Editors...do you do other video stuff?

Greggus1 · Post by **Greggus1** » Sat Mar 24, 2007 6:10 pm

Was going to make a new topic, but might as well ask here : With Avid Xpress Pro and Final Cut Express going for 300 bucks each, which do you recommend?

And to keep the thread on-topic, I've directed very small amateur short films, with a varying level of professional equipment. I may decide to study filmmaking in the future, and then things'll get interesting

Mister Anderson · Post by **Mister Anderson** » Sun Mar 25, 2007 11:23 pm

Greggus1 wrote:Was going to make a new topic, but might as well ask here : With Avid Xpress Pro and Final Cut Express going for 300 bucks each, which do you recommend?

I'd go with Avid for the reason Beowulf mentioned.

Im using Xpress Pro HD at work right now. But I also use & prefer Avid Liquid (which I use to do my vids now) which they aquired off Pinnacle not so long ago.

Having experience with Xpress Pro will get you used to the Composer style interface which is prevalent in a quite a few Avid Products. Not to mention having it on your resume is handy too.

Greggus1 · Post by **Greggus1** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 12:23 am

Thanks alot, but besides the professional usefulness of it, which is just the better program?

SQ · Post by SQ » Wed Mar 28, 2007 2:44 am

I'm a digital video production student as well. I currently PA under someone, am on call for a Canadian TV Show (It's sketchy... We'll see what happens, if it does), and I'm also apparently writing scripts on the side now, too.

I've edited one short (student) film so far(that wasn't mine and wasn't for any classes), co-edited this other thing professionally that I'm not allowed to tell anyone what it is (

) and am supposed to be apprenticing for someone else as soon as this other thing happens.

So far things seem to be going smoothly. I got a press pass to help do a documentary at MetroCon: Amano's world, and got a private interview with Amano himself. That was fun. I got that one through MySpace. XDDDD

Anyway, Just whore yourself out there and even if you're not the best editor, if you've a quirky/likeable personality and make friends with everyone you've a better chance of being hired. Yayness.

Anyway, surprisingly, as long as I've been on the .org, hardly anyone does video stuff professionally or on the side aside from AMVs.

As far as the product thing goes, it depends on who you're working for/with.
Everyone (except two people) ONLY wanted FCP. The other two didn't care as long as it got done and looked good.

Heathenesque · Post by **Heathenesque** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 2:51 am

Douggie wrote: But you know what I'm wondering - if you do something related to film (editing) - if the interest comes from editing AMV's first or the reversed way - because the first experience can influence the latter.

I'm still an amature. I started making AMVs because it looked like fun and an editing program came with my DVD burner.

Now? I've become far more interested in it, and plan to take courses. I've decided I want to do this professionally, if I can.

ssj4lonewolf · Post by **ssj4lonewolf** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 12:15 pm

Greggus1 wrote:Thanks alot, but besides the professional usefulness of it, which is just the better program?

then your going to go with final cut. As much as I hate avid, it does has its usefullness, however if you want a more stable, easier, and "more functional" program then you want final cut.

On a side note the older version of liquid(like 2.0 or somthing, before avid bought it out) is better than both of them.

omegaevolution · Post by **omegaevolution** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 5:24 pm

well I did edit two movies (with real persons, not anime

) that were projects for school some long time ago, 1 was 20 minutes long and the other one was 35 minutes long, though it was simple edition, nothing compared to what I do in AMVs

Mister Anderson · Post by **Mister Anderson** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 6:23 pm

ssj4lonewolf wrote:
Greggus1 wrote:Thanks alot, but besides the professional usefulness of it, which is just the better program?
then your going to go with final cut. As much as I hate avid, it does has its usefullness, however if you want a more stable, easier, and "more functional" program then you want final cut.

On a side note the older version of liquid(like 2.0 or somthing, before avid bought it out) is better than both of them.

Never used Final Cut myself, only Avid so I can't tell you.

Liquid was at version 6 before Avid took over. Its now at v7.1 & is my weapon of choice.

Best new features are the ability to import & edit directly on your timeline with XviD/DivX/etc & also import VOB's (which is how I am doing my stuff) ripped to your HDD.

dokidoki · Post by **dokidoki** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 2:42 am

At work, I've mostly done DVD authoring, NTSC->PAL conversion, and format conversion (for companies that can't handle format XYZ), but I've done a couple of editing things. I did the Behind the Scenes video for this, and the "Guess who said it?" videos for this.

blaku92 · Post by **blaku92** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 4:50 pm

I'm a Junior Media Production student in Missouri

. I've taken some courses that deal with film aesthetics, but I've only made three short films using Avid Express Pro. The actual production courses are awesome, but for now I'm only in Media Law and Ethics courses (they suck). I'd have to say my biggest problem, professionally (and yes -- I will become a professional editor), is that I feel like I'm not learning quick enough. I always feel like an idiot because of the techniques/skills I don't have yet. School is really time consuming, and I'd rather learn how to become a better editor, but I know I'll need a degree to get a job anyway

. I'd like to move down to Houston, Texas and start working for ADV films shortly after graduation, but I'll probably end up working for a local TV station until my contract with the Air National Guard expires. At least that way I'll definitely have much more experience professionally. I'll always continue to work on amvs though. I enjoy it too much. I'm not an effects whore, but learning to create them is something I'll end up learning mostly on my own as a hobby. It would be awesome to work as an editor for major films, but I'm not too worried about making tons of money. I just want a job that I love and supports a decent living.