I keep reading it has more accommodations for DSLRs, and I read about other features it has as well, but I'm not too familiar with all these new features. Do they really make a significant improvement?
Is Final Cut Pro X worth it?
- Thread starter harmonica44
- Start date
If you want to do cgi and greenscreen well you'll need a compositing program like Nuke or After Effects, and a few years of practice to get sort of ok at them.
Why are you planning on doing all the editing and effects yourself? The only people that do that and do a good job have years of experience and no money. You have no experience and a decent little budget (mentioned in other posts). Hollywood directors don't edit their own stuff, you at with an editor and talk over cuts and decide on them. Editing is an art different from directing.
Why are you planning on doing all the editing and effects yourself? The only people that do that and do a good job have years of experience and no money. You have no experience and a decent little budget (mentioned in other posts). Hollywood directors don't edit their own stuff, you at with an editor and talk over cuts and decide on them. Editing is an art different from directing.
Hello harmonica44, I noticed that you posted another thread in which you mentioned you've not made your first film yet. And you not sure what rendering means. I'm unsure how much experience you have with film making, but it sounds like you don't have a lot.
I would suggest starting off with a software that's a bit less intense. iMovie is actually a very good software for beginners, Software that's a bit more advanced are Corel VideoStudio, which allows you to do chroma key, add video filters, multi-track editing etc. you know the basics. Then when you are profficient in those, get a Avid, or FCP.
Why do i suggest this? Lets do the math
Assuming FCX cost $1000. You buy it now, you don't know how to use it, you learn the most basic of editing in a super-proffessional software with very steep learning curve and unfriendly user interface for people who've never done editing before. Takes you say, 3 years to get a basic grasp of the software, by when, you've got FCX is 3 years out of date, and you'll probably want... i don't know... FC XIII which cost another $1000. You spent a total of $2000 dollars, 3years, you got the latest software, and you know the basics of video editing and going pro, not to mention you'll have a very hard time at the beginning of the 3 years.
But if you by say, Corel VideoStudio (I'm not advertising them, just using it as an example). Spend $90, it's very user friendly, sufficient for most basic editing, easy to learn, instead of figuring out how to work a software, you can spend your time on how to make a good film. 2 years later, you made lots of good films, got down the basics of video editing, gained lots of good eperience, you realize Corel isn't sufficient for you. You go for FC XII, and you make pro films with it for a year, and become very proficient at it. So 3 years from now, you spent $1090 (almost half the amount). Got a relatively good software (only 1 year old), which you are very profficient at. AND you made lots of good films and gained heaps of experience.
If you don't read any of the above, my point is, FCX is not a good software for first time user.
I would suggest starting off with a software that's a bit less intense. iMovie is actually a very good software for beginners, Software that's a bit more advanced are Corel VideoStudio, which allows you to do chroma key, add video filters, multi-track editing etc. you know the basics. Then when you are profficient in those, get a Avid, or FCP.
Why do i suggest this? Lets do the math
Assuming FCX cost $1000. You buy it now, you don't know how to use it, you learn the most basic of editing in a super-proffessional software with very steep learning curve and unfriendly user interface for people who've never done editing before. Takes you say, 3 years to get a basic grasp of the software, by when, you've got FCX is 3 years out of date, and you'll probably want... i don't know... FC XIII which cost another $1000. You spent a total of $2000 dollars, 3years, you got the latest software, and you know the basics of video editing and going pro, not to mention you'll have a very hard time at the beginning of the 3 years.
But if you by say, Corel VideoStudio (I'm not advertising them, just using it as an example). Spend $90, it's very user friendly, sufficient for most basic editing, easy to learn, instead of figuring out how to work a software, you can spend your time on how to make a good film. 2 years later, you made lots of good films, got down the basics of video editing, gained lots of good eperience, you realize Corel isn't sufficient for you. You go for FC XII, and you make pro films with it for a year, and become very proficient at it. So 3 years from now, you spent $1090 (almost half the amount). Got a relatively good software (only 1 year old), which you are very profficient at. AND you made lots of good films and gained heaps of experience.
If you don't read any of the above, my point is, FCX is not a good software for first time user.
Absolutely correct and it needed to be said.
Harmonica, buddy, theoretical knowledge is great, but practical knowledge is only gained by doing, failing, adjusting, and learning from your mistakes. There are no shortcuts. This isn't just a film thing, it's life in general. It applies to you and everybody else.
The more you delay practical knowledge, the longer it will be before you find success. You are not special and you are not gifted, at least at this point. Your refusal to accept this proves my point. You can't beat the system with research. If that were the case, every college graduate would take over the world.
I wish you well and hope you take the constructive advice that has been offered previously. Unless you do, sadly, your ego will be your undoing.
