Apple delivered on its promise of an update to Final Cut Pro X this morning. They released Final Cut Pro X v10.0.3 (Full Specs). The update fixes SEVERAL glaring gaps that users have been asking for.
The major features include:

• Multicam editing with automatic syncs up to 64 angles
• New chroma keying
• Enhanced XML for interchange with third party apps that can include color grading and audio keyframes
• A BETA driver for broadcast monitoring that supports Thunderbolt devices as well as PCIe cards.
• Layered Photoshop graphics support
• Manual media management with the ability to relink

• The application still costs $299.99 (US) to new users.
• The update is free from the Mac App Store
• A 30-day free trial of Final Cut Pro X is available at www.apple.com/finalcutpro/trial.

Third-Party News:
Intelligent Assistance releases 7toX for Final Cut Pro, a lightweight application for translating Final Cut Pro 7 projects to Final Cut Pro X.
The application sells in the Mac App Store for $9.99 (US). The application looks to rely on the new XML features released today in the free update.

• 7toX for Final Cut Pro translates Final Cut Pro 7 Bins to Keyword Collections in Final Cut Pro X,
• Converts Sequences to Compound Clips that can be browsed and edited.
• Metadata and log notes from Final Cut Pro 7 are migrated to Final Cut Pro X.
• Motion tab settings and keyframes are translated into equivalent parameters in Final Cut Pro X.
• Layers from Photoshop files are properly preserved
• More than 30 Transitions and 70 Filters are matched and applied — with detailed reporting in context in the Magnetic Timeline
• 7toX also allows editors to migrate their Final Cut Pro 7 multicam projects to the latest version of Final Cut Pro X.

• Non-beta broadcast monitoring
• The option to see a second window when working (I find it impossible to line up a 3 point edit with one window).
• Ability to switch to a track-based timeline
• Support for raw workflows
• Support for several missing codecs

I just got back from Macworld Expo in San Francisco. While there, I came across this device from Kanex – Sydnee (http://www.kanexlive.com/sydnee). It's essentially an iPad charger for a family or small office.

With one plug in the wall, you can set up to three iPads (or other iOS devices). You also can plug in a fourth device. You can keep things nice and neat without having a total cable nest in your family room. The system will auto-detect when devices are charged and then shut off the individual port (while other devices keep charging as needed).

The device is supposed to start shipping in March (at least according to the booth person I talked to). You can sign up for early info on the product's page. It's list for $149 at this time.

I am speaking at this year's Macworld | iWorld event. The event runs 1/26 – 1/28

I have a special discount.

100 FREE Exhibit Only Passes

$15.00 OFF an iFan Pass

Be sure to enter SOURCE CODE:  BPB15330

REGISTRATION URL: https://register.rcsreg.com/r2/macsf2012/ga/index2.html 

The past few years has forced me to rethink a lot of my business decisions. What I'm going to lay out for you is how I reached the decision to switch from Final Cut Pro to Adobe Premiere Pro, as well as why part of my postproduction department is running on Windows.

Read the whole article here – http://magazine.creativecow.net/article/opening-my-mind-has-opened-doors

Photo — iStockPhoto.

Yesterday while in the middle of a huge back-up, the power went out.

My drive (which was not on an Uninterruptible Power Supply) went down…. hard.

After a reboot... things did not look good. The Drobo Dashboard saw the drive… but my Mac wouldn't mount it. No disk repair program would bring it to life…

Disk Warrior – Fail

Drive Genius – Fail

Disk Utility – Fail

Four more other apps… nope.



Then I had an idea.

Well if you have an iPad or iPhone running iOS5 as well as an Apple TV you can.

1. Turn on your iOS device and make sure it is connected to the same WiFi network.

2. Turn on AirPlay for your device. Double-click the home button.

3. On an iPhone, swipe twice to the right.

On an iPad swipe once

4. Press the AirPlay button.

5. Select your Apple TV from the list and enable Mirroring.

6. Browse, launch, play, surf while sharing with all around you on the big screen.

I can show my portfolio from 500px on the big screen.

1. Search

2. Featured Content

3.Top Lists

Wednesday, November 30 | 5:30pm - 8:00pm
Washington, DC Convention Center
http://on.fb.me/vt8dtC

Don't miss this special Animator's Roundtable at GV Expo. It's FREE and open to the public. This is the chance for DC's best Animators, Motion Designers, and VFX Artists to meet their Producer counterparts.

Producers and Animators don't always understand each others areas of expertise. Creating an animation or graphics heavy video can often be daunting, so the Animator's Roundtable has activated its universal translator to help Producers and Animators speak the same language and communicate better! Our expert panel, a mix of Producers and Animators, will share their knowledge and a few tips on planning for and using animation effectively. They'll help you figure out how to solve your creative challenges with the magic of graphics.

Special Guest Panelists:

• Chris Dominici, Potomac Motion
• Richard Harrington, RHED Pixel
• Pradeep Mistry, PCM Animation
• Ann Ramsey, US Dept. of Health and Human Services

• Replace Audio for MOV and AVI files. DualEyes will create a new file that contains the video from the original clip and the synced audio for MOV and AVI files. Make sure you select this option, or you won’t get a new self-contained movie file with clean audio.
• Correct Drift. Cameras can record at 24P, 29.97i, and so on. Audio devices like to keep rates at 30 frames per second. These timing differences between the audio and video can sometimes cause drift, which means audio and video could be perfectly synced in one segment of the video but unsynced in a different segment. The Correct Drift option corrects this so that everything is in sync all the time. This problem tends to show up in very long recordings.
• Level Audio. Before DualEyes, the creator of the software had a great product used by podcasters worldwide called the Levelator. This product did a wonderful job of smoothing out variations in sound. Well, that’s built into DualEyes. If your audio levels vary a lot between clips, DualEyes can normalize the audio levels. If you’ve recorded from a professional soundboard at a venue, this might be overkill, but for interviews and most other situations, it works great. It’s almost always safe to use this option, but it will take a bit longer to process.
  

About Aperture 3.2

• Resolves an issue that could cause the "Loading" indicator to reappear in the Viewer when cropping a photo
• Aperture now automatically relaunches into Full Screen mode if the application was in Full Screen mode when last quit
• Pinch-to-zoom gesture now automatically activates Zoom mode in the Viewer
• Left and right swipe gestures can now be used to navigate between photos in the Viewer
• Microsoft Outlook can now be chosen in Preferences as the application used by Aperture for emailing photos
• Fixes a problem that could cause Aperture, running on OS X Lion, to quit unexpectedly when using brushes to apply adjustments
• Loupe now correctly displays magnification levels between 50-100%.
• Fixes an issue that could cause Aperture, running on OS X Lion, to display the incorrect color profile on externally edited images
• Import window now includes an option to delete photos from iPhone and iPad after they have been imported into Aperture
• The Lift & Stamp tool now displays the correct cursor icons when being used in Split View and Viewer only modes

About iPhoto 9.2

• Left and right swipe gestures can now be used to navigate between photos in Magnify (1-up) view
• Previously imported photos are now displayed in a separate section of the Import window
• Book/calendar themes and card categories can now be selected using a pop-up menu in the carousel view
• Resolves an issue that could cause some pages of books to print incorrectly
• Rebuilding a library now correctly preserves saved slideshows and books 

You can select multiple clips by holding down the command key and clicking on each clip. You’’ll know a clip is selected by the yellow selection box at the edge of each clip.

2. Choose Clip > Synchronize Clips (Opt+Cmd+G.)
A new clip is created in the Event Browser. This new clip is a compound clip. Which means it is really a clip made up of at least two other clips.

3. Look for a new clip in the Event Browser.
Newly synced clips do not have any Keywords attached. If you’re filtering your Event Browser using a Keyword collection you might not see the new clip. Be sure to switch your view to see all clips in the Event. You might want to tag the synced clip with additional keywords.

Depending on the size of the original files, this new clip could appear very quickly or take a while. If you can’t find the clip, simply select the search box in the upper right corner of the event library and type in “Synchronized clip.” You probably will find it after you type “synch.”

4. Select the clip in the Event Browser and click the Play button.

5. Watch the clip back and check for sync.
You should hear both the reference audio and the dual system sound playback. Later you’ll learn how to discard the audio.


Want to learn more about editing DSLR video in Final Cut Pro X? Then check out From Still to Motion: Editing DSLR Video with Final Cut Pro X (Coming Soon)

Don't worry Adobe Premiere Pro fans… that version is in the works too and will be updated and ready for the next version.

If you would like to share your thoughts, memories, and condolences, please email rememberingsteve@apple.com


I just heard the news… and it hurts. I find it strange that I am fighting tears over the loss of a man I've only met in passing.

But the truth is that I owe much of my professional career to this man's vision.

The first computer I learned on was an Apple. I had a Mac from day one in college.

I built my company around Macintosh technology.

I've used the portals Steve built to reach so many others. From the books I write to the podcasts I publish, Apple technology helps me reach the world.

I think at all the people who have captured and shared their memories thanks to Steve and his concept of the Digital Hub.
His move to put iLife and iWork into the hands of so many has changed the way people communicate.

So while many will remember his technology genius…. I remember a man who believed that the world could be a better place.

One where everyone's voice could be heard.
One where sharing video and photos was as easy as pushing a button.
One where the boundaries of cost wouldn't prevent creatives from achieving their dream.
One where students could learn and be better connected.
One where people could use technology to create better experiences and interactions.

Thank you Steve for all that you've done.

Please share your thoughts below as well as send them to rememberingsteve@apple.com

I just got off the phone with a lovely woman at 1-800-MY-APPLE.

Here are the highlights of the call.

