Avid says No to NAB 2008
by gizmac
on
Nov 15, 2007 at 2:29:55 am
I am glad Ron is bringing up the fact that expos can get to the point of being too expensive for the return on the investment.
My company does exhibit at the MacWorld Expo every year and each year we debate whether we can increase sales quick enough to pay for the expo expenses before it is time for the next expo...we would like to exhibit at NAB also, but then we would have less time between expos to recover the expenses.
Next MacWorld Expo, we have a couple of strong product releases around the expo time, so we think (hope, cross our fingers, etc.) our company will do very well next year...but there is no way of being sure.
I kid the president each year around this time by saying we should just stick a big sign in our completely empty booth space that just says "www.XRackPro.com"...very much like what Ron hinted at doing with the money instead of expos.
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by Ron Lindeboom on Nov 15, 2007 at 5:37:28 am
I can sympathize with companies that feel strapped by expos.
Back when we did our own expo, Creative COW West in 2003, we had over 40 companies as I recall on our expo floor. We had the usual Platinum, Gold and Silver sponsors. We had booths and brought a couple of thousand people to the Westin Hotel's conference and expo center in Los Angeles.
It was fun but it was VERY expensive. Fortunately, we didn't lose money or we'd have been out of business, quick.
But it taught me the other side of conferences and expos and why they are so expensive.
It also taught me that I am not sure that I'd really ever want to do it again.
I can understand why NAB wants every nickel on the table but I can also understand why companies like Avid are getting sick of the drill -- and drill is a pretty accurate description.
Some people say that Avid is bowing out because they are in trouble. This kind of short-sighted argument really bores me and bore me quick.
Why?
These people ignore the fact that in the restructuring of Avid that recently happened, they brought in the man who ran their most successful video division, Graham Sharp of Avid Europe (a man with a strong record of doing things against the grain and having it work profitably, very profitably). Graham has always played his gut instincts and he has proven his instincts to be quite accute.
Graham was the head of Avid's European offices and he spent years ignoring IBC. Instead, he took the money and got toe-to-toe with those who wanted to know more about Avid and who wanted to get real answers from Avid -- not the kind that come on a 1-800- line where some know-nothing tells you "Yeah, our system does that." Or the kind of answers you get from a 10 minute demo on the battlefloor of NAB. Graham is an expert guerrilla marketer with the track record to prove it.
As I said, he also has a long history of hating tradeshows. He's a strong advocate of roadshows and targeted mini-conferences that take Avid's message directly to the best prospects -- and he knows how to find him.
Huge tradeshows are dying. Just look at demise of Showbiz Expo, the NY DV Show, the LA DV Show and others that are now dead and gone. Even DV Expo, Siggraph, NAB and others continue to spiral downward -- some with actual attendee number losses and fewer and fewer supporting vendors, etc. Other shows lose by the quality of the attendees dropping to the point where many companies that I talk to are saying that they get questions today that almost make them want to break out laughing -- or crying, and just go home.
Me, I will stand by my words and say that I believe that over the next few years, these shows will become less and less important and their attendees and exhibitors will dwindle.
Avid is not the first and they surely won't be the last. But, to date, they are indeed the biggest fish that has leaped from the pond and strode off looking for their own better way to market.
Me, I wish them luck and think that the day has come for companies to recognize the fact that the market has changed -- REALLY changed.
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by Ben Holmes on Nov 15, 2007 at 9:46:27 am
Ron
I don't doubt that the market has changed, but I'm not sure that just because it makes little sense for YOU to be at NAB (you're an online business) that it makes little sense for AVID. As expensive as shows like NAB and IBC are, they also signal intent on behalf of the company to be in a market, to allow direct comparison of their products to others, and to build personal relationships with buyers and new customers - particularly the new consumers that will become their userbase in years to come. For hire companies and post-production houses, the shows present a unique opportunity to do business with multiple companies over a short time period - often this is a money saver, not a drain on time or resources - and I speak from personal experience here. I know many companies who do a great deal of business at NAB, millions of dollars every year.
I suspect that some of AVID's reasons may be more prosaic. As I long time FCP user, I knew I had made the right choice in technology when I visited NAB a few years ago and arrived at the steps down to the post hall. On my right was a huge Apple stand PACKED with people, many of them younger professionals taking a look at the latest builds of FCP etc. To the left of that aisle was AVID, in a large but almost entirely empty stand. The staff manning it had a slighty bemused look every time I passed.
There may well have been a paradigm shift - in editing - and I think AVID may have been on the receiving end....
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by Olivier on Nov 15, 2007 at 12:18:00 pm
I missed AVID at IBC this year. Which is probably one of the maddest thing I could say as we run only FCP.
We always take the company to Amsterdam to give them an idea what new technologies are out there and have a good time. It's a great and very effective way to see what there is out there. All our major purchasing decisions are influenced at these shows. If we are interested we generally set up follow up meeting.
I know Avid do road shows but I've never seen one or heard one and we are based in Soho. So to me there are not very effective. I way prefer to go once to a show than having all these multiple demos and generally when I see something new and interesting I go round to other stands and see if they can do it and how.
I've always found it a very weird that AVID decided not to go to IBC for the last 3 years and maybe if they had we would have got a system. Especially one that runs on a Mac.
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by Ron Lindeboom on Nov 15, 2007 at 2:06:48 pm
Oliver,
Smaller shops are not the target market of Avid. They likely pass you by for the same reason that they pass me by. We are just too small here to truly appreciate the kind of infrastructure that Avid has developed to meet the needs of their core market, which is made up of customers that want to manage huge amounts of data from many, many projects, all accessible and managed within a construct that disallows one person access to a file for one reason, while allowing another access -- all the while giving full management access to those who need to oversee the project.
That is not a story that communicates well on a noisy showfloor in a matter of minutes.
I agree that not being on the showfloor sends a certain message and it is one that will likely hurt Avid -- some.
But if Graham is half as good a marketer as I think he is, I think that the company will likely surprise some (oh, while likely rankling and angering others).
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by Olivier on Nov 15, 2007 at 2:17:33 pm
Hi Ron
I don't entirely agree to that, as we've been looking at what Quantel are up and the only reason it popped on the radar was that they were at IBC doing some cool new stuff that we didn't expect. Obviously after that noisy trying to get a appointment at the stand did we have a one to one in Soho.
I just have no idea what Avid are up to and at these shows I'm all ears on what is happening. Then during the rest of the year I'm working out which problem I need to solve.
