I was editing the announcements the other day in iMovie ’09, and realized something. I could edit the audio and the video in one window, one app.
My earlier tweet about roundtripping between GB and iMovie seemed like a stepping stone to the obvious answer: why not have a program that can handle both types of files?
SPECIALIZATION IS FOR INSECTS
…or so said one of my percussion professors in college. Here is the cadre of editing apps at my disposal: GarageBand, Logic, Soundtrack, Waveburner, Final Cut, iMovie, iMovie HD (you remember iMovie HD don’t you?), Quicktime Player, Quicktime 7 Pro…and those are just the apps made by Apple! Dare me to start listing Adobe products.
While all of these specialty programs make sense in the pro app world, where roundtripping is best practices, why isn’t there a good equivalent for consumer apps?
ENTER THE “EDITOR”
Apple has been experimenting with this in iMovie, which I’m quickly realizing is the template for future desktop app design within the company. Drag a song into your project, then click “Window” and then “Clip Trimmer”. Look familiar? It’s rudimentary, and doesn’t allow much more than an in/out point, but the spirit is 100% GarageBand.
Why not allow more integrated editing? It’s not like pros would give up their workflow for this feature, and GB/iMovie are already sold together. The built-in media browser works great for pictures and music, but horrible for video and GB projects.
Can’t picture it? Think merging iMovie and GarageBand into one cohesive program. Imagine an iMovie window flipping over (as the font panel in iMovie does) to reveal a full GarageBand-style track based editor, replete with plugin support. Or imagine a GarageBand window with a flippable video track that would allow quick edits in an iMovie style?
Free up the formats, and let these two programs REALLY talk to each other! I will be the first in line to buy iGarageMovie ’10
WILL KUHN 
