I'm looking to buy into a high end NLE and I'm curious what you guys think is a better platform. Final Cut Pro or Media Composer. I have experience on Avid Xpress Pro and was also curious if the control layouts on FCP where similar to that of Avid.

Thank you,
Kyle Krupinski

Question:
What NLE do you prefer?

Choices:
Avid Media Composer
Final Cut Pro
Other

 

Well if price is an issue I'd actually go with Avid, because they offer it for $300 to students compared to the $700 FCP is. I haven't used either, but I think that they're both pretty different to edit with.

Avid Media Composer definitely has a higher learning curve - but it remains the standard - plus Avid was designed by editors so once you master if you can cut much faster than you can on FCP.

I'm much faster on Avid than FCP - and it's not because I don't know FCP.

The answer is that both editing programs are equal in what they do. The method is different. As a student you should learn both. Avid media composer first since it is much more difficult to learn and Final Cut Pro next, since it will be like fresh air. Final Cut does not regiment how you work, Avid does. Avid has a better student price, but Final Cut Studio 2 has a bundle of software that is way more than most would use for simple editing. If you want to do very fancy composites and the like, Final Cut Studio 2 has something for you. You have to face the fact that tomorrows editor is not a cuts only job. It is composites and multi-layered effects in the editor. I use both Avid Media Composer and Final Cut Studio 2. The fastest for me and the way I work is Final Cut. If you use the keyboard shortcuts in Final Cut you will be fast as on an Avid or even faster since you still can drag and drop at your hearts desire. It works like you would think it should. Of course Final Cut Studio 2 allows you to integrate all kinds of effects right into the time line including Motion 3 and Live Type projects. LiveType is fast and light and renders very fast. Finalcut also allows you to mix footage types 24p, 30i, 30p, 60p framerates in the same timeline, Avid will balk at this, being more strict. Layering effects in Finalcut is also more straight forward. So for effects work Finalcut is easier to understand - mind you avid's media composer has some equally good effects you just have to figure out how they work. P2 cards MXF are read directly by Avid BUT they are still transferred to the system which takes longer than on Final Cut were you just log and transfer. To be very useful as an Editor you need to be able to know both edit systems - it will also make you more employable.