Mmm what should I do now... ahh yea color 1.02 see what they have fixed and not!
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by David Roth Weiss on Nov 15, 2007 at 4:30:50 pm
[Ron Lindeboom]"not being on the showfloor sends a certain message and it is one that will likely hurt Avid -- some.
But if Graham is half as good a marketer as I think he is, I think that the company will likely surprise some (oh, while likely rankling and angering others)."
Ron,
Unfortunately, Avid is now going to have to face a problem that is perhaps more difficult to contend with than any reality. The company is now going to be forced to contend against the perception or "feeling" that they are failing, and whether thats true or not, it may not matter. Once the spector of failure is raised, it can be like fighting with shadows--often the more a company ratchets up its public relations machine to assure people the company isn't failing, the greater the perception that they really are.
I suspect Avid may be in for a very tough time. Jousting with shadows is not easy.
David
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los Angeles
POST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY™
A forum host of Creative COW's Business & Marketing, and Indie Film & Documentary forums.
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by Ron Lindeboom on Nov 15, 2007 at 4:36:43 pm
[David Roth Weiss]"The company is now going to be forced to contend against the perception or "feeling" that they are failing, and whether thats true or not, it may not matter. Once the spector of failure is raised, it can be like fighting with shadows--often the more a company ratchets up its public relations machine to assure people the company isn't failing, the greater the perception that they really are."
For years, I have said many, many times that "In a marketing war, perception is everything."
And it is.
Perceptions will either make or break you and I agree that Avid's move is likely to have repercussions that they may live to regret.
Time will tell.
But Graham Sharp has fought and won against that perception in Europe for years, eschewing IBC and taking his show on the road for great profitability and market success.
But as many European companies can attest to, them damned Yankees think and act funny.
As I heard in one of my sci-fi shows the other night: the future is not set in stone.
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by Hellena on Nov 15, 2007 at 12:25:52 pm
Ben,
I sincerely hope that the number of people on a stand is not what makes you commit to a product - but the product itself. We all know that Apple are good at creating a buzz around their product range. But does this really help you Ben when you are editing?
Marketing is one thing. I prefer to work with products that actually work. A nice wrapping doesn't do it for me. And isn't NAB just that?
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by Phil Grimpo on Nov 15, 2007 at 1:12:33 pm
For me, I've always held my major purchases until I go to NAB and hold the product, talk to the vendors, compare with others, etc. I don't have time to read through every trade show magazine and keep track of what's what. It's nice to go to NAB and have it all there. See how others are reacting, develop some relationships with vendors, etc.
And I agree with the Road Shows in both senses. I LOVE it when I can see a road show and have a very one-on-one setting. However, in Lincoln NE that very rarely ever happens. If I'm going to drive 5 hours to Minneapolis, I might as well fly 2 hours to Vegas and see it all.
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by walter biscardi on Nov 15, 2007 at 1:29:25 pm
[Phil Grimpo]"And I agree with the Road Shows in both senses. I LOVE it when I can see a road show and have a very one-on-one setting. However, in Lincoln NE that very rarely ever happens. If I'm going to drive 5 hours to Minneapolis, I might as well fly 2 hours to Vegas and see it all."
Completely agree there. No way a Road Show can hit all the potential customers and if you're going to pay to travel for a one day road show, you're better off traveling to a major convention where you can compare everything at once. I've only been to one road show from Adobe a few years back and it was just a stage show and no way to get near the actual product or product managers.
Avid's Road Shows will be targeted where they can hit large market clients because that's really the only way they can survive. Somebody buying one system or two systems is not worth their time, hence no need for a booth. They need 50 to 200+ systems purchased to make any deal worth their while anymore.
Of course as I noted in the Final Cut Pro forum, those large clients are going to be harder and harder to come by. CNN Atlanta is transitioning from Avid to Final Cut Pro as we speak and from what I've been told it was the horrendous customer service that really doomed them.
Nobody twisted Avid's arm to run an 80' by 80' booth or whatever their footprint was. Bottom line for me, Avid is losing the overall NLE war to Apple and Adobe. I don't see how staying off the show floor completely helps them to gain market share back.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by Ron Lindeboom on Nov 15, 2007 at 2:27:34 pm
I both agree some and disagree some with my venerable and esteemed friend, Walter.
I agree that Avid's reputation as a stodgy and smug company with an attitude has hurt it. I can't count the number of times that I have called people at Avid only to realize that Jimmy Buffett was right when he wrote the song, "If the phone doesn't ring, it's me."
But just as Autodesk, Adobe and others have been through major restructurings, so has Avid and it was one that used a fairly wide and large broom. ;o)
When we called Avid for an interview with Graham Sharp yesterday, we had it in minutes. That's never happened before.
But I disagree when simplifying purchases down to making up one's mind on what can be gleaned from a showfloor.
Why?
I have been to many deep all day product roadshows, some that have lasted for two to four days. With a tool like an Avid, I have probably five or six days of intense all-day seminars digging into the features and I am far from knowledgeable about all that's there. I doubt that I have covered a third of what makes an Avid, an Avid.
But what I learned on a showfloor sitting in my seat for 10 to 20 minutes? Not much.
Apple plays well at NAB. Adobe's presentation from all I heard, was a far second to Apple's "wow, the crowd" approach. Avid? Well, let's be nice and ask did they even have a big press event last year?
;)
Regardless of the outcome of Avid's decision, companies like Sony have left Comdex, a show that was one of the pivotal shows for them. In doing so, they set the stage for many others to follow their lead.
The tradeshow industry is in a world of hurt, far more than Avid.
Already gone are a long list of shows like Showbiz Expo (that had been a Hollywood cornerstone for years and years), gone also are the NY DV Show and LA DV Show, Videomaker gave up their show a few years back, the DVD Tech Expo is gone, DV Expo is a 20% to 25% of what it once was at its peak, Siggraph continues to get smaller and smaller each year, NAB is shrinking in both size and importance, and the list could go on and on...
Whether Avid has made a brilliant move or has just shot itself in the head, remains to be seen. But the fact remains that they have $2 million in a war chest to play the kinds of strategies that Graham Sharp played in Europe to remarkable success and profit -- all while avoiding IBC.
Tradeshows are important but they are not indespensible -- nor in this day of the internet are they indestructible.
