looking for editing software

[zonatog]

I'm looking to get some editing software for personal use and professionally......I'm looking into getting a mac book for final cut pro. However I have a Dell Pc and trying to decide if it's worth getting fcp or looking into PC based editing software. Trying to see what's the best software to use any help would be great. Thanks.


P.S. I need a job!

 

[Chugach3DGuy]

There was a nice discussion a couple months back in this thread...

http://www.b-roll.net/forum/showthread.php?t=22048

I use Adobe Premiere Pro because I also frequently use After Effects, Photoshop, and Encore. I primarily do events, commercials, and some corporate style work. To me, its the greatest software in the world because I'm fairly good at using it, and it does what I need it to do.

 

[zonatog]

software

I didn't realize that it was posted earlier.....I've heard of Adobe but never used it. How user friendly is it? I think FCP is eaiser to use but that means purchasing a laptop!

 

[Chugach3DGuy]

No worries... I just remembered back to that thread and I didn't feel like re-typing everything!

I think Premiere is very much user-friendly. At least as user-friendly as Final Cut, which I also use at The Day Job. However, depending on what you're doing, I think Premiere has the edge over FCP. I mostly do commercials, so I typically need to use text often and I want the process to be done quickly. I can do just that with Premiere's Titler tool. Final Cut's text tools by comparison seem very anemic. Also, if you pick up the whole Adobe Production Bundle, you'll be able to do so much more as far as interacting with elements of your project and working in other programs. I find that it helps me be more efficient, and it doesn't throw up too many road blocks in the creativity department.

How up-to-date is your Dell? If you want to get the best out of the Adobe Suite, you'll need to run it on a suitably equipped machine.

 

[zonatog]

software

My dell is really up-to-date. It's a 2g hard drive with 145gb of memory intell 4 processor. That's about all I know without going too "Computer G" on you haha.

 

[Necktie Boy]

FCP is like Premiere since FCP is written by former Adobe employees. The only catch that I can see is if your video card in your laptop will support Premiere and the other applications. I just picked up CS4 and love it. There are a few strange bugs, but nothing that I can work around.
I had I get a better video card to make it happy. But on my laptop, OnLocation doesn't work. I have a nolder P4 2.6 with a 128 card. So, I believe as long as you have 512 card on your laptop, you should be save. I would got to Adobe sites and see what is required run on a laptop.

 

[Kevin Alexander]

CS4 rocks

I've worked on different platforms over the years... Avid Newscutter, Media 100, and Premiere... And by far Premiere is the best system I've used. Personally, I have nothing against FCP. But I still haven't been convinced as to why it's a better system than what Adobe is doing these days. If you get serious about video editing, you're going to put down some money. So I suggest looking into Production Premium CS4. The beauty of what Adobe is doing these days is allowing all the programs to work together seemlessly. I can edit a rough cut in Premiere, right click an audio file and clean it up in Soundbooth, and when I return the audio in Premiere has been automatically updated. Same thing with After Effects. I can right click a video file, perform some complicated color processing in AE, and return to Premiere where it's automatically updated.

So I swear by Adobe these days. The tight integration between all the programs makes it the ideal choice when you need an entire suite of software.

 

[Sore Shoulder]

I use both FCP and Premiere. I like Premiere Pro the best of the 2. I find Adobe more user friendly. Plus, FCP has a 6" think manual vs. Adobe's 1" manual--if they do the same thing why can one be explained in much less space? (Just something to think about)

 

[The Daywood]

I'm looking into getting a mac book for final cut pro.

Make sure you get a MacBook Pro...The cheaper MacBook doesn't have the video card horsepower to handle editing on FCP....

Other than that, I'd definately third and fourth everything that has been said about Adobe CS4...It is a fully integrated software system...Pretty intuitive and very user friendly...Takes a bit of getting used to its quirks, but it is a flexible system that is pretty powerful as a package...

 

[Canonman]

I typically need to use text often and I want the process to be done quickly. I can do just that with Premiere's Titler tool. Final Cut's text tools by comparison seem very anemic.

The basic title tool is indeed a bit anemic. But open the Boris 3D Titler and you'll get a much better palette to work from.

cm

 

[Necktie Boy]

C_man,

I see you found out my secret...hehehe...For day to day titling, Boris is the way to go.