At a Crossroads in Editing

[Simon Ubsdell]

[Kevin Matluk] “I’ve been scouring the web and forums trying to find the best solution”

I think you’ll find that the “best solution” is entirely a matter of taste rather than something you will be able to evaluate objectively.

Learning Media Composer will be the most clearly valuable skill you can acquire for a good time to come.

Premiere Pro is easy to pick up if you know FCP 7 or earlier. It’s worth making the effort to get to know it even if only superficially as its interchange with After Effects makes it very useful for graphics-intensive edit jobs and it’s sure to be gaining ground rght now, though not as much as Adobe are probably hoping.

Learning FCPX is really not as hard as people make out and is quite a lot of fun but has questionable value in terms of getting professional editing work in the immediate term.

But as I say, no-one knows anything, so don’t take my word for any of it …

Simon Ubsdell
Director/Editor/Writer
http://www.tokyo-uk.com

[Herb Sevush]

[Kevin Matluk] ” I regularly open my older projects to update and also reference for newer spots.”

If this is truly important than either staying with Legacy or moving to Adobe would seem to be your best options. If you don’t have a compelling reason to change, then don’t.

Herb Sevush
Zebra Productions
—————————
nothin’ attached to nothin’
“Deciding the spine is the process of editing” F. Bieberkopf

[Darren Kelly]

I changed to Premiere Pro, but I also switched platforms to the PC.

I have tried to open older projects using the XML export that FCP has put in, and that Adobe accepts, and I can tell you it is not a picnic.

The titles don’t transfer very well, and the layers can be messed up. If it’s a simple cuts/dissolve timeline, you should be OK, but if you used FCP as I did to composite, I would not recommend leaving the LEgacy.

On the other hand, the new work I do in CS5.5 and the PC is faster and easier with the right PC. (New, CUDA based Nvidia card, etc.

I kept my Mac to handle my legacy projects. It’s still running OS10.6.x, and FCP 7.x. It will remain like that until the computer dies, which shouldn’t happen for several years. I also use the Mac platform for email, and the web. Better protection.

Good Luck

[Adam White]

I’m in a simmilar position.

My advice – keep working on FCP7 for now, but get a trial of Premiere and get to grips with it (you’ll take to it like a duck to water – its very simmilar to FCP legacy) There are some different ways of doing things to get used to, but also some great aspects to it (not least the amazing performance which will be like a revelation if your used to FCP!) I would hazard a guess that there is likely no major reason why Premiere cant replace FCP in your workflow eventually.

BUT – and heres a slight curve ball – I would also strongly recommend you also try out and get to grips with Avid. Its the ultimate insurance policy for an Editor, it will be around in pro circles indefinately and is solid as a rock. I’m learning it now, as well as Premiere.

The FCPX debacle has taught me NEVER to rely on one software provider alone. Last year was an utter nightmare and I never want to be in a position again where I feel like the rug has been pulled out from under me. In short – learn both major alternatives (PP + Avid) then use what works best for you. No need to jump from FCP Legacy immediately, but you are on borrowed time with it so do prepare now for the shift that will be forced on you sooner or later.

[Craig Seeman]

I suspect the next FCPX update, coming soon, may start to interest facilities.
Given the cost of NLEs these days it can’t hurt to have Premiere Pro and Avid Media Composer as well.

[Robert Bracken]

I love FCP X and can’t imagine my life without it. You can read the history of my questions I have asked on this board and they have all be answered.

You could say I’m an Apple fan boy but that is OK. It works and I love it.

I use https://www.fcp.co as a good resource for other FCP X editors.
Also this site too.

-Bobby

[Andy Neil]

Difficult to say Kevin without knowing your specific workflow, but I’ll highlight what I can for you.

[Kevin Matluk] “I have been editing in Final Cut Studio for about 7 years and use Soundtrack Pro, Color, Compressor, and DVD Studio on a weekly basis.”

