Thanks for your comment. I agree we’re heading for a change with respect to businesses doing video on the cheap. But I don’t think that’s what has got professional editors pissed off. They’re mad because they have thousands (in some cases maybe tens of thousands) of dollars invested in equipment and labor in FCP and Apple just cut them off. But everything else you said is right on the money.

The doom seems to coincide with Apple’s intent and your blog fortifies that sentiment. Post-production pros need to be concerned. I’ve generally served indie, small biz and non-profits doing mostly production (sound or sound-and-video), with some post dabbled in. Often these entities are short-staffed with personnel already doing double-duty with no time for DIY.

Hence, I surmise there’s a significant market for production & post for those willing to work on low-to-mid budgets. The big-bucks pros, unfortunately, might not be receptive of this concept. I know people who invested heavily into video production and post equipment that is already passe (hardware is short-lived), but were entrepreneurial enough to capitalize on it when it was in vogue.

My video hardware investment is relatively small and scalable, but it too will be obsolete in a year, so I’m always trying to juggle expenditures with profits. I think each person in this industry needs to assess for themselves how to grapple with these changes.

Bob Palmer

Agreed. I’m not saying at all people will just stop using experts. Nowhere do I say that. I’m saying that if you currently serve this market, it will be more challenging to get that business because your clients will have more confidence doing jobs themselves. As far as Starbucks, they’re a good example of what I’m talking about. I don’t think people go to Starbucks because they’re expert at making coffee. Far from it. People go to Starbucks b/c of the experience. So, despite the fact that you pay $4 for an above average cup of coffee, you go. That’s a great lesson for us. What kind of experience can we provide that will yield clients coming to us, even if our work happens to be “just okay.”