Final Cut Pro X – A Viable Update?

Six months after its release, there is another update for FCPX that might make users give it a second chance. Multicam support, XML, broadcast monitoring, and an app that allows you to transfer FCP7 files. It’s a big step, but is it enough?

Apple has posted the info of the update, and the internet has already begun talking about it. Check out the full post from Planet5D breaking it all down.

I have yet to edit a full project using FCPX. I feel awkward and uncomfortable, and if I want to get anything done quickly I have to go back to FCP7. I do know people who like it, and a colleague of mine absolutely loves it. This is not some chump who decided to start editing one day. He’s a USC Film School graduate, and feels that the speed and power of FCPX gives him more time to spend on other things.

However you feel about FCPX, I think this could be a step in the right direction. Many users have already made the switch to Adobe Premiere or even Avid’s workhorse Media Composer 6. Editors have options now, and I think it would behoove Apple to take notice. Their first good idea was to allow a 30 day trial for users. This took place back in September with the program’s first update. My main issue with X has been that it’s a completely different system. If I’m able to take the time and bridge the gaps, there might be some hope.

Afterthought: a few weeks ago I got around to reading a white paper from Apple explaining the differences between FCPX and FCP7. The doc is no longer online, and I’m guessing that it’s being revised to work with this new update. I’ll keep an eye out for the new doc, because I think I’m finally ready to give this program another shot.

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GoPro Is Watching Me

This is what happens when I get a new toy.

My dad got me an early birthday gift, one that I am super stoked for. I was already thinking of ordering a Hero for myself, so when I opened the package that had this little guy in it, I squealed.

I created this test video to try out the different settings. The standard setting is not 16:9, so when I converted the footage the clip was super stretched. But you can see all the other settings. I also learned how to use split screens for this test, so that was an added bonus.

We set out for our first training hike this Saturday, I’ll have the GoPro in hand.

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The Fallen

I strive to make videos that move people. As I learn I generally shoot happy moments, candid moments, and calm moments. I hope that someday I will be able to show the power and human spirit involved in shooting tough moments.

Shot in NYC on the 10th anniversary on the 9-11 attacks, Yael Shulman captured amazing imagery as men and women remember their comrades. Raw emotion and love can be seen on every face. The shots of the little girl just get to me. Grab a tissue and watch this video. I never knew two minutes could move me so much.

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288,000 Jelly Beans – A Stop Motion Bonanza

This video was shot for Kina Grannis for her single In Your Arms. The team used a shit ton of jelly beans to create the stop motion images. It took almost two years to produce, and there were no green screen shots. That’s right, Kina is laying down on a glass frame over the beans. The music video is great, and I hope they get more attention than just a passing video that spreads around the internet.

Check out this great behind the scenes video for how everything was done.

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Northward!

So I did something crazy. Maybe not too crazy, but crazy enough. I signed up for a second season with Team In Training, this time I’ll be training for the Tour of Anchorage all the way in Alaska. Now maybe this doesn’t sound that weird, but it’s a huge deal for me. First and foremost, I’m not a skier. I’ve never even been on skis. Luckily I am a snowboarder, and I know how to be active in snow. But it’s going to be a monumental journey. I’ve also always wanted to go to Alaska. It always seemed to foreign, so far away. But I learned that only a three and a half hour flight from Seattle is in my way. There’s a first time for everything right?

Check out this cool video I found showing the 2011 race.

Kickoff for the Spring 2012 TNT season begins this Saturday. I’ll be training a lot, and I’m sure there’s going to be setbacks and tears. All the work going into this is nothing close to what a blood cancer patient endures. In case you don’t know, Team in Training works with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to raise money for research, outreach, and advocacy for people with blood cancer. It touches more people than you think. I learned that my first season with TNT.

I’ll be trying to pump out video diaries to share my journey, and the story of those around me. You can stay posted on everything here, and on my TNT Fundraising Page. Oh yeah, there’s that too. I’m raising over $3,500 for cancer research. Join the cause, fight the fight, and GO TEAM!

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