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Final Cut trial software?
Hello all,
I am a long time (9 years) Avid editor and have come to the conclusion that I need to learn Final Cut (and also the Mac platform in general — I am a PC guy) to stay competitive. I have a friend who is willing to let me borrow a Mac for a couple of months so that is not a problem. However I checked Apple’s website for a free demo version of Final Cut and have been unable to find it anywhere. Do they not offer a free trial? Are there any options for learning FC without spending $1300 (that don’t involve illegal software)? Any possibility of getting older versions to learn on (ver 4 or ver 5) and how much would I be missing without the latest version?
How similar is Final Cut Express to Pro? Is it similar like Avid Xpress was to Media Composer or is it really “consumery” (ie I would be wasting my time professionally).
Let me reiterate that I am not trying to set up my own studio at home on the cheap (I work full time as an editor) — I am simply looking for a way to learn this ubiquitous editor.
Much thanks in advance for any advice or help anyone can give me.
Regards,
David Oulashian
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3 Replies
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Couple things.
1. There is no trial
2. Older versions are very similar (some great features… but V5 is very close for purposed of learning)
3. FC Express VERY similar.. just supports far fewer formats, missing a few key features, and missing support apps in general.But… good enough to cut teeth on
Richard M. Harrington, PMP
Author: Photoshop for Video, Understanding Adobe Photoshop, Final Cut Studio On the Spot and ATS:iWork
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Hi Richard,
Thanks for the quick reply. Couple of questions:
1. If I got up to speed on FCExpress then walked into a Final Cut Pro bay would I be lost or would I be able to jump right in?
2. Related to 1. above — would I then be proficient enough to include Final Cut Pro on my resume (in your opinion)?
3. In your opinion, how important is it to learn Color/Motion/DVD Studio Pro (ie the whole Studio package) and is it assumed that any Final Cut editor will know the whole Studio package?Thanks,
David Oulashian
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[David Oulashian] “1. If I got up to speed on FCExpress then walked into a Final Cut Pro bay would I be lost or would I be able to jump right in? “
Yes and no. It’s a stripped down version of FCP so you would understand the basics of how FCP works, but you would be missing some advanced features.
[David Oulashian] “2. Related to 1. above — would I then be proficient enough to include Final Cut Pro on my resume (in your opinion)? “
My opinion would be no.
[David Oulashian] “3. In your opinion, how important is it to learn Color/Motion/DVD Studio Pro (ie the whole Studio package) and is it assumed that any Final Cut editor will know the whole Studio package? “
You should understand Motion enough to be able to create motion graphics when necessary.
DVD Studio Pro is incredibly simple to learn.
Many FCP editors do NOT know how to operate Color. If you can, that’s a great advantage as it performs rings around what FCP alone can do when it comes to color grading. But it is definitely not necessary to learn Color to be an FCP editor.
What I would do is go ahead and learn with FC Express and as soon as you’re comfortable with that, step up to Studio and continue your learning path.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR Apple Color Training DVD available now!
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