Apple’s “All In” move: Big Win or Epic Fail?

Biscardi Creative Blog by Walter Biscardi

So by now it’s a known fact that the FCPUG Supermeet on April 12 in Las Vegas has been abruptly taken over by Apple. Yes, it says “special presenter” on the but it’s a known fact now that it will be Apple showing off the new Final Cut Pro and most likely the entire new Studio suite.

Now we know that Apple has already broken with policy by allowing Larry Jordan to publicly make a few comments about a Final Cut Pro event in Cupertino a few months ago. This was a remarkable change and I definitely took that as a signal that Apple would be making an appearance at NAB. Allowing Larry to speak publicly was certainly a marketing ploy designed to drum up some interest in the product for the show. After all, we’ve been waiting two years to see something, anything, from Apple and of course Larry called the new FCP “jaw dropping.” I expected Apple to do one of its patented Sunday afternoon events so we’d all be talking about Final Cut Pro during the show and be able to pester Adobe and Avid about their responses to what Apple was going to offer. Or perhaps Apple would be the final presentation at the FCPUG SuperMeet. But to suddenly demand essentially a total takeover of the event? Nope, even I didn’t see that one coming.

Regardless of whether you applaud this move or not (I’m in the “or not” category) let’s take a look at what this means for Apple and Final Cut Pro. In the parlance of Las Vegas, Apple has gone “All In” for this one event. There is no Apple booth on the show floor. There is no Sunday Apple Marketing event. There is no ANYTHING from Apple other than a complete takeover of one of the largest paid gatherings of video editors at NAB. In other words, just one shot in front of an audience of the very people who will make or break the product and presentation. read more...