Did anyone else here in LA get the mail from Metro Video Systems saying "give the Avid one last job" where they are trying to push Autodesk Flame and Smoke stuff?  They actually had the audacity to put an old computer with spiders and cobwebs on the front and make it out to be an Avid.

They then say "we know that good old Avid has served you well, but maybe it's not quite "cutting" it for you these days...." And they continue on.  

Are you kidding me?  June needs to get here now! 

Yup, just got into work, and there it was on my desk.  And, they use the 1995 Avid triangle logo.

This is one reason I have the quote from Joseph on my signature - it is all about what people are told and perception.  If Avid is the best product since the inception of filmmaking it is irrelevant if people are receiving cobweb brochures and buy into it.

One cobweb brochure from metro video systems along with the word on the street saying "you need Final Cut for RED" and someone's mind has changed.

It is a rapid downward progression from there.

Cm'on June.

I was told that my next job would be using the Red camera and I would need to  use final cut. I said AVID or change editors. I think the camera will be changed. RED needs AVID, we don't need the RED.

 

where I work we have a Smoke but guess what, we also have Symphony and DS Nitris, Adrenalines and Meridiens.  Different machines for different jobs.  Nobody is going to start cutting exclusively on Smokes for about $120,000 a pop

 

and guess what, my company is also working on two features that were shot with the Red camera and editing on Avid....obviously with some workflow tinkering but it's not like you have to edit FCP just because you shot on Red

 

ravidedit:

and guess what, my company is also working on two features that were shot with the Red camera and editing on Avid....obviously with some workflow tinkering but it's not like you have to edit FCP just because you shot on Red

 

....One can never, ever, ever trust salesman's talk ! They will tell you anything you want to hear or not want to hear, or whatever it takes to get a sale ! One must always do their own research and get confirmations.

 EDIT: Red is also starting to behave a little squirrelly. They started off saying they were going to bring digital ultra resolution cinema to low budget indie-film makers, and get on board now-blah, blah, blah. We know now this was most certainly NOT their end game at all ! What RED is really trying to do is supplant Panavision and become the new elitest -high end camera maker for the Hollywood film industry-NOT the independents. Yeah, sure, the camera's only $17,500.00 US, but that's a bare body. A bare body is not enough to shoot a movie is it ? Then you need their software at $50,000.00, and their extra lenses and their extra storage and next thing you know, you now have a $100,000.00 grand camera ! Yup. Salesmen. Gotta love them !

 "....One can never, ever, ever trust salesman's talk !"

In 1996 Avid told us the next release of MC would seemlessly integrate with Protools.

in 2000 Avid told us that RAID protection on Unity would drop from 50% overhead to approx 20%.

In 2005 Avid told us there would be an uncompressed HD option for Adrenaline.

... it goes both ways.

Randall L Rike:

 "....One can never, ever, ever trust salesman's talk !"

In 1996 Avid told us the next release of MC would seemlessly integrate with Protools.

in 2000 Avid told us that RAID protection on Unity would drop from 50% overhead to approx 20%.

In 2005 Avid told us there would be an uncompressed HD option for Adrenaline.

... it goes both ways.

 ...Randal, you're absolutely right ! I don't trust any salesman's talk. I need to do research and be satisfied I'm getting the straight dope on what's what, or else I walk away. I know what you mean. It is like stepping through a mine field.

 

Randall L Rike:

In 1996 Avid told us the next release of MC would seemlessly integrate with Protools.

in 2000 Avid told us that RAID protection on Unity would drop from 50% overhead to approx 20%.

In 2005 Avid told us there would be an uncompressed HD option for Adrenaline.

"The MC9000 will always be the flagship editor" (just some time before the launch of the Meridien based Symphony)

"We'll never do uncompressed SD on a Mac."

There must be more. ;-)

 

 

ravidedit:

Nobody is going to start cutting exclusively on Smokes for about $120,000 a pop

 

 

This isn't the point - the point I'm trying to make is that cobweb brochures implying that Avid is old technology will in fact kill us.  I've worked with IBM and Novell solutions back in the day, and watched them go from giants to nothing due to the marketing wisdom of Microsoft.

My friends came back from NAB in 2007 and said "Kyler - Avid is dead".  The guy that said that was a DP.  What does he know?  Nothing.  But 10 DPs saying that on the street, the low price pressure from Final Cut, the RED compatibility pressure, the cobweb marketing tactics....

All I'm saying is that none of us will be cutting on an Avid product in five years if Avid does not top the other players in marketing.  And we editors need to be pumping out the words like "Avid's new products kick Final Cut out of the park", etc.  People believe what they hear. 

IBM's quiet marketing and stellar products has done what for them over the years?  They've sold their PC line to a China based company and they dump millions into R&D and license their technology to the others that know how to market like Dell, Microsoft and Intel.  

So maybe Adobe Premiere could use a Nitris box someday....

 

jasperfdo:

All I'm saying is that none of us will be cutting on an Avid product in five years if Avid does not top the other players in marketing. 

 ......Avid should pull "an Apple," and shout from the rooftops of the industry how good it is. I would if I owned the company. I would also go after the lower end young wannabees (Like us except for the young part). At the same time I would also continue to build up the Hollywood end of the business. I don't see why Avid can't do both quite effectively.

"At the same time I would also continue to build up the Hollywood end of the business."

Ya think?  Avid had a specialized Film Team in the Burbank office from 1995 - 1999.  I was part of it, as a member of the Phone Support Team.  We also had a dedicated Applications Editor to assist us.  Then in 1999, for economic reasons, the West Coast Call Center was dismantled.  I believe Avid is attempting to build that presense back up ... but they've lost a LOT of momentum and customers in the mean time.  BTW, Avid rocks as a company to work for!  We really had  a blast.

Randall L Rike:

Then in 1999, for economic reasons, the West Coast Call Center was dismantled.  I believe Avid is attempting to build that presense back up ... but they've lost a LOT of momentum and customers in the mean time. 

 ......I think it's not too late to build that back, but soon it could be. The MC product definitely rocks !

I think SmokeHD starts at half that as a turnkey. You get a lot of bang for those bucks.

ravidedit:

where I work we have a Smoke but guess what, we also have Symphony and DS Nitris, Adrenalines and Meridiens.  Different machines for different jobs.  Nobody is going to start cutting exclusively on Smokes for about $120,000 a pop