Gmail crapped on me!

Was writing a long email with a bunch of specific notes that relate to a cut I was ready to send a client.

I lost connection somehow, couldn't get Gmail to respond for a long while. I had to restart the computer and my draft email was EMPTY! Except for a couple of lines, all GONE.

This is the old ghost creeping in, what's not on your computer... Can you really trust it? Does it really save your work all the time?  Answer: NO! IT DOES NOT!

We are offered a convenience with no guarantee in exchange for our personal data. No guarantee.

Lesson learned, I will type my emails in TextEdit before I Copy n'Paste and send at once.

Emojis on macOS Sierra

Call on emojis on Mac by punching: Control + Command + Spacebar. Boom, the emoji/symbols window pops-up.

[Control, ⌘, Spacebar]

As demonstrated by Ben Mercer and Jan Willem den Bok among others, it's a great way to quickly visualize information in FCPX. For example I like to add a ❌ to my "do not use" cuts, and a ✅ to my current cuts.

This way I see immediately that FCPX has opened the proper cut or an old cut in the Timeline without deciphering the names themselves.

I'm still experimenting, and I suppose if you use too many emojis, things start to get blurry again, so it's a balance.

Adobe Illustrator CC 2018 Export Bug Fixed in 11-2-17 Update

Today Adobe offers an upgrade to Illustrator CC to fix an export bug:
https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/kb/troubleshoot-export-issues.html

New stuff in Illustrator CC 2018 (It's called October 2017 Release - Am I the only one to find this confusing?):
https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/whats-new.html

Da main Illustrator User Guide page:
https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/user-guide.html?topic=/illustrator/morehelp/introduction.ug.js

FCPX 1.4 announced at FCPX World - Also link to macOS Sierra installer (via fcp.co)

FCPX 1.4 announced at FCPX World:
http://www.fcp.co/final-cut-pro/news/2011-final-cut-pro-x-10-4-announced-with-new-wheels-and-curves-colour-controls-and-360-tools-built-in

Geez, so much about 360º stuff.

Remarkably, Michael Hancock gives us a link to macOS Sierra installer from Apple. For the ones of you who forgot to download it from App Store before the update to High Sierra. Thanks MH!

Michael Hancock · 

Works at CROP Creative Media

Here's how to get Sierra from the app store, since Apple unlisted it. Scroll down an click on "Get Mac OS Sierra" and it will open the App store and you can download it and upgrade from El Capitan.  https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208202

No more Dolby AC3 in Adobe Media Encoder 2018

I can confirm that AME 2018 lacks Dolby AC3 settings.

AME 2018 - No more Dolby AC3. Only Mpeg and PCM

I installed the new version and forgot to uncheck "Remove Old Versions", so I re-installed AME 2017 from CC App Manager.

If you need AC3, go get AME 2017 now while it's still available, and remember DO NOT REMOVE OLD VERSIONS next time you update.

AME 2017 - With Dolby AC3

Interestingly, after two installs of AME 2018 and 2017, I cannot install another older version. Only option now is to Uninstall.

Are we limited to installing two versions of the same App?

TIFF 2017 Robert Guediguian & Ariane Ascaride discussion

Great discussion with Robert Guediguian & Ariane Ascaride at TIFF last September.
(It's in French. Google Auto-Translate to English is pretty terrible.)

Excerpts:

- We do not do cinema for nothing. Films must serve justice, ask questions, try to understand the world, denounce and fight injustice and offer alternatives. We think and speak for others. There is always a point of view.

- Working with others is trusting them to propose ideas, and then choose. Not imposing your preconceived ideas onto others. Directing is simple, it's just saying yes or no.

- I cannot live in a ghetto, I must rub with people and know how people live in their own world. Some people have much more pressing stories to tell than the stories we tell in the west. These are the stories I'm interested with.

- Identities are chosen, I see them as juxtaposition, as layers. You are responsible for your own identity.

You are one of a kind! Thank you Robert!!

Also, AF Toronto, can you please QC your videos...? That's the problem with direct upload, you do not see the results until it's posted. Oops! Too late!  Guess what NLE is being used?

Adobe Creative Cloud Price increase in March 2018

Here we go... Adobe raising the monthly fee for CC from $49.99 to $52.99 in March of 2018.

https://blogs.adobe.com/creativecloud/redefining-modern-creativity-with-the-next-generation-of-creative-cloud/

Adobe is invested in accelerating the creative process for everyone with the world’s best creative apps. After more than five years of continuous innovation, we’re making a modest adjustment in Creative Cloud commercial pricing for North America customers, which will take effect on March 1 or at the next contract renewal. Until then, renewing subscribers can experience the value of the new features and products announced and available today and new subscribers can lock in a year subscription at the current price with no additional charge:

• Our current STE Student/Education, Creative Cloud Photography and XD plans will see no pricing adjustment.
• Creative Cloud for Individuals All and Single App plans will increase by 6%. For example, the new price for Creative Cloud All Apps annual plan will be $52.99 per month from $49.99.
• Creative Cloud for Teams plans will increase by 14%. For example, the new price for Creative Cloud for Teams All Apps annual plan will be $79.99 per month from $69.99.

For more on what we’re sharing with the creative community at Adobe MAX this year, watch the Adobe MAX keynotes or learn more on Adobe.com.

Modest adjustment? I say this sucks. I already think $49.99 is TOO MUCH since I am not using all apps or services offered for this price.

Adobe, you must widen your offering. I would like a "pick your apps" plan let you select 1, 2, 3, 4 or more apps for a more affordable price.

There are a bunch of apps in this bouquet that I never use (Dreamweaver, XD, Character Animator) and probably never will. Look at this list! Red crosses everywhere...

Currently I'm only using 8 out of 58 apps or services (14%.) !!!

But I pay for all of it = 100%. Is this fair?

Even with a sort of a weighting system, I use 6 out of 29 Desktop Apps (20%), 1 out of 18 iOs Apps (6%), 1 out of 11 Services (9%)

Even considering the non-Desktop apps as fluff - which they aren't when you need them and use them for work. Even considering that some apps weigh more than others: Photoshop say, I'm not hitting HALF of the value.

What's your stance with this?