Best Mac Editing Solution?

[File13]

Well ill be getting my HV20 for X-Mas and i want to know what program i should use to pull down my fancy HV20 footage. I'll probably be shooting alot of 24p/Cinemode so id prefer something that could import that pretty effortlessly. I have iMovie 08 and i guess its ok, but if i want to start doing film for a living im guessing im gonna have to move to FCP/FCE for starters? I was wondering too if their are any alternatives perhaps to iMovie and FC. Thanks in advance, looking forward to seeing the responses.

[007hamster]

FCP is certainly not a "Starter" NLE, it has been used to make many movies you've seen in the theater, Including:

Cold Mountain (2003)
Napoleon Dynamite (2003)
Open Water (2003)
The Ladykillers (2004)
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)
Super-Size Me (2004)
Corpse Bride (2005)
Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story (2005)
Jarhead (2005)
Little Manhattan (2005)
Hoot (2006)
300 (2007)
Zodiac (2007)
Reign Over Me (2007)

Anywho, iMovie, or FCE can not import 24p. I believe they import the video you captured at 24p as 60i, by ignoring some of the flags?

[File13]

So i have to use FCP then, or is there an alternative for 24p editing.

[File13]

What about Avid software, is that just as good at the FC suite. Avid Xpress Pro apparently does 24p and its substantially cheaper.

[xzu]

What about Avid software, is that just as good at the FC suite. Avid Xpress Pro apparently does 24p and its substantially cheaper.
I got nothing against AVID.. except the lack of integration into a worklow that includes video effects, sound mixes, compositing and everything that work on a Mac. Even as a pro user, I don't recommend AVID anymore to my clients. But that is only my opinion.

FCP will also offer Color, one of the most affordable solution for grading, and that is very rare at this level of price... considering soundtrack that mixes projects right from FCP, I cannot agree with the price argument : FCP is cheap. Only Macs and storage will cost you more !

You may prefer FCP Express as it handles "open format" timeline, just like FCP. so 24 fps footage is also working with express version.

[File13]

I think FCE does not support 24p, thats at least what ive read online.

[accelv]

I think FCE does not support 24p, thats at least what ive read online.

I think there is something different about the way FCE handles HDV that is not as efficient as FCP. In that respect it is more like iMovie.

FCE is a very powerful program. But Mac's take forever to "conform" HDV back to SD or to tape. If you go FCP, you might look into large Raid storage and work in Apple Pro Res to get around the conforming issues.

Of course, for $129. you could get Sony Vegas Platinum that can edit HDV and buy yourself a brand spankin' new PC to boot for what you'd pay for FCP Studio. You might also want to consider NewTek's SpeedEdit software for $495.

[File13]

I think there is something different about the way FCE handles HDV that is not as efficient as FCP. In that respect it is more like iMovie.

FCE is a very powerful program. But Mac's take forever to "conform" HDV back to SD or to tape. If you go FCP, you might look into large Raid storage and work in Apple Pro Res to get around the conforming issues.

Of course, for $129. you could get Sony Vegas Platinum that can edit HDV and buy yourself a brand spankin' new PC to boot for what you'd pay for FCP Studio. You might also want to consider NewTek's SpeedEdit software for $495.

i dont like pc's and id rather not buy a whole new computer just to edit video. i think avid xpress pro is my best choice for editing 24p and being a beginner, that or avid motion is about 295 with a student discount so thats affordable too.

[CJDaniels]

i dont like pc's and id rather not buy a whole new computer just to edit video. i think avid xpress pro is my best choice for editing 24p and being a beginner, that or avid motion is about 295 with a student discount so thats affordable too.

Why I had it AVID Pro and love FCP which I just dove into?

[Rogierw]

Of course, for $129. you could get Sony Vegas Platinum that can edit HDV and buy yourself a brand spankin' new PC to boot for what you'd pay for FCP Studio. You might also want to consider NewTek's SpeedEdit software for $495.

How about running Vegas Platinum on your MAC ? (Parallels Desktop or Boot Camp (included in Leopard))

[xzu]

My mistake : FCE is not that "open format"... it does not handle 24p officially.

