Unsure about moving to Mac/Adobe After Effects, Vegas, Final Cut Pro questions

[Jamie.]

Hey everyone.

For my graduation present this year I'm getting a computer. I really want a Mac but I'm scared to make the move. I edit a lot of video, and I've heard that Mac's are ideal for video editing.

I use Sony Vegas on my PC. People tell me all the time that I can't run Vegas on Mac because it's made for PC. But I also know a lot of people that run Adobe After Effects on Mac and I thought that was for PC only also.

If I get Mac, I will probably use Final Cut Pro, but After Effects has a feature that I will need to use that neither Vegas nor FCP has.

Is running After Effects any different than running Vegas on a Mac?

 

[J the Ninja]

Yes, AE has a Mac version, Vegas does not. That's the critical bit.

I think you will like Final Cut, provided you are somewhat familiar with video editing. (Final Cut's interface has always seemed to be designed with the idea that the user knows what they are doing, and just wants all their tools spread out in front of them. Great UI if you know what you are doing, but it means a steep learning curve, and it sucks up a lot of screen space).

Lot's of people use Final Cut + After Effects. Final Cut Studio comes with a vaguely similar app called Motion. I've never used AE, so I can't tell you much about the differences, you'll need to talk to someone else about that.

 

[Jamie.]

Thanks a lot!

I just hate to leave Vegas. I so good with editing with it now and I hate having to re-learn everything.

But I really like the layout of Final Cut. I just don't know where I'll get the money for After Effects and Final Cut Pro.

I'll probably edit with Final Cut Premiere and add effects with Adobe.

 

[emptyCup]

Thanks a lot!

I just hate to leave Vegas. I so good with editing with it now and I hate having to re-learn everything.

But I really like the layout of Final Cut. I just don't know where I'll get the money for After Effects and Final Cut Pro.

Well, you could start by seeing whether you could get by with iMovie which comes free with the Mac. If not, you could look into either running your existing software under Boot Camp or exploring the cheaper Final Cut Express.

Best wishes.

 

[Jamie.]

Well, you could start by seeing whether you could get by with iMovie which comes free with the Mac. If not, you could look into either running your existing software under Boot Camp or exploring the cheaper Final Cut Express.

Best wishes.

I need a more serious program than iMovie.

What exactly is Boot Camp? and how do I use it?

 

[Jamie.]

Anyone?

 

[Nano2k]

Bootcamp is software that allows a Mac to natively run Windows, giving you 100% hardware performance unlike virtual machines (parallels, etc.).

You have to shut down OSX and reboot in Windows though you can't switch from one another like a virtual machine.

 

[arjen92]

bootcamp;

"It runs Windows, too.
Have a Windows application you need to use once in a while? No problem. Every new Mac lets you install Windows XP and Vista and run them at native speeds, using a built-in utility called Boot Camp.

Setup is simple and safe for your Mac files. After you’ve completed the installation, you can boot up your Mac using either Mac OS X or Windows. (That’s why it’s called Boot Camp.) Or if you want to run Windows and Mac applications at the same time — without rebooting — you can install Windows using VMware or Parallels software.*"

You do know that vegas pro is a totally different way of editing then professionals do. Premiere Pro, Final cut Pro and avid all edit more or less the same. But sony vegas is pretty different because it used to be an audio editor and therefore edits different.

 

[Jamie.]

Thanks,

I know this might be dumb but do I have to install boot camp? and would it not be a smart choice if I'm going to run Vegas everyday?

 

[ricof]

Bootcamp comes built in with a mac. It is an utility. Or you could install Parallels (im running XP Pro on my macbook pro) and I swear it runs quicker than it did on any PC!

 

[Jamie.]

So if i put a Vegas installation disk in my Mac, it will automatically direct me with how to use it?

 

[ricof]

Depending on how you have Parallels or Bootcamp set up (it may ask you what you want to do with the disc etc) yes it should work.

 

[Jamie.]

Thanks everyone.