Best Editing System?

[LOGAN L Productions]

I am looking for the best possible editing software for my new PC. I'm looking at Avid rather than Adobe based on what I've read...

...but even within Avid, there is Liquid and Xpress and FX...which one is the best - most professional. I am working with DVX footage, but want the capacity for HD and as many features as one program can have. Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Boz Uriel]

Best possible, my guess would be Avid. However, when I was looking for my NLE I demo'd them all first and found out that there was something about Sony Vegas that just fit my style. It was like swimming. I bought it and haven't looked back since. JMTCW

 

[Shaw]

If you want to learn the avid interface liquid isn't the best option. Liquid was recently acquired by Avid and is doesn't quite fit with the rest of Avids paradigm in terms of workflow.

Adobe Premiere Pro is good software. It seems to be hit and miss though. Some people never have problems with it while others have all sorts of stability problems. It's not as forgiving of poorly maintained systems as other NLEs are. That said, it does have a lot to offer. Most notably, IMO, PP2s 32bit processing for color correction and great interoperability with After Effects. If you use After Effects a lot Premiere is the best choice by far.

I've yet to see a NLE which I completely love.

 

[clive]

Just to add to the confusion -- although I'm a mac guy and wedded to FCP -- I was at the Abobe roadshow where they were demoing the new Premiere package -- Premiere, After Effects, and Soundtrack (?) (The sound unit may be called something else, I wasn't paying that much attention)

Anyhow, the bottom line is that it did all the stuff you wanted and was starting to look like a credible alternative to FCP -- especially when you put the whole package together.

In fact, the sound module in particular had some great features for indie film makers -- like for instance a way to remove unwanted noise on a soundtrack by visually identifying the frequency packets you didn't want -- and removing them using the lasso tool (same way you would with pixel in Photoshop) -- that was the smartest audio thing I've seen in long time.

The problem with Avid is that it's a hardware/software system that is fantastic at what it does, but carries a massive price tag -- the software only versions don't stack up against the competition.

However, the real avid expert on this forum is SPaulovich -- who used to work form them and is a super nice guy -- pm or email him.

 

[sonnyboo]

I make a living as a professional editor and it comes down to this. When people tell you "You have to get a Mac" or "You should only edit with AVID", these are entirely PREFERENCES, nothing more, nothing less. Every single piece of editing software on the market does basically the exact tsame thing and work in incredibly similar ways (I edit in Avid, Adobe Premiere, Vegas Video, and Final Cut Pro). Not a single one of them is better than the other. There are preferential things to like about each one, but they aren't different enough to say "This one is better for EVERYONE".

Try out the demo versions of each and see which one makes the most sense to you and choose it.

As for your situation specifically, if you need to have AVID and can't decide, the only one that will do everything you want is AVID XPRESS PRO HD.

 

[WideShot]

I totally agree with Booster, different strokes for different folks. They all have their strengths and weaknesses, so you should download trial copies of each and see which floats your boat. Its like saying, which is the best, Honda, Toyota, Mercedes, BMW, Ford, Chevy, Pontiac, Jeep etc... all different cars for different people which is why you take a "test drive".

 

[clive]

Where Peter is correct, is that the main editing softwares are getting more and more alike -- they all pretty much do the same things.

Where I beg to difer is when he says they do those things in same way -- the key thing when making this decision is how you blend with the interface.

Avid's interface has a pretty steep learning curve, but the advantage of climbing it is that the vast majority of professional facilites still use Avid based systems -- understanding how to cut on Avid is a pretty good career move if you want to cut for a living.

Abode's products have the advantage of all using the same basic principles -- so if you know your way around photoshop, then you have a lot of advantages when it comes to things like colour correction or even sound correction in Premiere.

I don't know anything about Vegas -- other than the fact that many people swear by it.

The only thing I would add is that in the indie world FCP and Premiere are the two leading products -- and both are starting to make their mark in professional broadcasting.

These days in London you can find dedicated FCP facilites, for professional use -- you can't say the same for Premiere yet -- but it's a firm favorite of videographers and Adobe are pushing hard to get it mainstream credibility.

