If I wanted to become a professional editor...

[ecking]

Hey guys,

If I wanted to become a professional editor what program would I have to learn and become certified in? Right now it sounds like Avid but at the same time it seems like Avid is slowly going out the door because of it's lack to cater to the everyman (mind you FCP doesn't exactly do that but it seems much more attainable to users that want to move up the ladder than Avid (but that might just be my personal observation))

I ask this because right now I'm a first year university student looking at getting heavy into editing, and I want whatever I invest the time to learn to be something a can grow with and become certified in so that way one day I can do it for money. I'm afriad of buying Avid and then having it overthrown by some other NLE leaving me with no work because they don't give a damn if I used the old standard. I need to learn something that will ensure me jobs in the future and the praise between Vegas, Priemeir, Avid, and Final Cut Pro seems so close in contest. I'm not asking about personal opinion over what is better here I need to know what to learn to get JOBS in the future.

Also the platform I'm using is irrelevant too because I'm planning on buying a new computer soon anyways and will buy whatever I need to based on the program.

One last thing, once the program I should learn has been determined can someone tell me what level to learn(because they're all available in so many different versions)? And where I can go to get certifiation or trainning?

Please help me out guys.

[thisiswells]

Look for job listings and see what people are looking for today.
I see lot of work for Avid editors first and FCP editors second.
Probably a good idea to know both well.

One guy I know recently got a 40K upgrade for his Avid on a three year lease... and he can't wait
until the next two and a half years are over and wishes he had a FCP system.... This comes from
a fellow who has been Avid-exclusive for probably close to a decade.

It's hard to say what things will be like in ten years; I can't predict the future..
But, I think more people will be dumping Avid in the next couple of years to the point of where
it's as antiquated and redundant as A-B roll linear editing.

Apple has only been in the video software business for four years and have quite an
accomplishment in that time. Sure, there are things an Avid can do that FCP cannot,
but I'm certain that will change. Avid has been doing this alot longer than Apple, so it
is reasonable that there are features implemented in it that FCP does not have.. Again,
I'm certain this will change with new revisions of FCP.

Avid is aware of their predicament and last year dropped the price of XpressDV from
$1699 to $999 to compete with FCP and they lowered the student price to only $299,
compared to FCP student price of $499. They want to students to learn the thing; it
may be their only hope.

Bottom line from a non-full-time-editor's perspective: It's a good idea to learn both.

EDIT: After Effects seems to be something editors use a lot for motion graphics,
which is of course an integral part of editing for television.

[craigbowman]

Yep, Mrs. Fleeners NLE Express will replace all existing NLEs by next year. Its secret is it does all the creative thinking for you!

If you don't know it, your doomed as an editor, yes doooooomed! Nyeahahahah!

Seriously, becoming a good editor isn't about learning a particular piece of software. IMHO that's only about 2% of the formula.

Knowing how to tell a great story with your cuts and immerse your audience so deeply they don't even notice the editng is what will help make you a professional. That and showing up on time, having the patience of Job with the director, and keeping a professional attitude.

Software comes and software goes. Pick one from the handful of popular NLEs and start editing. Once you've learned an NLE it doesn't take much to learn another as compared to learning the craft of quality editing.

From a technical standpoint on tool mastery learn the underlying way things work. ie. Learn everything in the world of computer graphics that pertains to your craft. Graphic file formats, compression both spatial and temporal, colour theory and colour correction, perspective, etc.

It never hurts to learn related software too. ie. After Effects, Photoshop, etc. (or Combustion or Shake or ...)

You will need to learn to trouble shoot and be a problem solver. The more you know about the digital environment you're working in the better you will be able to adapt and overcome all of the challenges you will face.

Yes, you will come across shops where they will say you must know this NLE or that NLE to apply. Thanks to Murphy and his intermiddable laws it will always be the NLE you haven't learned yet. Unless they are totally brain dead, (in which case would you really want to work there), show them your stuff. This is a show me industry.

Anyway, I could go on but I should let the rest of the community get their two cents in.

Cheers

[Pais]

Anyway, I could go on but I should let the rest of the community get their two cents in.

I think you summed things up quite wisely!

[sink]

All through college I used Final Cut, but my first real editing job was on Avid Adrenalines, I had never touched an Avid, but because of my reel and my confidence I could learn Avid they hired me and payed for training to get me going. Don't worry about buying what you want to work on in the future. Just get what you can afford and enjoy working on (download demos!) You should definetly know Photoshop, and After Effects helps a lot too.

[Luka_Brazzi]

I must say I'm working on many many editing systems. And they are all based more or less on two types of editing: Avid type (where you have everything like good ol' 35mm editing table) - so Avid, Cinestream, Discreet Edit etc and Premiere/FCP type (you basicly work on the timeline and have no bins and problems with a great things like subclips) - Premiere, FCP, Vegas etc. A bit on the side are editing systems lik 844/X from Media 100. In my opininon if you learn editing (not programs but EDITING as an art) and basics of all those systems you can work on anything. Personally I'm a cinematography student but I often work as an editor for production houses and than I sometimes have to work on their systems which range from Avid to Ulead Media :) Avid has a good learning option called Free Avid. Has some limitations but you will learn how to use Avid. In my oppinion you should learn Avid and train in Premiere/FCP (sorry but for me they are alike :) ). Avid will teach you clean editing as it is not an easy programme and bites your head off if you make a mistake :) Same as editing on 35mm tape. If you make a mistake you need to order a new copy what is expensive and producers will kill you. But if you learn Avid and learn differences between Avid systems and FCP systems you will be later able to sit in front of any editing system and just work after 10 minutes of finding where are all the keys.

[Stanrick_Kubley]

wells is right about looking at trade papers and seeing what kind of editor is asked for. There are lots of Avid and lots of FCP ads out there.

That aside, you surely know that there is a creative, an artistic side to editing. Learning a particular system is easy. The other is harder and takes longer. You don't edit with a computer; you edit with your mind. My advice: try to get a job assisting an editor.

[thisiswells]

Avid will teach you clean editing... Same as editing on 35mm tape.

35mm videotape.. really? :laugh:

[Luka_Brazzi]

35mm videotape.. really?

Wells.. You really NEVER heard/used it? You can't be pro unless you shot sth on 35mm videotape :grin: