Best software??

[mynameisash_lee]

So, what do you guys think the best editing software is? Why that one? What's some good features? And price...

I'm shopping.

[Joshbond]

I'd say the best is Final Cut Studio 2. It may be expensive but it gets every aspect of editing that you need done. And Macs alone are crazy good for filmmaking.

[KenOchalek]

Yeah, for Indy Mogul type filmmaking on a Mac, its Final Cut all the way. Adobe Premiere is also really good for our purposes, but its not really regarded as a professional nonlinear editor (I've yet to see a job posting for a Premiere editor).

Also on the pro side of things is Avid, which was the first major nonlinear editing system. However, Final Cut is kicking their asses in sales. Avid has traditionally been a hardware-based system - when you bought an Avid you got a whole computer/monitor/NTSC monitor/blahblahblah system. You can get software-based Avid systems now, but Avid's done kind of a crappy thing in that their software solutions have levels - sorta like Final Cut Pro and Final Cut Express, but a lot more levels between them. However, while FCP and FCX are virtually the same, Avid's cheaper software solutions (from what I've been told) have severely limited functionality.

So, if you're serious about Indy Mogul filmmaking, its Adobe Premiere or Final Cut Express. If you're serious about eventually being a professional editor, its Avid (for Mac or PC) and/or Final Cut Pro (Mac only). Things like iMovie, Sony Vegas, and anything you get for free is just for messing around. Finding the right software for you is just a matter of deciding what you want to be able to do.

That said, at the professional levels, Avid is still in heavy use, and if you're serious about editing (i.e. you'd like to work in post-production in the future), it would be a good idea to do whatever you can to learn Final Cut AND Avid.

[njfilmcore]

Fuck everything out there, Sony Vegas can do it all. That's my two cents. Holler.

[ian]

Fuck everything out there, Sony Vegas can do it all. That's my two cents. Holler.

Of course it CAN, but you don't really want to put yourself through the pain. :nonono:

[etentertainment]

Yeah Ian, that's true.

ET Entertainment recently upgraded to an iMac and
that was the best decision our CEO ever made. This
thing is lightning fast, and even though we have FCE
instead of FCP or Final Cut Studio, FC Express does the
job.

RTFM.

[ringkingstudio]

I would suggest just downloading the free trial of each program, and see what fits you and your projects the best. The reason I say this, just like cameras, editing programs are no more then a personal preference. Everyone will can argue why their editing program is better till they are blue in the face. You need to find out which one fits you best. If you are not comfortable using the program, it won't matter how many bell and whistles it has.

[njfilmcore]

Of course it CAN, but you don't really want to put yourself through the pain. :nonono:

haaaay i like the paaaaaain :geeeee:

[WesScog]

I've had a great time with Vegas, works really well, very simple and straight forward.

Other than that, i've got Adobe Premier and After Effects, both of them work fantastic.

[Joshbond]

What's a HUGE difference between Final Cut Pro and Express anyway?

[phish]

Personnally I really dont like the Vegas interface. (I have Vegas 7.0). I just started using final cut pro for my school stuff, works great with HD unlike my slower comp.

I've used Premiere for years and am starting to pick up After Effects, all of which are good programs, but I really like final cut so far. The interface is sleak, and organized and that's really important for me when I edit.

Just my two cents...

[felix78]

I prefer vegas pro.

[gust0208]

Hey everyone,

I have used Sony Vegas since 5.0 and the main reason was I was able to get an inexpensive version to upgrade AND I did really like the workflow of: raw footage --> trimmer to mark areas of interest --> drag areas to main NLE timeline.

But, I am open to either Adobe Premier or potentially getting a mac to go Final Cut Pro or Express.

My round-about question is, how does the workflow work on Final Cut? I tried a demo of Adobe Premiere briefly and liked it overall, but missed the ability to put a bunch of markers in a file and drag out very specific parts.

Thanks for the great community and I look forward to learning a whole lot about filmmaking.

Cheers,
Tom

[KenOchalek]

The thing about any professional editor, like FCP or Avid (maybe Premiere? I don't know, I've never used it), is that it can conform to your working style. For every function it has, there are a few different ways to achieve it (navigating drop down menus, buttons on the interface, and default or remappable keyboard shortcuts).

As for capturing, FCP has Capture Now, which just digitizes whatever you've got playing through the camera/deck. This is handy if you only have a small amount to capture, or if you just want everything on the tape. Batch Capture lets you log in and out points for specific clips, and then the computer will go and capture just the bits you specified while you go make lunch (that is, if your camera/deck supports Device Control).

Once your video is on the computer, FCP is highly adaptable, like I mentioned earlier. You can set up the interface windows however you like, you can remap the keyboard shortcuts (if you want to make sure NO ONE else can ever edit on your machine). You can drag and drop pretty much anything, anywhere.

[John the Fish]

I love adobe premiere so much! The only way I would switch to anything else is if I bought a Mac lawlz!

[daydreamer1]

Whats the best software to get for Windows?I dont want to edit on WMM for my short films.

[nooneimportant77]

i LOVE final cut pro and after effects 7

i've got it down real good now and putting together a movie is nothing but fun, i'll be working on something and i'll be like "quick i know what to do...run it through after effects with this over it!" haha

[John the Fish]

Whats the best software to get for Windows?I dont want to edit on WMM for my short films.

PREMIERE!1

If you're on a budget/ dont want Premiere Pro, go for Vegas or premiere elements!

AYAYAYAY

[New Spark Films]

I don't have any editing software I paid for (I use a Vegas trial) and I know that a lot of people are like me and they don't have much money to spare for filmmaking, so how is it that practically everyone has After Effects? It's pretty expensive, but seemingly everyone uses it. Do I need it?

[snicket]

Hey...
I was wondering, I have WMM (I hate it!) and after effects...Should i get Vegas Movie Maker?

[ciwi286]

I was just wondering, Whats the best software for pc for putting everything together in? I edit stuff in After effects 7 ( I dont have a camera ATM so im just practicing adding effects to stuff i shoot with my webcam... and making titles... but I find it has incredible long render times

I also have WMM (but never use it) and id do it on that except I find when im putting in sounds it doesn't let you line them up accurately.

So... taking price out of the equation whats the best for puttin a few heavily edited uncompressed movie files together and being able to add sound to them accurately for a PC (I would download trials for all of the well known and ^previously mentioned^ ones but I just thought id ask your opinion!)

[BonOfTheDead]

I though final cut was crap, till i heard it was used to edit movies, which naturally changed my mind, but sadly, i haven't a Mac of my own...

Windows sucks for editing. Well, for me atleast, everything ran like garbage, even sony vegas, which recorded delayed audio.

So, i dont know.

[baron von fogel]

I've used both Premiere and Final Cut Pro, and I've found them to be pretty evenly matched. They work in incredibly similar ways, and I think that the bigges reason why FCP is an industry standard and Premiere isn't, is simply because the industry prefers Mac. If you're already using a PC, I'd say go for Premiere because besides Avid (which is a wonderfully powerful program but difficult to learn quickly and is unreasonably expensive) Premiere is, in my opinion, the best editing software available for PC.

[WesScog]

Software doesn't matter as much as having a good feeling of flow.

Give Spielberg Movie Maker and he'll edit something together and it'll look professional.

I think what matters most is getting comfortable with editing, and familar with whatever you have access too, you become a better editor by editing regularly.

[snicket]

Thanks! well i MIGHT get a mac mini for Christmas and my b-day. so should i get Premier also (cus it comes with imovie)?

[ninjabros]

iMovie works for me.

[snicket]

Can I make like lightsaber and clones on Imovie?

[John the Fish]

^no