Keyframes & Plugins

THOUGHTS (3D Screen plugin at bottom of page)
Had some thoughts swimming in my head. I recently embarked on the freelance world and have been interacting with other professionals. In the Post realm, at least here in South Texas, I'm pretty much a FCPX loner. Everyone is on CC or Avid (some still on Classic FCP!!), very few are on FCPX. I don't have a prob with that. My clients have complete trust and assurance in my work for them. They don't care to know what tools i use, they just want to know if the professional they rely on is available to work and deliver. That's it. If it is not good, they tell me, I am accountable. If it is good they tell me, still, I'm accountable. So even this article I wrote, really doesn't matter in the end, but, when it comes to the discipline, the focus, the love-of-the-game if you will, we as creative professionals seek to elevate ourselves to grand master. How to best implement our precision and how to most efficiently execute our inspirations into reality. This is what makes or drives me to constantly re-learn, re-focus and re-evaluate myself/skills/disciplines. So, with that out of the way. Lets get to it.

LESS CLICKS = BETTER PRODUCTIVITY
Like I was saying, I have an article up on FCP.CO (check it out here) that speaks to this. FCPX, I believe, speaks to this, streamlining the creative process. Specifically the editorial or storytelling process. The final writing phase of many silo's in this industry, but in particular, to the turnkey product. Where the final master is coming straight out of the NLE. This is big and solid segment silo. From Ad Agency to Business, turnkey usually means from script to press/click play. Promo videos, testimonials, training, informational, weddings, events, product launches, commercials and on and on. This segment is where I felt the philosophy of War on Keyframes really shines. I alluded earlier my interactions in the freelance world. I have supervised a few edit sessions and realized the amount of clicks to make a task happen. I thought, man, in FCPX, this would probably be done in 1 or 2 clicks, if that, or 1 click and drag. I had an idea i wanted the editor to try and it just seemed to stilt the creative process. I know, it is not just the NLE, but the talent behind it, so its 50/50, but still, just seem to bring everything to a halt. This got me wondering about my own editing and I realized my animating tasks were keyframe-less. From subtle to intricate, less and less keyframes (for these turnkey projects). I've rambled enough. Go read and watch the vid in the article. But this approach is key to our ever fast paced and changing digital world we live in. 

PLUGIN
Many have asked about the plugin in the video. Here it is for download. It is barebones, no real explanations. I made it for myself in a quick flash and turns out I use it more and more. Enjoy

TOMIGA FX Plugins
 

3D Screen
Gradient Blur
Polish Utility