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thinking of switching to final cut pro
I have been a long time Avid user, since college. But, now since I am looking for a new job, and seeing how 95 percent of employers that I’ve come across want FCP experience, it’s time to buy a Mac and use FCP. Although, I have never used FCP, I heard that it is very easy compared to Avid…is that true? So, why is it that I’m seeing most employers use FCP and turn a blind eye to anyone who uses Avid? I would think that employers would understand if you know Avid you can use FCP and it’s all about your reel in the first place, am I right? It’s like if you can drive a Ford you can drive a Chevy.
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22 Replies
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People don’t think like that (I don’t think). They want to know that you know the specific program and its
specific way of doing things, easier or not. FCP may be easier to learn than Avid, but it does some things
very differently than Avid, and the learning curve is still there.
I came from version 1.0 through 6 of Media 100 into FCP 3, and although they are both pretty straight forward
to learn, there was a learning curve that slowed me down for a while.
Ed -
GO to amazon.com and look up FINAL CUT PRO FOR AVID EDITORS. Great resource.
And if you know Avid, picking up FCP is a snap.
Shane
Littlefrog Post
http://www.lfhd.net -
good idea. More and more of broadcast stuff is being done on fcp. I had a very hard time when I had to use Avid for a job, and I guess it’s a bit the other way around as well. It’s a smart idea to know fcp before you end up in a job that forces you to use fcp.
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I’m a long-time Avid editor, just made the switch, and I’m loving it. FCP’s documentation is excellent, but be warned, it is voluminous. My advice – RTFM and take notes. I made a 4 page cheat sheet of shortcuts and notes on thing I knew I’d do daily. Do the FCP supplied tutorials and you’ll be fine. I bought FCP for Avid Editors and barely had to crack the cover after just reading the FCP manual and searching this forum. Search and bookmark Shanes stock answers, set up your system properly, and don’t try to master the entire studio suite all at once. I’m just moving into the other apps now, after my first couple of edits in FCP.
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[StuS57] “don’t try to master the entire studio suite all at once. I’m just moving into the other apps now, after my first couple of edits in FCP.”
That’s the absolute best advice you can get. Be comfortable with FCP first before you venture out to Motion or Livetype.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com
HD Editorial & Animation for Food Network’s “Good Eats”
HD Editorial for “Assignment Earth”“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters
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Brandon:
I switched to FCP from AVID and Media 100 in 2004 and am very pleased. However you need to know that FCP has a significant limitation compared to AVID and M100. You cannot mix resolutions on the same timeline. If you import media that doesn’t match the sequence settings then you’ll need to render that media. A work around to playback without rendering is to use FCP’s Unlimited Real Time (RT) function. It adjusts resolution and/or frame rate for playback of clips that need to be rendered. I’ve used 8-bit uncompressed clips in a DV sequence and it seems to playback in realtime. That said, I’m still quite happy with FCP.Lee
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I am a long-time Avid user. I started learning Avid in 1993. I picked up FCP in 1999 and wrestled with teaching myself until 2004. I banged my head against the wall so many times the wall has head-shaped dents in it to this day. It was unfair to myself to spend so long trying to force FCP to do things the way with which I was comfortable, with my Avid and digital linear background. It was also unfair to my clients. Actually, I really didn’t have very many FCP clients in 2004. Now I know why.
I finally cried “uncle”, and I took the Apple certified FCP course at a local training facility, and the difference is night and day to me now. I no longer try to force FCP to do things “the way Avid does it”. Now that I understand FCPs architecture, I can easily move between the two editing systems without very much trouble. I still have “keystroke amnesia”, and try to use Avid shortcut keys when I’m using FCP, and vice versa, but I find the customized keyboards help give me a visual ground as to what I’m editing on, and reduces the number of wrong keystrokes.
You don’t necessarily have to take a class to do this. If you can do self-directed training and can work though the PeachPit Press FCP book, that is essentially the training course I took. I know myself, and I took the course because if I’d just bought the book, with my busy Avid editing schedule, there would be no guarantee that I’d find the time to crack the spine on it. Signing up for the classes required me to make the time.
Most training facilities also teach the “FCP for Avid Editors” book, too. I have not used that one, though, so I can’t have any first-hand input there, although I hear it’s excellent, as well.
Now over 75% of my business is FCP. In two years the percentages flipped. It used to be only about 25% FCP, and 75% Avid.
debe
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I did the “total” switch in 2000… I’ve never looked back. I ran Avid’s products since 1989. The market will continue to favor VALUE. FCS represents the best value in media software, so switching is a no brainer. I also recommend a class in in it because you’re specific questions get answered from an expert and it has to be the fastest way to knowledge.
Jerry
Apple Certified Trainer
Author: “Jerry Hofmann on Final Cut Pro 4” Click here
Dual 2 gig G5, AJA Kona SD, AJA Kona 2, Huge Systems Array UL3D
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Agree with everyone so far. Even if you’re a “self-learner” much can be gained by taking a course. It’s the structure and patience of the teacher that gives you maximum opportunity for the new knowledge to sink in.
When we switched over the entire company from Avid to FCP a few years ago, we hired Diana Weynand, author of “FCP for Avid Editors” to come in and lead the class. She was wonderful and eased the transition for our whole team (almost 100 editors).
It’s an easy transition, but don’t underestimate the time it will take to “unlearn” your ingrained “avid” muscle memory.
Good luck.
Mark
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wow, thanks for all the tips guys. i’m going to start looking at macs probably tonight after work.
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