My personal opinion is that Avid is not holding its own in the "software only" market -- the BBC adopted it as an ENG editing tool, but it getting edged out by both Premiere and FCP, which in my modest opinion have better, more intuitive interfaces.

I think the mistake a lot of people make is in comparing AVID hardware/software, with software only systems -- Avid hardware/software systems like Nitrus is where it's at when it comes to onlining full HD -- but I just don't have £90,000 to play with right now -- which is why you hire those kinds of facilities.

 

[sonnyboo]

Where I beg to difer is when he says they do those things in same way

I never said that.

the key thing when making this decision is how you blend with the interface.

I did say this.

==================

Basically, what I'm trying to say is that it's ludicrous to think that DaVinci and Picasso would have a fight over "My brush is better than yours!", in the same way it's the editor not the software. A professional editor will do better on Imovie than an amature with a Media Composer.

As long as the software can deal with the media and output you need, that's all that really matters. The rest is finding out what button does the same thing between the different software.

 

[LOGAN L Productions]

I'm really looking for something with great audio control and that works fastest.

 

[clive]

Peter you've made some valid points, so have I

Yours are from the perspective of someone with professional experience of cutting on all the different software options -- and therefore you see the underlying similarities -- mine are from the perspective of a FCP editor, with significant directorial experience of cutting on professional avid systems and I what I understand, is how these software packages relate to the larger production industry in the UK.

These are both useful perspectives -- you feel that the interfaces are similar, I don't -- all that proves is that we're very different people.

As Logan is a separate entity as well, he can benefit from both perspectives -- it's both healthy and adult for us to have different points of view -- and the fact that I don't think I agree with you about almost any aspect of film making, doesn't make you wrong and me right -- life just isn't like that -- but maybe we'll not agree about that either -- in which we'll have to settle this like gentlemen, with swords

(I should just add that I was London novices fencing champion and my preferred weapon is the Sabre- )

 

[sonnyboo]

These are both useful perspectives -- you feel that the interfaces are similar, I don't -- all that proves is that we're very different people.

As Logan is a separate entity as well, he can benefit from both perspectives

Clive is 100% correct on all points here. We differ and banter, but neither of us is right or wrong per se. We can only speak for ourselves and our preferences which was my original point.

For anyone misreading too much into this, we're not fighting, but having a healthy disagreement from opposing points of view. I have the utmost respect for Clive.

My own opinion is without a doubt, if you're on a Mac get Final Cut Pro. It's gone from a 5% market share of professional use to 40% in less than 5 years, eating away at AVID's domination with amazing speed, and with good reason. If you're not on a Mac, there's at least 3 good options - Adobe Premiere pro, Avid and Sony Vegas Video, all are at least comparable to FCP, although the most similar in layout & function is Adobe Premiere PRO (not previous versions) and the latest versions (2.0) can edit in HD and HDV natively.

in which we'll have to settle this like gentlemen, with swords

I prefer katana... shorter and made for hacking peasants, at least in Kurasawa films. Remember in Seven Samurai when Toshiro Mifine is lining up multiple swords in a row? Those things never lasted when cutting up limbs. They get dull quicker when they slice through human flesh.

I'm really looking for something with great audio control and that works fastest.

Vegas Video has the most diverse AUDIO editing tools, but AVID, FINAL CUT PRO, and ADOBE PREMIERE are not slouches either. They all have many audio tools and tweaks you can do, but I'd recommend using a seperate audio editing tool like Adobe Audition or Sony's stand alone audio editing.

 

[Loud Orange Cat]

There's no "best" solution for a home PC, it's based upon the features you want.

I like Premiere. Just drop it on the time line and go. Very easy for the beginner, very powerful for the seasoned editor.

I have Avid also, but the learning curve is steep. As everyone else said at the beginning of the thread, chosing a NLE is a personal preference.