I disagree with this. If you are going to learn to be an editor, learning iMovie isn't going to do you much good. Might as well spend the time on something that you'll be able to use professionally, whether Premiere or Final Cut (or avid haha).
But again, it'll take a while on any software before you're a good editor.
Haha! I disagree with you!
Although I do agree about iMovie. Learning L-cuts, J-cuts, cutting on movement, etc, is best learned on a restrictive NLE where you're not worried about gamma, RGB, and After Effects clouding your focus. I shudder at the thought of the 579 threads started by Harmonica going the FCPX route. Lord, help the free world!
Haha! I disagree with you!
Although I do agree about iMovie. Learning L-cuts, J-cuts, cutting on movement, etc, is best learned on a restrictive NLE where you're not worried about gamma, RGB, and After Effects clouding your focus. I shudder at the thought of the 579 threads started by Harmonica going the FCPX route. Lord, help the free world!
Ok, yeah, scrap the iMovie bit. But yeah, something simpler (I just like iMovie cause it's the program i used to edit the film that i won my first festival award with when i was 16, so felt kinda nostalgic about it... haha....)
A large part of that is my bias. Do you know what newsrooms were editing on in 2002 (low budget markets)? Pinnacle Studio 7.
nope, i had no idea.
Then it's time you get your head out of your ass and pay attention. What a freakin' newb.
Yes I am not that experienced yet, but I wanna invest in the future and get a great program now. That way I will have bought the best that I will use later on as well. I will have to learn it eventually anyway.
To that end, I would suggest FCP X. It's been rewritten from the ground up, so it's completely different from older versions of Final Cut. Learning older versions of the program just doesn't make sense, considering future versions for the foreseeable future will be based upon FCP X.
I don't know about that, a lot of people on year use older technology for movie making and it doesn't really matter. But I will wait and see before I buy.
I started on iMovie. It's actually great... you learn from mistakes, man. Just try making 5 or 6 short films (in the 5-minute range) on iMovie before you spend money on something bigger. It's just common sense.
You don't buy a teenager a stick-drive Aston Martin with a hyper-sensitive transmission right when he gets his license. No, you buy him a moderate, even unseemly car -- a Pinto, a 97 Jeep, a Corolla hatchback -- and if he masters that, shit, he can deliver pizzas and buy his own damn car. Likewise, you shouldn't pay top dollar for a cutting-edge editing suite when you're still learning the basics, because it's too complicated and bottom line - you'll fuck it up. Just go the sensible route and get a feel for it first.
Maybe you're a kid genius and you rip right through all of iMovie's features and limitations in a couple weeks. Maybe not. Either way, you gotta start at the bottom to get to the top. Gotta know the rules to break them.
You don't buy a teenager a stick-drive Aston Martin with a hyper-sensitive transmission right when he gets his license. No, you buy him a moderate, even unseemly car -- a Pinto, a 97 Jeep, a Corolla hatchback -- and if he masters that, shit, he can deliver pizzas and buy his own damn car. Likewise, you shouldn't pay top dollar for a cutting-edge editing suite when you're still learning the basics, because it's too complicated and bottom line - you'll fuck it up. Just go the sensible route and get a feel for it first.
Maybe you're a kid genius and you rip right through all of iMovie's features and limitations in a couple weeks. Maybe not. Either way, you gotta start at the bottom to get to the top. Gotta know the rules to break them.
You guys gotta remember, FCX is only going to be $299. No one is saying spend $10k on equipment and software. $300 is amazingly affordable for editing software, especially when it's as powerful and industry standard as this.
It's also much more user-friendly (based on promo examples) than Studio 2. It should be a great learning platform.
It's also much more user-friendly (based on promo examples) than Studio 2. It should be a great learning platform.
You might as well ask what everyone's favorite color is. There is no such thing as an objective "best", there is on the subjective "best for you". No one can answer what is the best software for you but you.
It's still an investment to buy the best now, because then you only have to buy once, and it will last you to the future. If you by an Ashton Martin when you get your license, then you don't have to buy a cheep $1000 car at first. You still save, by only buying one thing. That's just the way I prefer to do it.
Yes I am looking forward to what people have to say. I'll wait and see. It seems at such a lower price though, there could be some drawbacks or features missing, but who knows. We'll see.
So now that Final Cut Pro X is out, can anyone tell me if there is any special catches or tricks to it I need to know? Thanks.
From what i have heard it's not so good, i asked the college technician if we are upgrading to FCX next year his reply was "No we are F***ing not, it's a piece of S***"
But then again, as Sonnyboo said, it may work for some people and not for others.
But then again, as Sonnyboo said, it may work for some people and not for others.