Alright all you NLE freaks, explain to me the big diff. I have been editing on premiere forever, but I find that the transitions (wipes , disolves etc) are quite limited and do not look nearly as sharp as Final Cut. But what's the deal with avid, or its transitions, effects and so forth much better then premiere? Beside the fact that once u master Avid Xpress 3.5 , its quick and easy to go to symphony, what are its main cons and pro's against Premiere. And should I be getting any cool plugins for premiere, that anyone wouldlike to suggest? Or for avid if I decide to learn it?
Let the games begin

"Everything you know is wrong"

- disinfo.com

Ill throw my hat in. The transitions in Avid are easier, and better looking, in my opinion, then Premeire.
The other factor, of which you made mention, is that its easy to transition up to the higher end Avids, once you learn say, DV Xpress. Avid is the industry standard right now. Final Slut is trying to throw their hat into the big boys arena, but while they may become equal, i doubt they will become better than Avid in this regard. If you plan on editing for film, or working as an editor, Avid is a good way to go. Ive known plenty of guys, working as editors, and getting jobs as editors. None of them know final cut, just Avid, and theyve got work.
So, there is my two cents. Im sure others will have much more to say. Once you learn Avid though, its a breeze to edit with. Very professional. Good luck.
R. M. McWhorter

And you shall know us by the trail of dead.

I recently purchased Avid Xpress Edupack (400 bucks or so ... washed allot of walls in my house to earn it!) I've had it for two weeks and still hardly have any clue how to use it. I consider myself to be computer savvy and am very good at learning how to use new programs quickly. Avid isn't as easy as they say. The one feature that really stood out in Avid Xpress was the real time capability. That means you don't have to render anything to see an effect you've added or adjusted. The thing I hate about the program is having to wait up to 3 min just to import ONE video clip. Once I learn how to use Avid Express, I'm sure my whole outlook will change. I've worked with Adobe Premier for over a year and am somewhat satisfied with the results. It has more effects than Avid Express (Edupack,) and requires a bit less knowledge to begin making rough cuts. It also has a better timeline view, and less quirks than Express. The thing about Avid is, there aren't many (if any) 3rd party plug-ins available, unlike Premier, where if you search on the web, there are many (NOTE: Plug-ins for After Effects and Photoshop also work in Premier.) The one thing I've found, that premier lacks, is advanced color correction, and like "Irony" said, sharp transitions. Avid Xpress is now known for it's color correction and boasts it as one of it's main features.
I hope I helped out a little.

P.S. - Editing on anything to me is heaven... it was only two years ago that I was trying to splice videotape.

~Matt McD

If you have any questions about Avid please let me know - I'll be happy to answer them as I teach Avid Media Composer and Xpress here in Hollywood to the pros. (I also work as an editor and assistant editor all around town)

Amazon sells a good book on editing on the Avid (it's in the sites Recommended Books section:http://www.studentfilms.com/film_books.htm) which is Avid's official book for the Xpress DV course.

It is basically the same thing I teach for the Xpress class but it doesn't come with me.

Yes I admit Avid is hard to learn at first...but it is a much more powerful editor. The reason that there aren't a vast amount of plugins available on the web is that it isn't a "consumer" editor. There are plugins available...but they cost.

Take care,
Chris
Studentfilms.com

Man I never pay for software. I know its bad and I should be supporting it etc, but for example I have premiere, and can do everything on that. But I want to learn avid so if I go out and buy a 400 dollar package and give up on it... money down the drain. But on Kazaa I just d/l the latest version and cracked it. Tested it out etc. ITs not like I make much money of my personal films anyways.
I am still undecided on what to do tho, I want to keep making films, but I feel I need something just a bit more then premiere, and I am to lazy to learn After Effects.

"Everything you know is wrong"

- disinfo.com

I can just imagine you calling up avid support hotline asking something like: hey, I got a problem on a ripped version of your software, it put a virus on my computer and now I can't..*click*

I just heard and read about this product from Avid...it's a limited version of Xpress DV with 2 video tracks and 2 streams of RT FX but it is FREE! (a little like the FREE version of ProTools)

Crazy.