• Final Cut Studio 3 is back on sale. In fact it’s been available for 4 days.
• The studio costs $999 (just like it used to).
• If you're a student, that’s $899 (just like it used to).
• There are NO other discounts or upgrades that the representative could find.

• Konica Minolta DiMAGE A200
• Olympus PEN E-P3
• Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G3
• Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GF3
• Samsung NX11
• Samsung NX100
• Sony Alpha NEX-C3
• Sony Alpha SLT-A35

• The first choice, Repair Permissions, will address a majority of issues and is the fastest.
• The second Choice is to Repair Database. It takes a little bit longer but it’s more thorough.
• If your library needs some extra attention, then choose Rebuild Database. This is the most time consuming, but is very thorough.

The App Store scores for Final Cut Pro X continue to rise over time. In the strictest sense, the app is no longer failing.

Here are a few observations I'd like to share:

• The App has fallen off the Top 10 list of selling apps (down to 11). This is largely due to initial demand being satiated and Apple removing it from the home page (except for a little button below the fold).
• The App is firmly entrenched in the #2 spot for Top Grossing. This means Apple is making good money of the application and it can b considered a success financially.
• The user community remains fiercely divided. I've spent the last few weeks entrenched in user group events and industry functions. Apple, Adobe, and Autodesk are certainly gaining new users.
• The next dot release update is going to be a watershed moment. MANY (and I mean many) are taking a wait and see approach to see how much Apple can put back in.
• I heard from a reliable source at the Atlanta Cutters Event that the XML resources will be released to developers in the next two weeks. This will open up new opportunities for FCPX to participate with other professional applications. No word on cost implications however.
• I have heard from many people switching (or thinking of switching) to Adobe Premiere Pro how surpassed they are at its performance and features. These same people love After Effects and Photoshop, yet seem surprised at how good the integration is between the three. Dynamic Link, Native Editing, and Adobe Media Encoder continue to please.
• Hardware companies like AJA are broadening their support to all the manufacturers. Avid, Adobe, and Apple are all seeing new products and new support with drivers.
• Several major places are adding in or strengthening their use of Adobe and Avid tools. I've spoken to folks at Discovery, CNN, Turner, American University,
• The DSLR crowd (including Vincent Laforet, Phillip Bloom, and Shane Hurlbut) are now using Adobe Premiere Pro. The RED community is quickly switching too.
• The industry got a quick shot of evolution. "Everything just changed in post" rings true. It's just that a lot more shuffling is occurring than anyone expected.

As disgruntled Apple Final Cut Pro users search out options for professional video editing, Adobe Systems has been a major beneficiary of the big switch since FCPX hit the market. In her interview with Jim Guerard of Adobe Systems, Debra Kaufman finds the result of Adobe's offering for former FCP users to be a big uptick in pro video users.

Article Focus:

Creative COW has posted a great article that goes in-depth with both Adobe staff and users about why folks are switching to Adobe Premiere Pro.

Some of my favorite parts:

Adobe also created another key feature: ensuring integration of Adobe Premiere with the new generation of digital cameras. "We natively support all these camera formats from Sony to Panasonic, from RED to the Canon 5D Mark II," says Guerard. "You don't waste hours and hours of transcoding on ingest. The time and money we save people and the amount they're able to get done is huge."

and

Who's making the switch to Adobe Premiere Pro? According to Guerard, the broadcast and indie filmmaker arenas are the most likely suspects. "In broadcast, there is so much happening with multi-screen delivery and distribution," says Guerard. "With Premiere, you can seamlessly take the content out to all kinds of platforms. And broadcasters know us and trust that we're dedicated to this market. They know they'll get a brand new release every year. For professional editors who count on their software application to pay the bills, they need that kind of partnership and collaboration."

Be sure to read the whole article here – http://library.creativecow.net/kaufman_debra/Adobe-offers-switch-FCP/1

______________________________________________________________________

If you'd like to follow my public Facebook page – click here – http://www.facebook.com/RichHarringtonStuff
More of a Twitter person? Then click here – http://www.twitter.com/rhedpixel

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Learn how to exchange data from Apple Final Cut Pro to Adobe Premiere Pro in this movie. This movie is by Robbie Carman, my co-author.

For more videos and a complete training experience, check out An Editor's Guide to Adobe Premiere Pro from Peachpit Press — http://www.peachpit.com/premiereguide.

• Motion Graphics with Adobe Creative Suite 5 Studio Techniques
• How to Wow with PowerPoint
• Video Made on a Mac: Production and Postproduction Using Apple Final Cut Studio and Adobe Creative Suite
• Photoshop for Video

Just a quick reminder to SAVE THE DATE: October 11 - 13, 2011. The New York Post Production Conference in New York City. The show features dozens of expert training sessions for video, TV, film and new media professionals.

3 full days of expert training in multiple tracks
Sessions taught by industry experts
Certification prep class & exams for Final Cut Pro & Avid Media Composer 5.5.
Browse the Show floor with hundreds of exhibitors at the Content & Communications World Expo

See the full schedule here.

For more information visit the NYPPC website.

REGISTER NOW by early bird date to save!

PluralEyes and Final Cut Pro X Questions and answers

Apple just posted an FAQ document that addresses the top questions. This is a certainly step in the right direction (open communication always is). I respectively submit my commentary and additional questions to respect additional clarification.

Gary Adcock contributed to this article and added clarification.

Readers, please add to this list in the comments section.

Import

Can I import projects from Final Cut Pro 7 into Final Cut Pro X?

“Final Cut Pro X includes an all-new project architecture structured around a trackless timeline and connected clips. In addition, Final Cut Pro X features new and redesigned audio effects, video effects, and color grading tools. Because of these changes, there is no way to “translate” or bring in old projects without changing or losing data. But if you’re already working with Final Cut Pro 7, you can continue to do so after installing Final Cut Pro X, and Final Cut Pro 7 will work with Mac OS X Lion. You can also import your media files from previous versions into Final Cut Pro X.”

• If we are willing to lose some data, what could be imported?
• Can we import the bin structure of a project to use existing organization?
• You say that there is no way to translate or bring in old projects. Can we definitely take this that there will be no way now or ever?

Gary thinks that the question becomes how much can be brought in and how much of the previous structure is not translatable to the new app. Gary thinks that it should be possible to import the media files into a FCP X event. Folders and subfolders could carry over the existing naming conventions and folder nesting as Smart Collections and use the folder structure to achieve hierarchy via keywording.

Can I import my video directly into Final Cut Pro X as I could in Final Cut Pro 7?

• We also use decks to ingest media too, what about them?
• Any plans for device control for decks and standard protocols?

• How about third party capture cards?
• What about Firewire based capture devices like the AJA IO HD?

• Which manufacturers are you working with?

• What if we don’t want to transcode to ProRes (defeats the purpose of Raw workflow for many)?
• What about Arri Alexa?
• How about camera raw formats for time-lapse?
• Any plans to recognize the advanced metadata created by high end cameras? Many use FCP7 XML side car files, how do we access this data?

Editing

Can I edit my tape-based workflow with Final Cut Pro X?

• Are you saying that anything to do with tape, outside DV and HDV, is up to third-parties?
• What about other decks (such as those from Panasonic) that can use FireWire to pass DVCPRO and DVCPRO HD data?
• What APIs have you opened up? In other words what features are possible if third-parties choose to use them?

Does Final Cut Pro X support multicam editing?

• By next major release, do you mean version 2?
• Historically there has been approximately two years between major versions, can you comment on a timeline more specifically?
• By simple multicam workflows , do you mean two angles?

Does Final Cut Pro X support external monitors?

• Will we be able to mirror that second window to two places?
• What color space is that second monitor going to function in?
• How can we view a true video signal on that external monitor?
• Any plans to support a second computer monitor and an external video monitor at the same time?
• Will devices like the AJA IO Express and IO HD as well as Matrox MXO line work for laptop users and those with limited card slots?

Can I save different versions of my project?

• Will I be able to choose a Restore command to go back to a specific point in time?
• Can I set a control for how often FCPX saves? Currently it appears that the app is literally saving every keystroke and movement.
• Can I view separate states of an autosave so I can choose to compare two versions of a project based upon their time stamp?

Are keyboard shortcuts in Final Cut Pro X different from those in Final Cut Pro 7?

• Is there a way to save my settings to move to another machine?
• How can a user backup their settings?

Can I use my third-party plug-ins in Final Cut Pro X?

• In the future, will you release the plugin specifications before the day of software release to give developers adequate time to develop? It is very inconvenient to keep having your tools break because of secrecy.
• Is there a way to create a bundle installer as well as to protect the work if you develop effects or templates using Motion?
• Will Apple offer a market place (or open the App store) to help distribute these effects?

Media Management

Can I specify a scratch disk location?

• Many prefer to keep projects on one drive and renders and media on another drive, is this workflow possible?

Can I share projects with other editors?

• Will we gain the ability to trim unused media using handles? This allows a project to be consolidated to a smaller package.

Can I store media in locations other than my system drive?

• Can we gain some easy setup options that make this simpler? I find that I need to take 11 steps in order to prevent transcoding. I must uncheck options for both import and automatic rendering?
• When will we see support for many popular networked drives formats that are not HFS+? Many are also reporting issues with gigabit ethernet, please address?

Can I hide Events that I am not working on?

• Are you open to other options?
• How about the traditional concept of a project file?
• What about the approach of Apple Aperture which uses multiple libraries that can be easily switched between on import?

Export

Can Final Cut Pro X export XML?

• Are you saying that it will be the same type of XML that is supported currently by numerous manufacturers industry-wide? Or is this a new version?
• In order for export to be useable, XML exports would have to be able to conform to the industry standards for inter-device communications
• Will this ability cost us extra money like the OMF export option or will it be built-in?

Does Final Cut Pro X support OMF, AAF, and EDLs?

