W/ Final Cut, are you more likely to make and edit videos?

[Fenir]

Ok, this is kind of odd, but here's the question.

I used Final Cut in high school, because I was in a TV/Film class. Having access to FC (at my house all i had was windows movie maker at the time) made me want to make more videos and edit them just for the sake of doing them.

So I will be getting an MBP soon, and I'm thinking about getting Final Cut Express. I know iMovie gets the basics done, but I do like the features that Final Cut has. My question is then - if you have final cut, do you find yourself more likely to make videos and edit them just because you have it?

 

[foshizzle]

If you are used to using final cut, then iMovie will be hampering to your movie making. I used iMovie for 3 years for this and that, not realizing the benefits FCE4 would give me. I bought it last week and have continued to find more and more things to do with it that I could not do in iMovie (transitions, blue/green screen and other effects). iMovie is still powerful for throwing something together like a picture slideshow with movies and exporting out to QT or the web, but if you want more customization definitely make the move to FC. So i guess the answer to your question (in my opinion) is Yes, if you have FC and a decent camera, you will find yourself shooting footage and editing it more.

 

[bigbossbmb]

if you have final cut, do you find yourself more likely to make videos and edit them just because you have it?

Nope...

Does everyone that purchases a workout machine get into shape? You have to want to make videos and then you do it. Having Final Cut on your computer just makes the post production easier.

 

[speakerwizard]

I have final cut studio (mainly for motion to be honest but can use pro) but for family movies I generally use imovie 08, Its just so fast and easy, If i wanna do pro work obviously ill go to final cut. So id say it depends on the sort of thing you wanna do.

 

[Much Ado]

Nope...

Does everyone that purchases a workout machine get into shape? You have to want to make videos and then you do it. Having Final Cut on your computer just makes the post production easier.

I'd disagree somewhat- Final Cut Express gives me a pretty limitless scope in what can be achieved with enough time, which makes it easier to find the drive to do something really creative. You know the software can keep pace with the ideas.

Having Final Cut on your computer makes the post production possible.

 

[bigbossbmb]

I'd disagree somewhat- Final Cut Express gives me a pretty limitless scope in what can be achieved with enough time, which makes it easier to find the drive to do something really creative. You know the software can keep pace with the ideas.

Having Final Cut on your computer makes the post production possible.

I agree that FCE opens up more options. However, I would definitely say that learning to work around limitations of a given situation will only make the OP a better filmmaker in the long run. When you learn to make a film without fancy effects and more capable post production software, then you are more likely to use them as a tool rather than a crutch (when you do make that step up).

You learn more from limitations than through limitless possibilities.

 

[Much Ado]

You learn more from limitations than through limitless possibilities.

That's very wise and very true (although 'limitless possibilities' is perhaps an exaggeration).

However, I still maintain that FCE offers basic tools that iMovie simply cannot, and this is a major hindrance: two audio tracks (iMovie '06) does not allow you to be as exacting with your audio, for example. The same goes for colour correction.

I suppose you do learn to use iMovie first, and then move to FCE when you are ready. But you never look back.

 

[Digital Skunk]

Having limitations does keep you on your toes. My first editing app/system was a Casablanca Kron, that was basically a NLE that worked like iMovie. It was completely SD of course and offered only 1 audio track.

The way we got around it then, and they way I teach people to get around it now with iMovie and Movie Maker, is to mix your audio in another app. That's the way my profs taught us that sound is the most important part of a project/video/film/newsreel, and we became good at it.

 

[LethalWolfe]

I agree w/bigbossbmb that just having the software won't make you more likely to edit anymore than having MS Word will make you more likely to write a short story or novel. If you have the drive you'll find the means, but just because you have the means doesn't mean you'll find the drive.

You learn more from limitations than through limitless possibilities.

To branch off of this, when I was in college very few students (I can think of 2 or 3 out of the 1000 people in my major that I graduated with) had their own cameras and/or computers that could edit video. We all had to share the same 5 Avids (by the time I graduated we had 8), and 5 or 6 camera packages. Given the limited resources I feel we better planned and more efficiently executed our productions because the clock was always ticking (just like it is on a real production).


Lethal

 

[krye]

If I dropped $200 on software I'd probably be more inclined to use it rather than waste the money. So to a degree, if I had Final Cut I'd probably do more video stuff with it than if I just settled for iMovie.

