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Migration to Avid and Premiere… Anyone sticking with FCP 7 for a while longer?
Fellow former and semi-former FCP 7 editors,
Many projects that I work on are projects that were started by other editors in the past in FCP 7, updating graphics or adding international languages audio, etc. I know of several TV post houses (under the radar) still using FCP 7 heavily in their shows, work-flow, and projects. My question is directed more at the personal level, as to “how long do you think you will be sticking with FCP7”? It’s still a very stable editing program. One of the things that has been a challenge has been to find time to not only learn other NLEs, but do edits in other NLEs, as tight-deadlines approach, speed of editing and delivery is a huge factor, etc.
Speaking as a 8 year FCP editor, how has that recent “switch” been for you? One of my friends asked a very well-seasoned editor in the industry who was reluctant to move to Avid or Premiere, how long he was going to stick with FCP7, and he said that he was going to edit on it “till the wheels fell off”. In an ever-changing technology world, adaption to change is important and necessary. And for many past changes and shifts in work-flow, changes for me had been rather easy. I think a huge part of that ease to change might have been that many of us are in different circumstances of where we are now, versus, where we were 8-10 years ago in our careers, aka: the newbie editor mentality and seasoned editor mentality. Years ago, many of us were in college labs cutting shorts and experimenting. Or working as interns, getting low pay, and staying late hours trying out software, and also living at home with mom and dad. Now, many of us need to bring in the bread. We own businesses, have employees, and have media to cut and move quickly. Walter Biscardi talked about his move to Premiere on his blog, and others have blogged about their returns to Avid. I also read the blog about Philip Bloom’s FCPX journey, and all are very encouraging and insightful.
I’ve edited a few short clips in Avid, it was ok. Did an edit in FCPX, that was different and ok, but I’d like to hear from you.
I’d like to know your thoughts on those of you who are still in FCP7, why, and when you plan on making the shift to Avid or Premiere?
Thanks,
Tom Laughlin
Producer/Editor
Digital Chop House
Salt Lake City, Utah -
13 Replies
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I shifted to Avid pretty much full time. But the decision isn’t always in my hands. I am freelance, so I work on what the companies have in house. Although last summer I did recommend a company switch to Avid before I started a series for them.
I only use FCP when I have clients who need me to finish FCP projects. I will never start another project in FCP 7. I’m mainly going with Avid, as I’m not thrilled with the Creative Cloud idea. Well…I’ll subscribe for 1 year as I really want to play with the next premiere Pro.
But I’m sure in the town I’m in, I’ll see FCP 7 for 2 more years or so…
Shane
Little Frog Post
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
I have lots of old projects that I have to jump back into that where created in FCP7 so I still use it. However, I think you are better off going to Avid, Premiere or FCPX then sticking with FCP7. Working with raw files is awesome! I have switch over to Premiere and love it. I’m working with RAW files that I don’t have to render…even if you key the footage you still don’t have to render it. It’s rare that I have to render anything. It does so many things that I wished FCP7 would. Plus, as a big After Effects guy I love the dynamic linking.
Stephen Smith – Follow me on Behance
Check out my Motion Training DVD
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Shane
You are going to like Premiere. It has a lots of AVID (Trimming) and FCP 7 features combined.
Steve Eisen
Eisen Video Productions
Vice President
Chicago Creative Pro Users Group -
I know I will. It’s the CC that bothers me. But, as I said, I’m going to get a years subscription, and hope that I can find a project to use it on. Otherwise, it’s relegated to family home movies.
I have too many clients who want to stick to FCP…and a few who want to move to FCX.
Shane
Little Frog Post
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Yeah, I’m still using it from time to time. Like Shane, I’m freelance so it’s quite frequently not my choice to make.
I’ve mostly gone back to Avid, but there are still a few around over here: the BBC still have quite a few around (their whole IT infrastructure is up sh1t creek at the moment* so no effort is being put into the relatively minor, for them, issue of what editing systems to use), and we cut this series https://military.discovery.com/tv-shows/ultimate-warfare on FCP7 late 2012/early 2013 because the facility we used has a very stable system using multiple FCP7’s networked with media storage on ISIS, so it was an easy decision for the producers to go with proven reliability.