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by walter biscardi on Nov 15, 2007 at 2:40:03 pm
[Ron Lindeboom]"Already gone are a long list of shows like Showbiz Expo (that had been a Hollywood cornerstone for years and years), gone also are the NY DV Show and LA DV Show, Videomaker gave up their show a few years back, the DVD Tech Expo is gone, DV Expo is a 20% to 25% of what it once was at its peak, Siggraph continues to get smaller and smaller each year, NAB is shrinking in both size and importance, and the list could go on and on..."
I personally think all of these other shows realized that there's really no need for any other trade show than NAB in the States. I also believe most of the companies who were on the show floors realized this too.
NAB will most definitely shrink in size, but it is the one show that "if I can only go to one show this year" it's going to be NAB. There's nothing else like it (except IBC) where you can truly see just about everything in one location.
For a major company to simply pull up stakes and say "See we saved $2 million!" just tells me they spent way too much money on their booth all these years. The NAB show floor is not about having the largest booth and (in Avid's case) the loudest booth. It's about having "boots on the ground" so the end customer can put a face to a company.
A smarter marketing plan would have been to scale back the footprint to something more modest while also running a hospitality suite for their larger clients.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.
............ NAB IS DEAD ........really? by Rennie on Nov 16, 2007 at 2:13:15 am
[walter biscardi]"[Ron Lindeboom] "Already gone are a long list of shows like Showbiz Expo (that had been a Hollywood cornerstone for years and years), gone also are the NY DV Show and LA DV Show, Videomaker gave up their show a few years back, the DVD Tech Expo is gone, DV Expo is a 20% to 25% of what it once was at its peak, Siggraph continues to get smaller and smaller each year, NAB is shrinking in both size and importance, and the list could go on and on..."
I personally think all of these other shows realized that there's really no need for any other trade show than NAB in the States. I also believe most of the companies who were on the show floors realized this too. "
Precisely, NAB had a good thing and a lot of up and comers came along and saturated the market.
[walter biscardi]"
NAB will most definitely shrink in size, but it is the one show that "if I can only go to one show this year" it's going to be NAB. There's nothing else like it (except IBC) where you can truly see just about everything in one location. "
I was just looking at the stats on nab attendance for 2007 and it is about 108,000, about the same as when I last attended in 2000.
Since the early days of the acceptance of computers into the video editing environment the market has changed immensely. Every Joe Blow who has been laid off a the local TV station has a FCS and is competing in the same market place. The 400 or so movies in production has to compete for it's market share of viewers who are now producing their own content (docs, shorts,youtube etc.) The masses are less and less content to watch make believe action movies for entertainment and are focusing more and more on real world issues that confront us daily.
I think Avid like a lot of companies just has to tighten it's belt. Most companies traditionally did NAB AND road shows. Road shows are nothing new for anyone. I think Avid should have just scaled down their booth but continued a presence at NAB.
Re: ............ NAB IS DEAD ........really? by Ron Lindeboom on Nov 16, 2007 at 4:50:53 am
Oh please, Rennie...
Who in the heck said that NAB was DEAD???
Sheesh.
What I said was that NAB is becoming increasingly irrelevant as a means of marketing for SOME companies, Avid being one and the COW another.
You seem fit to prove that the only exercise some people get is jumping to conclusions.
I have talked to more than a few companies who have written me following the publishing of this letter and they have been largely quite favorable, by far.
That said, if you wish to try to put words in my mouth, at least read what was said and use my words, okay???
Re: ............ NAB IS DEAD ........really? by Rennie on Nov 16, 2007 at 11:48:37 pm
Sorry Ron, I hadn't meant to infer you had meant nab is dead but after reading many of the comments ie:" I believe that over the next few years, these shows will become less and less important and their attendees and exhibitors will dwindle." it sounded like doom and gloom for nab.
It spurned me to check the attendance records and they seem as healthy as ever so I just wanted to make a point before too many people decided nab was not worth going to anymore.
Some times my sense of humor takes over as with my heading NAB IS DEAD. I was using it as a newspaper cartoonist would use a humorous drawing to make a point in favor of nab. My intention was not to put words in yours or anyone else's mouth but merely to invoke some positive thought to all potential nab supporters. I apologize if it came off any other way.
I for one look forward to attending more nab conventions in the future and find them valuable. I live in a city with NO (ZERO) professional equipment dealers with the closest ones being 5 hours and a $100.00 ferry ride away. I find I'm often steered away from what I initially inquired about in favor of the brand of choice (of the dealer) when I call these distance dealers. At nab, attendees can get hands on exposure and fair representation of just about any product or brand.
NAB is much more than an annual convention with roots deeply implanted into the commercial video world. As someone who has run a small not for profit convention on a break even basis it is easy to see the enormous potential for profit of a convention the size of NAB. (the city of Las Vegas should pay them to rent the convention centers and hold the event there!) Profits from the convention must offset many of the other arms of the organization. Perhaps it's time to scale this offset back to make it more affordable for attendees and trades exhibitors alike to remain a part of the convention.
Re: ............ NAB IS DEAD ........really? by Ron Lindeboom on Nov 17, 2007 at 12:18:38 am
Thanks for the clarification, Rennie.
Like you, I live in a nowhere town hours from anywhere. We are halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco and it seems that our area, like yours, is out of the flow of this industry.
But as I said somewhere else, NAB is great because it's a party -- not because it's necessary.
That my opinion.
I don't argue that NAB *posts* that they get large numbers. But there is only one event that posts audited numbers and that is DV Expo. NAB posts the number of people that sign up. But there are far fewer that actually show up.
Many that work the booths joke during breaks, etc., that we see the same people going back and forth for days. And it's true for those that work the COW booth as our business is people and so we are looking at them, not at a computer screen.
I'd guess that NAB's *real* floor numbers are somewhere between 40,000 to 60,000. Still a huge number but without any kind of third party verification, it's hard to say what's really going on.
That's why we love Alexa.com, Compete.com, TrafficEstimate.com and Google Analytics. Between them, we can prove that we have five-times the traffic every month of the year that NAB has at its peak.
I am NOT saying that we are more important than NAB and I do not believe that for a moment. What I *am* saying is that the market is changing and as sites like CreativeCOW.net continue to grow, traditional venues that people went to for information -- like magazines and expos -- become less and less important and it is why they struggle.
As Tim and I like to say, we aren't chasing news in the Creative COW Magazine. Why? These forums do a far better job ferrting out press releases, reviews and other traditional fodder of dead tree-based journalism than we ever could. So we look for the deeper stories, more broad-scoped analysis and commentary on things that really matter in the long run -- this, as tools change all the time but over-riding principles usually don't.
