My bets on Avid Media Composer 7

Nab is approaching and, as always, there are a lot of rumors about what each manufacturer is going to release. I have decided to write this post to see if at the last moment my namesake Mr. Louis Hernandez (new president and CEO of Avid) grants me some requests for future versions. So here is half of what I would like to see in the new Avid and half of what I think will be presented.

• Unification of Media Composer and Symphony: I think this is one of the easy ones, after the last moves regarding Symphony (software only and now free trial) it is quite clear that the product will be unified with Media Composer. For branding reasons I think the name that will survive will be Media Composer (it is simply better known in the industry). Remember that currently the only thing that Symphony has over MC is its color corrector and the “universal mastering” hardware that requires Nitris (also supported in MC).
• Continuing this line an improvement in the Symphony color corrector. Here I don’t think there is anything new but I would like there to be. I am very fond of Symphony’s corrector after working some years in London with it, it is fast and simple, although unfortunately you have to be very careful if you want to be subtle. But it is true that without asking for an update of the color correction calculation algorithms (it would be too much to ask) the integration of masks in the corrector, the increase of the calculation bit depth to 32b or the update of the scopes while doing the correction would be very much appreciated. Saving the effects with a thumbnail, possibility to make corrections by “source” instead of the obsolete “tape” or ability to make groups for joint correction would also be practical (although I could live without the latter given the freedom of correction based on metadata it already has) We are not talking of course about support for different color spaces like P3, compatibility with ACES, etc (although dreaming is free), support for CDLs (being able to interpret the visual color correction, not just the metadata written in the bin), etc.
• We all know that what economically moves Avid nowadays is not cinema but television. So based on the latest changes (and projects) made in HDTV and UHDTV I venture to predict two new features. Maximum frame size of 4K, currently MC is limited to Full HD but several UHDTV broadcast tests have already been done in the world so I think the new version (let’s call it MC 7) will have this maximum frame size. I also believe there will be a release on the resolution/frame rate limitation. So far the maximum we can run in Avid (with European framerate) is at 1080 25P, but given that sports channels have the need to broadcast at 1080 60P or that stereoscopy (very easy to do in Avid by the way, offline of course) claims 48fps I think there will also be a change in this regard.
• Support for more Raw codecs. The truth is that in this sense they are doing much better than before and are adapting much more quickly to the new codecs that are emerging (nothing to do with the hell we endured with the arrival of HDV and its friends) But although it already supports raw codecs such as Red or Sony (although still without development setttigs, only the camera metadata) there is still a way to go: Arri Raw, Canon Raw, CinemaDNG, Red HDRX, Weisscam (hey, to ask) ….
• Support for more processed codecs. Prores encoding on PC (see if Cinec can do it, why not Avid?) DPXs support, maximum color depth of 16…
• Direct export to DCP from the timeline. I know, it sounds crazy rather than a possibility, but the reality is that I don’t think it would cost them that much. Avid already natively supports j2K encoding and works internally in MXF (in fact from what I’ve been reading it’s the same type of MXF, the OP 1a) So it wouldn’t take many steps to be able to encode a DCP directly (XYZ P3 work yes, of course) But something tells me we won’t see it in MC 7.
• Integration of Boris Continuum in MC free of charge. Again this is a wish rather than an opinion, but this effects package already comes for free in Symphony, of course this can also be extended to Scriptsync and Phrasefind, although the truth is that as the company is financially I do not know if they are like to give things away ….
• Timeline-integrated interlayer blending modes (although this can be done through Boris, though not in real time). And Alpha export as well. I know, this article is written in 2013, yeah….
• Improved integration with other programs through AAF or XML (yes, Avid also exports XML through Filmscribe) Of course, some people say that it should export the same type of XML that FCP does (7 or X I don’t care) but of course, why not the other way around? It’s the usual metadata war… but what is true is that either through AAF or its own XML it’s always good to improve communication with other programs, and it’s not bad, but the more effects DaVinci (for example) is able to understand from an MC the faster a conform will be, obviously here the Blackmagic people would also have homework…
• We have not talked about the Avid DS, but the truth is that given the scarce development they have given it in the last years, it is an unknown if they are going to keep it or not, especially if they incorporate these options in the MC (and I know that there are eons of distance between both machines) But the reality is that, at least here in Spain, the DS is used very, very little?

At the moment I can’t think of anything else, let’s hope that some requests will be heard and the new version of MC 7 will incorporate important and useful new features for everyone (and if Avid doesn’t collapse it will be great 🙂