Larry Jordan's Newsletter: July 28, 2025

July 28, 2025

As the Cloud continues to expand ever deeper into media production and post, the latest brouhaha concerned a recent change in the Terms of Service for CapCut. While you may not think this applies to you, it's actually more relevant than you think. Why?

Because CapCut, like other cloud vendors, is now stipulating that if you upload it to their cloud, they own your work.

CapCut Changed Its License to Benefit AI Scraping

The two greatest areas where the cloud impacts media are collaboration and AI. Recently, Sam Bogoch, CEO of Axle AI, wrote that while much of AI requires the cloud, for media asset management, running locally makes more sense.

Here, Sam shares four benefits to creative workflows: Lower cost, greater trust, faster speed and less guilt.

Cloud AI is the Wrong Place for the Media Industry

Discover the latest industry news on my home page. There are several new stories this week, including Cinegear, Atomos, Sony and Fx Factory.

Larry's Media Industry News

Atomos announced the Ninja TX, a completely reengineered member of the Ninja family of camera monitor-recorders featuring a brand-new industrial design, improved thermal efficiency, reduced weight, and enhanced portability, all in a compact 5-inch form factor.

Atomos Announces Ninja TX, Next-Gen Recorder

Webinars are back. This week I'm showcasing "Power Tools in Apple Final Cut Pro." (Next week: AI Tools in DaVinci Resolve.)

This week, we go deep inside Apple Final Cut Pro to discover tips and techniques that can help you work faster, understand the interface better, and use effects more, um, effectively. As always, registration is free.

FREE registration for either webinar here

For tutorials this week, I have something for everyone who wants to improve the quality of their sound.

We go on location to take viewers places they haven't been. But, as soon as we leave the studio, audio noise immediately becomes an issue. Here are three tutorials on how to reduce - not remove - background noise from interviews and dialog.

How to Reduce Background Noise Using Final Cut Pro 11

How to Reduce Background Noise Using Premiere Pro 2025

How to Reduce Background Noise Using DaVinci Resolve 20

More than two years ago I wrote that Apple removed the FAT EQ effect from Final Cut. At that time I said: "Channel EQ provides the same or better control than Fat EQ, but it may take a bit of time to get used to the new interface. I’ll write a more detailed tutorial in coming weeks."

Two years later, here it is.

Use Channel EQ to Improve Voice Quality in Final Cut Pro

There are several books I want to bring to your attention. The newest is by Walter Murch: Suddenly Something Clicked: The Languages of Film Editing and Sound Design. I had the great pleasure of speaking with Mr. Murch several times many years ago. Everything you hear about him is true: He's a triple-Oscar winner of the Godfather films, Apocalypse Now and The English Patient, highly lauded as film editor, director, writer and sound designer Walter Murch reflects on the six decades of cinematic history he has been a considerable contributor to – and on what makes great films great.

While I haven't read this book, yet, I've read two of his previous books and it is like sitting at the feet of the master.

Another new book you need to know about is the Final Cut Pro Cookbook. Written by Mike Eddy, it contains over 70 recipes for advanced creative effects and efficient workflows. Just like a cooking cookbook, it doesn't spend a lot of time explaining "why," instead it gets right into the details of "how."

Finally, I would be remiss not to mention my own Final Cut Pro Power Tips with over 500 quick tips, tricks and hidden techniques in Final Cut Pro. I also devote a chapter to explaining core media concepts and technology.

Any of these would be a welcome addition to your library.

TUTORIALS & REVIEWS

» Caution: CapCut Changed their License and - MAY - Own Your Content! (News)

» Revised Terms of Service say material uploaded to their cloud is theirs.

» Cloud AI is the Wrong Place for the Media Industry (Commentary)

» AI does not require the cloud to be effective.

» Atomos Announces Ninja TX, Next-Generation Monitor-Recorder (News)

» A 5-inch monitor recorder with next-generation connectivity and tools.

» How to Reduce Background Noise in Apple Final Cut Pro 11 (Tutorial)

» Audio sounds best with background sounds reduced, not removed.

» How to Reduce Background Noise in Adobe Premiere Pro 2025 (Tutorial)

» Adobe Sensei-powered, specifically designed for dialog.

» How to Reduce Background Noise in DaVinci Resolve 20 (Tutorial)

» Part of Resolve's amazing AI-powered toolset.

» Use Channel EQ to Improve Voice Quality in Final Cut Pro (Tutorial)

» Channel EQ allows you to shape the sound in very powerful ways.

Power Tools in Apple Final Cut Pro 11

This week, we go deep inside Apple Final Cut Pro to discover tips and techniques that can help you work faster, understand the interface better, and use effects more, um, effectively.