editing
Tuesday, June 21st, 2011
UPDATE: Read David Leitner’s first take on Final Cut Pro X here.
This morning Apple released its long awaited, ground-up rethink of its professional editing software, Final Cut Pro. Available for $299 from the Apple Store, the new FCP is both drastically lower in price than the previous version and contains numerous improvements, including, wrote David Leitner at NAB this Spring, a “dramatically revamped interface, 64-bit processor capability, no more RAM ceiling of 4GB, and continual background rendering by means of unused CPU cycles.” Leitner’s takeaway then:
With FCP X, Apple is returning to the one-size-fits-all ethos of the original FCP. In other words, no more FCP Express. I think it’s revolutionary, in a democratic sense, to spend years to overhaul an epochal product to make it more powerful, more protean, yet more accessible, with the goal that my teenaged daughter and Walter Murch would both edit with the same software.
From Apple’s press release:
Apple® today announced Final Cut Pro® X, a revolutionary new version of the world’s most popular Pro video editing software which completely reinvents video editing with a Magnetic Timeline that lets you edit on a flexible, trackless canvas; Content Auto-Analysis that categorizes your content upon import by shot type, media and people; and background rendering that allows you to work without interruption. Built on a modern 64-bit architecture, Final Cut Pro X is available from the Mac® App Store™ for $299.99.
“Final Cut Pro X is the biggest advance in Pro video editing since the original Final Cut Pro,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “We have shown it to many of the world’s best Pro editors, and their jaws have dropped.”
“I’m blown away by what Apple has done with Final Cut Pro,” said Angus Wall, Academy Award-winning film editor. “Final Cut Pro X is incredibly modern and fast, but most importantly it lets you focus on telling your story in the most creative way, while it actively manages all of the technical details.”
Filmmaker was given an advance copy of the new Final Cut Pro, and Leitner … Read the rest
Saturday, April 9th, 2011
Okay, I’m not on the road to NAB… but David Leitner is, and he’ll be filing reports from the conference here at Filmmaker. Look for his pieces beginning tomorrow or Monday. There are other sites to follow as well. Koo will be attending NAB for the first time and posting interviews, write-ups and news over at No Film School. Phillip Bloom will be attending as wIll Vincent Laforet. For many, the big news will be (the rumored) announcement by Apple of the new Final Cut Pro. If you’re not following all the tech blogs, here’s the low-down: at the last minute, Apple has reportedly taken over the Final Cut Pro User Group Supermeet , booting out already-booked presenters (including Kevin Smith), and commandeering the event for itself. The reason? Again, if all this is true, it must be to premiere the long-awaited Final Cut for this group of professional editors. The rumors are flying. It’ll be “awesome,” the interface will be completely redesigned, there may not be tape I/O, there will be multi-touch… Or, as an NDA-compromised Mark Raudonis from Bunim/Murray Productions (who has seen the new Final Cut but can’t give details about it) says in the interview below, using a Wayne Gretzky metaphor, Apple will “skate to where the puck will be.”
Presenting something that’s so radically different in front of a group of established editors is a ballsy move, explains Walter Biscardi:
Regardless of whether you applaud this move or not (I’m in the “or not” category) let’s take a look at what this means for Apple and Final Cut Pro. In the parlance of Las Vegas, Apple has gone “All In” for this one event. There is no Apple booth on the show floor. There is no Sunday Apple Marketing event. There is no ANYTHING from Apple other than a complete takeover of one of the largest paid gatherings of video editors at NAB. In other words, just one shot in front of an audience of the very people who will make or break the product and presentation.
This isn’t an iPhone, iPod, iPad, iAnything
… Read the rest
Wednesday, March 16th, 2011
I used my iPod Touch to shoot some short interviews at the SXSW trade show and Screenburn exhibits. (It’s the first time I used the iPod Touch instead of the Flip. The quality definitely isn’t as high, and there’s some drop-out and stuttering going on here. But the new iMovie, released to coincide with the iPad2, works on the iPod Touch, and while it’s not amazing it’s still pretty cool — despite occasional crashing and some difficulty scrubbing clips.)
Below are comments on the Panasonic AG-AF100 and Red Rock Micro’s DSLR rigs.
… Read the rest
Tuesday, January 4th, 2011
Back in September we asked, “Is Apple Delaying a New Final Cut Studio?” The French rumor site Hardmac reported that the next version of editing software had experience “setbacks” and that, furthermore, engineering talent was being transfered to the iOS department. Now, Hardmac is reporting that a new version of Final Cut Studio “should” come out in March or April. From the site:
Let’s start with Final Cut Suites. AS we reported earlier, all version of Final Cut should be unveiled in March or early April. It should be a substantial update when compared to the previous version, but not sure it could bring all new features expected by all Pro users. Two versions are already running at beta level, one for Snow Leopard, and one for Lion. Some new features will only be available on Lion’s version, due to the changes made on QuickTime layer.
