Over the past few years, I’ve noticed a trend where Adobe is introducing more and more applications – each meeting specific needs of a narrow target market. More often than not, these ‘new’ applications ultimately have features that already exist in established Adobe products. Adobe is becoming a company with numerous ‘fragmented’ products.

Adobe, I’d like to make a suggestion. Consider implementing a ‘minimalist’ approach. Build on core applications. Create add-ons.

Adobe has a handful of – what I consider – ‘core‘ applications:

After Effects
Audition
ColdFusion
Illustrator
InDesign
Photoshop
Premiere

Flash used to be in this category, but over the past 5 years or so, it’s developed an identity crisis. Is it a tool for animation? Web development?Rich internet applications? Mobile apps?

How minimalism work

Using the job title Designer, let’s take a look at a real-world example of how this would work.

InDesign is what I consider a ‘core’ application. It is a powerful application created specifically for professional graphic designers. Using the motion picture analogy, InDesign would be the lead actor.

Graphic designers commonly use photography and illustration in their work. If you need to customize a photo, you use Photoshop – another ‘core’ application. You can also use Photoshop to create raster based illustrations. If you want to include vector illustration or graphics, you reach for Illustrator – another ‘core’ application. As in motion pictures, these applications take the role of supporting actors.

But everything that designers create, are ultimately for a specific medium: print, web, digital publication, etc. This is where the concept of output modules come into play.

The concept is simple:
Design using the top design tool in the industry – InDesign. Select the Adobe output module for your specific needs.

Need to output for digital publication? Design in InDesign, and purchase the Adobe Digital Publication output module.

Designing for web? Design in InDesign, and purchase the Adobe Web output model.

Some features of Acrobat would be incorporated into InDesign, and the remaining would become an output model. The same would be true for Dreamweaver and Fireworks. Muse would be dropped and instead, a web based, fully-functional InDesign would take it’s place.

Perhaps in the future, all core-applications and output modules would become cloud based for ease of updates.

For Developers…

ColdFusion is a core application. But the coding tools for ColdFusion could be the same tools that are used for Flex – both based on Eclipse. Not a separate Flash Builder and ColdFusion Builder. In fact, many of the features of Dreamweaver that are specifically for coders could use this same tool. You’d purchase the core developer tool, and purchase the ColdFusion, Flash Builder, web output modules to meet your specific needs.

Upcoming applications…

Even the new Adobe Edge, currently in beta, could be eliminated. As much as I like this new application, it’s core concept is very similar to After Effects (but actually has a nicer interface since it is a newer app). After Effects uses a similar timeline and can create similar – as well as much more sophisticated – animations and motion graphics. The output module (Edge) would convert it to HTML5, CSS, and jQuery, for use on the web.

Adobe Dynamic Link: The Driving Force

The concept behind Adobe Dynamic Link would drive all of these tools. Each application would have the ability to output XML instructions that would be interpreted by the output module. The Adobe Dynamic Link server becomes the ‘behind-the-scenes’ translator between core-applications and output modules.

The Adobe Analogy

In New Mexico it’s common to see rambling hundred year old adobe homes or buildings. What started out as a small, efficient structure, gets added onto every couple of decades as current needs dictate. Ultimately, these structures wind up being a maze of multiple rooms, that each may serve a specific need – but ultimately aren’t efficient, or a good use of space. They may have character. They may be charming. But they are not efficient. Sometimes it’s better to raze the structure, and start new construction that ensures the structure is efficient and meets code.

Perhaps it’s not coincidental that Adobe – the company with the same name – tends to follow this same practice with their software. After Effects, for example, has been updated many times over it’s life span – but to my knowledge has never been completely rewritten. Ultimately, it’s not as efficient as it could be and is due for a major overhaul.

Would end-users be better served if software had cycles of being ‘razed’ and be completely rebuilt using modern day technology and innovative and efficient interfaces?

A win-win for all

End-users only need to learn a handful of core applications. They rely on output modules to handle the ‘grunt’ work. This translates to a happier, less stressed – more satisfied, loyal customer base.

Adobe would still generate the same revenue based on output modules, updates to both core applications and output modules, as well as cloud-based services – not to mention costs saved internally based on a streamlined product line. Adobe programmers would not be spread thin. Instead of allocating programers to yet more and more applications, teams could focus on a handful of core applications and variations of output modules that can more readily change alongside our rapidly advancing world of technology.

Sometimes less is more. My two cents worth…

What are your thoughts?