It's why the COW Magazine is growing faster than we can add people to our database. We have budgeted monies to keep the magazine in the black and so we only add just so many with each issue. Most all of our competitors would love to be in that position. But they aren't. Why? They are all chasing the same news and reviews and have the same hunks of plastic on their covers every month.
Times are not only a' changin', but so is the market and since writing this article here at the COW, I have been written by people at most all the major networks who have said that they loved reading it.
Our membership sign ups are three-times normal and we had the biggest sign-up day in our history yesterday.
While there are indeed a lot of people that love going to NAB, the truth is, there are many who have been in this industry for decades who never want to walk its hallowed halls again, it seems.
More and more of the people we met at NAB over the last few years are newer users who are just starting out. The old guard that we used to meet and talk with is fading out and tell me that they love sites like the COW just because it helps them keep up with things without being obligated to travel anymore.
For those who love to travel, god bless 'em, me says. ;o)
But I can too understand those who say that they'll just take the information please, without all the sensory overload, thank you.
Again, that is just my opinion and I am not asking you or anyone else to agree with me.
Re: ............ NAB IS DEAD ........really? by Rennie on Nov 17, 2007 at 12:42:14 am
I didn't realize these were un-audited numbers. Now I'm feeling guilty...I registered for the 1st time in 7 years with hopes of going last year only to have my plans dashed by some work opportunities which took precedence.
Re: ............ NAB IS DEAD ........really? by Ron Lindeboom on Nov 17, 2007 at 1:06:10 am
[Rennie]"I didn't realize these were un-audited numbers. Now I'm feeling guilty...I registered for the 1st time in 7 years with hopes of going last year only to have my plans dashed by some work opportunities which took precedence."
Making money is good, Rennie.
;o)
At least that's what I hear from all those old guys up at the top of this forum. (I am not like them, I look far younger in person -- it's just a bad picture.)
"Yeah right, Lindeboom," mutters those whose retinas have been burned by hall lights reflecting off too much white hair, while chatting at the COW booth during past NABs.
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by Ben Holmes on Nov 15, 2007 at 2:47:50 pm
[Hellena]"I sincerely hope that the number of people on a stand is not what makes you commit to a product - but the product itself."
That's not what I said - although I expected a certain amount of AVID/FCP backlash from my comments. I said I knew I had made the right decision (some time earlier) when I saw the levels of interest for the two products. I will not debate the pros and cons of the systems here, but at the end of the day, that's what they are - systems.
What any product line needs to survive is the support of talented people - Apple have made great inroads to the 'big' work because they gave people an affordable start, and therefore created a large talent pool, which is growing exponentially. This is now paying dividends in broadcast, and may hurt Avid more and more in these core 'high-end' markets they still control. it took Avid far to long to see the danger - I hope (sincerely) they can reverse the trend.
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by walter biscardi on Nov 15, 2007 at 3:17:54 pm
[Ben Holmes]"What any product line needs to survive is the support of talented people - Apple have made great inroads to the 'big' work because they gave people an affordable start, and therefore created a large talent pool, which is growing exponentially."
You hit it right on the head Ben. Apple has allowed artists, like myself, to have very high end tools at a very affordable price. The $25,000 application formerly known as Final Touch 2K now rolled into Studio 2 as "Color" is a great example.
At the end of the day, Producers are looking for quality talent. They honestly don't care what tool I'm using, all they know is that we are producing high quality work that is airing on national HD networks for a fraction of what it costs to go to the "big Avid shop" in town. We now have three HD suites pretty much booked out through April and I've outfitted all three of them for less than a single high end Avid HD system would cost me.
Final Cut Studio and Adobe CS3 allow artists to provide high quality work without having to pay Avid prices and support contracts. Eventually that catches up to a company.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by beenyweenies on Nov 16, 2007 at 12:46:18 am
"We all know that Apple are good at creating a buzz around their product range. But does this really help you Ben when you are editing?"
Most of the spectators at the Apple booth are there because they like the products - they work well, are reasonably intuitive and, more importantly, they are cheap so many more people can get in on the action. With Avid, you can't even step up to the plate with less than $100k to work with, and their entire system is propped up on a code base that is what, almost 15-20 years old? Not to start a FCP vs. Avid debate here, but Avid doesn't generate much excitement for the average trade show attendee because it is overpriced and not FOR the mainstream, average editor. Apple's success isn't based on unwarranted hype and marketing, it's based on accessibility, which is key to having a good showing at a trade show.
I would wager that the vast majority of Avid's current business is made up of long-term customers from back in the early days of computer-based editing, who are so used to Avid (and the name being synonymous with high-end editing) that they are hesitant to move to other products. Avid seems to be banking on a small set of dedicated users to keep them going. Based on this, there really isn't much need for them to hit the big expensive trade shows.
In some ways it does point to a downturn for them, if only because it highlights what an "elite" system it is, so elite in fact that average purchasers don't frequent their booths enough to justify the expense. If they can't get younger editors to use their products, they lose. Unfortunately the only way to do that is to stop charging $900 per hard drive and $150,000 for a piece of software who's next competitor charges $1,299.
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by Ron Lindeboom on Nov 15, 2007 at 1:59:23 pm
[Ben Holmes]"I know many companies who do a great deal of business at NAB, millions of dollars every year."
I just spoke with one of my friends yesterday who is in this class. He does millions of dollars a year in sales at NAB, when tracking the leads out over the next few months of follow-up.
That's a good thing.
Especially for him, he says. ;o)
But he was quite blunt with me when I reminded him that millions in sales is not millions in profit.
That's when he admitted to me, that he's not sure that he'd be able to afford it were he not being subsidized by the many manufacturers whose products he represents. He told me how he splits his cost across a bunch of co-op ad programs and that is what makes it palpable.
My point with the article is that Avid is arguably one of the deepest -- if not the deepest -- nonlinear editing and content production and management technologies on the planet. You don't "pitch" it against FCP in 10 to 20 minutes on a loud show floor -- if you make a decision on your tools that way, there is no guarantee that you got it right.
What some people are missing in this is that Avid stayed away from IBC for years and yet Graham Sharp, the guy who is now leading Avid Video, turned in some of the highest numbers in Avid when he headed the European region.
I think that Avid has merely made a decision that basically comes down to this: They can take $2 million and apply it to the kinds of strategies that Graham used in Europe; strategies that involve taking Avid directly to those whose demographic is likely to appreciate the depth and breadth of the kind of media management and file sharing prowess that is at the heart of what Avid does. That kind of story doesn't play well on the battlefloor of NAB. But it does play well when presented to the engineers and key personnel at major broadcasters, film studios and others that make up the vast majority of Avid's customer base.
