The Truth About Video Editing Software in Hollywood: Avid, Premiere, FCP, Resolve + more

2024 - there's an update to this episode! Check it out: https://youtu.be/i3KaZmrpxew “Which video editing software should I learn?” is a common question for those who want to get into “the industry”. But what’s the truth about video editing in Hollywood? Who uses what? Why do they use it? And for how long? In this episode, Michael examines what video editing software(s) you need to learn to have a video editing job in Hollywood and what the future holds. 0:00 Introduction 1:38 Avid Media Composer 4:36 Apple Final Cut Pro X 7:41 Adobe Premiere Pro 10:16 Everything Else 12:45 The Future Also covered: Blackmagic Resolve, Pinnacle Studio, Vegas Pro, Final Cut Pro 7, Lightworks, and Hitfilm Express. Complete transcript at http://5thingsseries.com/episode/the-truth-about-video-editing-software-in-hollywood/ What 5 Things do you want to know about? Let me know! Web: http://5thingsseries.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/5thingsseries Twitter: http://twitter.com/michaelkammes/ Episode Excerpt: 5. The Future Ahh yes, the question I get asked the most. First, Let’s look at Avid. A company in flux, which has had financial reporting problems, has a stock price a tenth of what it was back in 2005, and has had significant layoffs. As for Media Composer, Avid needs to walk the line between overhauls and refreshes without alienating their current user base, who is traditionally less accepting of change, given that their livelihood depends on it. This stalls newer, younger users who can’t identify with the user interface or operation. Yes, they dominate the film and TV space in Hollywood, but is that niche of the industry as a whole enough to sustain the company? Even if Avid as a company went away, it would make zero sense for the new owner to kill Media Composer, and with how risk-averse Hollywood is, there would be Media Composer systems running for many years to come. If your goal is to get a job in Hollywood in the next few years, there is zero reason to not get your Avid chops in order. As for Apple, they seem to be content for Final Cut Pro X to be used everywhere else but Hollywood. Ease of access via the App Store, a relatively low price point, and some really badass editing tools for the novice editor make it a great tool in your editing toolkit. Do I see it ascending to the level that Final Cut Pro Classic had in Hollywood? No. The industry landscape is different from the early 00s – the cost of entry across the board has become commodity-priced. It wouldn’t hurt to learn it, but it won’t get you much work in feature film or broadcast television. Aside from bragging rights, I don’t think Apple minds this – there is much more money to be had outside of Hollywood than in it…and they’re already making money by selling most of Hollywood overpriced computers, anyway. Adobe Premiere Pro, however, seems to be trending upward as an editorial tool more than anyone else in the industry. Updates are fast and furious, it runs on Mac or PC, and follows the common and comfortable editing paradigms the industry was founded on. Its entire suite of tools also adds added functionality that you just don’t find with other editorial solutions, and it’s already installed on most machines due to its complete suite of tools. .... Lastly, and I can’t stress this enough. Hollywood is NOT the only place to work and broadcast television or feature films are not the “end all, be all” of creative visual storytelling. Hone your storytelling skills using whatever you can get your hands on – and I mean everything – and then find what sector of the industry satisfies you creatively. Then focus your technical chops on the tools found in that area. But be open to learning more tools, because the days of basing your editing career on one software solution are long gone. The video editing realm is only widening, and learning more is the only way to remain employable. Until the next episode: learn more, do more. #5THINGS #Hollywood #VideoEditing #Avid #MediaComposer #Adobe #PremierePro #FinalCutPro #BroadcastTelevision #FeatureFilm #Editing #Software #Apple #Industry #NLE #DaVinciResolve #Technology #CreativeCloud #Workflow #DigitalEditing