I need some much needed input here. I learned to edit using ulead on pc quite a few years ago and then learned magic movie edit pro 12 and wanted to upgrade. I got a mac and final cut express last year and it confuses the hell out of me. Is there another software that is more user friendly than FCE that I can make 'professional' looking videos to put on youtube, etc...???
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Most user friendly editing software?
- Thread starter PanolaProd.
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Not too sure what your definition of 'professional' is but...
I think that since you already have FCE spend the time to learn how to use it. There are training materials you can find online. You dont have to spend a lot of time learning the advanced things just the basics at first.
If you are looking for something that is more user friendly there is always iMovie.
Normally I'd agree, but FCE is nothing like the new FCPX. So if you want to move up to FCPX, learn iMovie. That's the most user-friendly path. If you want something more professional, look to Adobe or Avid. The concepts are the same, but the interfaces vary.
I would second the opinion that the way via iMovie and, if you like it, FCPX might be a good one. The new Final Cut Pro, as much bashing as it gets, is an awesome software, especially if you are not yet used to the ways of older FCP and FCE versions.
However, and I can not stress this enough: A "professional" looking video will gain much more from nice lighting and well captured sound (and of course from good editing) than from a "professional" editing software. You can edit a very, very good piece of art in iMovie and you can produce the most amateur crap (sorry for the wording) in Avid Media Composer. A professional software will mostly benefit your workflow and speed and will allow you to do some very specific things that you can't in simpler versions.
So, I would recommend you: Check out iMovie, it's a decent piece of software. If you want to spend money, first invest on some lighting and maybe a microphone. Try to make your movie "look good" and learn good editing in the process.
If you (and only then) start exploring the outer borders of iMovie, and realize that you want something the software just can't do, or if you start cutting a lot and want a more flexible application, you can start looking at FCPX. The transition will be easy.
In my opinion, people think way too often that a nice editing software will improve your movies. It will not, not even one bit. Your movies will get better with other stuff, and the quality of the editing software will only influence your life and work as an editor.
That being said: If FCE was too confusing for you, don't bother with Avid or Adobe! Try iMovie as a start and maybe FCPX (Oh yes, the interface is much simpler for beginners than FCE)...
Floh, you mean that you actually should put some efforts in your shots? Nah! 
iMovie11/FCP X was the route I'd go if I started up from scratch. Quick to learn, fast to work with, and FCP X is deeper than many think.
Having worked with a lot of packs - Broadcast 2000, Pinnacle, Amiga Video Toaster, FCP (since version 3), Vegas, Premiere, etc., FCP X was the easiest to get comfortable with. Thanks to FCP X I finally figured out how iMovie08-11 work.
iMovie11/FCP X was the route I'd go if I started up from scratch. Quick to learn, fast to work with, and FCP X is deeper than many think.
Having worked with a lot of packs - Broadcast 2000, Pinnacle, Amiga Video Toaster, FCP (since version 3), Vegas, Premiere, etc., FCP X was the easiest to get comfortable with. Thanks to FCP X I finally figured out how iMovie08-11 work.
Thanks alot guys. I guess i should have clarified what I meant by 'professional'. I meant more professional looking effects options as far as what effects I can add to the video, titles, etc. I video and edit hunts that my brother and I go on so while a good mic would e very beneficial, the lighting is provided by mother nature. I completely understand what your saying abt the video quality being good though. With mediocre quality video there is only so much you can do with editing software. We have done several things trying to improve our video quality. Looks like I just need to piddle around with iMovie and go from there. In FCPX, will I be able to export videos to youtube and possibly DVDs, etc..?
As you said, try iMovie. If you really like it and want some better quality effects and especially more options for personal adjustments, go for FCPX, it is very powerful and the user interface is very similar to iMovie.
I want to add that for visual effects (if you want that) and nicer titles, you might want to take a look at Apple Motion. It comes at a very low price and while it is made to play with FCPX, it already works fine with movies you exported from iMovie. You will find tons of really professional looking effects and text animations and it is (in my opinion) far superior to all other animation software out there when it comes to user friendlyness.
Well... yes. You can basically upload anything to youtube and they will convert it for you (they will even do this if you already provided the right codec). FCPX on its own offers the possibility to export in H.264, which will make your files significantly smaller and better suited to upload without hogging the bandwidth for days...
When it comes to DVD, life gets more complicated. Whatever software you use to burn the DVD (FCPX can't do that on its own) will also convert your files to a suitable codec. If you want great quality, you can purchase Apple's Compressor for the conversion.
If you want fancy DVD menus and nice authoring, someone else has to help you, as I know no affordable software I would refer to as "good"... Macs before 2011 shipped with "iDVD", which somehow produces a DVD with animated titles and everything. I've had some serious issues with 16:9 footage though. An open source alternative for simple menus and just getting a usable DVD is DVDStyler, which works surprisingly well.
Floh, yes it does. It is only a screener type disk without a fancy menu, but generally it works.
Panola, Floh gave you some good advise. However: Professional video shines less with fanciness of their effects, but rather with subtlety.
If you are fine withe the workings of iMovie, you don't necessarily need FCP X. You can create your VFX in Motion and bring them into iMovie without an issue.
Woah! I did not expect that in the slightest bit and therefore have not been looking for it, but that is awesome. In most cases, a very straight forward DVD is all I need (if any at all). I am more and more impressed with what FCPX offers. Thanks a lot!
iMovie is very capable. For example, adding special effects with iMovie:
http://obamapacman.com/2011/06/how-to-add-special-effects-in-imovie-with-video-layer/
Thanks guys! I'll definitely start using imovie more. I guess I just wasted a couple hundred bucks on FCE!
Ouch, that hurts! Maybe you can try and sell it? While FCPX is more user friendly by now and not much more expensive, there are still people out there who want FCE. If you have (like me) had some experience cutting in older versions of FCP or FCE, and you don't want to do the switch into a new workflow with FCPX because you only cut a few shorts casually and unregularly, you are probably better off with FCE.
In German eBay, it still goes for about half the purchasing price, which is surpising if you consider that the current version is already pretty old and not likely to get an upgrade...
If it makes you feel better: I did not only purchase FCE a while ago (which was okay because it helped me a lot before FCPX came out), but also Logic Studio about half a year before it was offered for one third of the price in the App Store. Now that is money thrown away...
Money wasted on FCE? I don't think so. If you don't want to spend the extra money for FCP X: 40 bucks buy you the excellent FCE book from Diana Weynand. That'll teach you enough to pass the Apple Certification.
50 bucks extra for Motion 5, and you have a pretty solid editing system.
50 bucks extra for Motion 5, and you have a pretty solid editing system.
http://www.apple.com/finalcutpro/motion/
Apple's visual effect and 2-1/2D app. Pretty powerful for its price.
Apple's visual effect and 2-1/2D app. Pretty powerful for its price.