Meanwhile, from Macstories is news of Cliptouch, a brand new Final Cut Server client app that’s popped up at the App Store. From the site:
I believe this is the first native Final Cut Server client specifically designed for the iPad — ClipTouch by Factorial. ClipTouch (which requires iOS 4.2, Final Cut Server v1.5.1 and access to open ports 8821 and 8826) works “out of the box” by giving you access to all your video assets stored in FCS, browse and collaborate on your media taking advantage of the iPad’s large screen and multi-touch functionalities.
You can use the iPad app instead of a review workstation to access your library over local or remote WiFi, 3G and VPN, download and view clip proxies, change the default asset’s metadata and add annotations. ClipTouch works with the standard format of clip proxies, but a compressor is available to achieve optimal results. A search feature is available, together with the possibility to clip the timecode display.
ClipTouch is available for $14.99 at the App Store.… Read the rest
Sunday, October 31st, 2010
Friends of the late Karen Schmeer, the documentary film editor whose credits include Errol Morris’s Fast, Cheap and Out of Control and Greg Barker’s Sergio, have honored their colleague by creating a fellowship for editors. They have partnered with ACE, SXSW, IFFBoston, the Manhattan Edit Workshop, and Powell’s books for this program intended to help-and-coming documentary editors while remembering Schmeer’s extraordinary accomplishments. Schmeer died last year when she was struck by a car fleeing a drug store robbery.
From the group’s website:
We are now accepting submissions for the Karen Schmeer Film Editing Fellowship. Awarded annually, the Fellowship was created to honor the memory of gifted editor, Karen Schmeer.
The deadline to apply is December 15, 2010.
The first Fellowship will be awarded by the end of February 2011.
DOWNLOAD THE APPLICATION FORM:
PDF version.
The Fellowship is a year-long experience that encourages and champions the talent of an emerging editor. It creates opportunities to help cultivate an editor’s artistry and craft, and expand his or her professional and creative community. The Fellowship is designed to broaden an editor’s horizons, and includes:
• A mentorship with an ACE editor, tailored to the fellow’s interests – in partnership with ACE
• A class at the Manhattan Edit Workshop – New York’s premier Apple, Adobe & Avid authorized training center
• Full festival passes to ACE EditFest in New York and Los Angeles – weekend seminars with working experts in the field of editing
• SXSW Film Festival Film Badge – full access to films, panels, mentor sessions & more at South By Southwest in Austin, Texas
• Independent Film Festival of Boston Chrome Festival Pass – full access to films, panels & more
• Travel expenses to one of the aforementioned festivals or to the Manhattan Edit Workshop (airfare, 4 nights of hotel, per diems)
• $500 online gift certificate to Powell’s Books in Portland, Oregon (Karen’s favorite)
• A year-long membership to DocuClub, Arts Engine’s monthly screening series of documentaries in rough cut stage, in NY
• Additional opportunities still being explored
For more information about Fellowship benefits and
… Read the rest
Tuesday, September 28th, 2010
Stunningly sad news today that Oscar-nominated editor Sally Menke, known for cutting all of Quentin Tarantino’s films, died sometime Monday while hiking in Los Angeles’s extreme heat. She had set out with a friend in Bronson Canyon; after an hour, her friend turned back, and when Menke didn’t return police were called. Her body was found at the bottom of a ravine with her dog at her side. The Los Angeles Times has the details.
In the public mind, editors are sometimes judged by the flashiness of their cutting, a style Tarantino’s films have never embraced. But his films are beautifully modulated, with conversations that lure the viewer in and storylines that refract theme, character and narrative detail in complex and successful ways. As Tarantino’s longtime collaborator in the cutting room, Menke deserves much credit here, and it’s just shocking to hear of her sudden passing. Our condolences to her friends and families.
Below is short piece from the Inglourious Basterds extras in which actors give their call-outs to the colleague who will be shaping their performances.
… Read the rest
Monday, August 9th, 2010
“Don’t make your festival premiere your first test screening,” I always say to the filmmakers who take the IFP Narrative Lab. It’s sounds basic, but you’d be surprised at how many filmmakers I’ve come across who never properly screen their cuts with an audience before taking them out into the world. In this final episode of The New Breed‘s series on filmmakers and their creative process shot at the Los Angeles Film Festival, Marwencol director Jeff Malmberg and producer Ted Hope discuss their late-edit screening processes.
Thanks to Zak Forsman and Kevin Shah of Sabi Pictures and to the Workbook Project for their work and collaboration with this series.
Go back and watch all the episodes here.
NEW BREED LOS ANGELES – Episode 7 from Sabi Pictures on Vimeo.… Read the rest
Wednesday, June 16th, 2010
Caffeine, The Departed and too much B-roll brings out Jamie Stuart’s hardboiled, affectionately profane persona in Splice This, a short film based around his trip to EditFest NY this weekend. It features interview material with longtime Scorsese-collaborator Thelma Schoonmaker and ace editor Alan Heim. (Warning: profanity. Not safe for work.) See more videos on our YouTube channel.
You can also download the original Quicktime here.
… Read the rest
