Want to hear something funny?

So I started this freelance editing gig in Boca Raton, Florida at a rinky-dink little production place. I finish my first video out of what was going to be like 100. The woman who owns the place (and fancies herself an expert FCPX editor) takes a look at my work, then says "why do you have everything on just a couple tracks like that?" Of course I had made a subclip of everything with one dialog and one music tracks. I said this is how you put an effect on all the music and dialog clips so you can do the master mix. She says "that's not how we do it. We just put effects on the individual clips." I said that's not the best way to work, how would you make changes to the effect on each clip? You'd have to make the change on one clip, remove the effect on all the clips and then put the updated one back on all of them. Each time you made an adjustment. She says if her people have to go into my project they won't know what's going on. I show her you just double click on the subclip and you see everything again. Long story short, she says "it's just not the right fit" and I'm fired for using subclips. But, she's the expert, right?

I can always tell when FCP users are self-trained or were trained by other than professional trainers who are also working video professionals.

They typically find FCP “difficult” because they have no clue as to how it works. I used Ripple Training and a lot of self-study when I started with FCPX at its release. One thing I hate to hear is, “I didn’t know it could do that” when “that” is something a good trainer would’ve covered in the first hour. 

Sorry you lost the work but it’s probably just as well. She doesn’t realize “her people” are costing her time and money! 😆

I think you mean compound clip?

Yes, compound clip.

Premiere? I would’ve fired you for that. 😆

Haha, I had to Google subclip in FCP, was going to say that I didn't know you could that! But ok, a compound clip. I do know that. I remember in FCP2 through 7 you could place Sequences on timelines. Sometimes I still try to do that in FCP(X) and get frustrated because my head is in an old version. Projects are not Sequences. Funny story, keep the faith!

Yeah, got the terminology wrong (I'm pretty new to FCPX which makes this even funnier. I did use the previous FCP for years though). In Premiere this would be called a nested sequence, but the compound clip in FCPX is more powerful because of Roles. When I learned about that, I was like, who wouldn't use this to finish a project, get it all neat and tidy, and apply effects and level changes to all similar clips like that.

Also on the main timeline (OK, project), she was like "and what are those audio tracks doing like that? That's not what it looks like when I work."  (I had clicked Show Audio Lanes). I guess she never changed the audio independent of the video when working with a multicam clip (how else was I going to get rid of the breath before the guy started talking during the transition to him if not by scooching in the audio a little?)

I don't use Roles yet, something I want to learn and use. I definitely breakout audio from video all the time, for what you describe or for voice leading into a new scene. I know there are many things I could improve on, just need to break old habits! I never understood anyone who was not open to new ways of doing things, especially when it improves productivity. I guess it's the ole "we've always done it that way" rut.

You're better off not working for someone like that. Consider it a blessing is disguise.

Better off in some ways, but also about $30,000 worse off.

Oh wow. In that case I would've just separated clip items and copy/pasted the effect on each individual clip and said "Wow I didn't realize it, but you're right!".

Very true! But on top of all this stuff, the software was being really glitchy and she was blaming my working style on that and we had a little run-in about that earlier. By the time we had this conversation it was pretty much salvageable. I should have never gone in there and said I would only work from home.