Use what you want and leave me alone

I just posted a comment on Shane Ross’ blog that was so long I decided to make it a post here.  :)  Sorry Shane.

First of all, why is editing natively such a big deal? Drives are cheap. Convert those files to a format that is smooth as silk to work with.

Second of all, who really cares how many people are editing on a certain platform? Are you really so insecure that you feel the need to get as many people as you can on your platform? I have worked in the worlds of AVID, Premiere, Vegas, Media100, and Final Cut Pro. I’ve landed with FCP and I’m staying because I like the hardware, the features, the price point, it just does what I need it to do. If you want to work on FCP, that’s great. If you don’t, I could really care less. It doesn’t affect me at all. At. All.

I don’t care what Walter Murch uses to edit his next feature. I don’t think any REAL editors do. Sure, it’s an interesting story, but I don’t know a single editor who switched to FCP because Murch used it. What that did do was give FCP a boost in credibility among those in the industry who are NOT editors. Again, I don’t care.

My clients are not the kind of clients who give 2 shakes what software I use, as long as I get the job done to their satisfaction. If I could make it look good enough for them, I could cut it on 3 1″ machines and an Amiga if I wanted. Stop worrying so much about what everyone else is using and use what you’re good with, what fits you. I’m not trying to sway anyone in any direction.

Seriously, you know what this really reminds me of? Like every state with more than one college sports team, or pro sports team, there’s always a ton of arrogant fans for one of the teams that just expects everyone would like their team had there not been some tragic accident some point along the way.  You know what I mean?  Here:

I work for Iowa State.  I attended Iowa State.  I am an Iowa State Fan.  Have been for most of my life.  Over the last decade, in football, we are 5-5 against the university of iowa.  We were well ahead in the count, but we had a coaching change that didn’t work out and set us back.  This year, we had a new coach again.  He miraculously got us a bowl victory in his first season.  He is very inspiring.  He was even the lead on Sportscenter for a week straight with an emotional, inspired speech in the locker room after we beat Nebraska IN Nebraska.  We are happy to have him as our football coach.

This season, however, iowa won the rivalry game. And they had a great season.  But do you know why I HATE the hawkeyes? Because a HUGE percentage of their fans are arrogant enough to honestly look me in the eye and say  things like “You know, you could always become a hawk fan. It’s not too late.”

Are you serious?  SERIOUS?  Sad thing is, they are.  They have this arrogant, cocky assumption that somewhere along the line, we were told we couldn’t be fans of the hawks, and we were really upset about that.  And that ‘for a limited time only,’ we too could have the chance to be an arrogant cocky asshole who drives to iowa city every other Saturday.

(By the way, I’m proud of the State of Iowa, I love Iowa State, but I refuse to capitalize iowa when used in reference to the eastern iowa university hawkeyes, because I refuse to show them the respect. My keyboard works just fine, I just refuse to capitalize those references. And if you scan back a few paragraphs, I even capitalize Nebraska. So suck on that, hawkeyes.)

The hawkeyes were on their way to a perfect season, undefeated, but some injuries took that dream from them.  I was ecstatic when they lost a game.  Not for the team.  I felt bad for the team, because they were a really good team.  No, I took great pleasure in watching the hawk fans writhe in misery and pain and wallow in self pity after the loss.  For the team’s sake, I wish they’d have gone undefeated, they deserved it.  But for the fans, I savored every moment of their turn of luck.

Okay, I’ve strayed far enough from editing.  What am I trying to say?  Use the tools that fit your style and leave everyone else alone.