A popular and highly debatable topic reared it’s head through my inbox again this week, so I wanted to share the dialogue that followed.
John Ranta, a high school media teacher from Souhegan High School in Amherst, New Hampshire writes:
“Folks, can I pick your brains? We’ve got Final Cut Pro V 6 in our lab, and are weighing an upgrade to Final Cut 10 (which has received very mixed reviews). From what I’ve read on the ‘net, a lot of folks have switched over to Adobe Premiere on the Mac. Have any of you tried FCP 10? How about Premiere? How do they compare?”
This is the million dollar question. We too have FCP 6. We also must switch next year. I have been researching Adobe and Avid use for the past year & a half since FCP X came out.
Here’s what I’ve learned through my research:
- Some teachers love FCP X, are Apple schools, and although they may have struggled a bit to learn the ins and the outs, they like it. Some made the switch and hate it. I have tried to learn it myself. I have not found it easy to manipulate and don’t truly like it right now for what it is, and I’m a total Apple guy!
- Adobe Premiere is met with an equal amount of love and angst as well. Depending on who you talk to, it’s fabulous or it’s cumbersome and horrible.
- Avid is the third option, and one I’m finding some major Broadcast Journalism colleges and universities are switching too, but painfully. It’s a professional software, with a steep learning curve.
So what should we do? I still have no clue. The decision will depend on who you talk to, what you’re comfortable learning and then teaching, and ultimately what you can afford.
Because we are an all Apple district, I tend to believe we will be forced to FCP X and I will learn to accept it kicking and screaming. Ultimately remember this; our students are highly adaptable, and whatever decision you make, will be a correct one.
What I also know, is that once a student has learned one editing system, they are very adept to learning others. My decision will be more comfortable knowing this, based upon hearing from my graduates, that they eventually pick up any editing system their college is utilizing.
Would you like to contribute to this conversation? Please add your thoughts in the comments below.
Written By: Don Goble