TBH, I’ve been expecting every FCP7 job I do to be the last for over a year now, but it still keeps coming up.
*it’s been in the news over here and a senior manager has, er, left his position over it, so I’m not revealing anything by referring to it here.
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Like Shane and Andrew I too am a freelancer and as such don’t often get a choice of system. Most of the places I work were and still are Avid. A few FCP7 set-ups have switched to Avid but there are still quite a few about. Never seen or been asked to use FCPX at any broadcaster or facility house so far. There have been a few “rumblings” about Premiere but nowhere of any size seems to have it although I have seen Premiere jobs advertised at corporate places.
For my personal work I use Avid Symphony by default and still a bit of FCP7 depending on the job but mostly I keep FCP 7 simply because I have more plug-ins including Sapphire for FCP. I still use Color but am slowly getting more into Resolve. I might subscribe to CC while the price is low but to be honest its only because I want to play with Premiere as so many people seem to like it and I think I stand more chance of being asked to use it on a job rather than FCPX.
So my decisions are informed by what people are willing to pay me to use and Avid pretty much wins that race hands down in the environment I work.
Be interesting to see if Premiere or FCPX make any headway though as FCP7 declines.best wishes
Neil
http://www.patience.tv8 Core MacPro, Kona 3, Tangent Wave, Mackie Universal Symphony 6.5 FCP7
i7 2.7 Gig MBP (non retina) 16Gigs Ram Blackmagic Monitor Mini Symphony 6.5 FCP7 -
I have moved from FCP7 to Avid MC5.2.2 for all my personal projects as most of my clients are still on FCP7. It will be very interesting to see which way all this goes when FCP7 fails to work on new machines. I have been using Avid for many years but had to stop as most fellow editors and most clients have a FCP7 system and my Avid sat gather dust on my hard drive. I miss some things from FCP but now zip around Avid like the old days.
Cheers
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If someone is still only on FCP7 they are missing out on some great time saving features that Avid, PPro and FCP X offer.
Stephen Smith – Follow me on Behance
Check out my Motion Training DVD
Check out my Vimeo page
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This is a great question and I’ve been thinking about it for a while. I am a solopreneur shooter/editor and can select my own software and equipment. I’ve used FCP since version 2 and have stayed with 7 out of habit – I dabbled in FCP X, Premier, and my old AVID and just had a tough time learning those languages when I was proficient in FCP 7. It is getting more tough to edit, though, – all the transcoding of gopro, dslr, xdcam, but I’ve managed. This project, using the H4N Zoom, I was sure I’d have to edit in another system to sync multi-cam + zoom audio. But to my surprise, it looks like pluraleyes will work with FCP 7. So as long people keep developing band aids like this, I’m probably going to stick with FCP 7 until the wheels fall off, or hopefully until someone buys the rights to FCP 7 and then gives us the overhaul in this environment we were all expecting years ago. The longer they wait, the more people will migrate away, though. I still think it is a massive failure for Apple to have abandoned career editors this way.
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[Nan Bress] ” I’m probably going to stick with FCP 7 until the wheels fall off”
You aren’t alone. Hollywood has a knack for doing that. There are still plenty of people using it, and who will use it for another 2-5 years. It’ll die a slow death.
[Nan Bress] “or hopefully until someone buys the rights to FCP 7 and then gives us the overhaul in this environment we were all expecting years ago.”
That will never happen, so you best not get your hopes up. Premiere Pro CC is the closest to FCP 8 you’ll see.
[Nan Bress] “The longer they wait, the more people will migrate away, though.”
Yup…to FCX (basically sticking with Apple) or Adobe or Avid or OTHER. Already FCX has sold more copies than FCP 7…so we see where that is going…
Shane
Little Frog Post
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def
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