Good Movie Editing Programs for Macs

[Parks]

Posted: 10/27/08 at 1:50am

(that aren't too expensive)

I'm looking for a program for my Mac to edit movies with. iMovie is quite possibly the most frustrating program to use, so I need a new one. I'm not looking to spend more than about 50 dollars or so. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks in advance!

[Marianne2]

Posted: 10/27/08 at 2:06am

I've learned with Final Cut Pro. I'm not sure how much it costs, but that is a mac based program.

[Parks]

Posted: 10/27/08 at 2:15am

Just a mere 1,300 :P

I learned on that program too, unfortunately. We've been spoiled, it seems!

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 10/27/08 at 2:16am

Updated On: 1/10/09 at 02:16 AM

[Parks]

Posted: 10/27/08 at 2:18am

I'm just looking for something similar to Windows Movie Maker (with layers and easy editing or audio levels and stuff).

[Marianne2]

Posted: 10/27/08 at 2:32am

Yeah, sorry. I guess I should have expected that since it is what the professionals use. I've only used it too because of my internship.

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 10/27/08 at 2:38am

Updated On: 1/10/09 at 02:38 AM

[son_of_a_gunn_25]

Posted: 10/27/08 at 3:43am

Parks are you in college? If so your school might have an education discount for Final Cut Pro. (Thru my university it is $575 for Final Cut, but Final Cut Express is just $79 with the student discount.)

[Parks]

Posted: 10/27/08 at 9:09am

I am. Where would I go to find out if I get a discount?

*edit* According to the Apple website, I only get 20 dollars off... 179 :-/.

Updated On: 10/27/08 at 09:09 AM

[mejusthavingfun]

Posted: 10/27/08 at 10:53am

Which version of iMovie are you using? I have NEVER heard anyone request something simliar to "Windows Movie Maker." I have always found iMovie an amazing tool for small projects. Windows video editing software and capabilities is extremely limiting IMHO.

I had to edit non-linearly in college and would have loved the simplicity iMovie offers. I believe in the latest versions the sound mixing has improved. I know that was one of the biggest problems but I always to the bulk of my audio outside in a sound program. iMovie isn't the most stable software but if you back it up and take a systematic approach it can do great things.

You can download trial version of most software directly from those sites. Final Cut has a lite version now, Avid, Premiere, After Effects.

[best12bars]

Posted: 10/27/08 at 11:01am

I agree with mejust... Use iMovie, Parks.

Final Cut Pro is top-of-the-line software. That, along with Avid, are the two major professional non-linear editing programs used by "the biz."

It's going to be expensive, but it's also very powerful.

You don't need FCP for what you're doing. iMovie should work just fine.

[cubanpab]

Posted: 10/27/08 at 11:20am

I use iMovie - because its free and because its actually a pretty good little program. Just make sure you're using the older version of iMovie before Leopard was released. the new version of iMovie is a catastrophic failure for Apple in my opinion. They gave the program a complete overhaul (which is not a bad thing) but they got rid of most if not all of the basic features...

I've always wanted to try Final Cut... it looks awesome!

[best12bars]

Posted: 10/27/08 at 11:32am

Once you go "Final Cut," you'll never go back.

I've been using it for years, for work and for play.

I've edited video and audio for many of the studio DVDs I've worked on.

Final Cut and Avid are the two biggies in the industry.

Final Cut's big advantage used to be that you could "finish" final video on it for broadcast or DVD. With AVID you could not. (But AVID's big advantage was in handling long-form projects like feature films. They were less likely to crash or freeze up than Final Cut). But AVID's "uncomressed" was still a compressed video, noticeably so, back then (just a few years ago).

You would have to send your AVID edits through a "finishing" department (aka, "on line them") before they could be broadcast on TV or delivered for use on a final DVD.

The recent AVID codecs are much more sophisticated, and now, most people will tell you that you can deliver "finished" assets, ready to go, straight out of the AVID program.

...and Final Cut has gotten much better in handling long-form projects, off-line and on-line assets, etc.

I would say they're "both pretty," in other words.

But they're top-of-the line... which I don't think you need.

Unless you want to go "pro!"

[cubanpab]

Posted: 10/27/08 at 11:55am

besty - see online there are two versions. final cut and final cut pro? i guess one is more advanced than the other.

whats the advantage of final cut over a simple program like imovie? i am guessing you can do crazy special effects with final cut? i have never used it. is it easy to learn on your own or do you need to take a class or get a tutorial book?

[DAME]

Posted: 10/27/08 at 12:05pm

The new Imovie is so freaking complicated. Learning Final Cut will be worth your time and effort.

[Anakela]

Posted: 10/27/08 at 12:09pm

Are you using iMovie 08? That's possibly the most frustrating program EVER, so here's the best piece of advice I've received recently: downgrade from iMovie 08 to iMovie 6- iMovie 6 is *amazing,* it does everything I need, I love it.

[best12bars]

Posted: 10/27/08 at 12:09pm

I think you mean Final Cut Express vs. Final Cut Pro?

That's the only junior version I know of. Unless they're bundling things differently today.

Final Cut Pro is part of a suite though (as well) called "Final Cut Studio" that includes DVD Studio Pro, Soundtrack Pro, Compressor, Motion and other goodies. The suite is terrific! And used a lot by the industry. I used it a lot.

DVD Studio Pro (for authoring) is the best software out there on the Mac side, until you get to the higher end Sonic products (which have a base cost of $10,000 to $15,000, plus require an FBI background check!). DVD Studio Pro is "almost" as good as Scenarist (by Sonic), with a few valid exceptions. Most people can do without them, though.

But there is nothing else comparable for DVD authoring in the Studio Pro price range for either PC or Mac. Not even close. And I've tried quite a few of the others.

I hope that helps!

EDIT: Final Cut Suite (it's just like Christmas to me! Look at all the shiny toys!)

http://www.apple.com/finalcutstudio/overview.html

Updated On: 10/27/08 at 12:09 PM

[cubanpab]

Posted: 10/27/08 at 12:55pm

besty - i totally feel you. i am like a kid in a candy store with stuff like this.

my only wuestion i guess is, do you need a blazingly fast computer to run these programs? to edit video with them?

I have a pretty decent little iMac, but its not one of those 8k ones the pros use.

[Parks]

Posted: 10/27/08 at 1:06pm

OK--glad somebody else agrees with me. It must be the new version of iMovie (I got my Macbook in March). I don't see how anyone could find this program EASY or efficient. How would I go about downgrading?

[Parks]

Posted: 10/27/08 at 1:15pm

Just kidding--got the old iMovie. Looks MUCH easier to use.

[cubanpab]

Posted: 10/27/08 at 1:17pm

parks - the old imovie is a breeze. lots of great features too. i edit all my movies with the old imovie. i too had to downgrade after i bought leopard.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 10/27/08 at 1:20pm

Never mind about the first part.

And yes, I totally agree about Final Cut Pro and all the other program features. I still can't believe how easy it is. On my first day at my internship, I was left by myself to remove sound peaks from a project they had been working on, and it didn't take me all day to figure it out. I guess it is also easier to figure out just by working with it, versus watching someone else. I think that's the reason I was not good at Photoshop.

Updated On: 10/27/08 at 01:20 PM

[James885]

Posted: 10/27/08 at 1:22pm

I use Final Cut Pro for my video projects at school and I LOVE it. I wish I had a Mac so I could edit from my room. I find Final Cut a bit more user-friendly than Avid. I cannot stand the new iMovie.