Their intention is to create a web-series – and eventually a television series that speaks to people on multiple levels. By creating an epic story of love and adventure, adding a pinch of amazing visual effects, the series will introduce energetic and spiritual concepts.

The storyline reads:

As earth approaches 2012, it also approaches the time of The Next Portal, a moment during which the great archangels wish to start evolution over from the beginning. Morgan, a yoga teacher in Los Angeles, will find out her true heritage as an Atlantian being while being torn between Jonathan, the one she thought she loved, and Maitreya, the one who will guide her towards a greater destiny than she ever could have imagined …

They’re currently trying to raise funds through Kickstarter to make this happen. They’ve got 9 days to meet there goal! If you can help them out…do so!

Check it out:

I found this subject to be particularly fitting, because it directly relates to…my life. More often than not, I feel like there’s never enough time. Between creating content for motion.tv or cgnews, preparing the next motion+connect, or producing motion – it always seems like time really IS of the essence.

I remember the first time I presented “When Time is of the Essence: Creating Motion Graphics on a Deadline” at NAB in 2009. I was concerned that participants might not be able to relate.

But what I discovered was…I am not alone. Crazy deadlines, long hours – not to mention the stress that comes with it – seem to be a common phenomenon in the industry.

There’s always a silver lining. Because time is of the essence, I’ve had to come up with ways to work smarter, faster, and more efficiently. For me, the silver bullet centers around a customized Adobe Production Premium workflow.

Be warned though…Working Smarter, Not Harder does have its side-effects:
– less stress
– more time to create
– and more free time

…which ultimately leads to enjoying what you do, remembering why you got into this business to begin with, and creativing a positive life/work balance.

Remember, it’s not only work situations where time is of the essence. As a cancer survivor, I’m reminded that time is always of the essence.
Work Smart. Play Hard!

With the Oscar’s just around the corner, the question begs to be asked, “Why isn’t there an Oscar for motion picture title design?”

English journalist Alice Rawsthorn, design critic for The New York Times – and a fellow connoisseur of motion picture title design, recently came up with her nominees for the strictly unofficial award – as she sees it. Ms. Rawsthorn’s nominees for Best Film Titles are:

• Sofia Coppola’s film “Somewhere” designed by Peter Miles, a British designer based in New York
• Luca Guadagnino’s film “Io Sono L’Amore” (I Am Love) designed by Marco Cendron of Milan
• Joe Carnahan’s film “The A-Team”  designed by VooDooDog in London
• David Fincher’s film “The Social Network” designed by director David Fincher
• Adam McKay’s film “The Other Guys” designed by David Midgen of Picture Mill in Los Angeles.

And the winner is:

The Other Guys. Title sequence design by Picture Mill – one of the creative companies who share their creative insight each year at motion.

Check out the full article in the New York Times: If There Were an Oscar for Film Titles.

Pirating. Major motion picture studios are worried about pirating. This in turn discourages them from making premium 1080p content available via streaming. But Intel recently announced a solution that will allow studios to be able to provide content, without the concern of pirating. The solution? Insider.

Early this month, Intel announced that it was building a hardware security layer in its next-generation Core chips to prevent streaming movies from being copied. The chip feature, called Insider, includes an end-to-end protection layer and management feature to unlock high-definition movies from online streaming services, said Karen Regis, consumer Consumer Client Marketing Manager at Intel.

Insider is a part of Intel’s enhanced graphics offerings in its next-generation Core processors, which will were officially released on Jan. 5, just before CES in Las Vegas.

Intel has partnered with Warner Bros. Digital Distribution, which will make 300 high-definition titles available from its WB Shop or Best Buy’s CinemaNow service. The movies will be able to be played only on systems with the next-generation core processors. Intel is also in the midst of partnering with more studios and announcements will be made in the upcoming months.

That’s pretty darn good if you ask me

Stage Video works across browsers. When the final shipping version of Flash Player 10.2 is released, users will benefit from Stage Video accelerated content with a simple Flash Player update. Tom Nguyen, Product Manager, Flash Platform Runtimes at Adobe states, “We’re also introducing Stage Video across devices. In fact, today Google TV already takes advantage of Stage Video in Flash Player to deliver gorgeous 1080p HD video playback on TVs.”

For content providers, Stage Video will work with all of the existing video viewed in Flash Player once they utilize the new API in their video player SWFs. This means their websites will continue to benefit from Flash Player’s advanced streaming for smooth, higher quality playback, DVR-like playback control, content protection, and consistency, with no changes to their encoded videos or infrastructure. Developers can learn more about how to enable their sites to take advantage of Stage Video today, and sites like YouTube have already started adding early support for Stage Video.