Ron, I was in the Trade Show Business for years - mostly for automotive clients (American and Japanese) - the number one thing attendees remember months AFTER the show is not the million dollar exhibit, but a person they met. There are plenty of studies that confirm that fact.
Show producers and exhibit builders would like to keep that a secret. They want to sell big spaces with big exhibits.
Then for the obvious - there's a virtual trade show going on all the time, right here on the internet.
So I think Avid's decision is a solid one as long as their people are out and actually meeting people. If they don't follow up on that...they will lose even more market share. Show me that you care about me and my business and I'll listen - because you're listening.
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by George Socka on Nov 19, 2007 at 1:27:00 am
Quote". You don't "pitch" it against FCP in 10 to 20 minutes on a loud show floor -- if you make a decision on your tools that way, there is no guarantee that you got it right."
OTOH, you can try FCP or PPro for less than the cost of attending NAB for a few days and then dump them if they end up being less effective than your existing ading AVID solution. The competition HAS changed.
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by charles pierce on Dec 12, 2007 at 3:26:25 am
[George Socka]"OTOH, you can try FCP or PPro for less than the cost of attending NAB for a few days and then dump them if they end up being less effective than your existing ading AVID solution. The competition HAS changed."
Only a child would think this an argument. The LEAST expensive part of any studio is the software. Just ask your accountant. You do have one, don't you?
It is the person behind the controls and their training costs that far outweighs the cost of a box of software. Only an idiot would change out the focus of their studio on the basis of a cheap box of software.
Yes, the market has changed. More stupid people are now in it than ever before.
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by Ron Lindeboom on Dec 12, 2007 at 3:40:54 am
Charles,
I suspect that your comments came about due to wanting to somehow protect the COW following George's comments in the thread "Protecting your name" above.
Still, I am going to warn you that we do not condone these kinds of personal attacks and ask you to "stand down" on this issue.
George has never been one to have a kind word for the COW or its management and we have come to expect that if anything has an adverse effect on either the COW or on us personally, George will be beating the drum for it. It is just the way that he is.
But calling the man an idiot is off-limits. While we may disagree with it, he is entitled to his opinion. Please respect that as it is a cornerstone of that which has made the COW what it is today.
Now in the COW Magazine: Commercials. A look at the history, strategy, techniques and production workflows of successful commercials. All brought to you by some of the COW's brightest members. Accept no substitutes!
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by George Socka on Dec 12, 2007 at 3:51:21 am
You are too kind Ron. But digging up a month old post to "retaliate" for a current post seems a bit bizarre to me as well. We live in interesting times indeed.
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 -- a P.S. by Ron Lindeboom on Dec 12, 2007 at 3:55:50 am
Charles,
I forgot to mention that my esteemed antagonist is indeed an accountant, and quite a good one at that from what I have learned over the years. So your argument regarding training costs is likely one that he's already considered.
Please keep that in mind the next time you seek to insult a man.
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 -- a P.S. by Ron Lindeboom on Dec 12, 2007 at 4:14:07 am
George,
Over the years, I have had few people be so one-sided in their arguments on virtually any issue that seems to go against us. I don't think that using the word "antagonist" is a far stretch. ;o)
But hey, some of the best things I have ever learned I learned at the hands of my critics, not my friends. (Though I love my friends, he says waving to them.) ;o)
Now in the COW Magazine: Commercials. A look at the history, strategy, techniques and production workflows of successful commercials. All brought to you by some of the COW's brightest members. Accept no substitutes!
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 -- a P.S. by George Socka on Dec 12, 2007 at 4:22:32 am
Ron, I value your efforts and the Cow and maybe take it for granted. It is a daily must-read of 5 - 6 threads. Time on site of at least 20 minutes. Click on an ad at once or twice a week. Throw in my CAN$0.02 a couple of times a week.
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 -- a P.S. by Ron Lindeboom on Dec 12, 2007 at 5:29:43 am
George,
I've been fighting high blood pressure for three years now and sometimes due to it, I admit that I read some people with a bit more invective than they may intend. If I have lumped you into that corner, my apologies, it is a rough job to keep a balance among 500,000 people a month, some who just want to rip others apart, some who come here to help or be helped. Keeping all the players sorted out and remembered perfectly can be quite a job.
I try but it would be a lot easier were I still 30. ;o)
Thanks for your kind words about the COW. They are indeed appreciated.
Now in the COW Magazine: Commercials. A look at the history, strategy, techniques and production workflows of successful commercials. All brought to you by some of the COW's brightest members. Accept no substitutes!
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by David Roth Weiss on Dec 12, 2007 at 4:19:18 am
Charles,
Thats one of the most insulting and condescending posts on this forum in recent memory.
In addition, your argument holds little water. These days editors can switch between software packages with a freedom and ease never imagined just a few years ago. No one suite of apps is perfect, so having the complete suites of apps from several manufacturers installed on your workstation is not at all uncommon.
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los Angeles
POST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™
A forum host of Creative COW's Business & Marketing, and Indie Film & Documentary forums.
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by walter biscardi on Dec 12, 2007 at 11:21:36 am
[David Roth Weiss]"Charles,
Thats one of the most insulting and condescending posts on this forum in recent memory.
In addition, your argument holds little water. These days editors can switch between software packages with a freedom and ease never imagined just a few years ago. No one suite of apps is perfect, so having the complete suites of apps from several manufacturers installed on your workstation is not at all uncommon."
Have to pretty much agree here. No need to revert to childish name calling to try and win an argument, especially against a post that is 1 month old.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by Phil Lowe on Nov 16, 2007 at 1:56:51 pm
Well as an Avid licensee, once rabid supporter and now disgruntled user, I can only say this: I don't care whether Avid attends NAB, does road shows, or sells out of the back of panel vans with the guys who do velvet paintings of Elvis. All I care about is whether their products actually WORK!
When you lose a whole day and a half of editing because their P2 consolidation workflow is precisely 180 degrees out of phase with what you would and should expect to do, then your software has problems. Until Avid fixes some of its software issues (I mean real engineered fixes and not half-a$$ed workarounds that users have to discover for themselves!), Avid should forget marketing and concentrate on making their products at least as bug-free as Premiere Pro 2.0!
