires a bit more marketing. Potential customers, especially advanced editors and facility managers need in depth and direct contact to walk through how features impact workflow and what benefits there are. Such decision makers are also going to be comparing against other options.

While I can understand a trade show booth can't offer that kind of depth, it allows for personal contact in which a future meeting can be setup. Without VARs Apple has to act as a VAR and it has to be a bit more than an Apple Store. Whether it's a "road show" or small group meetings, Apple has layout the advantages in the decisions they've made. It's not superficially obvious and, in fact, can be off putting and alien to many. You can't simply point to an "In Action" page or say "go view a bunch of tutorials" if you're really going to persuade professionals... especially when you've made such a radical departure from the status quo.

I should point out that Avid has also pulled out of NAB. In fact the last time Apple had show room space at NAB was the last time Avid was there.

That's a really interesting fact, and quite surprising that AVID didn't come back when FCP was REALLY nipping at their heels between 2008 and 2010. It's especially surprising now. Cause once Adobe is finished pulling over all the legacy FCP users it can, who's business do you think they'll go after next?

Adobe has positioned itself as the "user responsive" company, and it seems to me they can throw a lot more money at development than AVID can at this point.

Thankfully, as long as Apple is committed to it [and all indications are that they REALLY are, despite what they're marketing or outreach is projecting] Apple can pump money and development into FCPX until the cows come home.

I think Avid pulled out for the same reason Apple did: It's not cost effective. It's really expensive in time, materials, and personnel to do a trade show like NAB, and you don't see that many people. The Internet has far outstripped trade shows as a delivery mechanism. Face to face is great, but the cost just isn't worth it.

I didn't go this year, and I heard very little from the show. Everything I heard like the Black Magic camera I heard before the show and with a lot more detail. That's just the way it is now.

That's why Apple dumped Macworld. Its controlled dog and pony shows are just as effective at far lower cost. The trade show floor does very little for them.

Absolutely, Tom. In my former life, I walked off enough shoes at trade fairs and expos. What did I get out of it? A bunch of plastic bags filled with brochures and goodies (I can't remember how many key hangers, forklift and truck models I have given to my sister's kids). Those fairs were great to build up connections or relationships though.

However, twenty years later, we have the Internet. Sure, you can't touch things in the web, but you get better information from there.

On topic: Apple has people like Larry Jordan, Ben, Tom, Steve and Mark. They don't get paid by Apple, but I think they do much better PR than any sales team could. I'd rather listen to folks who use something in a real world environment than to a sales dude who could sell software/computers today and soap tomorrow. I prefer experience over sales pitch.

Why are some of you folks afraid to confess that you use FCP X? Well, I don't work in a highly professional environment like you guys, but, so far, I haven't met any editor (in my small world) who wasn't impressed with it. Some of them switched over completely ...at least for the editing part. We rely still a lot on optical disks, so we need the Adobe suite on the side. FCP X + Resolve + Audition + Encore is, for us, a killer combination.

Actually Avid returned to NAB after a couple of years. They've been there every year I've attended, except the first one.

I even spoke to them this year about issues I'm having with my MC Artist Series of control surfaces. Seems they only support up to a specific hardware version number. Thanks for killing off my big investment, Avid!

Yeah, anyone who says Apple kills off products suddenly, Avid does the same thing.

I have a couple of close friends who work for Apple. The internally announced reason they stopped trade shows it that they were spending millions of dollars on those mega booths, and the only folks visiting them were already using Apple products and looking for tech support. The purpose of those booths are to gain new users/customers.

They seem to be selling stuff quite well without trade show booths, while Avid and Adobe and Grass Valley still seem to have a need for them. Figure that one out.

I get a lot out of NAB Show. When I go I'm making appointments ahead of time with specific vendors I need to meet with, too. I have a "to do" list, or a "shopping list" before I ever show up. I target specific vendors for specific business reasons. I don't go to window shop. But I know folks who go simply for the Disney Land experience of it all.

"On topic: Apple has people like Larry Jordan, Ben, Tom, Steve and Mark." I have to step in here and point out there are dozens of other Apple Certified Trainers who work really hard to promote the pro apps. We're the most known names to the web crowd, but there are many others, doing way more than we do, working very, very hard, who deserve the majority of the credit for promoting FPC X and the other pro apps.

I will tell you first hand at NAB Show 2013 I met LOTS of folks using FCP X. Some were very vocal about it, some weren't. But yes, there are folks using it, loving it, out producing the competition, but don't say it out loud to avoid the criticism, bashing, and baseless arguments. The same went for vendors. Some were proudly showing their stuff being FCP X compatible (Blackmagic was the biggest, but not the only ones). Some vendors didn't mention FCP X unless you ask, then were really happy to discuss how they work with it and love it.

I think it is coming more and more out of the dark and being recognized, but slowly. Here's some dirty Adobe secrets , to. Their behavior at NAB was so childish, overly defensive, and paranoid it was pathetic. They spent much more time bashing FCP X publicly than trying to show their app's own merits. That should tell you something.

Finally, I can relate an Apple briefing a colleague of mine had (can't name him for various reasons, you'd know him though) when his company first started developing FCP X apps. It was very clearly stated on no uncertain terms that Apple love partnering with Blackmagic because both have the same stated goals. This is something BMD repeated over and over and over at NAB Show 2013. To deliver the highest end professional products, while making them equally accessible to those just starting to get in to the industry. Democratizing the industry is big for both companies. Take a look at BMD's new 6G line of hardware. A flow chart shown at their press conference I attended showed how they can now offer a full live production workflow, from camera, to mixer, to monitors (audio and video), to broadcast and file delivery, and each component doesn't cost all that much. You look at products like "TV Station On A Mac" (FCP X compatible) and see that broadcast is super affordable for anyone who wants it now. Other companies like AJA, Grass Valley, Adobe, Avid, still cling to very high prices and complexity. I think you'll see Apple and BMD really break new ground and bring the traditional elitist mentality to its knees.

"Accessibility" was the key word, and a direction I am very happy to see those two companies going in. I may even sell off my AJA stuff and go totally BMD.

That's certainly not my recollection, and I don't see them on the NAB floor this year. They may have an off floor presence, but then so does Apple.

This year they were on the second floor, central hall, SU902. They've been there the past few years. I physically visit their booth, so I'm am very sure I'm correct. Usually on the second floor. Cause I think booth space is cheaper up there.