Need Advice Please!

[Tagger]

if it's realy about making a portfolio where you just want to put every shot after each other imovie should suffice. I never used it but i've seen small stuff beeing made with it so i guess for basic webstuff it's ok.

If you want to, as you say, "make small movies" and you want to do it right, i would concider buying a "real" editing package. You say that final cut pro is cheap and that makes me wonder if you're looking at final cut express HD, but none the less it would be a good place to start. I dont realy know what the limitations are compaired to fcp (feel free to use the internet for that) but i'm sure it'll do anything you want.

When it comes down to compressing, if you package handle the codec, they should all export the same.

[BUZZFX]

Tagger,

After 3 days finally a response! Thank You! I maybe should have worded it differently. I meant Final Cut HD was more inexpensive or less expensive than Final Cut Pro or the renamed Final Cut Studio as there now calling it.

I think I may go with Final Cut HD as it is still relatively inexpensive and will probably do more than imovie. I'm hoping the feel of Final Cut HD (the GUI) will be like Final Cut Pro so if I make the step up to FCP it won't be a huge learning curve.

I've heard some people comment that FCP was overkill and a little too much going on in there, but I don't know that's just what I read somehwere.

I don't think you mentioned what you use as an editor. Do you use Final Cut HD? and do you like it?

Thanks :)

[Tagger]

i primarily work with Avid Xpress Pro but from time to time i have to use Final cut pro for some project or to do an online of my avid work.

I like the flexibility of fcp, way more flexible the avid when it comes to all sorts of files and all that stuff that "starters" deal with. It has a pretty straightforward UI and always multiple ways to get the action done that you want, so you can build up a nice workflow the way you want too.
I dont realy know how the learning curve is for starters since i've been using Premiere and Avid for years before i started FCP so i kind of had a step ahaid.

[shadow]

I've heard some people comment that FCP was overkill and a little too much going on in there, but I don't know that's just what I read somehwere.
It all depends on what you want you want in an editing program. For me editing is my primary job, so I need much more in an editing program. So I use Final Cut Pro. I guess your needs for editing are not that high, and you might only need iMovie or Final Cut Express HD.

Your choice can be simplified by looking at the target audience for these programs:
iMovie : Family / Beginner
Final Cut Express HD : Beginner / Prosumer
Final Cut Pro (now only sold as part of the Final Cut Studio package) : Professional

[BUZZFX]

Shadow,

Thanks for yur reply.

I guess I am feeling overwhelmed right now. I am using Cinema 4D, GoLive, Photoshop, Illustrator Vue Infinite, Poser and Flash. I guess the thought of learning another difficult app. is tiring, but I have some movie ideas I'd like to try.

I wish I could download a demo of Final Cut HD or FCP but Apple doesn't feel it needs to do this. A big mistake if you ask me. 99% of applications allow you to try a demo 1st.

[shadow]

Well, iMovie is a part of the iLife package, and Apple ships iLife with every new mac. So this would mean that that's at least one of the three programs you already have. Another way to look at it is by looking at it at a friends house, or an Apple Store. And if you really want to try it before you buy, there are ofcourse numerous ways to get your hands on a pirated copy to try it out, but let's not get into that.

Apple has created this (http://www.apple.com/finalcut/index.html) comparison chart to help their customers choose the right program, maybe it helps you.

[scrimski]

I found Final Cut very easy to learn compared to Avid but I had a slower learning pace than I had in Fast liquid(now Avid liquid) which rather came from handling with a one-button mouse. Basically all editing programs work on the same principle, the difference is as always in the detail and you miss always the features of the other app(well, I do so)

You could use Avids Free DV package, it works the same way like any other Avid editing app except that is limited to two audio and two video tracks, which should be fairly enough for editing your demo reel.( I wouldn't buy FCP or whatever just for this)

Jahshaka is an open source editing/compositing application, which can be downloaded here

www.jahshaka.org

[BUZZFX]

Shadow,

Thanks for that. I printed off the comparison and it might help me make my decision better. Yes I do have imovie but an older version 3.03 since I am running OSX 10.3.8 the newer imovie must be much improved.

Skrimski,

ou mentioned the free Avid allows 2 audio and 2 movie tracks. How does this apply to rendered images. What I mean is my portfolio will consist of renedered 3D files. What if I render for eg a ship 200 renders and then an airplane 200 renders and a dog 200 renders. Can I drag all of these into 1 folder and would this be considered 1 track?

[scrimski]

You put you files in different folders, one for the plane, one for the dog and one for the ship.
Then you import each sequence(select the first frame in the folder and be sure that 'detect sequential files' is checked on i the import options) and then you have three clips which you line up in what ever order you want to in the timeline.

edit: even when you put it in one folde, Avid should recognize them as three different sequences and even if this is not the case, you still can split it.

[BUZZFX]

scrimski,

Thanks, that explains it. :)

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