• You say when the API’s are available... is that dependent on Apple or another company to make these available?
• Are these features waiting on the hardware API set as defined for Lion?
• What is the priority of these features? Is it this version or the “next major release”?

Can I send my project to a sound editing application such as Pro Tools?

• Any plans for native support?

Does Final Cut Pro X allow you to assign audio tracks for export?

• Will this be a bundled feature or one that requires a third-party plugin?
• Can we actually view and organize tracks in the timeline?
• What about clips that are reused in different ways?
• Will this still require a plug-in like the one made by Automatic Duck to fully function?

Can I customize my export settings?

• What about using the media manager to go to other codecs from companies like Cineform and Avid?
• What about choice on import for more than two codecs?

PurchaseCan I purchase a volume license?

• What about 5 users licenses? 10 user?
• How does a company purchase more than one license without using multiple credit cards or iTunes accounts?
• How many machines can a single copy be installed on?
• How many users can use it at once?

Playback Settings

1. Choose Final Cut Pro > Preferences.
2. Click the Playback button.
3. Uncheck the Background render box.
4. Check use original or optimized media.
5. Set Playback Quality to Better Performance.

Importing Settings

1. Click the Import button.
2. Uncheck Create optimized media.
3. Uncheck Create proxy media.
4. Uncheck Copy files to Final Cut Events folder.
5. Close the preferences panel.

The Long Wait

The Warning Signs

• iPhoto got several key features like Faces and Places well before its professional sibling Aperture.
• Aperture saw its priced slashed several times and its sales soar on the App Store. I think this proved to Apple that make applications approachable and affordable could make them more profitable.
• The App Store model also doesn’t offer upgrade pricing. Currently, a person must pay nearly $400 to get three applications. In the past, they paid $500 for seven applications as an upgrade (in fact it was only $299 for FCS3).
• This article here (http://t.co/ET3Qa3w) does a great overview of the demise of Apple’s pro products like Shake, Cinema Tools, Logic, and more.

The Market Evolves

• Native Editing – True ability to import media without having to transcode first. We got that in FCPX sort of... it just keeps transcoding in the background.
• 64-bit Support – We buy expensive computers, please see those processors and RAM so we can make our deadlines.
• GPU Acceleration – This too is implemented in FCPX. Unfortunately the hardware requirements were released after FCPX and after many found out that their systems would not be supported by the new application.
• Support for Third Party Hardware – Final Cut Pro boomed thanks to great manufacturers like AJA, Blackmagic Designs, Matrox, and others. The ability to use a wide range of hardware (as well as storage choices) was the key selling point to many customers. Products like Avid were a closed technology for many years (but even they have changed). Apple says they are open, but shipped a product which for the most part ignores or cripples third party hardware. Folks aren’t mad about the $299, its what that $299 does to the monitor, deck, and capture card (estimated price $10,000–$50,000). I have also heard from film editors and colorist who are baffled why they control surfaces for color grading and audio mixing don’t work.

Open Standards

Open Communication

Native/RAW Workflows

An Existing Ecosystem

The Version 1.0 Argument

• When you launch Final Cut Pro X it says version 10.0. (For an interesting commentary see Steve Hullfish’s article – http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/shullfish/story/proof_that_fcp_x_is_really_just_imovie_-_directly_from_apple/)
• When you have 11 years of functionality, you don’t expect to have to start over. (For a laugh, watch this – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgXUh1HrYOw&feature=share.
• There are paradigms that people want to follow. Just because you invent something new doesn’t mean you destroy the way people have worked for centuries. Good software is flexible, allowing people to work they ways they like. If a new (or “better”) way coms along, you let people choose to migrate at their own pace.

The Walled Garden

• I cannot choose where I buy their software. The VAR network offered a valuable service of configuring machines and supporting them to many clients.
• I can only get support on the software on day one from the two trainers they choose to give advanced access to the software.
• I cannot choose third party tools or hardware with any confidence.
• I have to wait months (if not longer) for small developers to catch up and get plugins working. Many are choosing not to or are at least taking a wait and see approach.

The Trust Factor

Typography

• Stop Stealing Sheep and Find Out How Type Works by Erik Spiekermann, E. M. Ginger (Adobe Press 2002)
  • The Mac Is Not a Typewriter by Robin Williams (Peachpit 2003)
  

Color

• Designing Across Cultures by Ronnie Lipton (How Design Books 2002)
  • Color Correction for Video by Steve Hullfish and Jaime Fowler (Focal Press 2008)
• Color Correction Handbook: Professional Techniques for Video and Cinema by Alexis Van Hurkman (Peachpit Press 2010)
  • Color Index and Color Index 2 by Jim Krause (How 2010)
  • Complete Color Harmony Workbook by Lisa Sawahata (Edition Olms 2008)
  

Design

• Design Essentials for the Motion Media Artist: A Practical Guide to Principles & Techniques by Angie Taylor (Focal Press 2010)
• Robin Williams Design Workshop by Robin Williams and John Tollett (Peachpit 2006)
  • Idea Index by Jim Krause (North Light Books 2000)
  • The Visual Story by Bruce Block (Focal Press 2007)
• Motion Graphics Studio Techniques with Adobe Creative Suite CS5 by Richard Harrington and Ian Robinson (Peachpit 2011)

It appears that Apple listened on one point (which is great). The software updates have been restored to Apple's website. Previously, many just pointed to the Mac App store to buy Final Cut Pro X. You were able to run the update through Software Updater, but it was difficult to access the files for backup.

1. Go here http://support.apple.com/downloads/#final%20cut%20studio.
2. Download the ones you need.
3. Burn them to disc and put them with your Final Cut Studio install discs.

What is Your Primary Job?

What Other Jobs Do You Hold?

Which Companies Have Hired You Recently?

• Adobe
• Apple
• Creative COW
• Drobo
• Focal Press
• Kelby Training
• Pearson Education

• Adobe
• AJA
• Apple
• Artbeats
• Dell
• Digital Anarchy
• Drobo
• G-Tech
• Hoodman
• Matrox
• Redrock Micro
• Red Giant
• Singular Software
• Wacom
• Zacuto

What Do You Edit With? 

Do You Have an Agenda? 

Do You Hate Apple/FCPX? 

Do You Have Agreements with Companies?

Why are You so Vocal Now?

• I recently released a book on Premiere Pro for migrating editors. I had no inside knowledge on Apple’s plans. I decided to diversity my company and cross-train my employees.
• I am currently writing two books on video editing for DSLR photographers. One is on Final Cut Pro X while the other is on Premiere Pro. I truly believe that both are great products for this segment of the professional workforce.
• I have had lots of demands from both Apple and Adobe users to help them with problems. If you look at the training products I’ve released in the last 3 years you will see my focus has always been on collaboration. Helping pros and emerging pros to get their jobs done has been my goal.
• I also weave business ethics and best practices into most of my content as I genuinely want to see our industry succeed.

In Conclusion

• First, I have a legal obligation to reveal my professional relationships.
• Second, I hope it helps readers and listeners understand my motivations.
• Third, I would like the industry and Apple to engage in meaningful and professional conversations to ensure the long term health of the professional video industry.

• David Pogue is a fine gentleman who I have met several times.  He is smart, he is generous in his knowledge, and he is fair. He is not a shill and his article was trying to be helpful (I commend him for getting Apple to answer questions).
• He is not a video editor. Nor does he try to pass himself off as one.
• I am sorry this response is SO long. It's technical and it's important I be clear and detailed (I've already been criticized and accused of being an Apple hater or colluding against them).

• I have been a certified instructor for three of the A’s that make video editing software.
• I have produced Final Cut Pro tutorials which have been given away for free for years as podcasts through iTunes.
• I have written several books on Final Cut Pro (as well as other products). 
• I do use other company’s tools (always have).
• My opinions here are based on owning a 10-person video production company which has built its infrastructure around Final Cut Pro for 10 years.
• I am not even going to touch on the challenges of completely retraining my staff and myself on something that is so radically different.  You thought people whined when Microsoft added the Ribbon to Office...go look at what editors are saying in the App Store reviews.  Remember only people who actually BOUGHT the application are allowed to rate it.

**************************************************

“Complaint: There’s no multicamera editing. In the old FCP, you could import the footage from various cameras that covered an event (say, a concert) from different angles simultaneously, and then easily cut back and forth between them while editing. It was a star feature of Final Cut, and it’s gone from FCP X.”
“Answer: Apple intends to restore this feature in an update, calling it “a top priority.” Until it does, here’s a stopgap facsimile of multicam editing: If you drag two clips into parallel timeline tracks, you can choose Clip->Synchronize Clips. By comparing their audio tracks, the program aligns the clips exactly. Now, each time you select a piece of the upper video track and press the V key (“disable”), you are effectively cutting to what’s on the lower video track.”
My Take: Final Cut Pro could previously edit up to 128 angles.  While that is a tad excessive for most, using three to nine angles is very practical.  We regularly cut programs such as talk shows, concerts, and events using this feature.  The method described by Pogue is like telling a NASCAR driver to turn over their car, strap one roller skate on, and push as fast as possible with the other foot.
*Updated 6/24 8:27 AM – In order to edit a lot of angles, you used to have to use several hard drives and they had to be really fast. We'd also off the option of using a a flavor of the Offline RT codec, then easily relinking. It was complex (at times), but powerful.

