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After Effects vs. Final Cut
Can I do all (or most) of the same type of things with Final Cut that I could with After Effects?
I can only get one of these apps and need to make a decision soon.
Any in put will be gratefully accepted and considered.T
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16 Replies
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They are two very different programs – Final Cut Pro is video editing software, After Effects is compositing software.
Final Cut Pro is a part of Final Cut Studio, which is only sold as a bundle. With FCS you also get Motion, which is compositing software like After Effects.
After Effects is sold separately, but also comes as part of the Adobe CS bundle, which includes the video editing software Premiere.
So, do you need to edit video, or do you need to composite video?
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Not at all. Final Cut is an editing application, After Effects is motion graphics and compositing. You can do basic compositing in Final Cut, but nothing near as advanced as with After Effects, but you can’t really edit in After Effects (you could try but you’d want to kill yourself). You also can’t lay back to tape with After Effects.
If you want to edit, get Final Cut, if you want to composite, get After Effects. With FCS2 you’ll motion, which is close for basic motion graphics, and has great templates and ready to go material, but for really advanced compositing, After Effects is king.
Richard Sanchez
North Hollywood, CA“We are the facilitators of our own creative evolution.” – Bill Hicks
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Todd,
It depends on what you are doing. If you are primarily editing, then you want Final Cut Pro which comes with Motion (which is somewhat similar to After Effects). If you are primarily doing motion graphics, then you should get After Effects. If you do get After Effects, spend the money and get the Adobe Production Premium which comes with After Effects, Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere, Flash, Soundbooth and Encore. Basically it comes down to this: decide what primarily you plan on doing and go with that toolset.
Jamie
OS 10.5.5
FCP 6.04
2×3.2 Quad-Core
Kona 3
XRaid -
Thanks to you and everyone else who replied. I need to do both compositing and editing & will eventually purchase both apps.
Just so everyone knows; the term “3D graphics and animation with Motion” from the Final Cut web page
is what compelled me to ask this question in the first place. I see now from your replies that though that may be similar to AE, it would allow me to do all I could with AE (which is what I had suspected, but was not sure of).T
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Right now, I am stuck mostly in 2D but want to break out into the world of 3D as you all have.
I would like to:a) improve my 3D fly-overs/walk-thru animations for my architectural clients
with added quality and effects (https://tinyurl.com/3umatr)…b) get into 3D animated graphics commercials for my advertising clients…
c) and for me, to be able to make animated versions of my graphic novels
and story-board ideas as seen here:
https://tinyurl.com/fn3pm
https://tinyurl.com/5n87rkT
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That last sentence was SUPPOSED to say:
“I see now from your replies that though that may be similar to AE, it would NOT allow me to do all I could with AE (which is what I had suspected, but was not sure of).
Sorry about that.
T
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As the others have noted, they are not remotely the same.
If you need to perform video editing, Final Cut Pro.
If you need to perform motion graphics, compositing and special effects, After Effects.
We use both everyday as both tools are necessary to complete our projects along with Photoshop. In Final Cut Pro I’ve created comps up to 25 video tracks. In After Effects we regularly go over 100 layers of material and I’ve used up to 950 layers of material in especially complex pieces.
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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Todd,
In the short term, you’d get better results with FC2. Why? Motion is pretty good, and pretty easy to learn, plus, you’d be getting FCP so you could edit too. After Effects, while incredibly great, is equally complex, and the learning curve can be considerable.
Have a wonderful day.
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I went with the consensus and just ordered Adobe After Effects.
All the tutorials I’ve seen here look great, but which would you
recommend I study first for the quickest “kick-start” (both free and to purchase)?Thanks again, everyone,
Todd
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I think the Adobe Classroom in a Book is still the best for beginners, but if you can afford the Total Training DVDs get them.
Have a wonderful day.
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