When Google Drive was announced yesterday, everybody just thought it was just a similar product to Dropbox with competitive pricing. For us video editors, there's a lot more to it than just file sharing. Is this the future?
Providing storage online isn't new, we mentioned Dropbox as an example, but there are plenty of others that provide a similar service. Now Google have got in on the act with Google Drive, with an agressive pricing structure and integration with Google Docs. The Google marketing department call it 'A place where you can create, share, collaborate, and keep all of your stuff.' The first 5GB is free, then you can choose to upgrade to 25GB for $2.49/month, 100GB for $4.99/month or even a whopping 1TB for $49.99/month. That's a lot of 'stuff.'
Online editing isn't new either, you've been able to mash up YouTube videos in a browser for a long time and We Video has been advertising their cloud based video editing service for a few months now.
Put Google Drive together with We Video and bingo you have online cloud editing with up to 1 terabyte of space for your rushes and a collaborative workflow chucked in for free.
Granted the timeline looks a bit basic, but let's just think what is going on here. This is cloud based video editing with other editors being able to view and edit with your footage at the same time. Is this the Holy Grail of editing, being able to access and share your footage no matter where you are in the world as long as you have a decent Internet connection?
The mind boggles with all the possibilities.
Let's bring this back to our core focus, Final Cut Pro X. What if FCPX had a link to either a Google Drive or Apple's own cloud based storage? Would you be able to edit your footage on an iPad and then pick up the sequence from the Cloud in Final Cut Pro X for finishing?
Of course all pure speculation but it reinforces the thought that FCPX has been built for expansion. Expansion with new features that FCP7 would never have been able to accommodate. Adobe are going down that route with the Creative Cloud so are we going to see a similar service from Apple in the future?
Maybe the puck is further away than we think.
I am the Editor-in-Chief of FCP.co and have run the website since its inception ten years ago.
I have also worked as a broadcast and corporate editor for over 30 years, starting on one inch tape, working through many formats, right up to today's NLEs.
Under the name Idustrial Revolution, I have written and sold plugins for Final Cut Pro for 13 years.
I was made a Freeman of Lichfield through The Worshipful Company of Smiths (established 1601). Though I haven't yet tried to herd a flock of sheep through the city centre!
Current Editing
2020 has been busy, the beginning of the year was finishing off a new property series (cut on FCP) for Channel 4 called The Great House Giveaway. I also designed and built the majority of the graphics as Motion templates. It has been a great success and the shows grabbed more viewers in the 4pm weekday slot than any previous strand. It has been recommissioned by C4 for 60 episodes, including prime-time versions and five themed programmes. The shows have also been nominated for a 2021 BAFTA.
Although both were postponed to later in the year, I worked again on ITV's coverage of the Tour de France and La Vuelta. 2020 was my 25th year of editing the TdF and my 20th year as lead editor. The Tour was the first broadcast show to adopt FCPX working for multiple editors on shared storage.
BBC's Snooker has played a big part in my life, I've been editing tournament coverage since 1997. I'm proud to be part of a very creative team that has pioneered many new ideas and workflows that are now industry standard in sports' production. This is currently an Adobe Premiere edit.
Covid cancelled some of the regular corporate events that I edit such as trade shows & events. I was lucky however to edit, from home, on projects for Amazon Kindle, Amazon Black Friday, Mastercard and very proud to have helped local charitable trust Kendall & Wall secure lottery funding.
As for software, my weapon of choice is Final Cut Pro and Motion, but I also have a good knowledge and broadcast credits with Adobe Premiere Pro, MOGRT design and Photoshop.
Plugin Design & Development
I'm the creative force behind Idustrial Revolution, one of the oldest Final Cut Pro plugin developers. It hosts a range of commercial and free plugins on the site. One free plugin was downloaded over a thousand times within 24 hours of release.
I also take on custom work, whether it is adapting an existing plugin for a special use or designing new plugins for clients from scratch. Having a good knowledge of editing allows me to build-in flexibility and more importantly, usability.
FCP.co
Now in its 10th year and 4th redesign, running FCP.co has given me knowledge on how to run a large CMS- you are currently reading my bio from the database! Although it sounds corny, I am pretty well up on social media trends & techniques, especially in the video sector. The recent Covid restrictions has enabled live FCP.co shows online. This involves managing a Zoom Webinar through Restream.io to YouTube and Facebook.
The Future
I'm always open to new ideas and opportunities, so please get in touch at editor (at) fcp.co. I've judged film competitions, presented workflow techniques to international audiences and come up with ideas for TV shows and software programs!