 

[LOGAN L Productions]

Wow. I've been using Adobe for a while, but just tried out Vegas for the first time...it's so much better. I mean I went for YEARS not knowing how to do certain things on Premiere, but Vegas is so simple and feels so natural. I think I'm going to go with it. Thanks everyone for your input!

 

[clive]

I prefer katana... shorter and made for hacking peasants, at least in Kurasawa films

I'm also proficient in kenjitsu and several chinese swords styles (actually I am -- long story) and I prefer the wakizashi, which is a gentleman's weapon.

 

[knightly]

Throwing stars at 20 paces

 

[sonnyboo]

I'm also proficient in kenjitsu and several chinese swords styles (actually I am -- long story) and I prefer the wakizashi, which is a gentleman's weapon.

Dude, you will have to see Jet Li's new movie FEARLESS. It's got choreography by YEUN WO-PING and it has British sword versus Chinese sword, as well as a Japanese katana fight against Chinese sword. It's incredible.

Johnny Wu showed me the movie.

 

[mdifilm]

I edit a lot here, for a lot of freelance jobs and for myself, I've played with Ulead's, Avid's, Sony Vegas and I decided to stick with Premiere since i started using 4.2 and on and got soo used on it's preferences... But when they debuted Premiere Pro 1.0 and the new AE, life seems to be turning into a much enjoyable experience with editing... With 2.0 and the rest of the bells and whistles that come with the production bundle, it's like thre's NOTHINg you CAN'T do.. except when it comes to getting a job...

which is about 80% of times, when someone is posting for editors (in indie paying films work), they ask for FCP and about the same rate for Avid, rarely like only, 1% or so, is for premiere pro

However, IN the corporate environment, Premiere Pro is much widely 'known', if anyone of you haven't seen it yet, check out adobe's website where you can get a list of customer's work and see what they can do with Adobe bundles. I got 2005's Adobe Customers' Reel DVD and I was thrown back with all the extremely well down editing and design work... And I was like 'wow, dude, I only know about 1% of wht the software is capable of...!"

I've also seen good software with bad editors' hand where you just hated the cuting and such, so, it's very obvious, a good editor can use ANY editing software to make the edit good (a good edit is one that you forget the cut and pacing, and you are more involved in the story). Even with movie maker, you SHOULD be able to do that... (now, this doesn't include the part where you have add cg, effects, color correction, etc) to make your good edit to become a 'grandious' visual experience.

Johnny

 

[clive]

Dude, you will have to see Jet Li's new movie FEARLESS. It's got choreography by YEUN WO-PING and it has British sword versus Chinese sword, as well as a Japanese katana fight against Chinese sword. It's incredible.

It's on my list of movies to see -- thanks Peter -- the respect comes right back at you

 

[mr-modern-life]

For me I have found AVID Express on the PC to be a superb package. But to be honest for home systems I would never edit on anything else but a Mac. I'm a PC person through and through but AVID on the Mac or FCP HD are two of the best editing packages around.

For 'Left For Dead' we even rough cut on Imovie (yes you read that right I- Movie) then fine cut on FCP. i_movie is supebr for rough cutting as it's very stable (unlike FCP on occasion), quick and very easy to use. Then take it into FCP to really fine cut it down.

But for PC I found Adobe to be a total arse... AVID is a great piece of kit for the PC but make sure your PC is well above the spec listed for any software as even recommended requirements always seem a push at times.

 

[sonnyboo]

See what I mean?

Johnny Wu is for Adobe Premiere Pro and Mr. Modern Life is saying that Adobe is total arse... Someone did exactly as I said and said "you should really only edit on a Mac".

All you will ever get are opinions based on the preferences of each individual. The reality is that there is no such thing as "better" or "worse" with these things and that includes PC versus Mac. All you will hear are some peoples' specific experience that may or may not be applicable to you and your situation.

I can't stress this enough - never take anyone's word for it, just go & try a few of these out for yourself & decide on your own. Almost all of these softare packages have free demos, so try them. I love the above metaphor about buying an edit system is like buying a car - not every car is right for everyone or anyone. I'll have to remember that.