 

[farts]

I invested in Final Cut Express in high school, the skills I developed ended up landing me an internship at a production company, which allowed me to skip my senior year of HS and go to college a year early, while working at the production company part time (at a VERY nice hourly rate with extremely flexible hours and the ability to work from home)

so...yeah, Final Cut Express is well worth the $$

 

[farts]

To branch off of this, when I was in college very few students (I can think of 2 or 3 out of the 1000 people in my major that I graduated with) had their own cameras and/or computers that could edit video. We all had to share the same 5 Avids (by the time I graduated we had 8), and 5 or 6 camera packages. Given the limited resources I feel we better planned and more efficiently executed our productions because the clock was always ticking (just like it is on a real production).


Lethal

yeah....except in reality joe smo frat boy is too busy editing his tarantino ripoff, complete with bad lighting and crappy audio to realize he monopolized the obsolete editing bay for the past 4 hours. Lesson learned: if you can, invest in your own gear.

 

[Digital Skunk]

Lesson learned: if you can, invest in your own gear.

AMEN BROTHER AMEN!!!

This is the reason why my college debt is up to about $40,000. About 10,000 of that is equipment that has helped me to shoot/edit/capture professionally since my sophomore year in college, land some sweet jobs that lead to others, and keep up on current software while turning in projects I worked on in my dorm room until 3 a.m. when the lab at my school closed at 10 p.m.

 

[LethalWolfe]

The question wasn't about money but about motivation/desire. The OP asked if owning FC increases one's desire to edit videos, and IMO it does not. If you have the motivation you'll seek out the tools you need, but just acquiring the tools won't necessarily inspire you to use them. To me it's like asking, "If I buy Final Draft will it make we want to write a feature film?" If you are motivated you'll use the tools but don't expect the tools to be a source of motivation. Junkyards are full of skis, guitars, and home fitness equipment that people purchased thinking, "If I own it that'll make me want to use it" and they were all mistaken.


Lethal

 

[mithrilfox]

You can do so much more with FCE than you can with iMovie, that you may find it more encouraging and fun. You can also find dozens of free tutorials all over (ExpertVillage, YouTube, etc).

However, just creating "anything" is not my kind of thing. I need some concrete plan. My most recent video was commissioned by my church to showcase the international group's activities. Yeah... I used the word "commissioned" because I wanted it to sound really important.

Putting it together took over 10 hours of work, involving some new things that I hadn't actually put to practice in a real project before (slow motion clips running on top of normal speed clips with opacity).

The most important step is the first step to get an idea (or get inspiration, whatever you want to call it). After that, do whatever crazy inspirational process you need to start brainstorming how to put it together. I like to write ideas for scenes/sections on papers and spread them out on the floor, then order them as I see fit, feeling free to edit or add to the ideas on the papers.

Create an awesome video of approximately 10-20 minutes in length. Make it something that almost anyone could enjoy (at least people who know you). You could make it about almost anything, but make sure to do it in such a way that it is especially moving or humorous (humor is easier, trust me). I put together a video about the life that my wife and I live here in Japan (we're from the US). I included a lot of humor, including scenes of me on my bike, at work, and at church.

Then, I sent it out to all our friends and family, both here in Japan and back in the US. We have one left we need to send to England, but I've been lazy about converting the DVD to PAL (it's not that hard). The result of this was unintended, but desirable: people became aware that I have videography skills, both in shooting and editing. After that, people have requested I make videos for them.

That's one way to get people to encourage you to make videos.

 

[Igantius]

…So I will be getting an MBP soon, and I'm thinking about getting Final Cut Express. I know iMovie gets the basics done, but I do like the features that Final Cut has. My question is then - if you have final cut, do you find yourself more likely to make videos and edit them just because you have it?

Although you haven’t really asked this, I would say that FCE would be a great buy for you – sounds like FC has already got your creative juices flowing!

In answer to your actual question – no. I’m very much with LethalWolfe – I’ve known quite a few people (actually lots!) who have an idea to be the next Tarentino, David Bailey, William Goldman, who then proceed to obsess about the kit they have invariably think ‘Final Draft will make me a better writer etc.’

Personally, although it’s opened up various creative possibilities to me, FC hasn’t increased my desire to make films – it’s something that I love and I’m fortunate to have the software that works for me!

 

[Fenir]

For what it's worth, I went through a production phase during HS. I have no intent of trying to make a movie embedded with a special effect every five minutes.

It's just, every now and then, Part of me wants to do something. And if i ever need something for a school project, having FC would at least give me an upper hand.

But I do like the analogies Lethal made. For what it's worth though, I would still be able to play around with it whenever I want, and although that comes at a modest price ($179 w/ Student Discount), I think it is worth it to me and when I get around to getting my MBP (hopefully there is an update before school starts), I will more than likely be picking up this fine piece of software.