Why is there no LIGHTWORKS forum?

Jive said:
I'm seeing a bit of a disconnect with your earlier statement:
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This is a real inquisition, isn't it?

It is the user's responsibility to have working backups of their projects at all times. That includes exporting as AAF while your pro version is still active. If you're doing important work on the free version - well, if you're doing important work, you should pay the £40, honestly. Is that unreasonable?
 
David,
Just to clarify; is the free version of Lightworks the same as the pro version (with the exception of the missing codecs)? Seems like a fantastic proposal; a free editing platform to work on your own DSLR style projects, an then a measly $60 when you need to use the program with a proprietary codec. After all; it would only take 1 paid editing job to (more than) cover the small expense of the $60.

I use Macs, so I'm waiting patiently until you guys release it on the Apple platform.

Hopefully you do get your own forum here and on other filmmaking networks.
 
Simon,

It's not only virtually the same as the pro version (with the exception of the Pro codecs, a title tool, I/O support and a few other things) but it is the same as the software that was used to edit all those famous films. We're working now on making the distinctions between the Pro and Free versions clearer on lwks.com

We do want people to upgrade. This will allow us to take on more developers, and provide more features for (say) DSLR users and the huge army of videographers and professional outfits that want alternative NLEs. There will always be a free version, but we have pitched the upgrade so cheaply that it barely registers.
 
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simonpwood said:
I use Macs, so I'm waiting patiently until you guys release it on the Apple platform.
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It's coming, along with Linux. These two (OS X) are very much down the same development path, but we get to a workable version of Lightworks for Linux shortly before the OS X version.

Lots of people are using Lightworks for Windows under Bootcamp, although I realise that's not a realistic solution for everyone!

Here's a taster.
 
David Shapton said:
It is the user's responsibility to have working backups of their projects at all times. That includes exporting as AAF while your pro version is still active. If you're doing important work on the free version - well, if you're doing important work, you should pay the £40, honestly. Is that unreasonable?
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Not at all unreasonable. As I've said several times, it has nothing to do with the money. Maintaining a smooth and consistently working post production pipeline is far more valuable. Getting locked in and stuck with legacy projects or needing to rework the pipeline because one tool is no longer working is what is truly expensive (both in time and money). In the real world though, this happens all the time (due to software vendors changing directions, tools becoming outdated, etc.), so the goal is to mitigate the pain when a tool is no longer viable. This includes making sure that there's an "exit strategy"-- some way to convert legacy projects from the old pipeline and get back up and running as quickly as possible. Exporting to AAF on a regular basis is an option, but not at all efficient.

David Shapton said:
This is a real inquisition, isn't it?
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If you think so, then you're really taking my questions in the wrong way. I am seriously considering Lightworks and am looking for straight answers to basic questions. Hype about how many have downloaded the tool or who else is using it means nothing to me. I'm looking for bomb-proof tools that will keep on working (or at least give me a way to keep on working) long after the developers have moved on.
 
Sorry, I should have appended that comment ("This is a real inquisition, isn't it?") with a :) or something!

I do understand your concerns but I think it is a matter of perspective. There are no certainties in this business. All you can do is look at the history of products (and Lightworks' history of continuous development and support is the longest - we even have two of the original developers still working for us, and they are amazing!) and at the rise and fall of the fortunes of the companies. Editshare is doing well. We're not complacent but our growth is based on measured expansion based on customer demand. Some of the other companies, who are much bigger than us, are going through their worst-ever times. Good luck to them. We need strong competition. And, yes, sometimes you do have to talk about download figures, because, again, this puts this in perspective. So, not just three, or three hundred people have downloaded Lightworks, but a thousand times that number. So this is not a small project, nor one that is going to disappear overnight.

So that's the background. Don't hesitate to ask if you have any further questions.
 
Consider that Lightworks has been around far longer than FCP has existed, it has been around as long as Avid. It has before now been an exclusively high end solution running on dedicated hardware. Editshare still serve that customer base. They are not a mass consumer product company like Apple, but a professional systems and services company dedicated to the film and television industry. This is a good way to introduce a mature and powerful collaborative editing tool to a much wider audience. It is a system that one can build an entire production facility around, not just a solo desktop editor.

I have played with the beta version a bit and like their paradigm. Bit of a learning curve but it is a rich and powerful app.

Question: Several companies are releasing new camera lines shooting Adobe CinemaDNG raw format. Will it be long before this format is supported for import?
 
Razz16mm said:
Consider that Lightworks has been around far longer than FCP has existed, it has been around as long as Avid. It has before now been an exclusively high end solution running on dedicated hardware. Editshare still serve that customer base. They are not a mass consumer product company like Apple, but a professional systems and services company dedicated to the film and television industry. This is a good way to introduce a mature and powerful collaborative editing tool to a much wider audience. It is a system that one can build an entire production facility around, not just a solo desktop editor.

I have played with the beta version a bit and like their paradigm. Bit of a learning curve but it is a rich and powerful app.

Question: Several companies are releasing new camera lines shooting Adobe CinemaDNG raw format. Will it be long before this format is supported for import?
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That is a good question! We will certainly look at this. It seems to be becoming an important format.

BTW - to anyone thinking of using the Blackmagic camera: you can import the ProRes or DNxHD recordings direct into Lightworks Pro (ie the £40/€50/$60 per year version). (DNxHD is a £45 once-only payment). This gives a really slick workflow. The same workflow applies to external recorders that capture into this format as well.
 
