Any input on Avid Media Composer?

Although I've been using Sony Vegas Pro 8, I'm being left with the difficult situation of not being able to market my business more due to working with what is viewed by most in the broadcast field as a Toy NLE. It's understandable given that the industry is Apple and Avid centric.

Don't get me wrong, I love the speed and efficiency of Vegas Pro 8, but the inability to list Avid or Apple as an additional skill is limiting in my opinion, my options for additional work.

Since I'm not in the financial position to dump two machines (Laptop and desktop) and switch to Apple, I've been considering taking up Avid Media Composer as the best solution for working on Windows. I've looked at the other alternatives, but since my work is still mainly land based, I'm looking at trying to pick up some freelance editing gigs as well, and Avid seems to be the only bet for Windows that has any sort of chance.

Anyone working with Media Composer or have insights into what the broadcast industry is saying about it compared to FCS?

Thanks,

Hey

I was thought Media 100 and FCP at Uni and when I went to work for Arsenal they put me on Avid Express Pro because they were PC based. In short it was hell. I have used Media composer and it is very similar although much better than Express Pro. I really hate PC's for post and media work as unless you really spend thousands they are not up to the job. The data management and the work flow was horrible. I have now switch back to FCP and I feel like a weight has been lifted, the system just works and it is intuitive. Avid will always have a foot hold in the market because of it's high end Nitrus and Symphony series but for mid level pro-sumer jobs I say stay clear. Only my opinion and I haven't used it in a year. But take the plunge and buy a nice new Mac Book Pro, team it up with An AJA box and you can cut full HD on the fly. Also motion and the bundled package with FCP Studio is great although I prefer After Effects.

Just my opinion though.

All the best.

message me if you want any more info

Sri

Sri, I find that Avid's media management is pretty darn good. On the high end, FCS can't compete (it's still limited to 2k resolution) and for film cutting, the Avid cut list is standard (but how many film projects are still out there now with HD?) Then there's Red 4K editing at full resolution. It also allows BluRay output via Avid DVD while Apple still dallies with getting a BD drive in the machines and support (Psystar pushed one in but without OSX support it's just a big DVD backup drive) Avid MC 3.0 has made up for its past shortcomings, EFX and color correction. It's not up to FCS' Color yet though.

FCS is moving up the tree and news broadcast is now quite FCS centric. The Beeb and CNN went with FCS.

Freediver, listing Avid Media Composer never hurts but it really depends on what services you are selling. As an editor, it's better to be non-platform dependent.

Hey Drew

Thanks for the insight. I haven't used Avid in a year and I really struggled with Express Pro and a Dell PC. I assume the majority of my problems were due to bad technology and trying to teach myself. I'll spend a bit of time researching what you've mentioned because in future I'd like to try RED and the new 2/4k camera systems. Roger (SZ) was recently on a shoot where they took a RED underwater, I'd love to see what it can offer top side and on the underwater realm. A friend I met at an FCP course works at a place called the FCP village at BBC wood lane. (Might be called something differnet). They do loads of doco's and light entertainment and have a massive SAN network what he was explaining to be sounded very cool. I do know that people use Avid for a reason and I don't want to diss it too much I just think that for low to mid range broadcast work FCP and a Mac can't be beat. Also Avid can be used on a mac (prefered I think).

My advice get the Avid Express Trial form their site and "As an editor, it's better to be non-platform dependent." is a very good point. Just have a kick ass show real, who cares if you cut it on iMovie, only the snobs.

Good luck.

S

Sri

Express is no more. The new Media Composer has come out to be the all in one like FCP. Avid has made effort to be more like Apple in streamlining their product offerings. In many ways, Apple has the advantage cos it can sell the computer with the suite. Still Avid is pretty entrenched as a standard(so far) in the film industry. The new indie/low budget crowd however are more adept at FCS. This is why Avid is fighting back... because it HAS TO!