Other new features include:
-users with multiple monitors will be able to watch videos in true full screen on one display while multi-tasking on another
-support for native custom mouse cursors
-new sub-pixel text rendering enhancements that leverage Adobe typography research to further enhance readability of text in Flash Player

Developers are encouraged to check out the Stage Video demos on Adobe Labs, including a demonstration of Stage Video from our friends at YouTube. If you’re an end-user, you probably don’t need to download the beta – you’ll benefit from Stage Video with the final release of Flash Player 10.2 next year as websites take advantage of it.

empireonline.com recently posted a movie poster quiz online. They give you one letter from the poster – you guess the poster. Give it a shot!

I am a huge Apple fan. My first computer was an Apple II. I’ve been hooked ever since. When the iPhone came out – I was elated. I am a gadget person. I love technology. To this day, the iPhone still ranks as the ‘number one’ invention of my lifetime. It can do … well, just about anything. As we all know…there’s an app for that!

The announcement of the iPad was somewhat bittersweet for me. Given that the iPhone can fill so many needs – just how would an iPad fit into my techno lifestyle? It’s not a computer – as it doesn’t run Mac OS X. I don’t need a large iPhone. But I definitely could get into a truly engaging ‘media device’.

Ergonomically speaking, the iPad fits the bill. It’s lightweight – only 1.5lbs.  At about 10×7.5, the screen is perfect for reading a book – in full color – something the Kindle doesn’t offer. It’s a great size for gaming. As an artist, with the addition of a third-party drawing stylus, it’s also the perfect size for a ‘sketchbook’. And I can only begin to imagine the next generation multimedia ‘magazines’ that could be viewed on this device. Web browsing, email, movies . . . they’re all a given.

But without Flash? What was Apple thinking? In my opinion, Apple made a decision that is not in our best interests, but instead, some remnant of a long ongoing Apple vs. Adobe battle. It’s the first time I’ve been disappointed in Apple.

Coincidentally, about a month ago, I watched the fascinating documentary ‘MacHEADS‘. It profiled Apple’s history and culture. It brought back many memories. Historically, Apple was a company that listened to it’s end-user. Apple user groups were huge. Apple prided itself on innovation. Apple stood out. They wanted to be different. They taught us to ‘Think-Different’. While the number of Apple users were less than windows users, Apple users were fanatics. I know this very well, as I was truly a part of the Apple ‘cult’.

The last part of the documentary made the most impact on me though. It spoke of the ‘new’ Apple – a company that has left its user groups feeling abandoned, lost its personal relationships with end-users – all in the pursuit of . . . the bottom line. Granted – it’s a business. Apple is part of corporate America. And in corporate America – it’s only the bottom line that matters.

Or not? More and more marketing gurus are talking about the era we are in. They explain that marketing and business concepts of the past no longer viable. That for businesses to truly succeed in the long run – they need to realize that the old ways of doing business are a thing of the past.

In creating the iPad, did Apple make the mistake of letting their ego get in the way of releasing a truly great product? I believe they did.

Apple argues that HTML5 will replace Flash. Is that possible? Just do a search on Google – you’ll be inundated with opinions. One consistent opinion you will see though, is that HTML5 is not ready for prime-time yet.

The Apple iPad is supposed to start shipping next month. I don’t want to wait for HTML5. I want a device that is a truly engaging multimedia device . . . now! The simple solution iPad + Flash.

85% of the top websites use Flash technologies. Go to the home page of the New York Times. What do you see? Embedded Flash. I work in motion graphics, vfx and animation. I spend a lot of time on Vimeo. On the iPad, all I would see on Vimeo is the missing Flash plugin symbol.

But there’s more to it than that. Beyond the video capabilities of Flash, not including Flash on the iPad precludes us from utilizing many of the rich-internet applications that are developed in Adobe Flex (now called Flash Builder). Flash Builder allows developers to rapidly build engaging applications – anything from games – to that ‘next’ generation multimedia ‘magazine’ that I referenced earlier. All of these could be readily available on the iPad, when it ships next month – if they had included Flash.

So, just what does Adobe have to say about all of this? Check out Kara Swisher of All Things Digital recent interview with Adobe CTO Kevin Lynch.

And then, when you’re done with that, take a look at what some of these ‘next generation magazines’ could look like using Flash.

Then, stop and ask yourself – who does Apple’s decision to not include Flash on the iPad really impact?

The results? New Mexico (ABQ and surrounding areas) was selected number three!

Read the full article on Variety .