Comparisons of Non-Linear Video Editing Packages?

kickabear asks: "I'm working on an independent (that means I'm poor) film. I'm looking for a site (or a book, I'm not picky) which reviews various non-linear video editing packages. I've found a few sites but I can't really find anything that does a side-by-side comparison of the features and capabilities of products such as Premiere Pro or Avid Xpress Pro or the 20 projects listed on Sourceforge. The project will be filmed using a brand new Sony HVRZ1U HDV camera, so if any comparison sites lean toward HDV/HDTV, that would be favorable. Any information, war stories, or advice would be appreciated."

Comments

Final Cut Express was just updated for HDV

[daviddennis]

If you haven't used Avid before, avoid it since it has a vertical cliff face learning curve. I tried playing with it at a tradeshow and it was nothing like any other editing program I'd seen before. It felt very modal and inflexible, which made it very difficult to get comfortable with. Of course if you want to eventually make a living editing mainstream motion pictures this might not be the best advice, but if you're rolling your own independent film it's not going to be the best choice.

The most featureful and best supported editing package is Apple's Final Cut Pro and its little brother Final Cut Express. You'd have to buy an Apple Macintosh computer to use them, but in my experience it's well worth it. Final Cut Express probably has all you need and at $299 or $99 when purchased with a Mac it's the deal of the century. If you need the featurees

When video editing was last discussed, most people who used Linux-based systems were still putting them together from CVS and fighting bugs, so I doubt that these products have the maturity you need to edit a film.

i don't know much about Adobe's Premiere Pro, but it's probably your best choice if you want to use Windows. Premiere used to be an absolutely ghastly program, with the result that Final Cut Pro slaughtered it in the marketplace despite being $400 more expensive. I understand that Premiere Pro copied a lot of features from Final Cut and so it might be fine. I don't have personal experience with it, though.

You might also want to check out Vegas Video, which has its set of adherents.

If you presently have a Windows computer, bear in mind that you'll probably need to upgrade it with FireWire ports and tons of disk space before it can become a video editing workstation. It will still most likely not run as smoothly as a Mac-based system where FireWire is built in and everything's designed and built by the same company.

Two good forums for this are http://www.creativecow.net and http://www.2-pop.com/ . I have to run, good luck with your project!

D

Avid has a free version

[michaelbuddy]

A lot of people are touting mac, true final cut pro and imovie are good, downright excellent. At the same time though if you're not used to Mac, I wouldn't just jump and get one and then find out you might not like the feel of Mac. (shocking but sometimes true) Mac people would never believe it.

If you are already running windows, which I assume you are since premiere pro only works on windows. You might consider using the free Avid software at first.

http://www.avid.com/company/releases/2003/030107 _A vidFreeDV_prod.html

If you dont' have editing experience it's a good way to go. You can import using a lot of free software. Including virtualdub.

At least look into the free version. I made a first movie with the most junky linear decks back in the day. I would have killed for free avid back then.

what are your film specs? how long? any effects? any 3D. any other special camera or fx work? You may be just fine cutting together your movie with Adobe Premiere Elements. It's been rated very highly.

Look into DVD Lab too if you need to make DVD's with sophisticated menus. You can also make a DVD with TMPGenc. Google will help you find it my son.