What about NAB2007?

Motion already has nested comps in a couple of ways:

1. You can put Motion project files on the timeline of another Motion project. Since you can have multiple projects open at the same time, this is basically the same thing as pre-comps in AE.
2. Motion has a Layers palette, so there is no need for a nested comp, and I personally think the Layer palette is the greatest thing since sliced bread.

No longer do you need to jump in and out of multiple timelines.

There is no way Artbox will be integrated into FCP for NAB2007. The thing only just runs on the MAC OS and has major issues working in the XSAN environment. Apple may be able to release it as a separate product complimentary to FCP for managing the workflow .. we'll see.

True that, Allan

@Vansi: I noticed some really cool "jobs" features in Artbox, which Apple just purchased. I'd imagine we'd see some cool workflow possibilities (like, "kick these timelines to these formats then do these other things to the output - oh, and email these people when that's done").

Qmaster sure could be nicer to work with, and Compressor needs a big speedup.

We want a prosumer level 3D app from Apple. Go get Modo and whatever else this guys are hiding in their lab. Newtek and Autodesk are all throwing us the crumbs. Enough of that. We need serious 3D code for OS X.

Compressor sucks and needs an overhaul. Offlading complex computational tasks, like what's being done in DS Nitris via Grid, or better, making a friendlier Qmaster. A turnkey solution a.k.a FCP Extreme. I hope we'll see some technologies starting to migrate from Shake to FCP. like. rotoscoping and retiming. A serious color grading and timing is imminent as well as media management. My last wish: Apple - buy Luxology already!!!

Editblog said it, I agree with most of that. Apple's software development muscles seem to be fairly robust by now (after staffing up and some better products); I'm hoping for a complete FCP rewrite (I figure 30% chance). We may not see that until FCP 7, though.

Silicon Color integration: I think an 80% chance at some level. Be nice to see it folded into FCP rather than a separate app.

I'm not sure that enough time will have elapsed for any major rewrite/deep integration of Artbox (40% chance); we might see it bundled with the Studio which would really help (80%+ chance). The media management/workflow capabilities of FCP Studio have been very limited.

I'd love to see 3D cameras and nested comps in Motion 3 (20%/80% chance). No idea if they'll merge Shake with Motion (that'd be cool, I think).

Adobe Video Studio (what's the name?) is also looking stronger than ever - the competition there is going to be white-hot this year and next. Good to see it; I find myself wishing we weren't all-FCP at my shop (heresy!!) for a little After Effects + Premiere Pro integration love.

I don't think FCP can continue to compete with the current codebase. It's too crusty & old. Adobe proved the wisdom of a rewrite with Premiere Pro (and Apple did with OS X) - here's hoping they make the courageous choice.

NAB is still shaking off dried skin they shed in the late '90s when Apple started to displace "professional" manufacturers as CMX and, sssshhh, even Avid. Media management is a key technology the Broadcast industry needs, badly.

Hopefully we will not have to wait until then to see some new Pro desktops also. Those are a bit overdue.

Wow, freaky I just saw a similar post like this at shoot-edit.com. They focused a little more on competitive issues as well from Adobe.

http://shoot-edit.com/index.php/video/comments/what_to_expect_from_apple_at_nab_2007/