Is the latest version of Lightworks still geared more to be used with the consul or dedicated keyboard? Also I am assuming I would need to go for the £40 version to edit the mts files from my current GH2? I must admit I ended up being completely baffled by the beta version! Is this latest form a bit more user friendly? Though I am willing to make the effect and learn!!

cheers

bill
 
The latest version is completely usable with a generic keyboard and mouse, with the Lightworks dedicated keyboard, or with the console. There is some very powerful drag and drop capability in the new version.

There is a learning curve but it is arguably better to have this than limit what the software can do. It's worth persevering because the vast majority of people that do end up loving it.

You will be able to edit your GH2 video files with Lightworks Pro, the $60/€50/$40 per year version, but not with the free version.
 
Hey David. Maybe this can answer Jive's question: IF lwks for whatever reason does fall in the bin of obsolete software due to being abandond by Editshare....is there a way to privately buy the specific codec(s) I need and load/apply/integrate it into the free version? Also, can it be established, given this highly unlikely event (its highly unlikely that you'll die in a plane crash but it does happen) that lwks is abbandoned, that lwks will be made available in Pro version except for the paid-for codecs?

In essence, IF lwks Pro is abandoned, lwks PRO will be available for free download as a complete NLE, minus propriatory codecs? At least that way two things will happen, you can finish your project(s) by purchasing the codecs required (a pain but a solution is available) and all functions is still available making it possible to finish the project(s) and find another solution.

I'm very excited about lwks especially the Linux version....you can't have a chat with the EditShare guys to buy a 3D Design software akin to Inventor or Solid Works and port it to Linux? ;)
 
Since its already destined in the business plan to be ultimately open sourced, there's your future proofing right there. If the codecs need to be reinserted or some other broken functionality, someone in the open source community will find a way.
 
Inprogress said:
Hey David. Maybe this can answer Jive's question: IF lwks for whatever reason does fall in the bin of obsolete software due to being abandond by Editshare....is there a way to privately buy the specific codec(s) I need and load/apply/integrate it into the free version? Also, can it be established, given this highly unlikely event (its highly unlikely that you'll die in a plane crash but it does happen) that lwks is abbandoned, that lwks will be made available in Pro version except for the paid-for codecs?

In essence, IF lwks Pro is abandoned, lwks PRO will be available for free download as a complete NLE, minus propriatory codecs? At least that way two things will happen, you can finish your project(s) by purchasing the codecs required (a pain but a solution is available) and all functions is still available making it possible to finish the project(s) and find another solution.

I'm very excited about lwks especially the Linux version....you can't have a chat with the EditShare guys to buy a 3D Design software akin to Inventor or Solid Works and port it to Linux? ;)
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Well, to be honest, I don't know! But what I do know is that Editshare loves Lightworks, and they won't let anyone down if they can possibly help it.

So - can we draw a line under this doom-and-gloom-laden topic, please? If anyone has any cheerful questions to ask about Lightworks, I'd be happy to help!

BTW - 3D design software? Who knows? Not really our thing so no plans at the moment. Isn't Blender pretty good?
 
Yeah Blender is good, actually want to learn to use it for my videography dreams! But it isn't a mechanical 3D Design package, alas.....hey, maybe approach Alibre CAD...they MIGHT be interested....just kidding, but at least my voice is heard on the 3D CAD for linux that has the 3D design approach and not the 2D to 3D.

Please excuse my addition to the future proofing question of lwks, personally I'm not really bothered since I strongly believe, cause of the OS licence, lwks will be here to stay for decades, I'm a strong believer and incredibly bias to anything open source, plus have been waiting patiently for lwks pro, just thought I kinda had a question that will answer Jive's question in an absolute way.
 
Guys, what's the worst that could happen to Lightworks? Sheesh. It's not like we're dealing with Apple and FCP X here, yet plenty of people will defend Apple's move to the death.
 
Inprogress said:
I'm a strong believer and incredibly bias to anything open source, plus have been waiting patiently for lwks pro, just thought I kinda had a question that will answer Jive's question in an absolute way.
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Thanks for your support. We're not at the Open Source stage yet - there's some way to go before we reach that, but, meanwhile, we're working on easily installable Linux, and then OS X versions.
 
Jester2138 said:
Guys, what's the worst that could happen to Lightworks? Sheesh. It's not like we're dealing with Apple and FCP X here, yet plenty of people will defend Apple's move to the death.
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The worst thing that could happen to Lightworks is that people spend too much time discussing what might happen in a doomsday scenario and not trying it out. :huh:
 
EyeFrame Converter for Lightworks

EyeFrame Converter for Lightworks

If anyone here have troubles importing your footage into Lightworks Free - to give it a test spin - some of the Lightworks users have coded a UI, EyeFrame Converter, for ffmbc to convert various codecs into a Lightworks friendly ones. On top of this EyeFrame Converter can create and swap proxies/intermediate files, inject T/C and R/N in the converted files, and also convert to DNxHD, ProRes, MJPEG and MPEG I-Frame HD - and finally it can convert YuYv exports from Lightworks to YouTube/Vimeo friendly mp4/webm.

Get it here:
http://eyeframeconverter.wordpress.com
 
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