Video Editing on a MAC

[j3zz 0]

Question to all you MAC users,
I have a G4 iBook,

When I use iMovie it edits the whole files while I am working on it as apposed to creating an overlay type template which does not touch the raw footage.

I was using windows movie maker which creates a template so to speak.

My question is
a) Am I using iMovie incorrectly ?
b) If not what sensibly priced software will give me the option to just create a template file that can be compiled into a movie without touching the RAW footage.

How does Final Cut Express handle things?

Thanks
Jezz

"Now I know why the birds fly"
Hinton Skydivers

[pope 0]

You need to be working in Final Cut.
I movie is cool for some things occasionally, or to crank out mass number (read: TANDEM edits), but FCP5 is where it's at IMHO.
pope

[quade 3]

Final Cut Express is the product you probably want.

It has the exact same interface and an upgrade path to Final Cut Pro is you later find out you require that.

Both ingest data into a "Capture Scratch" folder, which really is nothing more than a Quicktime file.

After that you work on "project files" which are simply .xml type files that are really pointers to where the data is. It is a totally non-destructive process and as long as you don't delete the capture scratch, you can instantly go back to older saved versions of your projects.

Further, even if you do delete your capture scratch, you can always re-ingest the data from the original tapes again.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[j3zz 0]

Thanks for that it sounds like its just what I need.

I have not done much video lately or jumping for that matter, need to sort that out!!!

Cheers
Jezz

"Now I know why the birds fly"
Hinton Skydivers

[MB38 0]

One should note that recent versions of iMovie [actually, iMovie 1 may fit the same boat...] are nondestructive as well. It just appears to the user that it is destructive. If you look in the "media" folder of your iMovie project folder [or, on later versions of iMovie, if you look inside the project file's package contents], you will always find the unaltered .dv files.

It's a little bass ackwards, but remember, it's a consumer product for grandma to edit the footage of her grandkids washing the dog. FCE or FCP is where you need to be.

And it's Mac, not MAC.

Enjoy.

I really don't know what I'm talking about.

[Tink1717 2]

Final Cut is what you want. Imovie does not allow non destructive editing. However, Final Cut is nowhere near as friendly as Imovie. As long as you have the source tape, what does it matter if the program edits the clip as opposed to templating before a final edit? You can always reload a section of tape if you make a mistake that you can't recover from. Just my .02

Skydivers don't knock on Death's door. They ring the bell and runaway... It really pisses him off.
-The World Famous Tink. (I never heard of you either!!)
AA #2069 ASA#33 POPS#8808 Swooo 1717

[Miami 0]

I could not find any info on apple's website, any word when a universal version of FCS will be released?

Miami

[MB38 0]

March, 2006

I really don't know what I'm talking about.

[Miami 0]

Damn, I had looked at that page, too. Don't know how I missed that date.
Thanks again!

Miami

[howardwhite 5]

Any reason not to consider Avid Xpress DV as an alternative? I have it (along with FCX), and like it because I can install and run also on a PC when necessary.

(Yee, I know this subject has been discussed here before.)

HW

[j3zz 0]

I do keep the tapes but if I want to clip a 60sec clip from 20 minutes of footage iMovie is a pain,

Anyway I have bought final cut express and its in the mail

Thanks
Jezz

"Now I know why the birds fly"
Hinton Skydivers