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Complaint: You can’t share a project with other editors. In professional editing companies, editors routinely exchange projects. But in FCP X, “all of your project organization is now globally contained in the application rather than in your project file. You literally have to give that other editor your entire computer,” writes one blogger.
Answer: Not true. You can share your project, your files, or both. If the other editors already have the raw video files, you can hand over the project file. The other editors can inspect the Project Library; on its Info panel, they can click “Modify Event References” to reconnect the project to their own copies of the media files.
If the other editors don’t have the raw files, the various commands in the File menu let you move the project file, the media files, or both to another computer on the network, to another hard drive or whatever.
My Take: I am glad that some of my initial fears are wrong.  However this command is much less robust than the previous Final Cut Pro media manager.  It seems to lack the ability to force a file to reconnect or to invoke a search if the file says it can’t be found.  The Media Manager seems to also lack ability to trim media with specific handles to make the media smaller.  
Gary Adcock (my genius technical editor) Offers this useful summary

• Duplicate Project — Functions much like the FCP7 media manager did. You can choose the Project only, Project & all References or Project with just used media.
  • Move Project — Will move all media and Associated to new volume. This can be used for uploading a field edit to a desktop system. It too can move just project or project and media
  • Merge Events — This can combine two copies of the same project into a single Project file. This can be used to bring last night's changes you did on the train into your desktop at the office.
  • Consolidate media — The is the clean your desk command.
  • Organize Project – This will consolidate media for the scratch disk only.

• That 8-bit material and DSLR videos files are rendered to ProRes 422.
• Animation and Uncompressed codecs are converted to Pro Res HQ if 1920 x 1080 or less
• Animation and Uncompressed codecs are converted to Pro Res 4444 if 2K or larger
• Turn off the Optimize media check box to cut your re-rendering in half
  

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Complaint: You can’t freely organize your media files. “There is no way to customize the organization of the project media,” gripes one blogger.
Answer: You can customize the organization freely if you’re willing to understand the new keyword tagging system. Dragging a clip into a folder essentially applies a new keyword to it.
My Take: I am glad we have these options.    But there are fewer ways to customize the view.  You can’t seem to add custom columns.  There are collections, but not the simple ability to use folders and nests of folders to organizer.  Imagine if you had no folder structure on your Mac hard drive.  Just Spotlight.  You could only organize by tagging keywords onto all your stuff. 
You also can’t organize media while any background tasks are running. Such as rendering, transcoding, stabilizing, etc. Background tasks are frequently happening as things automatically render.  Change a color effect, it renders.  Adjust the size it renders.  In the past you would choose when to render.  Now you have to keep opening the Background Tasks panel and canceling. 
*Updated – 6/24 8:30 AM – You can make folders in events with a right click on the event in the Event Library. It is very different in appearance than FCP 7, but does seem to work better than I thought. I stand by my lack of creating custom columns as well as the challenges of constantly looking from the far left edge of my screen to the right to see the Events Library and Inspector panels. Wish I could move panels next to each other.
*Updated – 6/25 5:57 PM – Turns out you can also drag keywords into folders (and be sure to learn how to use collections too).
Gary says "I found the keywording for organization is like having Google searching my project, it’s faster and you can sort the materials based on any variety of keywords or even strings of words."
My Take: I agree this is awesome... but I'd also like the ability to use the thousands of projects I've organized already. I'd also like to not let one client see another client's media. The current media browsing seems to be based on the idea that you only have a couple of projects. I may grow to like events... but right now I don't.
Events didn't make it into Aperture (from iPhoto). Projects did. By the way I can have many libraries in Aperture making it easier to isolate client's work from one another (as well as personal projects from work). Maybe FCPX and iMovie could grow a little more distant (as well as over useful documentation like this – http://www.apple.com/aperture/iphoto-to-aperture/how.html that address how to move projects and libraries in).

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Complaint: No Reconnect command when media is offline. When media is offline, you get a red screen with an exclamation point. There is no Reconnect Media command, as there used to be.
Answer: True. Then again, the old Reconnect dialog box got people into a lot of trouble; they often reconnected a project to the wrong files, or the wrong versions of files.
FCP X assigns a unique behind-the-scenes identifier to every single video clip. When you reconnect the missing hard drive, your project reconnects to its original files automatically, even if you have moved them around or renamed the hard drive. You can’t reconnect to the wrong thing.
My Take: I am glad that some of my initial fears are wrong.  However this command is much less robust than the previous Final Cut Pro media manager.  It seems to lack the ability to force a file to reconnect to a new version (such as an updated graphic file) or to invoke a search if the file says it can’t be found. Finding the information is a little tricky and involves opening a panel. It also appears that you also can’t invoke the re-connect command unless the media is offline.
While the command COULD get you into trouble if you made bad choices.  It also gave you important controls that professionals really needed.
*Updated – 6/25 6:10 PM – Gary pointed out to me that this seems to be a huge change. Previously Final Cut Pro just remembered the file pathways. Now it is actually polling and tracking media via a database. (based on SQL actually). Updated files are automatically included as part of the metadata management. This also means that when you add a new volume to your system, X will poll it, looking for FCP event or content flags in the media. (He is still trying to find out what this file is called and where it is hiding on the drive).
My take: Again this sounds better, but we need to ability to force a re-connect. We also need to be able to backup that database for safety.

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Complaint: You can’t assign audio tracks. “We send all our audio files out for ProTools mixing,” writes one editor in an e-mail. “We always put narration on Track 1 and 2, interviews on Tracks 3 – 6, and so on. So our audio engineers know exactly what’s on which track. But FCP X’s ‘trackless’ design makes that impossible.”
Answer: For now, you can use a utility called Automatic Duck Pro Export 5.0 ($200 to upgrade) to create and manage these tracks automatically when you export to ProTools. Apple says  it will restore this feature to FCP X.
My Take: That’s $200 to upgrade from a full version of Automatic Duck (not a $200 upgrade to FCP).  It’s $500 new.  Gone is also the version to map specific output when going to professional tape formats (a frequent requirement for professional delivery). In fact if its not HDV or DV, tape support seems to be gone all together.
But it's not just ProTools output.  Several of the exchange methods are gone. XML is the biggest deal which would allow this tool to continue to communicate with the now discontinued Apple Color, Davinci Resolve, Adobe After Effects, and many other tools that people use for special purposes and collaboration.
*Updated – 6/25 6:16 PM – Gary says that the XML should work in Lion. Also that the necessary hooks are in FCPX already. He says he can also find output libraries for DPX and Open EXR that are already visible. He also feels that there should be some changes in how hardware can be accessed with Lion.

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Complaint: No custom frame rates or custom frame sizes. Editors are complaining that you can’t specify unusual frames-per-second rates or frame dimensions.
Answer: Not true. When you create a new project, you can specify any frame rate or size you want, right in the Import dialog box. You can also change the frame rate or size when you export the finished product — if you’re willing to spend $50 on Compressor.
My Take: Sorry ... you are 95% wrong.  If you choose custom in Final Cut Pro 7, you have the option to enter just about any size or rate. When I choose custom in FCPX... I can choose from several standard options.  But I can’t enter any value. If you choose Other, your choices are:

• 640 x 480 or 960 x 540
• 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, or 30

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Complaint: No support for RED digital cameras. The RED camera is a favorite of filmmakers; it records incredibly high-resolution video directly to a hard drive. But FCP X can’t import its files.
Answer: Apple is working with RED to create a plug-in that will give native RED support to FCP X. In the meantime, you can set your RED camera to shoot and capture video in the QuickTime format, which FCP X imports just fine. Or you can use RED’s free conversion program, which converts its own files into the Apple ProRes format, which FCP X loves because it’s so much faster and easier to edit than the native RED files.
My Take: David, you don’t understand why people choose to shoot RED.  The benefit of shooting raw video is the same benefit as pro photographers choosing raw stills over JPEG.  Shooting or converting to QuickTime throws away A LOT of information and latitude in adjustments.
What pros wanted was the same level of control they get in Adobe Premiere Pro or Red Cine X.  The ability to truly grade color, work with high dynamic range features and more. They also need greater controls on media management and reconnection.  The reason why pros are so furious is that Apple and RED had the closest working relationship in the industry.  People don’t understand why the program would ship without support.
*Updated – 6/24 8:40 AM – It's not just RED... it's other Raw formats too (like Alexa). A few pointed out that we have 4K sequence presets, but no easy workflow for getting in 4K footage.

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Complaint: No ability to pause or fork the Autosave. Final Cut Pro autosaves your work as you go. Editors complain, therefore, that they can’t save different versions of a project as they go along.
Answer: You can duplicate your project at any time, thus freezing it in its current condition. Just click it in the Project Library and choose File -> Duplicate Project.
My Take: David... have you ever been affected when an application like Microsoft Word crashed?  Sure you could open up the last version you CHOSE to save ... but sometimes the Auto-Save comes to the rescue and you get back work you would have lost.
You could choose when and how often FCP auto-saved.  It also stored multiple versions automatically.  This let you go back in time when clients changed their mind.  It also could save you if a project became corrupt.  While these don’t happen every day ... they happen more than we like. The new method requires you to choose to backup, not set an interval.  Isn’t this why Apple invented Time Machine in the first place (which does let you choose how often to backup). I don’t know how Time Machine and FCP project files will work ... but I am less than confident that I will have the same level of control I do now.
*Updated – 6/24 8:33 AM – Several point out Lion's autosave abilities. I can't comment further as I don't have it running since it's not shipping. What about those who can't go to Lion, however?
*Updated – 6/25 6:23 PM – Also, what's big is the ability to run the Restore command which let you choose which backup to use.

