Best video editing software

[The Amazing Lee]

Being an aspiring Film student. I really would like to buy some editing software, so that I can start to edit my own films without having to go to college to use the equipment, will frankly, can be a pain in the arse, because you have use it in college hours.

Now, I've looked at a fair few different editing programs, each have their own unique way of editing movies etc.

The one that mainly cross my mind when looking at editing programs is:

Adobe Premiere Pro 2.0

Any other recommendations. Price doesn't matter, it's just the best quality films that I wanna make.

Remember that I'm a college student. Any help would be nice. t:

 

[The Amazing Lee]

 

[Ronny Shade]

I use Final Cut. It's good.

 

[Spoarz™]

Hey Lee, I thoroughly recommend Final Cut Pro as my choice of film editing software. I used it a fair amount last year at University for a short documentary a few friends and I had to make and I thought it was really great and pretty simple to use too.

 

[jaguarr]

While I agree that Final Cut Pro is the best choice, I think Lee is stuck with a sh1tty Windows system, so that's not an option for him. Check out Avid Express, Lee. It seems to be more prevalent in the industry than Premiere, but not as much as FCP is.

jag

 

[The Amazing Lee]

Well....I am going to buy a laptop. So I could buy an Apple and Final Cut Pro is what I use at college.

But....I looked at the price on the internet and it looks like it may cost about £600.

 

[jaguarr]

Well....I am going to buy a laptop. So I could buy an Apple and Final Cut Pro is what I use at college.

But....I looked at the price on the internet and it looks like it may cost about £600.

Best part about a MacBook these days, Lee: you can run Mac OS X AND Win XP on one system. And it will last you far longer than a Windows only system, man. I know people running the latest Mac OS on iMac's that are six years old. Simply can't do that with a Windows box. If you're going to school and plan on really getting into video editing, Final Cut Pro is going to be a must.

jag

 

[The Amazing Lee]

True. You know the prices of Final Cut Pro?

and a Macbook?

 

[jaguarr]

True. You know the prices of Final Cut Pro?

and a Macbook?

Not in UK pounds, I don't. You should be able to get an educational discount, though. Either directly through Apple or through your school.

jag

 

[The Amazing Lee]

hmmm..

well if I got a laptop...I was going to spend (well not my money, my parents) about 3-400 pounds. and then I would buy some editing software...which would hopefully cost me between 100-300.

I want some decent software. I know that Final Cut is great....I don't know the difference between Final Cut and premiere pro

 

[jaguarr]

hmmm..

well if I got a laptop...I was going to spend (well not my money, my parents) about 3-400 pounds. and then I would buy some editing software...which would hopefully cost me between 100-300.

I want some decent software. I know that Final Cut is great....I don't know the difference between Final Cut and premiere pro

Talk to your professors and see what their thoughts are. At least with having a MacBook, you'd have your options wide open. I bet you could get close to your price range target with the educational discount on a Mac.

jag

 

[The Amazing Lee]

Could do...but I doubt I'd get a discount. Living in England an all.

 

[The Amazing Lee]

Could do...but I doubt I'd get a discount. Living in England an all.

 

[jaguarr]

Do some research, you lazy git!

jag

 

[The Amazing Lee]

those final words, are true.

But yes, I will. I am still leaning on the program I suggested, because it seems exactly the same.

Do you know the differences Jaguarr?

 

[jaguarr]

those final words, are true.

But yes, I will. I am still leaning on the program I suggested, because it seems exactly the same.

Do you know the differences Jaguarr?

Not the major ones that would probably be a deciding factor for you because I'm not a major video editing jockey. There's a reason FCP is the industry standard, though. Food for thought.

jag

 

[The Spawn]

Movie Maker.













































I agree with the Adobe.

 

[black_dust]

I use nothing but Adobe for my Editing and effects, great software and i have tired LOADS of windows based ones, Jag aint sent my Mac yet so i dont know what finalcut is like.

 

[youtubehelp]

adobe

 

[The Amazing Lee]

I use nothing but Adobe for my Editing and effects, great software and i have tired LOADS of windows based ones, Jag aint sent my Mac yet so i dont know what finalcut is like.

Final Cut is good.

