advice on purchasing system / software « Videomaker Community Forums

rumbacher
Member

Hi all,

I have been given the daunting task of coming up with a proposal for a university digital video center and would appreciate some advice.

Some background -- I have studied production and created some short projects always on university owned systems. I am assisting with exploring a grant that would allow for students to check out cameras and get introductory training in editing,. Ultimately we hope students will gain practical skills, create interesting products for various classes on campus, and develop possible portfolio pieces for future careers. This center would be open to tech and non-tech students.

We would like to have about 25-30 systems total with a bulk of them being for midrange work. I was leaning toward Imacs with Final Cut Express, but have used Avid and Media 100 on PC's in the past and wonder if those may be more cost effective options. We would like to have at least 1 upper end editing suite for students who want to take their projects to another level.

As a amateur in the field, what types of things should I consider (or am I not thinking of) while developing this proposal? Would you recommend mac or PC systems for ease of use, cost, and future applicability for students? We want a program that offers more opportunities to students than IMovie or MovieMagic, but not something as complex/thorough as Final Cut Pro or Avid -- suggestions?

I appreciate any insights you may be able to offer.

Thanks.

CR

Posted 4 years ago #
DaveArthur
Member

I think you are on pretty safe ground when going with Final Cut Express and iMacs. The level of support and functionality vs cost of the iMac / FCE combination is pretty hard to beat. You will also get a true professional level interface that will prepare students for a lot of jobs in broadcast or production. Apple also cuts some pretty great deals for educational institutions.

A choice of AVID software would give you the same pro level experience, but I think you will find that your initial capital outlay will be far greater. AVID software demands a fairly high-end machine to run well. There is also a slightly steeper learning curve with AVID.

You might also consider Sony Vegas as an option. The program is quite capable and economical, but it is not as widely accepted in professional production settings.

I can't speak to Media100. I haven't even seen one of there systems in over ten years. I can say that it was cool back then!

I don't think you can go wrong with several workstations running Final Cut Express, and an upper-end editing suite running Final Cut Studio.

Good luck!

Posted 4 years ago #
Alainstamour
Member

As a life-long PC user who switched to Macs less than two years ago, I strongly recommend iMac + FCE. I wouldn't touch another PC - especially for audio, video, graphical applications - unless I had no other choice.

The Macs are very reliable, quiet, small footprint, and can handle multiple open applications. Plus, Apple customer support is superb.

FCE in particular is absolutely unbeatable for the price. Plus, it is the perfect training ground for those who will want to move up to Final Cut Studio as the interface is virtually identical.

Are Macs 100% problem-free? No.

Do Macs encounter less problems and stability issues than PCs? HECK YES!!!

Posted 4 years ago #
rumbacher
Member

Thanks for the advice! I had not considered the tech support aspect of the equation -- exactly why I asked all of you -- for that kind of practical information. Thanks for taking the time to respond.

CR

Posted 4 years ago #
matjusm
Member

Perhaps you can get a variety of systems so that the students can have experience with as many programs as possible. I've personally mostly worked with Sony Vegas and would really recommend it. Adobe Premiere is ok as well. But of course you need to have Avids to teach those who want to work in the professional world later on. They're not as easy to use as the previous two (or at least take a longer time to learn) but they're most certainly widespread.
Also, consider getting Adobe After Effects. Actually, I strongly recommend it. It is an excellent post production tool that is also very widely used in the professional world.

Posted 4 years ago #