In addition to Adobe’s CS6 Production Suite, I just picked up Avid Media Composer 6.5. As we read articles from professional production magazines in my Advanced Video Post Production class, I’m realizing that a lot of professional work is done on Avid. Despite that, nearly all of our editing bays and edit labs have FCP 7, and only a few have the Adobe CS6 Production Suite. We’ve mentioned Avid briefly, but without the actual program, it’s difficult for the professor to really teach us anything about it.
I recently installed the CS6 Production Suite on my desktop, so I’m in the process of learning how to use those programs better on my own, but I made the decision to go ahead and invest in Avid after discussing the editing profession with my instructor. I am looking forward to learning how to use it, and even found an iTunes U course with tutorials. iTunes U has been a pretty awesome resource for free tutorials – there’s a really good Photoshop CS6 course, some courses on Lighting, and a lot of FCP courses.
I’ve also invested in an iPad and a Lightning-SD Card reader, and I’ve downloaded the Pinnacle Studio app, which seems powerful for a tablet NLE. My goal here is to learn how to edit on the go, even if the only camcorder I have right now that records to SD card is my little consumer handheld, which probably means sparring videos and cat videos – or videos of cats sparring. Fortunately, the Internet and the people and robots on it love cat videos. (See: Google Brain teaches itself what a cat is, and then spends all its time watching cat videos; or, why Artificial Intelligence isn’t necessarily a threat to humanity.)
I will say that Microsoft makes it so much easier for Computer Science students than do any of the NLE software companies for Production students. When I was a CS major, I had access to a ton of free software so I could learn how to use it (including Visual Studio, which is a $1000+ program, like many of the NLEs). The same consideration from Apple, Adobe, Avid, AutoDesk, and Sony would be nice, but at least they offer the student discount.
I’ve also invested in an iPad and a Lightning-SD Card reader, and I’ve downloaded the Pinnacle Studio app, which seems powerful for a tablet NLE. My goal here is to learn how to edit on the go, even if the only camcorder I have right now that records to SD card is my little consumer handheld, which probably means sparring videos and cat videos – or videos of cats sparring. Fortunately, the Internet and the people and robots on it love cat videos. (See: Google Brain teaches itself what a cat is, and then spends all its time watching cat videos; or, why Artificial Intelligence isn’t necessarily a threat to humanity.)
I will say that Microsoft makes it so much easier for Computer Science students than do any of the NLE software companies for Production students. When I was a CS major, I had access to a ton of free software so I could learn how to use it (including Visual Studio, which is a $1000+ program, like many of the NLEs). The same consideration from Apple, Adobe, Avid, AutoDesk, and Sony would be nice, but at least they offer the student discount.