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Complaint: Can’t specify the scratch disks. In previous versions of Final Cut Pro, you could choose individual hard drives for storing your project’s render (preview) files. But if you didn’t know what you were doing, things could get messy. For example, you might store the project on one drive, and then render files on another; then, later, you would open up the project when the render-file disk wasn’t available. You would have to re-render the whole project.
Answer: In FCP X, the render files are stored on the same disk as the project, so they don’t get separated. You can still store your files on any drive; you determine that by where you store the project file.
My Take: Duplicate the project also starts to spread files out to more folders.  Those renders, pre-computes, and cache files are with the project.  You choose to duplicate, there’s more to copy.  That means time and disk space.  In the past, these render files were in a folder of your choosing.  Duplicating the project was no big deal as the project just looked at the files in the same folder that you specified.  Less time, less disk space (which in my world means saved money, happier clients, and a greater chance of dinner with the family).
Also this level of control is less than before.  I could choose to but my project files in one place and renders on another.  Like I said before ... most people choose to split their project files to a different location than render files and media files.  This is because the project file is usually small, and you want to back it up (or even keep it on a USB thumb drive for easy portability).  The media and render files on the other hand need to be on a performance hard drive.
*Updated – 6/25 6:27 PM – A new issue:
A trusted colleague (who asked not to be named) raised a huge potential issue. Personally, I have not been able to fully test this, but this person would know.

• It appears that the new FCPX doesn't work with Apple's (previous) XSAN system
• You can only save to an HFS+ drive.
• This also means no go for most networked storage systems as Events appear to be incompatible with a XSAN, AFP, NFS or SMB volume

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Complaint: Can’t output to tape. Videotape is on the way out  — you would be hard pressed even to find a camcorder that takes tape anymore — so it’s not built into FCP X. This is one of several ways that FCP X is clearly a program designed more for the future than the past.
Answer: You can buy tape-deck control programs like AJA VTR Exchange and Black Magic Media Express. AJA and Black Magic are two major makers of add-on circuit boards for professional video editing. These apps work with their boards.
My Take: Tape is NOT dead (although we’d like it to be in many cases).  Tapes don’t demagnetize though like hard drives on a shelf.  They also outlast hard drives in most cases.
TV stations want tape.  My government clients want tape.  My nonprofit association clients want tape. Tape is typically required by the vast majority of clients that professionals serve (those that make their living editing video).  
David... Print is dead.  It’s on it’s way out.  Could the New York Times stop printing newspapers tomorrow?  You may want to (environmental concerns, costs of paper and delivery, those annoying children who throw newspaper and yell that they want their $2 back)?  Print is not dead ... neither is tape.  Are they dying? Yes... a SLOW and PAINFUL death.
When Apple killed the floppy disk, you could still buy them yourself and hook them up.  Even though Apple doesn’t let you burn a Blu-ray disc, they let you buy a burner yourself.  The built in the “hooks” that let hardware and software manufacturers connect.
In the past, companies like AJA and Apple collaborated closely.  When Apple would ship software, new hardware would be out. In fact, old hardware would have updates that made it work too.  These devices often cost $1,000–$5,000 dollars. We have five of these devices in my offices.  They are currently serving as paper weights when we launch Final Cut Pro X.
So you say just use the old version.  But how long will Apple ship updates and support the old software.  What happens when your computer fails and you have to buy a new one.  Will you be able to install 5 year old software on it? 
Never mind the fact that pro customers feel they deserve to get to use a 64-bit editing application.  Why? Because other companies have 64-bit applications on the Mac that edit video quite well AND support the same hardware that Final Cut Pro 7 supported.

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Complaint: Can’t export AAF or OMF files. These formats are successors to EDL. They let you export your project to other programs, like Avid, Quantel or Pro Tools, for more sophisticated editing.
Answer: Automatic Duck ProExport 5.0 adds AAF and OMF exporting to FCP X. There will be other companies offering similar export plugins (including EDL, by the way), once Apple publishes its XML programming guidelines (API).
My Take: Why are pros mad? Because all of these formats (as well as EDL and XML were supported). David, how would you feel if you couldn’t get your photos out of iPhoto?  You could sync them to your iPad ... you could look at them on your Mac.  But printing? Opening the image in Photoshop? Handing it off to a website authoring or page layout tool?  Nope.
These exchange formats allow professionals to collaborate.  Would you like special effects, great color correction, and a superior soundtrack in your next Hollywood film? Not gonna get it (or at least not yet).  We’re told we have to wait for third-party folks.  Who all have to rewrite their tools to standards that aren’t even fully clear or released.
*Updated – 6/25 6:28 PM While we're talking about XML export, how about the ability to send to Apple Color?
Commenters on this blog even point out the difficulty in sending clips to Apple Motion (a previously supported workflow).
I also have heard from many plug-in developers crying foul.   A couple people seem to have had early access and knowledge.  Apple lists two plug-in packages on their site.  What about the 100+ companies that had tools working before?  We now must wait ... and hope these companies can afford to redevelop and redeploy.  We’ll also have to repay for tools that worked just fine because these (often small) companies will have to scramble to redevelop their tools to keep their customers.
*Updated – 6/25 6:29 PM I've been told that some plugins work by "luck" since they were designed with the previous version of Motion in mind. I do not know the validity of this statement. I do know that I have talked and read about many developers who are crying foul.
Speaking of secrecy...  there’s a lot of confusion throughout the reseller community that helped ensure local sales and support for Apple products. The training companies seem to be confused and their trainers are too. I am not allowed to say more here.

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Complaint: Can’t connect an external monitor. Pros work with Final Cut on the Mac screen, but they prefer to view the actual edited video on a dedicated second screen. While Final Cut Pro X works just fine with a second computer monitor — you just choose Window -> Show Events on Second Display (or Window -> Show Viewer on Second Display) — there are complaints that it can’t connect to an external video monitor (TV), which pros feel offers better color fidelity.
Answer: Just as before, you need a Mac Pro with a video-output card in order to connect a TV monitor. Apple expects that the output-card companies will soon offer the necessary drivers for FCP X; AJA, one of the major makers of these boards, already offers beta versions of such drivers. Apple is working with Black Magic to offer drivers for its boards.
My Take: You have several mistakes here ... but I would make the same mistakes if I tried to talk about the professional printing presses your company uses to make newspapers.

• You do not need a Mac Pro.  Several manufacturers made devices that use FireWire connections.  They also use the Express Card slot (which seems to be on the way out).  We suspect that Thunderbolt will help here too (Blackmagic showed this at NAB this year).
• It’s not a TV.  We use higher quality monitors.  Often with unusual connections like HD-SDI or professional component connections. We also run the signal out the hardware tools that help us calibrate and legalize the color for broadcast (just like how you have to fix out of gamut images for color printing). The method Apple has now does not let us see a true video signal.  It also doesn’t work if you have two computer monitors and a video output card attached.  It’s one or the other (at least according to the AJA documentation).  Be sure you READ that documentation ... it’s filled with apologies. The signal Final Cut Pro X sends out is not in the correct color space or proper size. David, I’d like you to switch the New York times to consumer inkjet printers...  tell me if that would work for you?
• What about the others? There are more companies besides AJA and Blackmagic Design. What’s happening there? The lack of information is what scares professionals.  People want a road map ... especially in this economy.  I know companies need some secrecy.  The keyword is some.

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Complaint: Can’t import old FCP files.
Answer: As I noted in my column, this is true; your old projects are stranded forever in the older FCP program. You’ll have to keep both programs on your hard drive, and edit the old projects in the old program. When you install the new FCP, your old copy is safely preserved.
My Take: This is partially true. Many users have reported problems with having both on the same system.  Apple even has a very detailed and useful article on the topic (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4722). 
This document provides critical information.  It’s not called out in the App Store.  It’s not called out in the installer.  Apple could have released it two days before Final Cut Pro X and said “Get ready for Final Cut Pro X.”
Nope... no communication or warnings on how to avoid potentially large problems. In fact I found out about the new software from Twitter.  It didn’t even make it to the Apple home page.  The article I mentioned isn’t on the product page or even the support page in a prominent position.
The application is also not “safely” preserved as you have to move things back and rename things if you want to actually use the applications in many workflows.  Apple says “Note: Final Cut Server, Podcast Producer, Software Updates for Final Cut Studio (2009), and some third-party workflows and tools may require that the Final Cut Studio (2009) applications remain in their original location in the Applications folder.”
Also, would you accept that you couldn’t open up your iPhoto library with future versions of the application?  How about if all the music you imported into iTunes would no longer play and all your organization and playlists were gone. Oh, and what if Adobe decided that Photoshop CS5 (the 64-bit version) couldn’t open up files from the past.
The argument of "finish your project before you upgrade" is crazy. Clients always come back with changes. Filmmakers decided to make updates and re-release. Even hobbyists want to go back and look at something they did and potentially reuse some of their editing. Even if both applications are properly installed, you can’t have them open at the same time. Want to look over a FCP 7 project, you can't launch both apps as it will prompt you to close FCP X.
*Updated – 6/25 6:39 PM – Visit https://discussions.apple.com/message/15469892#15469892. Scroll halfway down the page to this post.
FranklyFilm — Re: FCPX, just the tip of the iceberg — Jun 23, 2011 6:35 AM
Mail form Randy Ubillos, the designer of FCP X
“FCP7 projects do not have enough information in them to properly translate to FCPX (in FCP7 all of the clip connections live in the editor's head, not in the timeline). We never expected anyone to switch editing software in the middle of a project, so project migration was not a priority.
Final Cut Pro X 1.0 is the beginning of a road, not the end.”
My Take: I do not know if this is true. It is on Apple's website. I would assume given how widespread it is being pushed around the net... someone would respond or clarify. I hope this is not true, but I have now heard this same information from different sources more than 10 times. This rumor or statement needs confirmation. This is the DEAL BREAKER for many.

