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what editing software is best?????

Can o' worms...

You could get a lot of opinions on this topic! The big three (in my humble opinion) are:

1. Avid DV/Xpress Pro and many high-end flavors
2. Final Cut Pro/Xpress
3. Premiere

Each one is an all-around good editor. Each does some things better than the other. Making a decision on which to use really will depend on what kind of films you intend to make, what kind of effects you require, what kind of formats you'll use, is this for hobby filmmaking or professional services, will you need to work with other editors, go to broadcast, mac or pc, etc.

So, my question is, what are you planning to edit? and what are you final intentions for whatever it is you plan to edit?

Would also be helpful to know what kind of hardware and OS you have.

-- upate: I guess I should read the darn post. "fornonapple" - I'd go Avid.
 
No editing system is neccessarily "better" than another. They're different, but they all do the basics equally well. Most of it comes down to personal preference and the limitations of budget...

Most people who already own a computer will go with whatever works on their OS (which a lot of the time means Premier for Windows and FCP for Mac). Other people buy their computer depending on which software they like.

But it's really just what you like, what you feel comfortable with, etc.
 
Since you are so long in business you know that talent counts no equipment :)

Whatever you can afford will be good.

They are all hard to learn and it's possible there will be lots of swearing during first weeks of editing :)

I was asked by wedding videographer to teach him how to edit with premiere (I did my feature and all corporate and weddings with it)

The best solution I've found is to use screen capture sotware with mic explaining all tools and how it works
1. Day one - Capture, timline, razor tool
I'll start cutting his wedding and he will finish following week

2. Next meeting - effects and music editing and export
It should take 16 hours max for me to dump 8 years of editing and he can always go back and review sections.

Mike
 
I've been on 3 non-linear editing systems since '96 (AVID, Accom Stratasphere, and Adobe Premiere) and I prefer Adobe Premiere. I guess it just works best with the way that I like to work. I have never used FCP so I can't comment on it.
 
Well I'm a final cut pro nut, so I prefer that, just cause that's where I am most comfortable, and also there is the new Production Suite from Apple, which is Final Cut Pro 4 (with Soundtrack, Livetype, and Cinetools), along with DVD Studio Pro 3, and the new Motion, all for 1299. . . which isn't a bad deal. (Education is 499!) Not a bad deal at all
 
The Adobe "education" bundles are identical to "full" versions... aside from the non-commercial agreement in the EULA and that you do not qualify for upgrades on it when they become available.

You can purchase the various Adobe components seperately, or get the bundles. They offer two bundles for video use (which correspond to the "full" version of each bundle, also available)...

Video Collection 2.5 - Standard

Video Collection 2.5 - Professional

The Professional version comes with Photoshop, as well as a version of AEFX with more bells & whistles than Standard.

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Even though all the above is Adobe, I bet that site has the details on FCP for Macs, too.

Edit I: They don't. They have a Vegas thingie, though.

Edit II: Just noticed that the OP was specifically about Apple. I am an idiot. :yes:

I've already signed up for a course on Premiere Pro (I'm upgrading from 6.0) and when class starts in two weeks, I'll be bagging some neat new goodies from the campus bookstore. Rar! :cool:

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CommanderGoat said:
For the $800 savings, I don't know if I can live with that...

Yeah it's pretty sick. . . but it does say that you're not supposed to sell or make money using the education version, but yeah, the software behaves the same. That would be the catch
 
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