FCP X or AVID??

[Craig Seeman]

It all comes down to “costs” of one kind or another.

Can you keep using FCP7 for a year or so while FCPX grows (as I think it will)?
Is the cost of moving to Avid burdensome in either money or time to learn?
Is the cost of moving to Premiere which is similar to FCP (and may cost little if you already have Production bundle)?

I think back to the days when the cost of getting an NLE meant $60K or more. The cost of moving is much smaller now although our business overheads are lower and ROI must be shorter.

There’s the cost of switching back to FCPX if it becomes killer. Those costs may not be too steep either. Somehow I think that factored into Apple’s decision.

[Eugene Lehnert]

I’d totally start learning Avid. I am. I started learning on an Avid in the beginning but went to FCP because I could have it at home. There weren’t many jobs for FCP editors back then though and I had a tough time finding work at first. Now 12 years later I feel I have to backstep a bit. Ultimately this will be good for us even though it’s painful. Apple may actually upgrade FCP X to be used in a professional environment but facilities may choose to go with Avid instead of FCP because they don’t trust Apple. So you may find that new jobs are going to be asking for Avid editors more and more. Then maybe in a few years FCP X will be able to be used professionally.

[Kris Trexler]

I’m a long time Avid editor in Hollywood. I edit mostly scripted multi-camera network TV shows, and Media Composer has been a wonderful, reliable, stable tool that’s made it possible for my work to be honored with two Emmy awards and five nominations. I don’t say this to brag, my intent is to inform you that without Media Composer, I would not be able to do the quality of work that I do. Without proper tools, my work would be awful.

Because I work almost exclusively on scripted projects, Avid’s exclusive script-based editing feature offers something no other editing software can match. Imagine 7 or 8 takes of a scene…in a flash, you can click on a line of dialog in the Avid script and quickly compare coverage and the subtleties of actor’s performances. I was one of the first editors in Hollywood to embrace Avid’s script-based editing, and now it’s become almost mandatory to use it on scripted projects here. It helps me make superior “editor’s cuts” and the directors and producers who ask me to show them alternate takes love the feature. FCP X has an “auditions” feature that comes close, but it’s nowhere near as fast and easy to use. When you’re referencing the script supervisor’s printed script to the Avid script, it’s just FAST and allows the editor to maximize their creative skills.

I routinely export AAF files (formerly OMF) for ProTools, and send an Avid bin with my finished offline sequence to a post house for final conforming of the HD master from XDCAM sources. We use Avid’s DNxHD36 codec for very high quality offline with small file sizes. The small files allow us to have an entire season of 4 camera multicam episodes on 3-2TB FireWire 800 drives. Of course it’s possible to use higher quality codecs and finish the project in MC, but my current TV series works best using an offline-online workflow. For me, Avid’s multicam seems superior to FCP 7 and earlier, and Avid trims better and more intuitively than FCP 7 and earlier.

I like FCP 7 too. I bought the first version of FCP on the day version 1 was released, and have upgraded with each release including X. I love shooting and editing vacation videos and use FCP 7 for that purpose. Also, I took a year off from editing in Hollywood and taught FCP at a film school in Asia. I rather like FCP 7, but for my professional work, I’m glad I’m an Avid ace. For high-end work in Hollywood, you had better know Avid because it’s still the gold standard here.

Don’t be intimidated by Media Composer. Some editors think MC is elitist or overly complex. FCP started out as the “guerilla filmmaker’s” choice and eventually became full-featured and reliable enough for pro acceptance. It won’t take long before using MC becomes second nature to you, just like FCP 7 may be for you now. Check this out, you might find it helpful..Avid for Final Cut Pro editors… https://learn.avid.com/content/FCP/index.html
I’m determined to know and maybe eventually love FCP X. I think it has possibilities. But it’s a long way for being ready for prime time, maybe years. I suggest you enjoy the ride and learn as many editing platforms as possible. Even an old salt like me loves playing with new toys. I still can’t believe these people pay me to come to work everyday. Editing has a been a great career for me and I hope you all feel the same.

Consider the very attractive switcher prices from Avid and Adobe. You may not see prices like these again for a long time if ever. If Apple gets their act together in the future with FCP X, it’s fairly cheap to jump back in.

Kris

[Craig Seeman]

I was an Avid editor from it’s beginning and for about 12 years. Like many, FCP was something I could buy and use at home.

I think there’s going to be an interesting battle between Avid and Adobe, not just on the marketing front but on feature upgrades as well.

[Geoff Dills]

Just read a former avid employee’s take on X. Gives props to Apple.

https://techvessel.tv/?p=940

Best,
Geoff

[Simon Ubsdell]

Really interesting. Especially in pointing out that what Apple have done with reinventing FCP is something that AVID should have done (and were apparently planning to do from this article) with Media Composer for a long time, but lacked the courage or the corporate will (or maybe the financial underpinning) to do.

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

[Joe Moya]

The only thing I might add to this post is…

Here is a link that has more specific infromation for a FCP to AVID migration.

https://provideocoalition.com/index.php/ssimmons/story/reminder_basics_of_avid_for_the_fcp_editor_articles/

[Greg Burke]

If you ever wanna make more than 10/hour learn avid

I wear many hats.
http://www.gregburkepost.com

[Rob Pitman]

Hi Craig,

Thanks for responding. I can wait for a year or so, holding on to 7 if you really think that X will sort itself out.

My worry is that in the UK, freelance work for TV (one of the areas in which I work) will move more and more back to Avid or now not migrate to FCP as they had planned.

I can manage on FCP 7 for online and corporate stuff for a while.

What do you think?

Rob

[Rob Pitman]

Hi Chris,

Most of my work will be for online or DVD but as a freelancer I work in the UK TV industry. I am concerned that post houses are now going to move back to Avid or just hold off their planned FCP switch and so I will be burned there?

I work in tapeless, some DSLR, some XDCAM so I think that I will maybe stick out with FCP 7 for online use and try and learn Avid for my broadcast commitments?

What are your thoughts?

Rob