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The Bottom Line: Apple has followed the typical Apple sequence: (1) throw out something that’s popular and comfortable but increasingly ancient, (2) replace it with something that’s slick and modern and forward-looking and incomplete, (3) spend another year finishing it up, restoring missing pieces.
These are fair statements. Remember your feelings on iMovie ’08 (http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/08/17/apple-takes-a-step-back-with-imovie-08/)?  Apple reversed course and continued to make the previous version of  iMovie available.
With Final Cut Pro X, Apple discontinued to entire Final Cut ecosystem in one swoop.  Final Cut Server, Color, Soundtrack Pro, Cinema Tools, and DVD Studio Pro.  "So what" you say ... just use the old one.

• But you can’t buy the old one from Apple any more.  In fact I have been told that many resellers were asked to ship their stock back to Apple. 
• Many were waiting to upgrade from older versions until Final Cut Pro X shipped. Now they find out their computers won’t work with the new Final Cut Pro.Several computers aren’t supported due to their graphics cards.  Even machines that are slated to work on Lion may not work with Final Cut Pro X because they lack Open CL compatibility.  Here is the list (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4664).
• The exact same time the new product started shipping, the old one went away. Yes, some stores still have inventory, but not Apple (apparently). The existing stock will run out and people don’t know if will be refreshed.
• There was not sufficient details warning people about compatibility issues.
• If you go to Apple’s webpage and try to look up old documentation or links about the old Final Cut Pro, it redirects you to the new page.  If you visit the support page and try to download an update to a previous version (often needed after changing machines or doing a software restore). Guess what, its sends you to the App Store to buy Final Cut Pro X. I tried several of the links on the support page (http://support.apple.com/downloads/#final%20cut%20studio).  Go see what happens

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Professional editors should (1) learn to tell what’s really missing from what’s just been moved around, 
I agree, but the training and support industry is scrambling to catch up.
(2) recognize that there’s no obligation to switch from the old program yet
That is correct.  But pros were told it would be “awesome.”  I guess that word means different things to different people.  And if you need to update your old software, most of the links on the downloads page keep sending me to the App Store to buy the new one.  Subtle, I know.
(3) monitor the progress of FCP X and its ecosystem, and especially (4) be willing to consider that a radical new design may be unfamiliar, but may, in the long term, actually be better.
Most in the Final Cut Pro community like change.  They also wish that the investment in time as well as thousands in equipment would continue to be supported.
David, your article was helpful and answered many questions for me.  I know you can reach me on the phone.  I raise a few more questions that maybe your Apple contacts can answer.
Will I ever be able to import a layered Photoshop file? This is a common workflow that lets editors easily work with graphics.
*Updated – 6/24 8:41 AM – You can import the file (I knew this) but layers are flattened. Motion supports this workflow, but Final Cut Pro X no longer does. This was a common scenario.
What about volume licenses?  How do companies buy multiple copies for the employees to use?  Do they really need to set up an iTunes account for each and need to use elaborate combinations of credit cards or gift cards?
What about educational licenses? Apple gained much of its success from students who learned it in school then moved into the workplace.  Students always got a discount as did schools.  What about them?
What is the intention with the apparent decimation of the previous ecosystem? Are the broken links and missing documents temporary?  Will we be able to buy the application in 2 months (or next year)?  Will there be software updates ... if so for how long?
Will there be physical distribution?  Broadband access is not a reality for much of the world.  I have interfaced with editors in Africa where broadband is scarce.  I have also talked with several who pay by the megabyte for data (and pay a lot).  There are many places in the world where the user will pay far more to download the software than to purchase it. What if I need to reactivate (such as after restoring from a backup) but I can’t get Internet access?
In conclusion, I appreciate your article.  You attempted to get to the bottom of things.  I hope I have opened some new doors here for you to knock on.  Keep making the world a better place for techno geeks.
There are SEVERAL posts in the comments about missing and confusing features. Since I have violated every rule about length of a blog post, I will respond below. Apple (or others looking to develop new products) please see the list below. There are also several other places that have good lists going.
Thank you to all my friends for your support and keeping things civil during these difficult times. Remember to keep the focus on Apple (and not attack others in online forums or blogs). Keep posting and pass this article around to those who tell you that you are wrong. Be civil, reversing a "revolution" won't happen with angry words. The initial shock is over... move past anger. Make your opinion known with respectful words. Apple corporate is the one who made these decisions... address the cause of the problem.

And to leave you with a laugh... the issue made it all the way to the Conan O'Brien show. Most have seen this, if not, go laugh. We all need one right now.
http://teamcoco.com/video/conan-editors-love-final-cut

I just want to point you to a great article over at Creative COW that addresses a timely topic.

"Forget all the rumors and speculation about Final Cut Pro X, Creative Cow Contributing Editor David Roth Weiss delivers nothing but facts as he guides you through the steps necessary to partition your Mac system drive with a cool multi-boot setup that will allow you to easily and efficiently switch back and forth between different versions of Final Cut Pro, between different operating systems, or all of the above."

Be sure to head over for the whole article. A must read.

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4. DSLR Workflow for Adobe Creative Suite
5. Hypersyndication @ NAB 2011
6. Strategic Budgeting
7. Giving Your Web Video A Graphic Identity
8. Delivering HDSLR Video – Web, Disc, and Beyond
9. Creating_Custom_Backgrounds
10. More Than 140 Characters Integrating Video, Audio,Photos & Rich Media with Twitter

Need to quickly change your audio options on your Mac? There's a great shortcut to quickly access both Input and Output devices as well as Sound Preferences.

Simply Option+click on the volume button and it will change to your relevant audio controls.

Thanks to Jeff Greenberg for teaching me a great tip.

iPhoto Compatibility

Import

Library

Adjustments

Other

• Tweet! Tweet! — Using Twitter to Reach an Audience
• Hyper-syndication: How to Publish Your Video to Hundreds of Websites
• DSLR Video: High End Looks on a Middle Class Budget
• Delivering Video to Mobile Audiences: How to Create, Compress, and Deliver Video to iPhones, iPads, Droids and Blackberries
• Live Webcasting: How To Stream Your Next Event to a Live Audience
• What's New in Social Media: Five Upcoming Trends You Need to Know About
• Making Web Video Accessible: Captions, Searchability, and More!

1. In Final Cut Pro, mark an In and Out point within a sequence for the range you’d like to export.
2. Choose File > Export > XML. In the dialog that opens, choose Apple XML Interchange Format, version 4 (or newer) and click OK.
3. Specify a location for the new XML file (such as your project folder) and click OK. The XML file is very small and references the original media on your drive. It will only take a few seconds to write.
4. Switch to Adobe Premiere Pro and create a new project using a preset that most closely matches the video format you’ve been using.
5. In Premiere Pro, choose File > Import. Navigate to the XML file you created and click Import. Premiere Pro creates a sequence and adds the media and a report to the project.
6. Begin to update the edit or work with the imported project sources.

1. Go to System Preferences > Language & Text > Input Sources, and enable the Keyboard & Character Viewer.
2. Check the box for Show Input menu in menu bar.
3. Notice the new icon in your menu bar (likely a flag that matches the language). When needed, simply click it and choose Show or Hide Character Palette.
4. The palette automatically floats above your active application.
5. Be sure to check that you’re using the same font in the text generator or other application.
6. Double-click or drag to use the special character.

1. If you have a Peachpit.com account, go to www.peachpit.com/account and log in. If you do not have a Peachpit.com account, go to www.peachpit.com/join and create an account.
2. On the Account page click the link for "Enter your code here" that appears under "Digital Product Voucher" in the right column.
3. Click Submit.
4. The video will be listed under Digital Purchases on your Account page; click the title to generate the download.

• DSLR Essentials
• Photoshop for Video
• Adobe Premiere Pro
• Adobe After Effects
• Final Cut Help

1. Select an image in the Browser.
2. Click the Add Adjustments pop-up menu and choose the Vignette controls. A Gamma vignette with default values is applied.
3. Choose Exposure from the Type pop-up menu.
4. Drag the Amount slider all the way to the right. The slider stops at a value of 1.0, but this isn’t the limit for the effect.
5. Click the right arrow next to the Amount value slider and set the amount of dark shading to 1.7.
6. Drag the Size slider to the right to set the distance in pixels that will be affected by the darkening vignette. Choose a value of 1.5.

• Keynote for iPad
• Pages for iPad
• Numbers for iPad will come out in a few days

1. If you have a Peachpit.com account, go to www.peachpit.com/account and log in. If you do not have a Peachpit.com account, go to www.peachpit.com/join and create an account.
2. On the Account page click the link for "Enter your code here." that appears under "Digital Product Voucher" in the right column.
3. Click Submit.
4. The video will be listed under Digital Purchases on your Account page; click the title to generate the download.

C08FD2586C11
4C69D96447F1
91BD21E9A2FC
2C8E806BF6EA
095D14475FB3
6BD5584BD067
269EAAA0B8F4
0E0F9364593A
977F680BA58E
43A28CC6F430

If you don't win a copy, you can get one here. http://www.peachpit.com/store/product.aspx?isbn=0321765141

• address compatibility with the iLife Media Browser
• improve reliability when upgrading existing Aperture libraries
• address issues with publishing photos to MobileMe, Facebook and Flickr

• iLife ’11 Compatibility
• Resolves an issue that could cause Aperture to quit unexpectedly when a camera was plugged in to your Mac.
• Addresses an issue that could prevent the Aperture First Aid from opening correctly after upgrading a library from 3.0 to 3.1.
• The Noise Reduction adjustment brick now correctly displays Radius and Edge Detail sliders when applied using a Quick Brush.
• Aperture now correctly sets the "Photos Viewable by" setting for images published to your Flickr Photostream.
• Fixes an issue that could cause Aperture to quit unexpectedly when the "Fit Slideshow to Main Soundtrack" button was clicked.

