What is the best professional video editing software for PC (2010)?

[exillion]

Can anyone tell me what the pros use these days in terms of the video editing software? The kind they would use in big Hollywood productions? I used to use Avid Express Pro but that has been discontinued. And I don't know why but I always used to think of Adobe Premiere as consumer level editing software instead of professional.

At the moment, I'm thinking it's either Adobe Premiere CS5, Sony Vegas Pro9, or Media Composer 5. What do the pros use today? What's your opinion?

[lordsmurf]

Adobe Premiere is what I've been using for almost a decade now.
It's far from consumer software, not even close.

[poisondeathray]

The software used for editing is less important than the content, or the person doing the editing

But it might be important if your workflow deals with other people for compatibility reasons - you might have a colorist, a VFX guy etc... they might need certain formats or have special requirements - that might dictate what you use. If they are MAC based, you might be better off using FCP for example.

Just an example of big budget Hollywood production, Avatar, used both Premiere and Media Composer for cutting

[Steve Stepoway]

This reminds me of the story told about the photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson (I think it was). At an opening of an exhibit of his work, a parent and young (10 year old, or so) child came up to Bresson. The parent asked "What kind of camera do you use, Mr. Bresson?" Bresson replied "I use a Leica." The parent turned to the child and said "Well, we'll get you a Leica, and then you can take pictures just like Mr. Bresson's."

Only if your workflow involves other people, as poisondeathray says, does your choice of editor really matter very much. If you are dealing with other people who are using After Effects, for example, you may simplify life by using Premiere, since they play together so well. Otherwise, almost any reasonable editor (Premiere, Vegas, Media Composer, FCP for Macs) is fine. Avoid any toy editor that doesn't have ripple editing; that's my sine qua non. But don't think that buying an expensive NLE will make you a good editor -- only editing will make you a good editor.

[lordsmurf]

Bad software can limit a good editor.
Good software won't limit a good editor.
Good software won't make a good editor.

[edDV]

It all depends on who the pro is and what type of editing he does. The field is highly segmented. Most of the software they use is highly specialized. You never heard of it and couldn't afford it. Most of the work is in prep. "Editing" is usually the easier part of the process technically but also relies most on creativity and skill.

So tell us what you want to edit or where you want to work?

If you have a crew doing your shooting + prep, and you are editing a major film, then Avid is probably the most used.

If you are starting out, you don't know what will be popular in 20 years when they let you edit a major film. If your goal is to edit local TV news packages, then you will be trained in a month if hired and will be most likely editing on an Avid, Grass Valley or Sony system. The software will vary depending on where you want to work.

[lordsmurf]

I keep hearing and reading about Grass Valley getting used more in more, both in universities and stations. Expensive stuff, but apparently it's very impressive gear.

There's some special sports replay hardware/software out there, too. I want to learn it, when I can find the right contacts and free time.

[edDV]

Grass Valley and Sony had a variety of post and news edit NLE systems based on DVCAM, DVCPro, HDV and Betacam format acquisition.

TV News is rapidly moving to XDCAM and h.264 based HD camera formats. Grass acquired Canopus for their Edius NLE software and is adding hardware acceleration. Also packaging with news asset management, scheduling, on air players and library servers.

Main news infrastructure competitors are Sony and Avid.

In the non- news segments, Adobe CS5, Apple Studio and Vegas Pro fight it out on the production side.

Feature film and TV series production are still mostly Avid for editing. Main issue there is film/HD source and 24p editing intended for multi format release (i.e 25i, 25p, 29.97i, 50p, 59.94p at various resolutions).

[lordsmurf]

Yeah, the integrated Grass Valley systems are what I keep reading about.

Non-daily news still use Premiere, Vegas and FCP -- especially operations just getting into video.
i.e. print pubs that moved online, and now venturing out to video
Lot of documentaries, music vids, indies -- I see a mix of NLEs.
It's honestly all the budgets can bear.

[edDV]

Consider TV news and in house production a time critical machine or factory. They need to prograqm the daily news and weekly magazines in house all to a tight schedule. Emphasis is on a news "package" including story, promos and internet. TV series proceed at a slower or time disconnected schedule to actual broadcast.

[exillion]

Thanks for all the replies guys! My main goal is to have something that works with my Video Camera which is an HV30. I wanted to shoot in it's 24p mode and edit without losing any quality however because it doesn't shoot in true 24p mode, it's a nightmare to deal with. I have to capture and then perform a pulldown prior to editing, however the pulldown process requires the output to be compressed with certain types of codecs. So I have to find an editing program that can support those codecs while not loosing any quality...

[aedipuss]

doesn't matter what you use for an editor they will all require hv30 24p files to be inverse telecined first. cinform neo might be able to do it for you an leave the files in a almost lossless format.

upgrade to a hv40 if you don't want to do the work first.

[edDV]

Why shoot 24p at all?

[subc]

I've worked at PBS.. they use FCP
I've worked at Playboy.. they use FCP

I'm not an Apple fan, so my answer is: the best editing software is the one that works best for you. Regardless of the package, the NLE is just a tool. For my own personal edits, I use VirtualDub

[SatStorm]

On the channel I do some music shows recently, they use Final Cut Pro.

Personally, I use virtualdub, mpeg2vcr, womble video wizard, wax...

I'm not a "good" editor, I just do the job. Fast & dirty...

[SatStorm]

On the channel I do some music shows recently, they use Final Cut Pro.

Personally, I use virtualdub, mpeg2vcr, womble video wizard, wax...

I'm not a "good" editor, I just do the job. Fast & dirty...

[edDV]

I use Vegas Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro and FCP/FCE on the Mac.

I shoot all formats and take in all formats for editing.

Most of the disaster recovery is from people shooting "24p" for no reason. I guess they think it is cool or something.

There are legitimate reasons to use 24p. It takes investment in equipment and training.

The most difficult editing platform for 24p is Final Cut. Budget 4 figures to get started. Before you are done it will be in the 5 figures.

[mobie29]

Which has the best combination of professional menu creation and video encoding? Vegas or Adobe Premiere?

thanks.

[edDV]

Which has the best combination of professional menu creation and video encoding? Vegas or Adobe Premiere?

thanks.

Menu Creation ? .. neither They don't do menus.

Adobe's DVD Author App is Encore

Sony's DVD Author App is DVD Architect

Encoding? Both use Mainconcept's MPeg encoder. Other formats differ.