The P2 problem is a real doozie! If you consolidate linking the master clips to the media on the target drive and try to consolidate from other P2 cards in the same bin later (as was the situation I recently encountered), the first set of consolidated master clips loses their links to the media on the target drive and returns to pointing at the P2 card reader!!!
When that happens, any previously consolidated media suddenly appears "offline" even though the media still exists on the target drive!
When I had a project that had 9 x 8gb P2 cards, plus media on a 60gb P2 storage drive, consolidating a second set of cards would cause all the media from the storage drive and previous cards to go offline!
It wasn't until halfway through a second day of editing that I finally got an answer from broadcast support: don't link master clips to media on the target drive!
OK, so if that workflow doesn't work, why the hell is it not only an option, but the most logical of the two options provided for consolidating P2 media?!?!?
Want another Avid issue? Under General settings, selecting "NTSC has setup" causes the application to add setup (7.5% black) to incoming video. That's fine if you're bringing DV material in that possesses no setup. But when your Mojo is hooked up to a broadcast Sony SX deck with a TBC on the analog outputs that already adds setup, suddenly your video has 15% setup, not 7.5%!!!
I wrote Avid once and suggested that simply changing the wording on the setting from "NTSC has setup" to "NTSC needs setup" would go a lot farther in actually explaining what their software is doing when that option is selected! That suggestion was made at least two years ago, and as of this writing, nothing has been done to fix this!
How 'bout a Pan & Zoom plug-in that is such a memory hog, using it is likely to cause your Avid DNA device to stop working, forcing a shutdown of the entire program and reset of the Mojo or Adrenaline!!! I can run Combustion 4.0 rendering in the background and capture and edit with Avid in the foreground and not run into the kind of memory problems Avid has WITH ITS OWN PLUG-INS!!!
Avid is full of these kinds of traps and pitfalls that simply don't exist in other applications. If Avid is in trouble, it's because the marketing guys promise features and performance that the engineering guys can't deliver. And - until fairly recently - their customer support and service was abysmally bad, too.
Sorry for the rant. Didn't mean to hijack the thread, but I work with craptastic Avid Newscutters every day and am frequently left wondering how I'm actually going to get my work done. If my experience is any barometer for other people's experiences with Avid, then Avid should stay away from NAB and any other potential customer until they get their stuff together!
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by Craig Seeman on Nov 15, 2007 at 3:27:34 pm
Rather than add comment snippets I'll post this comment.
I'm one of those small prod/post folks who can't shut my business to go to NAB
YET I think trade shows are critical (and wish there were more in NYC).
Road Shows
Road shows are great IF you know about them. Some of them are NOT well publicized.
Often they happen on the ONE DAY you're booked. Trades are across several days.
Often one is shut out of the LIMITED SEATING at a Road Show.
Internet
Marketing info on the internet is often TOO VAGUE.
Often there's a lot of misinformation, not coming from the manufacturer.
Trade Shows
One often sees products one DOES NOT KNOW ABOUT.
It's one stop shopping. One does not have to see EVERYTHING. One can target the vendors one needs to talk to.
NOTHING replaces the chance to say, "Can you SHOW me what you mean when you say your product does this?"
NYC just had a GREAT SMALL TRADE SHOW. NY ProTech Expo.
http://www.protechexpo.com/ It was production focused. People got to see presentation on the Sony F23, RED, Sony EX1 amongst others. Panasonic P2 gear was also well represented. Sony people did their presentations. The Rental and Sales VARs had the gear to test. BTW rather than using the overpriced Javitz Center or some hotel, they had it at Steiner Studio just outside of Manhattan (Brooklyn Navy Yard).
http://www.steinerstudios.com/projectsummary.html
I think the above is the IDEAL "New" model for a trade show. It's focused on a specific aspect of the business with "like/competitive" products so one can hear presentations from the manufacturers and then talk to the companies/VARs that actually make the sales.
I understand that big companies like Avid find that my small purchases mean so little to invest marketing to me. BUT small targeted local trade shows, away from the overpriced "traditional" (expensive) trade show venues SHOULD BE a new and viable way to market to businesses like mine.
Obviously Sony found it worthwhile to market the F23 (and SR1 and HDCAM SR) as well as XDCAM HD to me and the VARs who can make the sales or rentals where there and ready to cash in . . . in a location that probably didn't break their banks. That's a sensible Trade Show.
BTW the COW didn't have it listed in their Events Section sadly (NY Pro Tech Expo marketed the show through the many local user groups and the VARs marketed it as well). Maybe this is the kind of show COW SHOULD be digging to find out about (Or maybe such trade show sponsors need to know about the COW).
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by Ron Lindeboom on Nov 15, 2007 at 3:55:48 pm
Nice post, Craig.
I agree that the model of the highly focused, efficient and local show with hands-on tactile presentation is one of the ways that the paradigm is being shifted.
Apple does this kind of thing well at NAB, precisely because their user base is already familiar with the user experience and interface principles. It is easy to present basics. But as the new Final Cut 6 Bugs article in the COW Library attests, you won't catch all the snafus and gotchas -- nor discern all the intricacies of a highly complex media managed, file shared, metasync'd system like a high-end Avid -- on a show floor.
It's still a crap shoot.
Apple showed Logic this way at NAB a couple shows or so ago. But Logic is tougher to communicate than the wow and razzle dazzle of showing off a new Motion or Color. Most of the people that came to experience Logic just sat there with their eyes glazed. So, this year at NAB, no Logic.
But targeted at the right market, in the right setting, a tool like Logic is going to be a real success.
In its complexity and left-brained multi-faceted dryness of features that have to be grasped and understood, Avid finds itself with a "I'm here for my first look" presentation hurdle much like Logic. It's a tougher "show" than say FC Studio, wherein Apple races through features and presents the "mountain-tops." But an Avid requires more the kind of presentation that you are talking about, as much of what makes an Avid an Avid is found in the nuance and refinement.
I have always said that an artist understands that it takes 10% of the time to do the first 90% of the job, and 90% of the time to get the last 10% of the refinement done. Refinement takes time and while some argue that Avid needs a radical update, their core market argues that the refinement of stability is worth the premium and they are not arguing for a radical update that throws out the interface in the way that I have to relearn Photoshop everytime a new version comes out -- ggrrrr.
Avid's greatest success has been that their market expects something more than a two-page bug list when they buy an upgrade or a system.
Walter does great work but as a smaller shop, he has different needs and requirements than someone like CBS New York or PBS's flagship WGBH.
And as Randall Raymond (Raymond Motion Pictures) stated, as long as Avid can get their people out there meeting and interacting with their customers, they stand a great chance of being successful.