Check it out:
http://www.avid.com/forms/info.asp?iTrackingID=7682

-Chris
Studentfilms.com

Umm sorry to disapoint you "screenwriter", but unfortunately my ripped software doesn't come with virus's. This may ruin your little joke, but as previously stated... you have my deepest and most sincere apologies. I will never pay for software, and I will continue to laugh at idiots like you who fall under the impression of just because it's free means it will have a virus. Have fun paying money for software that doesn't deserve it buddy. I can just imagine the next time you need some hardware upgrades and you go to use your credit card... *whamm maxed out for paying 400 U.S. for Avid.

"Everything you know is wrong"

- disinfo.com

You know, I understand that some programs won't have viruses or whatever, (and I don't even need to download them; plenty of people I KNOW selling premiere for like $2) but I won't download or buy them. Why? Cause I know it's wrong. I have something along the lines of oh say.. MORALS. You can think that i'll "Have fun paying money for software that doesn't deserve it," because if somehow you ever make it big (highly unlikely), I hope your hard work won't get ripped by someone like you, cause you won't be able to say SHiT unless you like going for that hipocrite thing.

When you do this, it robs the company of money they could have made. They spend years of research, money, and what not to sell a product. It's an investment, one that your stealing. Yah, it's pretty much the same as stealing hardware, but hopefully you dont do that too. You probraly think cheating is okay as well? It's you and other people who are the idiots, messing up any trust system thinking its cool long as you don't get caught. BTW, found the new Boris Red on kazaa. Thought you might wan't to check it out, it's on me.

You guys really fighting which one of these is better??? Um...Avid compared to Prepier is like a Saturn vs a BMW. Avid kick so much ass in soooo many areas compared to premier. Well I think so at least and I would hope others would too.
As far as free software. I wouldn't get free software, in reality...there really is too many clitches and viruses, plus if you get caught you're f*cked. Not that I support the blood thirsty Capitalist in this country, but stealing is not the way to go. Well unless your shop lifting at Walmart, they deserve to be stolen from,lol. Anyways...get a job and support your art!

~Clip my wings and blinde my eyes, but watch your back cause still I rise~ STW

Screenwriter --
Well as much as I would like to destroy you in a debate about morals (with your beautiful insight being extremely indepth), I could care less. I get free software, School boards and big corporations do not. They pay lots of money for them, giving the companies revenue to make more great software. I am sure my non-purchase has not destroyed their company. Everything I use my software for is non-comercial. And with the personal blow about "I'll never make it big" really makes me chuckle. Lets see one of your great masterpeices, I have proven myself, my work has been seen by thousands of people, and made a fair bit in the process. So shut the f*ck up unless you can actually back up what your saying. Now that I have your childish remarks out of the way...

----

Getcha Mind Rite could u tell me what features Avid holds over Premiere to make the comparison "saturn to a bmw" understandable. I am having trouble deciding if I should bother learning Avid or not.

"Everything you know is wrong"

- disinfo.com

Okay, understand this. I am not trying to be the most offensive guy here. I'm not going to call you childish or try to have the last word and cut you off,(like you poor attempt in the last post). I just don't think it's right to steal software, and I bet a few others on the site agree with me. No matter how whiney you are to make special FX or learn Avid, it still is not okay to do. You can never convince me that it is. All I did was underly a little joke about you and your confidence took such a blow you could'nt stand it. Your noticably rude to other people you don't know on this board (i've read your posts BTW).

-Did I say that you destroyed the company yourself? NO, you cannot singlehandedly bankrupt Avid. But like I stated before, when alot of you steal the stuff you would have BOUGHT, it raises up the prices of software for the rest of us, believe it or not. I wan't to just make this visible to others so they don't make believe and think it's okay to do this like you have. Not trying to sound more mature than you or anything, but alot of people in our generation(I know ur 15-25) think it's okay to cheat or steal as long as you dont get caught.

-" Everything I use my software for is non-comercial" In an earilier post you gave a link to a "Mayham 2" movie you claim to have produced/edited or whatever(brand new). Saying it has already sold 2000+ copies around the world, the Premiere you had on your desktop must have sat there collecting dust huh?

My bad, I guess you already have made it big. Even though the cky2k/jackass style stuff you film(I saw clips of it) is'nt that glamourous, I guess it's the closest thing to a masterpeice you'll ever get.

I'm not going to talk much about my own films. All I can say is that they're all laugh out loud funny comedies, and I don't have a negative outlook on the world like you probraly do Mr. everything you know is wrong. I checked out the book, I have to say that like 1/4 of it is probraly overstated and with un-namable crudentials as the people reporting the crap. My final word of advise: I suggest you calm the hell down, take a joke and laugh at it or ignore it. I'm not a bystander when it comes to someone doing something wrong.

