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Is it wise to start out with FCPX?
I am a student and have worked on multiple freelance editing projects in the past. I purchased the dirt cheap student priced Avid Media Composer to learn on simply based on the fact that it is the broadcast industry standard. My question is, as someone who is relatively new, is it a smart idea to begin with something like FCPX as opposed to Avid or Premiere?
As I’ve looked at the discussion it seems that much (though not all) of unhappiness caused by FCPX is that it requires professionals to completely relearn the way they have edited. It seems like Apple has been trying to break out of the mold that was created back when film was first invented and is trying to create something on par with the capability of technology today. Is it wise to take advantage of this sort of clean slate and go with what is brand new?
On the other hand Apple has seemed to be moving away from the professional as a whole. Not only has their software seemed to have professional users as an afterthought but their hardware has also seemed to be lagging. The Mac Pro just as an example is falling behind and seems to have no update in sight.
So, is it wise to ride along with Apple’s revolutionary mentality, or have they left the professional behind in pursuit of the consumer?
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19 Replies
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Apple is not moving away from professionals. Most professionals don’t work in feature film or broadcast. It will take some time to make headway into that market again.
If you want to freelance it’ll be some time before there are FCPX freelance jobs.
If you want to start your own business, FCPX may be a good place to start if it does everything you need it to do or you believe it’ll grow in features as your business grows.I’ve been using edit systems for about 30 years. I’m used to change. I prefer FCPX to other NLEs at this point because it’s method of doing things fits with what I’ve hoped NLEs would become.
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Thanks for the note. On a larger scale, do you think Apple will fundamentally influence the way media is handled? Working with Avid I get the impression that is an archaic beast of the past which still has its head buried in a pile of film reals. For those who work with audio I think its the equivalent of Pro Tools, which is essentially a digital version of an analog mixer based recording system. It just completely counterintuitive in an all digital environment.
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Regardless of FCP X’s merits, it’s important to recognize that it has a very unique editing methodology. If you are just starting out and wish to be employable, you can’t do better than Avid Media Composer, Final Cut Pro 7 or Premiere Pro, which all use a track-based editing paradigm. Knowledge of FCP X will be far less transferrable than that of any of these other applications due to its non-standard interface. The sad truth is, most employers won’t even tolerate ignorance of the specific editing application that they use, even if you have learned something with a similar editing methodology.
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You have to approach it this way…where do you see yourself heading professionally? Hollywood? Broadcast TV and FILM? Then learn Avid and FCP 7 and PPro (although FCP 7 will be phased out). Want to do corporate video, commercials, weddings…the plethora of OTHER editing professions (and I left out more than a few, I’m sure), then see what they are using. Learn what is being used there. Learn FCX if you will be striking out on your own too, and getting clients who want edited video…if you like the way it works.
It all depends on what YOUR goals are.
Shane
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I think Apple is ahead of the curve in its focus on metadata, but I seriously doubt that the trackless editing paradigm of FCP X is going to become a widely adopted industry standard, especially in the broadcast/film editing market.
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There’s nothing wrong with the way X is doing things. Some argue that the timeline is a hinderance and others like it. I think the biggest pro gripe is that Apple replaced a fully functional feature complete app with a less featured app that still doesn’t fit into many professional workflows. There are websites dedicated to the features it’s still lacking compared to Avid, FCP 7 and Premiere. Whether those are important to a person or a company’s workflow is their decision. But at this stage in the game, I think you’d do well to learn Avid. Also rent CS6 and get a copy of FCP X. I really think you’re going to need to know them all if this is your profession. Things have changed.
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Thanks for all the quick responses. And yes, that was the theory behind purchasing Avid. I really don’t enjoy working with it but it is the standard in many places and I figured it would be worth my time to learn how to use it. As far as FC taking a step backwards, that was another big incentive for me to go with Avid. X actually debuted right before I made my purchase and it was a significant factor. I really want to see how CS6 stands up, Adobe seems to have made some huge steps in the latest release, and the idea of editing native just sounds heavenly.
Those sites you mentioned about the lack of features, could post some of those links?
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I think it’s way too soon to include FCP X as a “must-learn” app in the company of the other apps you’ve mentioned, at least as far as employability at larger facilities goes. As Shane Ross said, it all depends on your focus. If you’re looking for employment in the film/broadcast sector, save yourself the $300 and skip FCP X, or at least don’t expect it to give you any kind of competitive advantage in that market.
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I wouldn’t start with FCPX, I think it is closer to imovie than to a professional and robust editor so it becomes something like imovie pro. Media composer and premiere, on the other side, are getting better and better(CS6 was recently released for premiere and if you use after effects frecuently you could take advantage of dynamic link).
I would start with premiere or media composer, but not with final cut Pro X. -
What type of editing would you ultimately like to be doing?
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