Andy Film School
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Q: FCP or Avid? A: It doesn't matter
Final Cut Pro or Avid is one question I hear all too often from film students and friends. People get really passionate about it too:
"Final Cut is like $100,000 cheaper than Avid."
"Avid is more professional."
"Avid is too hard."
"Final Cut is too easy."
"You can't do *insert needless technical information here* in *insert edit software here.*
"Final Cut comes with all these great programs, like Motion."
"Final Cut comes with prosumer software... like Motion."
Some people think that Apple is a mystical Jedi Knight out to destroy the evil empire that is Avid Technology. This drives me nuts, they are 2 companies that are fighting for market-share, and at the end of the day, this brings the overall cost of software lower.
For most major projects, and by major I mean something that will air on television, be released on DVD, or even played theatrically, you'll be living in the offline/online world. You, the editor, will use whatever software you want to create an offline edit. Your assistant editor will load the source material into the NLE (non-linear edit system) of your choice, and will keep track of paperwork like lined scripts and shot lists. You, the editor, will use the NLE to create an edit based on one thing: story.
Once you have picture lock, things move into another stage of post-production. Someone else (ie. not you) will go and create titles and do colour grading. Someone else (ie. not you) will edit your sound and music. What I am saying is, as an editor, you edit. You are not a 3D effects wizard, a professional colourist, an online editor, a post sound designer, a surround sound mixer, or a VTR operator stamping out the final broadcast tapes.
So as an offline editor, you can use whatever software you want so long as it can spit out an EDL. It could be Avid Media Composer, Final Cut Pro, Media 100, Lightworks, Adobe Premiere... Just not Final Cut Express (it can't log timecode). I know a very successful documentary editor/producer who uses an 8 year old Avid running on a Powermac G4. You can't even give away a G4 tower but this guy makes award winning docs, because it's just the offline.
Even if you play multiple roles, or produce your own shorts that no one will ever see, you should still somewhat follow the offline/online method. Don't create your titles in Final Cut Pro, use Adobe Photoshop and/or After Effects. Once you have locked picture, you import your newly created elements such as sound, graphics, and colour grading into a new session.
On the technical forefront there is a difference between these 2 platforms, things that I will go into further detail later. But for now, put your mouse where your mouth is and actually cut something worth watching, no one will know what system you cut it on.
Tags: Avid, Cut, Editing, Final, Pro, offline/online, workflow
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Permalink Reply by Andy on -
An editor and edit assistant I know named Lara works on big features. She just finished assisting on The Thing and anyhow she's teaching a course or two this semester at Humber college's new BA in film at the Lakeshore. So we were gabbing yesterday and she remarked that her students (second year) didn't know the trim tools all that well and that she was going to teach them. She also said that AVID's trim tools were superior to FCP's, in fact much superior. Anyhow, I haven't trimmed enough in AVID to know. But by in large Arthur you are correct. Just edit. What was that doc at Sundance a few years ago, autobio, cut in imovie?
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