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by walter biscardi on Nov 15, 2007 at 4:22:19 pm
[Ron Lindeboom]"Walter does great work but as a smaller shop, he has different needs and requirements than someone like CBS New York or PBS's flagship WGBH."
As I noted earlier, CNN Atlanta is switching over to Final Cut Pro and I believe the switch is almost complete. Well over 200 workstations. That is the flagship facility for CNN. New York and D.C. will most certainly follow, but they don't have as many suites as Atlanta.
Turner Studios in Atlanta is also investing heavily in Final Cut Pro as well.
So it's not just us smaller shops that are investing in Final Cut Pro to save money.
The nice thing about the "2 page bug list" is that there is rarely something that completely kills a workflow or project. A lot of times those bugs are silly issues like no Drop Frame support in 720p (which was just corrected with FCP 6.0.2) which have easy workarounds.
As someone who has cut on CMX, Abekas, Accom, Avid, Media 100 and Final Cut Pro, FCP has been a solid performer and well worth the investment in the product. If it wasn't, I could not grow my business to level we are at now.
Maybe Avid can turn it around, but that "large installation" mentality will not continue to work for much longer. For me the business side of it is a no-brainer. I can install at least three FCP HD workstations for the price of one Avid workstation. So instead of having one very high end workstation working with one client for a high markup, I can run three FCP workstations at a reasonable rate and actually make more per day.
That's the business model I follow and it's a model that's very successful in the independent Post Production world right now. If I had Avid suites I would have to charge at least double what I'm charging now. I just don't see that kind of money floating out there right now. By keeping the overhead low, I can keep my rates down and keep the suites running.
BUT as noted earlier the clients come for our talent first, and love the price second.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by Ron Lindeboom on Nov 15, 2007 at 6:01:11 pm
[walter biscardi]"As I noted earlier, CNN Atlanta is switching over to Final Cut Pro and I believe the switch is almost complete. Well over 200 workstations. That is the flagship facility for CNN. New York and D.C. will most certainly follow, but they don't have as many suites as Atlanta.
Turner Studios in Atlanta is also investing heavily in Final Cut Pro as well.
So it's not just us smaller shops that are investing in Final Cut Pro to save money."
As I said, Walter, there were over 400 major movies released last year from the Hollywierd machine. A couple were edited on Final Cut. The rest? Avid.
Ditto for the major networks that use a few of the other systems but for the vast lion's share? Ditto. Avid.
I couldn't agree with you more about the talent part, Walter. That is what really moves the needle on the buyer/watcher side and over the years when I work with companies, I have almost never had anyone ask what I use to do what I do.
I think far too many producer/editor/animators do themselves a great disservice by making themselves identified first by their tools and second, by what they do.
By the way, congratulations on your new Master Series DVD for Apple Color, it looks like you have a hit on your hands, Wally.
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by walter biscardi on Nov 15, 2007 at 6:41:38 pm
[Ron Lindeboom]"
As I said, Walter, there were over 400 major movies released last year from the Hollywierd machine. A couple were edited on Final Cut. The rest? Avid."
I honestly pay no attention to movies because that's not my market. And as you say, 400 major movies. That's a pittance compared to thousands upon thousands of projects created for all the television networks and stations each year. I'd rather concentrate my efforts on those projects that try to land one high profile movie. That single movie won't earn us the same income as the almost 200 projects we will complete this year alone.
[Ron Lindeboom]"Ditto for the major networks that use a few of the other systems but for the vast lion's share? Ditto. Avid."
The networks really don't cut much themselves anymore. That's all handled by the production companies. But again, you want to talk about the "major networks" which I consider to be ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX. 4 networks compared to over 200 networks broadcasting on satellite and cable in the U.S. alone. Not to mention the hundreds (maybe thousands) of networks and stations around the world.
So let's just say that those 4 networks cut exclusively on Avid, of course they don't, but let's just say they did. The amount of programming produced just for those 4 networks pales in comparison to the amount of total programming created for the rest of the broadcasting world.
So again, I'm going to concentrate my efforts on the many thousands of broadcast opportunities out there instead of focusing directly in on the "big four" because there's much more money to be made elsewhere.
I'm in a very fortunate position that I get to work on one of my favorite shows on television, Good Eats (#1 on the network by the way) but that alone could not sustain our shop. We will deliver over 100 stories to NBC, PBS and Yahoo! this year. We've delivered environmental documentaries to Doha, Qatar. We've authored our first two Blu-ray disc titles for the Carter Center in Atlanta and will be producing at least 6 more in 2008. We helped launched Edward Norton's new conservation society. We've been working with The Weather Channel for the past three months. Over the next few years we will be cutting Sundance Documentaries.
So if cutting major motion films and cutting on the major networks is the absolute criteria for being successful, then Avid can keep that. I'll take the other thousands upon thousands of projects out there that keep us busy.
Final Cut Studio allows me to do this by simply adding workstations to meet the needs of my clients and the artists rather than finding the projects that can afford to keep my Avid DS/HD suite running.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by Ron Lindeboom on Nov 15, 2007 at 7:09:33 pm
[walter biscardi]"I honestly pay no attention to movies because that's not my market. And as you say, 400 major movies. That's a pittance compared to thousands upon thousands of projects created for all the television networks and stations each year. I'd rather concentrate my efforts on those projects that try to land one high profile movie. That single movie won't earn us the same income as the almost 200 projects we will complete this year alone."
Yes, I agree with you 100% in your situation, Walter. My point was that these 400 movies represent Sony Imageworks, Dreamworks SKG, Paramount and many, many others who buy huge infrastructures -- systems that bring massive purchases to Avid.
I also agree with you that in the world of smaller shops and indie producers, Final Cut FAR exceeds the incursion of systems hailing from Avid's Tewksbury, Massachusetts shipping address.
No argument from me there. ;o)
And am I saying that Avid's strategy is a shoe-in for success or that I think they will be a dominant player always in the days ahead? I really don't know. If they play their cards well and make the right moves, they could be. But if they don't serve their core market as well as they have to date, they could become a thing of the past.
It all remains to be seen as the big and little hands on the clock go round and round...
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by Aanarav Sareen on Nov 15, 2007 at 11:25:55 pm
Since I am an adviser for CNN (New York), I can definitely say that FCP is increasingly coming into play. But, a majority of the prime-time shows and documentaries are still using Avid.