[zebostoneleigh]

Well for starters, there's this:
http://www.xs4all.nl/~jeschot/home.html#DEI
which I found here:
http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2007/07/13/canon-hv20-24p-pulldown/

it will solve many of the pulldown issues you might face (sans other options).

However, the choice (Avid or FCP) is a tough one. Someone mentioned the integration of other graphics programs intot he FCP workflow, but few people I know actually use "Motion" and you're still let importing AE files into FCP as you are into an Avid. FCP is getting a stronger foothold into post production, but depending on where you plan to take your career, if you don't know Avid, you'll be hard pressed to find a job (might as well start early). Also, there are color correction options in Avid Xpress as well as FCP. Don't let that sway you.

For many people, the decision is purely a personal prefernce (do you prefer Honda or Nissan?). They both have some strengths, and they both have some weaknesses (depending on who you are and what you do those strengths/weeknesses will matter to you). FCP seems easier to get started on for first timers, but Avid (for me) is a much faster program to use (once you've learned it). FCP seems more geared toward DIY all in one-ness, whereas Avid Xpress is an editing program for editors.

I prefer avid, and find it makes more sense how/why the program does what it does. Some would disagree with me - and I guess that's my point. Who is your tech support? Are you learning alone? Will you be trying to earn a living right off the bat, or is this a hobby? All questions to consider.

Sadly FreeDV is no longer available from Avid. it was a great way to learn the program without buying it. Granted, it had it's limitations - but I always recommended that to people that were struggling with iMovie's limitations, but not ready to go for a full FCP system.

God luck.

[File13]

Im starting this as more hobbyish/student. But my major in college in Radio/TV/Film and im wanting to do film so i guess using and understanding the pro apps now would be the time to learn if i wanted to make a career out of it. i dont really want to edit for a living as much as produce/direct but in the beginning stages obviously you do alot of it yourself in the production stage. I dont have any problem with a learning curve but id prefer the easy import of 24p footage and other footage in general, id like to spend less time importing and more time actually working with the footage. in regards to that question which one is more apt towards doing a easy clean dump and letting you get right into editing, im sure both are fairly straight forward in that regard. another option would be on the avid end instead of xpress pro perhaps the avid motion package, its like 50 dollars more and you appear to get more. that article you linked to is talking about getting the 24p footage from the camera to actual 24p when using just iMovie right, or is it talking about in general. And in regard to why not run windows app's on my mac i said earlier i dont like windows, so id prefer to not use it for editing especially since thats a big reason i got a mac was for media production.

[smp]

to be honest, I learned Avid in college because it was the standard for editing. Now, I'm not so sure. I see more and more editor job postings for FCP then I do for Avid anymore. I made the switch from Avid to FCP back in 2003 and wow, I am glad I did. I've had soooo many editing jobs that have required FCP knowledge and only 1 or 2 that required Avid.

[File13]

to be honest, I learned Avid in college because it was the standard for editing. Now, I'm not so sure. I see more and more editor job postings for FCP then I do for Avid anymore. I made the switch from Avid to FCP back in 2003 and wow, I am glad I did. I've had soooo many editing jobs that have required FCP knowledge and only 1 or 2 that required Avid.

yeah, i mean the only reason i really even considered Avid in the first place was price...i can buy Avid motion separate but i cant buy friggen FCP without buying the whole damn bundle for 1k and as a student i dont have that kind of money laying around, especially for just starting out with it.

[transducr]

yeah, i mean the only reason i really even considered Avid in the first place was price...i can buy Avid motion separate but i cant buy friggen FCP without buying the whole damn bundle for 1k and as a student i dont have that kind of money laying around, especially for just starting out with it.

Doesn't Apple offer student pricing?

[File13]

id have to check their site, i get most of my software from ac. superstore and they dont have it on there so maybe apple's online store would have it. regardless the price wouldnt even be close to 300 bucks.

[File13]

Its 700 with the student discount...better than >1k but still not affordable for me just yet.