• Set your computer’s display to its highest-resolution setting. The increased resolution will give you the best view of your image. The highest setting generally displays the native resolution, which means you’ll be working at the optimal resolution for clarity.
• Make sure your computer displays are set to their maximum brightness.
• Reduce the amount of ambient light in the room where you’re working. This will help prevent the light from skewing your perception.
• If possible, paint the walls a neutral gray in the room where you perform detailed adjustments.
• Keep bright-colored objects to a minimum in the room to avoid skewing your perception.
• Make sure you’re employing good color management practices. Be sure to calibrate your printers and displays. For more information, see Calibrating Your Aperture System, which is Appendix B in the Aperture User Manual.
  

1. Choose Aperture > Preferences then click Export.
2. Click the Choose button below the External Image Editor field.
3. In the dialog that appears, navigate to the application that you’d like Aperture to use when you want to edit an image in an external editor. The application’s name appears in the External Image Editor field.
4. In the Preferences window, set the External Editor File Format pop-up menu to the format you’d like to use for exchanging files. Select PSD because we’ll be using Photoshop as our external editor. We could also have selected TIFF, but we know that PSD will support all of the Photoshop features that we might choose to use.
5. Next to the External Editor File Format pop-up menu is a small field labeled dpi (dots per inch). Set this to 300. This will specify that the image should be exported with a resolution setting of 300 pixels per inch.
6. Close the Preferences window.
   

1. In the Browser, select an image.
2. Choose Images > Edit With > Adobe Photoshop or press Command-Shift-O. If it’s not already running, Aperture will open the application that you specified in the Preferences window. Your image will be opened automatically (with the Exposure adjustment applied).
   

• Dragging to the upper-third of the track results in an insert edit.
• Dragging to the lower two-thirds of the track results in an overwrite edit.

• Dragging in the Timeline horizontally results in an overwrite edit by default.
• Dragging in the Timeline horizontally results in an insert or swap edit when you hold down the Option key.
• Dragging in the Timeline vertically results in an overwrite edit by default.
• Dragging in the Timeline vertically results in an insert edit when you press the Option key after you start to drag.
• Pressing the Option key and then dragging in the Timeline vertically results in a cloned copy added to the Timeline via an insert edit.
• Pressing the Option and Shift keys and then dragging in the Timeline vertically results in a cloned copy added to the Timeline directly above the clip

1. Drag the file into iTunes.
2. Choose iTunes > Preferences, then click on the General button and click the Importing tab.
3. Choose AIFF and set the sample size to 16 bit and the sample rate to 48kHz. Specify if the file is stereo or mono.
4. Click OK then Click OK again to close the second window.
5. Highlight the files you want to convert and choose Advanced > Create AIFF version.
6. To reveal the converted file, highlight it and press Command + R to reveal it at the Finder level.

• It's cheap – $99 is a steal. Sure they got the price down by removing an internal drive... but things change. I no longer need a hard drive to store movies. I've been using a Drobo FS as my home media server with iTunes and before that a regular Drobo hooked up directly to our home's iMac.
• Netflix support is built in. There are thousands of on demand movies for free. Some of my favorite things include the extensive selection of documentaries, as well as TV shows that I miss episodes while traveling. Plus, we have two kids who just adore the extensive selection of kids programming (including classic Bugs Bunny fare and multiple PBS shows). At $9 a month... it's a steal.
• The new Remote App is killer – With an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad you can take complete control. I love using the Apple TV through the home stereo. I have an extensive music collection. I love being able to DJ right from my device. Great when hosting get togethers or for changing music up based on the mood at hand.
• TV Rentals are now reasonable – Miss an episode, catch it for 99¢. I must admit I've used this feature more than a few times.
• Easier connection to multiple devices – Apple simplified sharing media. Right now I can access media off any of the computers in our household that share the same Apple ID. Mind you we have an iMac, MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and a Mac Mini. My understanding is that we'll soon be able to stream from our iPads and iPhones too. For those of you counting, that's ten devices sharing media seamlessly throughout the whole house... (yes... we are a terribly geeky family of four).
• Streaming Photos and Video is easy – Whether you use MobileMe, iLife, Aperture, YouTube, or Flickr it's a piece of cake to send stuff to your TV in HD.

From Final Cut Pro to After Effects

• Cross Dissolve Transitions
• Basic Editing Translation
• Segmented Clips
• Basic Keyframes
• Time Remapping
• Nested Sequences
• Multiple Frame Rates and Aspect Ratios
• Audio Channels
• Name Length Error Checking
• Support for PAL25 and 60

Here’s how the process works:

• Download and install the After Effects scripts from here.
• Launch After Effects and Final Cut Pro.
• Open a Final Cut Pro project with media you want to exchange.
• Select one sequence in the Browser.
• Choose File > Export > XML. Choose XML Level 4.
• Target a location and click OK.
• Swith to After Effects and choose File > Scripts and select the newly loaded script (PI_FCP2AE.jsxbin).
• Navigate to the XML file you created in step 5 and click Open. The footage and a new composition are created in After Effects.
• Explore the composition and check the results.

• Address Book syncing. It’s possible to have a shared Address Book for the entire company. This really helps keep records up to date and clients easier to locate. If you have multiple iPhone users who want to sync, they can make a group to streamline their contacts.
• Calendar. MobileMe offers a robust online calendar tool that can also sync with iCal. This is particularly useful because it can help coordinate meetings and schedule staff and facilities. The shared calendar is also useful for iPhone users who are out of office and need to keep their meeting schedule up to date. If you need to share a calendar with clients or non-Mac users, you have two viable options. You can grant Web access to a MobileMe calendar (simply visit mobile.me.com and sign in). The drawback is that you grant write access to all calendars or no calendars. A better option for "selective" sharing is to use a Google calendar, which is also free (calendar.google.com).
• iDisk. An iDisk is a great place to back up critical files. You can download the free Backup application from your iDisk, and then set files like Final Cut Pro project files to back up remotely. You can also use an iDisk as a drop box (Mac or Windows users) because it can be easily accessed through a Web browser. Similarly, you can access your iDisk through me.com and select files for file sharing with other users. Sharing files with clients is easy with MobileMe. They can get a personalized invitation, and you can even require a password.
• Back to My Mac. This little-used feature is a true lifeline. It allows you to easily access any of your Macs remotely. You can use it to log into a machine back at the office and check progress on a render or grab a file that you forgot.
• Find My Phone. Lose your iPhone or iPad, this device can tell you where you left it. It can also trigger an alarm, display a message, or remotely wipe a device. We've used the service three times in my house (and each time led to a successful recovery).

Installing an ePub File

Creating an ePub File

• Canon PowerShot SX1 IS
• Olympus E-PL1
• Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2
• Panasonic Lumix DMC-G10
• Samsung NX10
• Sony Alpha DSLR-A390
• Sony Alpha NEX-3
• Sony Alpha NEX-5

Seven Deadly Sins of PowerPoint

1. Too few slides
   2 Too many words
   3 No ‘road signs’ (where are you going?)
   4 Reliance on gimmicks (skip sound effects)
   5 Ignoring design
   6 Not rehearsing
   7 Forgetting your audience

The Rules of Presentation Design

• Limit fonts used
  • Use a heavy font
  • Avoid stock templates
  • 3-7 bullets per page
  • A bullet is 2-5 words
  • Readability test, (stand 15 feet away from the screen, can you read it easily)
  • Design for the back of the room
  • Create your own templates
  • Use builds or simple animations to bring bullets on line by line
  • Justification & capitalization (be consistent)
  • Consider screen vs. print
  • Use transparency
  • Ease to change
  • With multiple presenters, utilize a style guide and templates
  

Looks like Apple is making it easier to find Safari extension soon. The Firefox community is already pretty vibrant in this regard and I look forward to more coming out for my favorite browser.

Apple sent out an email today asking for submission to their "Safari Extensions Gallery".

We'll soon be launching the Safari Extensions Gallery, a new destination that provides you with an opportunity to increase the visibility of your Safari extension beyond your website. The Safari Extensions Gallery will feature selected extensions that offer an innovative user experience. And a one-click installation process will allow users to seamlessly install extensions from a developer’s website without ever having to leave the Gallery. MacRumors.com has early extensions that have already been released.

• To change the duration of a build, tap the Options button at the bottom of the Build In or Build Out window. You can then drag the duration slider to adjust the speed of the animation.
  • Many effects in the Build In window have additional options such as direction or Up and Down choices.
  

Changing the Order of Builds

1. Select any object on the canvas that you've applied a build to.
   2 Tap the animate button in the toolbar.
   3 Tap an existing Build In or Build Out button.
   4 In the Build In or Build Out window, tap the Order button. The numbers on the slide and in the window indicate the order of animation.
   5 In the Build Order window, touch and hold the right end of an item. You can now drag it to a new position.
   

1. Select any object on the canvas that you've applied a build to.
   2 Tap the animate button in the toolbar.
   3 Tap an existing Build In or Build Out button.
   4 In the Build In or Build Out window, tap the Options button.
   5 Choose one of the following options to link two animations together.
   
   

• With Build # – Let's two builds happen at the same time. You can also set a delay for the second object with the Delay slider.
  • After Build # – Let's you create a hierarchical relationship. One build occurs immediately after the other finishes. Again, you can set a delay for the second object with the Delay slider.

• From Still to Motion (HDSLR filmmaking)
• Video Made on a Mac (Advanced Apple and Adobe video workflow and techniques)
• Understanding Adobe Photoshop CS5 (A college class book or for those stuck at beginner)
• Photoshop for Video (Fourth edition just released)

• To change the duration of a build, tap the Options button at the bottom of the Build In or Build Out window. You can then drag the duration slider to adjust the speed of the animation.
  • Many effects in the Build In window have additional options such as direction or Up and Down choices.
  