I was also with ABC over the summer and NO ONE wants to even consider FCP, PPRO or any other editing system. ABC's entire news network is connected with Avid. Heck, the people that are editing 30 second sound bites are also using Avid.
And, to those that say that Avid is losing money, you are correct as well. Take a look at their income statement:
Their net income has been reducing over the past couple of years. However, their revenues are UP. A majority of their cost is coming from "cost-of-revenue," and not going to trade shows will certainly reduce this cost.
See anything different with the quarter ended Jun. 30?
Here are 2 observations: a) cost of revenue is up, resulting in a net loss and b) sales are the second lowest amongst the 4 quarters.
I think that this indicates that NAB really made NO difference in their bottom line!
I think that this is a great move by Avid. This year, I was at NAB to purchase a few things for my local studio, but we already knew what we wanted to purchase and had done our research. We could have easily gone to B&H, purchased the items and avoided the entire Vegas trip (hassle).
Their net income has been reducing over the past couple of years. However, their revenues are UP. A majority of their cost is coming from "cost-of-revenue," and not going to trade shows will certainly reduce this cost."
380 Million on 'Research Development' in the last three years. That's a lot of money. Assuming some of that went to market research - Avid is right where it planned to be...apparently.
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by Proper Modulation on Nov 15, 2007 at 3:24:02 pm
Comparing an online forum's traffic to NAB's traffic (and it's subsequent relevance to Avid) was kind of a strange comparison and I'm not sure what point it really galvanized.
That Avid can focus it's resources better?
By preaching to the faithful? The "faithful" is one by one getting replaced by Apple savvy kids. The kinda kids that were at Apple's booth in LEGION at the last NAB.
I've been to NAB TWICE in my life...once in 1997 and once in 2007.
The decade long break was a excellent chance to see very clearly how much our industry has changed.
I'm not going to get into what's better, FCP or AVID, because that's really a moot point.
What I saw at NAB was a pep rally for Apple...THOUSANDS of guys younger than me (I'm 32) crowded around the Apple booth salivating...interested....knowledgeable....wanting aboard FCP.
Avid? Not so much.
Much like how Toyota and Honda planted the seed thirty+ years ago amongst young and thrifty Americans that their vehicles were cheap, good and reliable, Apple has done the same thing. It's a branding juggernaut that young people identify with and are GROWING UP WITH.
Avid? Not so much.
Say what you will about young editors, roll your eyes at the perceived lack of "pro" work FCP can handle or keep convincing yourself that the industry will stay the way it is forever, but fact is, the young guys crowding around FCP's booth last year are THE FUTURE and arguably the PRESENT.
Avid is taking YET ANOTHER step to remove themselves from the future and dig themselves deeper into the ESTABLISHED market that thinks Avid can do know wrong and would never fathom FCP as an alternate. That crowd is going the way of the dinosaur wether we like it or not.
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by Craig Seeman on Nov 15, 2007 at 3:40:32 pm
Cheers to Proper.
Avid is chasing after the shrinking "big facility" market IMHO whereas Apple pursues smaller market which can be quite high end and, in some cases, grow into much bigger facilities. I think Adobe has learned from Apple and are repositioning in that direction too.
Avid's strategy will keep them afloat as they make the BIG sales to their targeted market but I'm not sure that's a great long term strategy. Of Course, maybe they feel being a high end niche product is way to long term survival. I'd consider that a risky business model.
BTW, Apple has had its issues with big trade shows too. Not all trade shows are worth saving/attending. But rather than abandon one looks for a new way to reach a broadly targeted product. Local Apple VARs are always in attendance at the several small industry trade shows in NYC.
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by Ron Lindeboom on Nov 15, 2007 at 4:13:23 pm
[Craig Seeman]"Avid's strategy will keep them afloat as they make the BIG sales to their targeted market but I'm not sure that's a great long term strategy."
Mercedes Benz and Lexus would argue that.
You do not need to have all the mass market to be successful, you need to play your niche well.
Last year, about 400 major motion pictures were released and only a couple or so were edited in Final Cut.
Most all of the major networks around the world use Avid. A few use something else, whether it be Final Cut, Edius, Liquid (yes, there are some), etc. But most of the majors use Avid.
So like a Chevy, Final Cut makes the rounds of the mass market but you see far fewer Mercedes and Lexus's on the road. Yet all three companies have successful business models and any one of the cars will get you from Point A to Point B.
Avid is looking at itself and seeing what it does well and doesn't do well.
Its story does not play well on the show floor of NAB and throwing $2 million at it does not make great sense when NAB is clearly becoming a show for independent operators, whose numbers now make up a large part of the audience -- especially in the South Hall.
I think that Avid stands every bit as good a chance of succeeding as they do of failing in this endeavor. If they play their hand well, they will continue to serve a client base that has come to count on them. If they don't play it well, they will languish into obscurity as a footnote in the history of media production. The ball is in their court and I, like many, will look forward to seeing just how well they play their game.
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by George Socka on Nov 19, 2007 at 1:43:27 am
Mercedes and Lexus - interesting analogy. 10 years ago no one that was a Mercedes buyer would have even looked at anything made by Toyota. Times have indeed changed. CEOs are driving Lexi (??) Avid buyers are looking at software made by Apple.
Re: Avid says No to NAB 2008 by Ron Lindeboom on Nov 15, 2007 at 4:28:58 pm
[Proper Modulation]"Say what you will about young editors, roll your eyes at the perceived lack of "pro" work FCP can handle or keep convincing yourself that the industry will stay the way it is forever, but fact is, the young guys crowding around FCP's booth last year are THE FUTURE and arguably the PRESENT."
The one thing I do NOT think and is quite clear in many of the things that I have said, is that this market will stay the same.
This market turns so fast that the only thing that you can count on is that change will happen -- and that, usually sooner than later.
[Proper Modulation]"Avid is taking YET ANOTHER step to remove themselves from the future and dig themselves deeper into the ESTABLISHED market that thinks Avid can do know wrong and would never fathom FCP as an alternate. That crowd is going the way of the dinosaur whether we like it or not."
Apple itself has felt the sting of this blade, having once had the lion's share of the market long ago. I can also remember when Apple in the days of the Mosaic browser accounted for the brunt of web traffic and even had a far larger share of the web server market than Microsoft.
But as you say above, things chance.
Avid is not oblivious to change and they are merely assessing the kinds of moves that return the highest return for them. NAB can be served by having some hospitality suites, which they will have.
But while Toyotas and Hondas are clearly all over the roads, as a business model, Mercedes and Lexus aren't half bad either.