Just for future reference my name is S. Tyler Wilson, "Getcha Mind Rite" is just my film company.
Well Avid like everyone has been talking about on this site, is the industry standard. You have lots of choices with Avid visually, sound wise and quick editing wise. I could put up a list I guess but I don't think its worth the time...sorry, check out the web page. Plus you can order a free demo if you ask Chris Wright for the web address, I forgot what it was.

Next...well(Irony) I check out a clip from Mayhem 2, and thought a lot about Jackass, as was mentioned. Sorry but not seeing too much originality. Also, if you sold a grip of copies of part 4 then isen't that comercial? Maybe the rules of Capitalism have changed I'm not sure, anyhow... I come from a skating background and have made about 7 skate films and filmed for Video Groove for about a year, so I kinda have a background in that field. Mayhem 2 looks like a lot of simple cuts and a music track. Well that's what most B alternative sports videos look like though so what's the difference.
I read some where that you have other films? Are they on the site? The first wave of my shorts will be up and running in the next few weeks. I send the first one today, so yeah check it out. As for stealing(not that this is the site to discuss) I would just get demos then buy the software or get it on ebay. Later

~Clip my wings and blinde my eyes, but watch your back cause still I rise~ STW

Tyler,
Thanks for checkin em out that's cool of ya. We have released three mayhem movies 1,2 and 4. 3 secretly disappeared amongst other things. 1 and 2 were the beginnings. We were just learning, no money etc. Just having fun basically. Check out 4 though, it has the best up and coming riders in Whistler right now, and the editing compared to the other two will blow your socks off. Especially the intro , the cuts, and effects are much better in 4, and u can see the obvious improvement. About the whole CKY/Jackass thing, well we were doing this stuff before CKY and Jackass was even known. Many of our ideas were done before them as well. They just made it to hollywood before us , but in 4 we take a diff. approach and you will not see as much elements. If its worth your time, check out a clip of Mayhem 4 if you can find it. I personally think its worth your time, because for a snowboard video, it has great comedy and editing, and no artsy bullshit that many Transworld and bigger name companies are going towards. Which is frankly just boring to watch. But ya don't judge on 1,2 until you have seen 4.
By the way its not just me in mayhem, I assisted two other people that were the heads of the operation, i was simply filming and creative input. But keep in mind their snowboard movies not Films.
Peace

"Everything you know is wrong"

- disinfo.com

Shut up, I don't have time to read your shitty posts. Mayhem wasn't made on my home computer you moron, we bought an editing system that came with finalcut. So stop opening your mouth. I don't care if you think its wrong to steal software, I'll do whatever I want while your making no difference what-so-ever by bitching. I could care less what you say. I know your movies horrible, no excuses needed. So don't even compare them to what I do.

"Everything you know is wrong"

- disinfo.com

That is quite funny about how much research you did on me and still got it wrong. I hope your kind is a dying breed, because if we have more people like you voicing their ridiculous opinions the whole world will slowly destruct. You are going to be a bystander the rest of your life. Face it, you get off on making stupid arguments on messageboards, then research up on the person to try and out wit them. Your out of your league buddy. I don't need messages on these little boards to know your a idiot.

"Everything you know is wrong"

- disinfo.com

Okay, sounds good. I'll try to find 4 some how, I'm always interested in seeing others videos in the alternative sports world or whayt ever you wanna call it. Is there a link with clips or something?

~Clip my wings and blinde my eyes, but watch your back cause still I rise~ STW

Sounds like Avids winning this debate.

Would someone please tell those idiots to stop their immature fighting. Its getting in the way of my reading. If he wants to use kazaa to get his programs then let him. Who really gives a f**k.

Listen bitch, I only wanted to warn others not as mest up as yourself that downloading copyrighted software is wrong. I could much less care about you now. Just from your cussing and putting me down I can see that your trash. You don't even know me, or my movies, so I think you should be the one shutting up. I've actually SEEN one of ur snowboarding movies, and everyone agrees that you suck. I'm sure this mayhem 4 won't be any better. Stick to making crap like that, and I'll be just fine making whatever it is I do that you haven't ever seen nor can ever judge.

The reason for this whole stupid argument is just because I didn't want the fact that "stealing shit" is okay to seep into everyone's mind, that's all..

And thats that. Nicely put.

Argument over.