Some elements of Soundtrack and Color have been included into FCPX, but they are not replacements for those programs. Depending on the extensiveness of your use of those programs, it’s possible FCPX will work for you, but perhaps not. Even Apple suggests Resolve as the Coloring tool of choice for FCPX. The thing is, I don’t know if you can send Premiere or Avid projects to Color, and CS doesn’t really have an equivalent yet (although it looks to be coming).

Compressor and DVD Studio can be maintained and used with any NLE choice. DVDSP is EOL, but its been EOL for years now and still works fine.

[Kevin Matluk] “I regularly open my older projects to update and also reference for newer spots.”

This is a problem with FCPX as it doesn’t have the ability to open FCP 7 projects. I think Premiere can though, and Avid with a plug-in, but in both those cases, there may be “gotchas” along the way. If you’re opening old projects in order to steal graphic overlays or such for current promos, then perhaps FCPX would work in conjunction with Motion. Promo elements can be built as Motion projects which would be available as title effects inside FCPX. Its one of FCPX’s best features.

[Kevin Matluk] “This is a major turning point as it will affect both my current job and my skills as an editor down the road.”

As an editor, I would do everything I can to be as familiar with all the big players. In the short-term at least, there will be a post-production shift to Avid, but there are lots of shops with varying needs who are perfectly satisfied staying with FCP7 for the next few years or switching to Premiere, or even to Vegas, Edius, Lightworks, what have you.

[Kevin Matluk] “I recently talked with my former college professors who are switching the curriculum to Avid and Premiere from Final Cut entirely.”

This isn’t surprising since colleges have to follow the industry in order to prepare their students for jobs. You would have to see some facilities use a proven FCPX workflow before colleges started offering classes on it. Since FCPX is still missing some key features for post facilities, I wouldn’t expect many places to adopt it fully for some time yet.

In all though, my advice is to stay with FCP 7 as long as you can. If you aren’t planing on shooting on different formats than you currently are, and your workflow works, there’s no reason to jump away just yet. Especially if you need to access old projects.

Andy

https://www.timesavertutorials.com

[John Davidson]

Same situation for us. I’ve been researching Premiere, but there are so many little things that make me a hesitant. Adobe has a real opportunity to pull people into Premiere and become the dominant tool used by the industry, but this means overcoming some major roadblocks in thinking that has haunted the company for many years. They’ve got to start incorporating more creative looks into their software. They’ve got to stop leaving major holes in AE like no 3D text and extruding without buying a 1k plugin. They need to make an FCP simulator for Premiere, a plugin app store that constantly updates, the ability to have multiple open projects, and more frequent bug patches throughout.

We just wrapped up a project with 100 different kinds of sources, and it occurred to me today that lots of the rendering, conversion, media management, etc., would be much easier on FCPX. If only they’d update the stupid thing already to make it usable.

I just can’t even consider Avid. I played with the demo of 6, but it just feels like going backwards. Ugh.

For now, we’re waiting and staying with 7.

John Davidson | President / Creative Director | Magic Feather Inc.

[Mark Morache]

I’m on board with Andy’s well thought out reply.

I expect that you can continue to edit with FCP7 for years to come.

Meanwhile, the FCPX trial is freel for 30 days. It’s going to be a time commitment to get used to it. It took me a few extra days to complete my first project, but now I’ve got it running smoothly, and even with some of the bugs, it’s still faster for me, and I think it’s fun.

Stick with 7. Give X the time to really try it.

I bought Premiere 5.5 as part of the suite while it was half-price. I’ve been too busy enjoying X to start working with it.

That’s my 2 cents.

———
FCX. She tempts me, abuses me, beats me up, makes me feel worthless, then in the end she comes around, helps me get my work done, gives me hope and I can’t stop thinking about her.

Mark Morache
Avid/Xpri/FCP7/FCX
Evening Magazine,Seattle, WA
https://fcpx.wordpress.com

[Richard Herd]

Try FCPX for 30 days for free.