• To specify when a build starts, tap the Options button at the bottom of the Build In or Build Out window. On Tap begins the animation when you tap the slide.
  After Transition lets you set a time interval with the Delay slider. You may need to scroll in the window to see all options.
  

• To build a chart or graph by segment or series, click the Delivery button. Depending upon how you're data is displayed; you'll see options like By Wedge, By Series, By Set, and more.
  

To Add a Text Build

Customizing a Text Build

• To change the duration of a build, tap the Options button at the bottom of the Build In or Build Out window. You can then drag the duration slider to adjust the speed of the animation.
  

• To specify when a build starts, tap the Options button at the bottom of the Build In or Build Out window. On Tap begins the animation when you tap the slide.
  After Transition lets you set a time interval with the Delay slider. You may need to scroll in the window to see all options.
  

• To build a text block in segments, you can click the Delivery button. Depending upon how you've formatted your text, you'll see choices like All at Once, By Paragraph, or By Bullet.
  

• You can set a duration for the effect between 10 and 5.00 seconds.
  • Choose whether to start the transition when you tap or automatically after the previous transition. You can also set a delay for how quickly the transition begins after the previous slide.

• On Tap – The transition is applied when you tap the screen.
  • After Previous Transition – This option can be used to create a self-running presentation. Be sure to set the Delay timer so there is enough of a pause so the slide can be read before the transition occurs.
  

• Transitions – Using a transition lets you add an animated effect as you switch from one slide to the next.
  • Magic Move – An easy way to create object movement is the Magic Move transition which animates an object between two positions.
  • Text Builds – A practical presentation technique is to control the flow of information to the audience using text animation.
  • Object Builds – Keynote can reveal (or remove) objects on your slide, such photos or shapes, with animated transitions.
• Charts Builds – Keynote offers special transitions to reveal the data in a chart or graph.
  

Add Transitions between Slides

To Add a Transition

• 30 percent performance boost over Safari 4
• Addition of Bing to the Google and Yahoo! options.
• Addition of Reader option for websites with news articles. Just click the Reader icon in the Smart Address Field to display the entire article for clear, uninterrupted reading with options to enlarge, print or send via email.

• Runs JavaScript 30 percent faster than Safari 4, three percent faster than Chrome 5.0, and over twice as fast as Firefox 3.6.
• Full screen playback and closed captions for HTML5 video

Safari 5 is available for Mac and Windows as a free download at www.apple.com/safari.
The Safari Developer Program is free to join at developer.apple.com/programs/safari.

Apple has released a new demo of what is possible with HTML 5. This is a very cool gallery of how the new technology can be employed.
Here's the top demos – http://www.apple.com/html5/showcase/gallery/

Web developers can learn more here – http://developer.apple.com/safaridemos/
In fact the developers page has 14 demos.... including a very cool movie trailer viewer and Photo Gallery.

• The issues addressed include:
• Corrected an issue with improper scrolling behavior.
• Resolved memory leaks for improved performance.
• Addressed layout of interface elements in certain application alert windows.

• Upgrading libraries from earlier versions of Aperture
• Importing libraries from iPhoto
• Importing photos directly from a camera
• Memory usage when processing heavily-retouched photos
• Face recognition processing
• Adding undetected faces using the Add Missing Face button
• Printing pages containing multiple images
• Printing photos and contact sheets with borders and metadata
• Editing photos using an external editor
• Display of images with Definition and Straighten adjustments applied
• Zooming photos in the Viewer and in the Loupe using keyboard shortcuts
• Accessing Aperture libraries on a network volume Selecting and moving pins on the Places map
• Adding and editing custom locations using the Manage My Places window
• Switching between masters when working with RAW+JPEG pairs.

• Hasselblad H3DII-50
• Leica M9
• Leica X1
• Olympus E-P1
• Olympus E-P2
• Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1
• Pentax K-7
• Pentax K-x
• Sony Alpha DSLR-A500
• Sony Alpha DSLR-A550
• Sony Alpha DSLR-A850

Importing Video

• Click a project or folder in the Library pane to target it.
• Choose New Project from the Destination menu to create a new project to hold the imported items.

• In the Aperture Library moves the files into a managed library. These files can be exported but will be copied to a new location.
• In their current location leaves the files where they are located. This is the best approach if you've already copied your video files to an editing drive.
• Your User folder is available (and is labeled with your default name).
• The Pictures folder in your home directory is another option.
• Choose lets you specify another location. This option works well when you want to target a specific drive (such as your project's media drive). The Choose option can be used to copy the media from the camera memory to an editing location.

1. Better Filmstrip and Fullscreen View – It's much easier to work with your images and really get at the details.
2. Backup on Import – Have your media go to two drives at once. This is HUGE.
3. Places – Yes it's in iPhoto... but now that GPS tag makes it so much easier to sort by location. I also use this as a tool for site surveys and planning from shoot scouts.
4. Faces – Again... was in iPhoto last year, but I'll take it. Facial recognition to organize your library. This is great for finding pictures of one subject. It's freaky good too.
5. Focus Points – Actually see where the camera used points to auto focus. This is very useful for evaluating sharpness.
6. Search on Steroids – Okay, that's not its actual name. But it's amazing... you can sort by usage, face, place, time, file type, all sorts of things. Literally search by Who, Where, When... I'm still waiting on Why.
7. Nondestructive Brushes with Edge Detection – Easily cleanup images with all sorts of spot adjustments. Completely nondestructive and editable, including the ability to view the selections mask and tweak it at any time. Oh... and they work with Wacom tablets too. The skin smoothing brush is dreamy good.
8. Curves! – 'nuff said.
9. Adjustment Presets – Useful starting points or make your own. Can even apply them upon import to batch fix problems.
10. Video – You can organize it, trim it, media manage it, drag it into Final Cut Pro, export out versions, use it in new slideshows. Uh huh... that's right... video.

For example... I saved over 1.5 GB of space in just a few minutes.

1. I used it to identify some HUGE template files for Apple Motion on my internal drive.
2. I then opened up the files with QuickTime Pro. They were Photo-JPEG and Animation codec files (both beefy).
3. I converted the Photo JPEG to Apple ProRes 422 and the Animtion to Apple ProRes 444.
4. Voila.. space saved.

I am currently on a seek and destroy mission to locate large downloads and forgotten files. If you are a little weary, back up your drive before you start the purge in case you trash a needed file.

• Megasuite from Digieffects $799
• Plug-in from Automatic Duck $495
• Plug-in Collection from CGM $199
• Adobe Premiere Pro CS4 $799
• Free Training Course from FMC $1,500
• NAB Post Production Conference Pass $895
• Music License from Free Play Music $100

• MacBook Pro (17-inch, Mid 2009)
• MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2009)
• MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2.53GHz, Mid 2009)
• MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2009)
• MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2009)
• MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008)
• MacBook (13-inch, Mid 2009)
• MacBook (13-inch, Early 2009)
• MacBook (13-inch, Aluminum, Late 2008)
• MacBook Air (Mid 2009)
• MacBook Air (Late 2008)
• iMac (20-inch, Mid 2009)
• iMac (24-inch, Early 2009)
• iMac (20-inch, Early 2009)
• Mac mini (Early 2009)

“The mDialog application is always available as a free download worldwide from Apple's App Store on iPhone and IPod Touch, or at www.itunes.com/appstore/ or click on the link on the mDialog site.”

“Apple's Compressor relies heavily on a service called Qmaster in order to work. Qmaster allows you to split rendering tasks across multiple machines in a render farm but it is still required even if you are only rendering on a single computer.The link between the two is so important that if the Qmaster service fails to launch, Compressor will be unable to submit batches. Should this occur, Compressor Repair checks for problems that could be preventing Qmaster from operating correctly. It checks for missing files, incorrect permissions, and attempts to manually start the qmasterd process.”

Migrating an Entire iPhoto Library

• • Choose "In the Aperture Library" from the Store Files pop-up menu to store imported masters in the Aperture library. This will allow Aperture to manage the images in its library architecture.
• • Choose "In their current location" from the Store Files pop-up menu to import the files as referenced images. This means the files are stored in their current locations on your hard drive.
• • Choose "Pictures" from the Store Files pop-up menu to store imported masters in the Pictures folder for the current user. The images are treated as referenced images.
• • Choose "Choose" from the Store Files pop-up menu and pick a folder where you want to store the imported masters as referenced images. You can also specify an organization method for the images by clicking the Subfolders pop-up menu.

• Bert Monroy's Reasons to Upgrade to Photoshop CS4
• Matt Kloskowski's Reasons to Upgrade to Photoshop CS4
• Chris Orwig's Reasons to Upgrade to Photoshop CS4
• Kevin Ames' Reasons to Upgrade to Photoshop CS4
• Rich Harrington's Reasons to Upgrade to Photoshop CS4

Nondestructive Image Processing

bbDEMUX – Free

Recharge Your Creativity and Craft • January 28 - February 1 • Playa Del Carmen, Mexico

Now in its third year, the Editors Retreat has become an annual gathering for the post-production elite. Highly experienced editors from the worlds of film, TV and video gather to network, exchange ideas, share tips and of course, have fun!

Past keynotes and attendees have included such names as Alan Heim, Sally Menke, Stuart Bass, Chris Franklin and David Helfand as well as Apple, Adobe and Avid experts and industry power users. Attendees have included representatives from HBO, FRONTLINE, MTV, Lockheed Martin, Harpo Productions and Telemundo.

Running for 5 days and 4 nights, the Retreat offers advanced sessions on post visual and audio techniques and features valuable insight into emerging trends and technologies. An equal amount of time will be devoted to discussing the creativity, craft and business practices of successful editors.

To ensure that only the best of the best attend, participation is subject to an application and screening process. Visit www.EditorsRetreat.com for the full schedule and more details.

WATCH THIS YEAR'S VIDEO