Son wants to make movies-what do I need!What should i get?

[manitoubalck]

Originally posted by LethalWolfe
Holy crap that's a good idea. I completely forgot about the "old" G4 towers. Heck, you could even look at a refurb and that would shave a lil' more off the price. IIRC correctly refurbs are sent back to Apple to get check out and are supported as "like new" machines (even qualifying for apple care). Where as "used" machines recieve no such perks. So if you buy previously owned go "refurb" not "used."

manitoubalck, I appriciate you presenting a different point of view. You just came off a bit heavy handed, especially sense she stated up front she didn't want a PC. Intent was good, execution was a bit rusty though.


Lethal

Thankyou for your support A twin G4 1.25 costs $2800AUD with a combo drive and no screen. Buy that, and then buy an aftermarket DVD burner for $250AUD and an LCD and Bang you have a computer that ****s on an iMac any day. And is expandable to boot. Buy as little as possible from apple and you will notice the savings. (After market RAM especially)

Sorry for AUD prices it's all I have to work with.

[mod. edit - Don't circumvent the profanity filter.]

 

[2jaded2care]

I'd get a G4 desktop. More and faster for the money than a laptop.

In my limited observations, the Mac seems to be the platform of choice for professional video editing. (Ideally, your son will be proficient in both the Mac and PC worlds.)

Final Cut Pro and Avid appear to be the Non-Linear Editors of choice with the pros. Final Cut Express would be a good, "affordable" introduction.

People do edit video on PCs, but I suspect more people use PCs to steal movies, not make them. Unlike Mac users. ;-)

 

[batikdruid]

People do edit video on PCs, but I suspect more people use PCs to steal movies, not make them. Unlike Mac users. ;-)

Now, now. Really, I don't get into this type of stuff, it's a bit sophomoric and totally unfounded, I'm sure.

 

[Macmaniac]

I'm 17 years old and I edit movies too on an eMac at school. My advice go with the best eMac and get some RAM from crucial, an extra 512mb stick is nice. Its very easy to put the RAM in yourself you need a phillips head screwdriver and thats it.
As for editing FCP express would be a nice add on but have him start on iMovie, FCP can be very frustrating if u don't have someone who knows how to use it. If he gets beyond iMovie maybe suggest a one week FCP course at a local school or something.
Just messing around with FCP is not a good way to learn, I still find it challenging, simple things can be hard to do without the right help.
iMovie is fine for now, but get FCP for $99 because if he is seroius it will be great for him later

 

[Counterfit]

Originally posted by Macmaniac
I'm 17 years old and I edit movies too on an eMac at school. My advice go with the best eMac and get some RAM from crucial, an extra 512mb stick is nice. Its very easy to put the RAM in yourself you need a phillips head screwdriver and thats it.
As for editing FCP express would be a nice add on but have him start on iMovie, FCP can be very frustrating if u don't have someone who knows how to use it. If he gets beyond iMovie maybe suggest a one week FCP course at a local school or something.
Just messing around with FCP is not a good way to learn, I still find it challenging, simple things can be hard to do without the right help.
iMovie is fine for now, but get FCP for $99 because if he is seroius it will be great for him later

I assume you mean FCE?

[mod. edit - Don't circumvent the profanity filter.]

Go mods go!

 

[manitoubalck]

Originally posted by 2jaded2care
People do edit video on PCs, but I suspect more people use PCs to steal movies, not make them. Unlike Mac users. ;-)

I almost take offence to that but not quite, because while I use my PC to Edit and manipulate heaps of video's and still images, The good old K7 1GHz Athlon has spent it's fair share of time @ 100% encoding Div-X files from Ripped DVD's.