Can't imagine this would really be read by Sir Howard Stringer, CEO of Sony, but if I could speak to him, this is what I would say:
Sony is missing, but can still seize, an amazing opportunity with your Sony Vegas and other creative software. You have a non-linear video editing program with amazing capabilities, a beyond-intuitive workflow, and potential to be much, much more, and it seems that Sony is haphazard and lackluster in its' support of it. Where Apple, Avid and Adobe have taken great lengths to not only upgrade but to incessantly promote their non-linear-editors (NLEs) over the past three years, Sony seems to have done very little to improve and promote their NLE, Vegas. Some would ask, why bother? Sony is a huge company, with a lot on its mind, and one tiny piece of software is a drop in the bucket for them.
I'll tell you why it should matter. Sony is currently struggling to remake itself both financially and image-wise, with products such as the PS3 and MP3 players, and with attempts to reach their customers through their new Sony Style stores. The PS3 is not selling like you had hoped, and traffic and sales at the Sony Style stores is lacking as well.
A re-tooling and new push of Sony Vegas could be part of a bigger push of Sony as the company to come to when you want to do creative things on the PC. Become the "Apple" of the PC world. Show the world what can be accomplished on Vegas. Pick a production company that has edited feature films with it (we are editing our second right now and I'm sure we're not the only ones) and feature their work in print ads and internet featurettes. Do the same with the rest of Sony's creative software. Focus on the people using the software and the art and commerce they create. Show the world that professionals are using your software. Show the world that you embrace these people and what they are doing. Stop letting people see Sony as a faceless media conglomerate.
The first place to do this is the Sony Style stores. I've been in them several times and always ask the young people working there about Vegas and other creative software. I get blank stares. Try asking the kids working at the Apple store on the other side of the mall about Final Cut Pro. You get an enthusiastic and knowledgeable speech on why Final Cut is the only way to go. THAT is what we should be hearing at the Sony Style stores. And EVERY computer in there should have Vegas Movie Studio, the "light" version of Vegas, installed on it, as bundled software. Let people use it and see how easy it is to put together a film. This will make thousands of people familiar with the interface, and as their needs grow, eager to step up to the full version of Vegas.
And do the same with hardware. Give us MORE than the other guys are giving. Independent filmmakers are BEGGING for a video camera that shoots full 1080P HD at 24P (NOT Cineframe) with detachable lenses. A camera like this, priced below $6K and configured to record to off-the-shelf Flash media and hard drives, would send the world a message: "Sony supports artists. We want to help independent artists and filmmakers achieve their vision." The message you send now, with proprietary media and features we wanted three years ago, is that Sony is only in it for the money. Granted, companies have to make a profit, but putting profit above all else ultimately hurts profits. People buy from Apple because they are selling an IMAGE as much as they are selling products. Sony can do the same. Give us something to admire.
Sony is missing, but can still seize, an amazing opportunity with your Sony Vegas and other creative software. You have a non-linear video editing program with amazing capabilities, a beyond-intuitive workflow, and potential to be much, much more, and it seems that Sony is haphazard and lackluster in its' support of it. Where Apple, Avid and Adobe have taken great lengths to not only upgrade but to incessantly promote their non-linear-editors (NLEs) over the past three years, Sony seems to have done very little to improve and promote their NLE, Vegas. Some would ask, why bother? Sony is a huge company, with a lot on its mind, and one tiny piece of software is a drop in the bucket for them.
I'll tell you why it should matter. Sony is currently struggling to remake itself both financially and image-wise, with products such as the PS3 and MP3 players, and with attempts to reach their customers through their new Sony Style stores. The PS3 is not selling like you had hoped, and traffic and sales at the Sony Style stores is lacking as well.
A re-tooling and new push of Sony Vegas could be part of a bigger push of Sony as the company to come to when you want to do creative things on the PC. Become the "Apple" of the PC world. Show the world what can be accomplished on Vegas. Pick a production company that has edited feature films with it (we are editing our second right now and I'm sure we're not the only ones) and feature their work in print ads and internet featurettes. Do the same with the rest of Sony's creative software. Focus on the people using the software and the art and commerce they create. Show the world that professionals are using your software. Show the world that you embrace these people and what they are doing. Stop letting people see Sony as a faceless media conglomerate.
The first place to do this is the Sony Style stores. I've been in them several times and always ask the young people working there about Vegas and other creative software. I get blank stares. Try asking the kids working at the Apple store on the other side of the mall about Final Cut Pro. You get an enthusiastic and knowledgeable speech on why Final Cut is the only way to go. THAT is what we should be hearing at the Sony Style stores. And EVERY computer in there should have Vegas Movie Studio, the "light" version of Vegas, installed on it, as bundled software. Let people use it and see how easy it is to put together a film. This will make thousands of people familiar with the interface, and as their needs grow, eager to step up to the full version of Vegas.
And do the same with hardware. Give us MORE than the other guys are giving. Independent filmmakers are BEGGING for a video camera that shoots full 1080P HD at 24P (NOT Cineframe) with detachable lenses. A camera like this, priced below $6K and configured to record to off-the-shelf Flash media and hard drives, would send the world a message: "Sony supports artists. We want to help independent artists and filmmakers achieve their vision." The message you send now, with proprietary media and features we wanted three years ago, is that Sony is only in it for the money. Granted, companies have to make a profit, but putting profit above all else ultimately hurts profits. People buy from Apple because they are selling an IMAGE as much as they are selling products. Sony can do the same. Give us something to admire.