If there's one desktop Mac Apple is pitching squarely at Creatives, it's the M2 Mac Studio. Sitting between the iMac and the Mac Pro, it's a small but mighty (and pricey) machine that just got taken to the next level with the addition of the M2 Max and M2 Ultra chips.
One creative who's loving the raw power of the M2 Mac Studio is London-based creator and producer Ollie B, known for his high-energy TikTok clips. We caught up with Ollie to find out how the Mac Studio has transformed his creative process. For the full lowdown on the new Mac Studio, check out our Mac Studio M2 review.
How has the Mac Studio transformed your workflow?
The Mac Studio has been a complete game changer for me. I am able to move my workflow from basic video editing to include 3d modelling and visual effects to give my clients even more creative videos that have already proven to increase product revenue. These videos can be made faster than ever speeding up my workflow about 3-6x. I was producing maybe 1-2 short form video pieces per day, now we are looking at more like 5-10!
Exporting and rendering files no longer consumes hours of time, I can render and in a fraction of the time have the asset ready to use. Being able to keep high video quality during complex editing processes helps achieve a much higher standard of final asset. I have been able to get more creative and better my skill set by allowing myself to make more mistakes due to the ability to undo and rectify these.
Tell us about a recent piece of work the Mac Studio proved invaluable for
My VFX for Disney Parks UK (below). Having worked with Disney over the past couple of years I have been needing to push creative boundaries further and further, so following the upgrade to my Mac Studio M2 Ultra I was able to return from a press trip to Disneyland Paris to create super fun and creative social assets to bring the parks magic alive across socials.
Is there any other hardware or software you find invaluable?
Pad Pro - you can now use DaVinci Resolve on iPad just like you can on Mac! Not only that you can sync your projects across devices and edit live on multiple devices. I can be making edits on the move while the gallery studio edits on the same project. DaVinci hardware is also compatible with iPad! Madness!
Also, in no particular order: Adobe Premier Pro | Adobe After Effects | Blender | Cinema 4D | Photoshop | Adobe Express (better than Canva!). Full disclosure: I am an Adobe Ambassador.
Do you have any advice for aspiring content creators?
I received this email from Casey Neistat on 24th Feb in 2014 after asking him the same question. I would echo his direct simplicity and sentiment, here is what he said:
"Just make something. It will be bad, my first work was, but stick with it and eventually you'll find your voice. It takes time and work. Mostly work"
I truly believe whatever you are making leads you to the next thing you make. My content has been all over the place, I have branded and re-branded maybe 20-50 times. Find what makes you happy and be authentically yourself, the internet accommodates everyone in their own niche and brings together likeminded individuals because all social media wants is for you to keep scrolling, so post what makes you who you are and as you go asses what’s working and what isn’t. Being a carbon copy of someone else won’t work though, they already exist.
