There are customers in search of solutions. In my opinion, format support can
drive producers, editors and companies to a platform. This is an opportunity to
capture customers new to the segment or who would be willing to entertain a
compelling argument to switch products.
If Avid was first to market with robust direct RED support that would of
attracted quite a crowd. Can't remember exactly what the SDK allowed for early
on. Something akin to whats in V5 would of been the goal. There is room for
improvement. Some of what needs attention may relate to some of the issues we
talked about with the color corrector.
But a first, best, easiest RED toolkit may have meant Avid was hands down the
best choice for those working with that emerging format. Folks would of
followed. Especially if the software only MC versions could offer this, with
speed related advantages as you moved up the product chain.
Same could of been said for DSLRs...MAYBE.
Take the current situation with the Arri Alexa. A camera more associated with
FCP due to ProRes support. However if Avid became "the only way to fly" for
awesome Alexa post, then you may have some DPs recommending it and some
production companies adopting it.
"Awesome" is a reduction. Alexa support would need to be easy, robust, and
flexible. It would require the ability deftly handle ProRes quick-times by
assigning LUTs, curves, and scaling on the source side. So, no timeline funny
business to make up for the lack of ability to "bake it" color profiles. The
visual quality of the source side adjustments should be excellent. Alexa support
also requires the direct support of ArriRaw, much like RED in V5. Tools or
ability to easily move from ProRes "offlines" to ArriRaw "onlines" would find a
happy home here. Needs to be fast too.
A camera like Alexa is considered by many to be high-end. So having your own
product closely associated with it helps the perception of your gear too. Would
have been great if the industry adopted DNxHD as universal acquisition codec.
Avid may have needed to do some work in that regard and possibly provided a
4:4:4 variant. An Alexa recording to DNxHD instead of ProRes would have really
changed perceptions and directed a lot of eyeballs at Composer/Symphony.
There was a boat load of Alexa press, nearly all of it with mentions of Apple's
codecs and FCP.
Same goes for KiPro, Nanoflash recorders, Firestores and the like. Those devices
record to ProRes or other non Avid formats and naturally push their users
towards the NLEs with the best support for them.
It all starts with acquisition. This is where people are exposed to new formats.
New developments create problems in search of solutions. Yes, it is like betting
on horses but the risk may be worth the reward.
Just my thoughts.
Christopher Magid
RTVF
________________________________
From: oliverpetersvidy <oliverpeters@oliverpeters.com>
To: Avid-L2@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Mon, February 21, 2011 1:32:08 PM
Subject: [Avid-L2] Re: Symphony owners?
> Shirley Gutierrez wrote:
> Certainly not, unless Avid gives new users
> a reason to chose them!
I think they've been trying that. That's why the software versions exist and the
incredibly good educational deals. That sells Media Composer, but it does
nothing to advance Symphony, which is the point of this thread.
Let's take CC as an example. I've used Symphony and I've used MC, so I know the
difference. Yet, I have quite successfully delivered shows and features
(including to networks) using only the built-in tools of MC or FCP. So for me -
and most others - there's very little compelling reason to go to Symphony.
In fact, where CC is the issue, many Avid (and FCP) customers are looking into
DaVinci Resolve. Sure, it's not integrated, but it does add another "name"
product and a powerful toolset. You can't market a price advantage for Symphony
when there's so little difference. If you bring up a new generation of editors
on MC, will they want more? Avid already missed an early opportunity to tie in
the Artist Color panel. On the other hand, I can use it with Smoke, Storm or
Color.
I think it's funny that Avid gets all the flak for its marketing association
with "enterprise" users - mainly TV shows and film editors. Yet marketing is
aspirational. Apple has been doing that with FCP since Murch switched over and
its been quite successful. Why shouldn't it be for Avid? It's been successful
for Pro Tools, as well. Of course, what's aspirational about Symphony? Job is
one of the few feature film editors I've ever heard of that uses Symphony for
creative cutting.
Again, my first point was to merge the products and concentrate on 1 or 2
professional video NLEs and then market the hell out of them.
- Oliver
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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