Open your eyes FCP users

Its really time that FCP users start to do what Avid users have been forced to do for so long, use another type of system. Avid MC 5 has in every way eclipsed what FCP do and now is actually cheaper, yes cheaper then FCP. Some bits n pieces you should be aware of; extracts from www.zachogle.com CS5 has gotten on the AVid bandwagon in a big way. Most post-production workflows involve combining footage from the edit suite with graphic treatments from the Creative Suite. Some use it more, some use it less, but most everybody uses it. Now the days of exporting to be able to reimport into the edit suite are gone. The CS5 can import OMF files directly from Avid, allowing existing sequences and media to stay in tact throughout the process. MC5 left behind the idea of Media Composer and Final Cut editors being at each others throats because of proprietary formats. Instead, Avid improved on a good, if under utilized, idea from MC4: AMA or Avid Media Access. The AMA tool allows Media Composer editors to link to almost any type of file, instead of relying lengthy imports only to find that the file is incompatible. The use of AMA would not only make Avid more compatible with other systems, but it would speed up the editing process by cutting down on time spent ingesting footage. One of the largest complaints about MC over the years has been that it has been difficult to use and learn if you weren’t an Avid editor already. The transition from Avid to Final Cut or Premiere was far easier than vice versa. In MC5, Avid has utilized the new Smart Tool, making the Avid environment a far more friendly place for Final Cut and Premiere Pro users. With these massive updates to both Avid and Adobe products, one of the biggest questions that remains is to the future of Final Cut. Apple has let Final Cut become stagnant, leaving much to be desired in their updates. Many experts would argue that Avid and Adobe have both become stronger editing solutions than Final Cut. Since NAB, Apple has announced a new version of Final Cut will be appearing in 2011. While this is promising, Apple has only gone so far as to say that the new Final Cut will be faster than previous versions, leaving the future of Final Cut basically a mystery.