Motion, Combustion or Shake ?

[evil_santa]

i think we'd all agree, that ignoring budget, shake is best. unfortunately, it's impossible to ignore budget for 99% of people.

Get them to pony up for both.

To be honest Budgets not the problem, I am moving off a system that cost around $250,000 10 years a go to a Mac that cost a few thousand $$$$. The issue with the 'Director of Operations' is not creating one user (me) who only knows how to do the software/work the edit suite, as it has been with the Editbox. So if i am ill / holiday etc.. so they don't have to get an out of house specialist editor compositor in to do my job costing +$400 a day. As it is they have got 3 Final cut studio suites, with a plan to go to 6 or 8. All running of a terra block server. And all should have the same software/ hardware set up. The problem being to do my job i need more than motion, but the other editors don't.

Then on top of all this i'm the only editor who has dose compositing & promo work, the others are more news & program orientated.

Its all a bit of a nightmare, Im kind of wishing that I should have asked for a Smoke instead.

 

[jelloshotsrule]

i'd think that if you're wishing you asked for a smoke system, motion will be like a fisher's price toy to you...

 

[iGav]

The problem being to do my job i need more than motion, but the other editors don't.

Why can't the other folk just learn Combustion as well??? it's not rocket science.

Not being prepared to learn new software to enhance their workflow smacks of the attitude prevalent in print design.

 

[stingerman]

As it is they have got 3 Final cut studio suites, with a plan to go to 6 or 8. All running of a terra block server. And all should have the same software/ hardware set up. The problem being to do my job i need more than motion, but the other editors don't.

Then on top of all this i'm the only editor who has dose compositing & promo work, the others are more news & program orientated.

Its all a bit of a nightmare, Im kind of wishing that I should have asked for a Smoke instead.

Sounds to me that Shake is your solution. Keep it homogenous. Reading this threas, if money was not an issue, Shake is the clear winner. Now Shake is 2999, that's not bad really when you can use every Mac on your network as a render node for free. Motion for 2D and Shake for 3D, hmmm , Apple seems to have a plan... Wonder what Motion 3 and Shake 5 will give us.

 

[evil_santa]

Sounds to me that Shake is your solution. Keep it homogenous. Reading this threas, if money was not an issue, Shake is the clear winner. Now Shake is 2999, that's not bad really when you can use every Mac on your network as a render node for free. Motion for 2D and Shake for 3D, hmmm , Apple seems to have a plan... Wonder what Motion 3 and Shake 5 will give us.

Thanks, Yep I dont think it would be a problem for the company to buy Shake, Combustion & AE, it would only work out to £3k or £4k for the lot , but it seem the real problem is the skills gap, they dont want a super user who can only work 1 suite, and then they are not willing to train up other editors, & the editors dont want to further them selves by learning new software as they would have to do more work!!! (very shortsited)

Company politics, dont you just love it.

 

[iGav]

the editors dont want to further them selves by learning new software as they would have to do more work!!! (very shortsited)

I just don't understand that mentality at all Though they're not the only ones... I know a lot of print designers that just can't be bothered to further themselves either.

I'm fortunate in that I love learning new stuff, and that I work in an area of design that not only embraces, but it also powered by constant change. I don't have the luxury of not wanting to learn new things, but then... I enjoy the possibilities that it offers.

Have you made the decision yet then?

 

[evil_santa]

yep it drives me mad sometimes the shortsightedness of the company and some of the staff. At the moment its all on hold, the good thing is i just cant do 50% of my work as it is, so i cant move over fully until a decision is made. The Operations manager just doesn't communicate (or listen) to anyone, so we have a stalemate situation right now.

If it was up to me I would have shake, combustion & AE that way we should be covered for most things.

 

[Krusjer]

Holy Combustion

The matter depends wholly on what you want to do.
I´m into compositing and special fx, but also do some text animation, colour correcting, etc - generally work that requires (or gets much better with) a travelling matte - so need a good tracker. And if it´s one thing I like about Combustion it has to be it´s tracker.

AE is too simplistic, but works well if you´re used to working with Flash, for instance. Motion? Well, it´s probably one to watch. Coming with the Pro suite for Mac, it´s bound to get better - and serves as a nice backup with the combo if you´re out of other options.

 

[evil_santa]

Well this is still on hold until october, the FCP suite i was going to have got re allocated and I have not used it. I have been promised an new FCP suite in october, so i will have to wait to see what it has with it. I have given up trying to ask for software as the head of operations just doesn't listen. If I cant do a job I will go out of house, this will cost more than the software but thats a different budget!

 

[THX1139]

The matter depends wholly on what you want to do.
I´m into compositing and special fx, but also do some text animation, colour correcting, etc - generally work that requires (or gets much better with) a travelling matte - so need a good tracker. And if it´s one thing I like about Combustion it has to be it´s tracker.

AE is too simplistic, but works well if you´re used to working with Flash, for instance. Motion? Well, it´s probably one to watch. Coming with the Pro suite for Mac, it´s bound to get better - and serves as a nice backup with the combo if you´re out of other options.

Wow, way resurrect an old thread. Least Shake has come down in price since the last post. It's definately affordable now.