premiere or final cut pro?

[Rose Mary lalonde]

I am an experienced FCP editor and I recently took some classes on working with FCP files in Premier Pro for Mac (both CS3 and CS4). It actually works quite well; however, I cannot say the same is true for working with Premier Pro files in FCP.

I have forced myself to work in Premier Pro to take advantage of various Adobe options including, but not limited to exporting to BluRay. I really have nothing good to say about the product and have found it to be absolutely unreliable most of the time.

If it were me, I would do anything to avoid using Premier Pro files in FCP.

Be the best you can be, everyday!

[Jon Barrie]

I’ve been using FCP since version 1. And I currently teach FCP casually while working on multiple projects. I’m running PC and Mac NLE suites and find the Premeiere Workflow very easy to switch from a PC to Mac. If I work on a FCP project that needs to go to PPro on a Mac the files are accessible. Some FCP only codecs won’t cross to the PC, such as HDV captured on a Mac. FCP has issues importing MPG files which are native in the PPro workflow. So they are different applications. FCP must use a MOV wrapped file. MXF files which are natively seen and used in PPro on Mac and PC won’t be seen in FCP. FCP needs to convert it to a MOV wrapped QT file. Then you need to force the re-connection.
If you are working in DV or at least using DV as your offline format, then codec wise you will be fine. EDL from FCP is not to a standard format PPro can see properly without tinkering inside the file. However, PPro EDLs are easily understood by all Pro NLEs. What you need to think about it the file format codecs.
EDLs have limitations to them – one being single video track per EDL file. So multi track editing needs to be exported into video track based EDL files. Then imported and stacked properly. That goes with any EDL from any to any NLE.
It sounds like the experience factor between Apps is going to seriously hit you so I’d stick with one App for the entire project life. You can look at it in two ways…
1. Look for a FCP editor so you can bring it back and keep working. (So long as there version of FCP is the same updated version of yours)
2. Purchase Production Premium for the Mac system you have FCP on. You probably already have and use Photoshop and After Effects so it could work out to be a cheap upgrade price and attract fast integration between the apps. Plus you get the ease of BluRay with Encore.

I would however flatly tell you to not mix up the NLEs. At least not until you have an exprienced person on staff to make the transition happen as smooth as possible. Which I guess makes a 3rd option. Ha!

Good Luck.

Jon Barrie
aJBprods
http://www.jonbarrie.net

[Phocas Kroon]

Why not finish editing in the US with PremierePro?

Phocas Kroon

[Isaac Smith]

We have one on staff editor in the US- proficient only in FCP. Good question though.
Thanks.

[Dennis Radeke]

Your US editor should be able to move from FCP to Premiere Pro without much difficulty. There are even FCP (version 3) shortcuts that are available in Premiere Pro. Basic functionality is the same between the apps (j,k,l,i,o, etc.) I find that most editors have no problems moving, though there are some differences.

That being said, if you finish FCP, you can capture your clips to Quicktime and then export your EDL. FCP should be able to read it without much difficulty.