Thread: FCP vs. Avid

Hi everyone, I decided to post this new thread to ask opinions based on your experiences.
I recently moved from PC to Mac and I'm loving every minute of it, and is not that I don't have a PC anymore, I do have it, and I use it, but so far Mac has gave me a better experience and performance when working with media, both photos and videos. Overall it is faster and more stable working on a Mac than on a PC.

This brings me to the title of this post, FCP vs. Avid.

When I first went to college with the desire of becoming a video editor, I registered for TV Production and I took a Final Cut Pro class which I loved but to me it sucked that it was only for Macs and at that time I couldn't afford to buy one. After I decided not to keep going to college, and a few years after that I took 3 of the main Avid courses... It totally blew my mind the whole Avid interface and workflow... I found FCT more user friendly but Avid was more "technical" if I could say?

So, personally I like both programs. I would dare to say I prefer Avid over FCP, but the limited amount of Video Filters and Transitions that Avid comes with made me go for FCP. I even saw an editor talking about both programs which mentioned a couple of things I agree with and I didn't think of, one of them is the fact that you can easily move clips around by mistake with the mouse pointer in FCP when in Avid you don't unless you select the specific tool.

Good thing is that Apple can run both FCP and Avid, so I have the choice of using either or, unlike PC who can run Avid only.

Last but not least, I've noticed that most professional companies and movie makers use Avid more than FCP.

Any thoughts or anything any of you would like to add?

You may be a Junior on here; but you have just grown some balls.

You have grown up at last (in the graphics sence), come on your a Mac LOVER Tell Tell....

Am a Mac lover too, just can't afford one.......I have to make do with a stinky PC..!!!!! in the graphics sence. I am sad to say and admit I have lost my balls

Anyway Avid is for grown ups

lol Zandebar, thanks for the reply. About the Mac I had to apply for credit cause I couldn't pay for it in cash

So yeah, that would be a better expression to use for Avid "for grown ups".

Originally Posted by zandebar

Anyway Avid is for grown ups

AND rich people.

I don't know the situation in the US, but I believe FCP is more prevalent in TV and Avid in Movies here...

I know that the Beeb make extensive use of FCP, and in the wildlife and nature department, here in Bristol they mostly use FCP.

I'm a final cut guy (but only express here, 'cause that's all I could afford :( )

Adobe Premier is also available for Mac, but I don't know how widely used in broadcast/movies it is.

FCP have gained a lot of ground with its affordability. Today many cable and national tv stations in the US are using this NLE. Introducing it, besides cutting costs, allows them to access a big base of editors (and pay less for their work).

I started with Avid in 1995 and must say that it's more complicated to learn than FCP. Also the package of the Final Cut Studio combining Motion, Soundtrack Pro, DVD Pro, Compressor and a Title maker its a great tool. Many movies has been recently edited in FCP.

Final cut all the way baby

For me it's a matter of what the workflow in my company is.
My experience here is that FCP is growing and growing, but I don't know why you would choose for one or the other.
I guess it's a matter of what you like working with.
I'm a FCP user to the bone, also have a little AVID experience, but FCP for me, works more intuitively (is that the right word in english???? in dutch it is!!

But in the end: it is nice to hear that we have yet another mac believer in our midst...

I'm a movie editor and use mostly avid as its stable these days and easily translates to sound editors when you;re working in a 24fps project. Either are easy to use and I like both. I've yet to cut a movie on Final Cut because I feel its just not quite there yet compared to avid. So its a tricky question really but I would say if you're going to cut a 24 frame project go for avid. If its a 25fps / 30fps go for final cut.

When we moved to the sony Z7 that was the end of Avid for us. The cost of the hardware needed is just mind blowing so we has no choice but to change to Mac and FCS. I don't like it, I know that lots of people do, but after avid it all feels a bit Micky Mouse. As for Soundtrack Pro, it doesn't export, not once, not ever. We have to record to a external sound recorder, crazy. I think like most things mac there is a lot of style (clients love all the mac stuff) over substance.

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