Support Video Software Solution Providers That Put You First

Producer’s View

By Anthony Burokas

在我们这个不断变化的行业中，又一年的增长即将结束, 最近，我有机会深入研究公司产生的成本方面的一些商业细节，并就如何投资公司的资金做出一些前瞻性的商业决策.

As streaming producers balancing dozens of different costs, fees, and subscriptions, 我们需要平衡哪些对我们有利，哪些对我们不利. 最近，当我需要评估Adobe Premiere Pro和vMix的价值时，它成为了我关注的焦点. 以下是只适用于我和我的公司的成本/收益思考过程.

Adobe宣布又一个季度的利润同比增长. At the same time, 他们给我发了一封邮件，告诉我每月的订阅费要涨了, from $31 to $34 a month for a single app. So I terminated my subscription. vMix, by contrast, has added several features in the new version that I want, so I happily paid them for the update.

As a streaming producer, I do very little editing. These days, 像YouTube这样的发布平台可以让我删减节目前和节目后的内容, making post-event viewing more convenient for the audience. On rare occasions, 就像最近的一个节目，有一些中期事件服务器问题需要清理, I need actual video editing software.

我的桌面Mac电脑自带的iMovie可以出色地处理许多简单的任务. But I find it’s not the best for detailed adjustments. Having edited in Premiere Pro for years, I know the tool, 但不断上涨的价格让我重新评估了我对这款手机的依赖, 对于我的低级视频编辑来说，这是一个非常昂贵的工具. 我没有为整个创意套件付费，因为我几乎不需要其他工具.

Adobe给我发了一封“我们试图就付款失败与您联系”的电子邮件，进一步激励我取消订阅. (They didn't.) The message continued, “如果你不更新付款，我们将不得不取消你的订阅.“我收到这封邮件是为了几周前我故意取消的一项服务. 煤气灯让我更想四处看看还有什么可买的.

我很惊讶地发现有这么多工具可以精确地剪切多层视频:像Resolve这样的工具, ShotCut, Avid Media Composer - First, Filmora, Hit Film, 和Lightworks都是非常强大的工具，可以满足我的基本视频编辑需求. 我需要花一点时间来学习如何在不同的应用程序中进行编辑.

So, once again, time is money. Invest the time, to save the money.

For comparison, I regularly use vMix for my live streaming. The version I use costs $1,200, 大概是Adobe Creative Suite在一套光盘上整套软件的成本. 现在我落后了一个版本，猜猜把我的应用更新到最新版本的vMix要花多少钱? $50. 此外，如果我不付费，vMix也不会停止工作，就像Adobe软件一样.

This means that StudioCoast Pty, Ltd.vMix的开发者必须改进软件，让我每年都愿意付钱给他们. If they don't, then I can continue to use the version I have. On the other hand, if I don't need or want the features Adobe has added, I still have to pay $34 a month, just so the app opens.

The video industry is constantly shifting. 还有其他选择，行业内的竞争对我们所有人都有利. We are able to choose a different tool, even entirely different solutions, when they better fit our business needs. 如果我们使用的工具——即使它曾经是行业标准——突然有了不确定的未来，意识到替代解决方案也会有所帮助.

弯勺公司刚刚解雇了iPhone拍摄应用Filmic Pro的所有员工. 他们在2022年收购了Filmic，并将购买许可证改为订阅后，就这样做了. This move pushed a percentage of users away. The slow pace of updates cost them more subscribers. Meanwhile, Blackmagic Design's introduction of their free Camera app, used by Apple to film Apple's entire fall 2023 product event, has also shifted the landscape entirely.

There's a difference between software where we are in charge, and software where we, and our work, 是我们的工具提供者和他们的仅订阅服务的俘虏吗. I'm going to put my money on solutions where I have control. 就像Adobe、Blackmagic、Bending Spoons和StudioCoast一样，我们也是企业. 对我们的工具提供给我们每个人的价值进行持续的成本/收益分析符合我们自己的最大利益. We each get to make the decisions that benefit our businesses, and, at a higher level, we are choosing to support those businesses that either do, or do not, put us first.