I use it at college.

but It's dear to buy myself haha. And I'm sure my college wouldn't give me a free copy

 

[KalMart]

Not the major ones that would probably be a deciding factor for you because I'm not a major video editing jockey. There's a reason FCP is the industry standard, though. Food for thought.

jag

AVID is still pretty-much the industry standard...it's what I got started on way back when. These days, on my system, I'm using Final Cut Pro more often, as so many projects are sourced on video and go back to such, and the turnaround for Quicktimes and such are more streamlined. I still prefer to cut films shot on 16 or 35mm on AVID...more used to the ergonomics of the whole process from edit to online and EDL export for negative cut (which is, for all intents and purposes, a thing of the past now). And better compatability between AVID and Pro Tools for sound design (seeing tha tthey are the same company). A lot of it depends what the client or hirer is more comfortable with. I get a lot of freelance gigs, theatrical trailers and such, and a lot of their own studios use AVID...but a lot of others are going full FCP...so I have and use both...FCP Studio and AVID Express Studio on my own systems, and Pro Tools for sound design....all on a PowerMac G5 and an Intel PowerMac Pro.

Obviously, this can all be expensive stuff, and I've been doing this professionally for 11 years. I have no familiarity with Premiere Pro or what have you since weren't available for a basic computer system when I started. But software is just software...it's just a tool. The higher-end stuff gives you more capability along with your machine, but the best software in the world won't teach you how to compose a good edit. Some of the basic programs out there are a nice way to get into things, and it's really amazing what's available for everyone. But concentrate on the craft as you go along, then step up in systems as you learn.

 

[jaguarr]

AVID is still pretty-much the industry standard...it's what I got started on way back when. These days, on my system, I'm using Final Cut Pro more often, as so many projects are sourced on video and go back to such, and the turnaround for Quicktimes and such are more streamlined. I still prefer to cut films shot on 16 or 35mm on AVID...more used to the ergonomics of the whole process from edit to online and EDL export for negative cut (which is, for all intents and purposes, a thing of the past now). And better compatability between AVID and Pro Tools for sound design (seeing tha tthey are the same company). A lot of it depends what the client or hirer is more comfortable with. I get a lot of freelance gigs, theatrical trailers and such, and a lot of their own studios use AVID...but a lot of others are going full FCP...so I have and use both...FCP Studio and AVID Express Studio on my own systems, and Pro Tools for sound design....all on a PowerMac G5 and an Intel PowerMac Pro.

Obviously, this can all be expensive stuff, and I've been doing this professionally for 11 years. I have no familiarity with Premiere Pro or what have you since weren't available for a basic computer system when I started. But software is just software...it's just a tool. The higher-end stuff gives you more capability along with your machine, but the best software in the world won't teach you how to compose a good edit. Some of the basic programs out there are a nice way to get into things, and it's really amazing what's available for everyone. But concentrate on the craft as you go along, then step up in systems as you learn.

Great advice, that last bit. I play more with the audio stuff, personally. I'm a big Logic Pro & Express geek. Haven't had the need to delve to heavy into Pro Tools, but I have used it. Thanks for the post. I appreciate the insight.

jag

 

[Cyrusbales]

Depends what you wanna do, and how much money you have?

 

[KalMart]

Great advice, that last bit. I play more with the audio stuff, personally. I'm a big Logic Pro & Express geek. Haven't had the need to delve to heavy into Pro Tools, but I have used it. Thanks for the post. I appreciate the insight.

jag

I've never used Logic or Cubase. I've done some dabbling in Soundtrack Pro. It's got a pretty good noise reduction, and you can directly import a project from FCP with all your edits and stuff. Pretty nice for an edit where you do most of your soundwork in FCP, but for a full-blown sound edit and dsign, it's definitely Pro Tools. All the final mix facilities are also PT based, so that way you just bring in your project.

I sometimes miss the old days of cutting celluloid with a razor and tape (Pre-AVID!), but I certainly don't miss only being able to work with two soundtracks at a time. The last film I cut on a Steenbeck, for the final sound mix, we loaded up a van with 75 reels of 35mm magnetic...it looked like we were delivering pizzas for a convention or something!

 

[Apollo]

i got adobe Premiere Pro 3 years ago and i still dont know how to use it, it really isnt user friendly