Posted by Frank Reynolds at spider-te051.proxy.aol.com on June 27, 2001 at 00:53:30:
In Reply to: Vincent -- A Quick Avid Question... posted by Serial1227 on June 27, 2001 at 00:27:25:
: Vincent,
: In a post below, you state "those heavily digitally compressed AVID output tapes" -- does the Avid system work like a digital video system (like Apple's Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premier) where you have to do final renders before you go to tape/film? Always been curious about the system and if the countless hours I sit teaching myself Final Cut Pro will pay off one day.
The Avid IS a digital editing system like Adobe Premere or Final Cut Pro....;-) Though on the most recent Avid systems, you only have to render very complex video effects before outputting to tape. Standard video and simple effects (like dissolves) don't need to be rendered. I'm guessing that what Vincent refers to as "digitally compressed" tapes means that to save memory, the footage is captured at a low video resolution which makes it look boxey and pixelly. (I used to call it "Star Trek distress-call mode.")
Yes, teaching yourself Final Cut Pro WILL pay off. I think it's the one serious challenger to Avid that has cropped up. (Media 100 tried a few years ago, but never really got a foothold.) FCP is a solid editing system (becoming more solid all the time) that is affordable to the low-budget filmmaker. If Final Cut Pro ever offers a true 24-frame platform, so professional features shot on film can easily edit on it, Avid is in trouble. (And you could even cut a 16 or 35mm feature film on it now, if you're willing to cut a corner or two.) Even now I've heard of a few television projects that edit on FCP.
Frank Reynolds, film editor