Avid MC (vs) DaVinci Resolve (vs) Adobe Premier

[Eddie Gonzalez]

I've only ever worked in Avid Media Composer. I use it only to produce TV commercials (e.g. half hour infomercials, two minute infomercials).

Well, I really don't know what I'm missing out on...because I've never tried the other two big names.

What are some of the bigger things that I would miss out on if I changed from Avid Media Composer to Adobe Premier Pro (or Resolve)?

i.e. advantages / disadvantages of one over the other

kind thanks,
Eddie

 

[Steve Sherrick]

i would actually ask yourself this. What do you feel Avid MC is not providing you? What things slow you down, make delivering those commercials challenging in any way? Then, it becomes easier to sort out the pros and cons of the other NLEs. For example, if you said you want the option to do more extensive color work while editing, then Resolve might be a better NLE for you, as long as it doesn’t slow you down in other areas. Or if you need to do more After Effects work, perhaps Premiere’s ability to work hand in hand with AE would be a big advantage.

 

[Jörgen Persson]

I edit in MC and color in Resolve. Since you are already proficient in Media Composer my suggestion is that you familiarize yourself with the Resolve toolset for color grading and round trip to and from Media Composer.
My workflow is to import all camera originals into Resolve and make sure all metadata is intact (No duplicated reels and setting Filename as Camera Reel for example) and then export DNxHD 36 or DNxHR LB to Media Composer for offline editing. After locked cut I import an AAF from Media Composer in Resolve for color grading. I find subtitling and graphics is easier to apply in Media Composer so I usually export a DNxHD/DNxHR Quicktime or MXF and import into MC and put it on a higher video track in the timeline. I have had some bad experiences with Premiere Pro with some pretty nasty bugs and many hours have been wasted during media management and relinking - things that are a breeze in Media Composer. I really can't recommend Premiere Pro to anyone making a living as an editor if they have been using Media Composer, but that is my personal opinion and you may have a different experience than I have.

 

[Nick Morrison]

I edit in MC and color in Resolve. Since you are already proficient in Media Composer my suggestion is that you familiarize yourself with the Resolve toolset for color grading and round trip to and from Media Composer.
My workflow is to import all camera originals into Resolve and make sure all metadata is intact (No duplicated reels and setting Filename as Camera Reel for example) and then export DNxHD 36 or DNxHR LB to Media Composer for offline editing. After locked cut I import an AAF from Media Composer in Resolve for color grading. I find subtitling and graphics is easier to apply in Media Composer so I usually export a DNxHD/DNxHR Quicktime or MXF and import into MC and put it on a higher video track in the timeline. I have had some bad experiences with Premiere Pro with some pretty nasty bugs and many hours have been wasted during media management and relinking - things that are a breeze in Media Composer. I really can't recommend Premiere Pro to anyone making a living as an editor if they have been using Media Composer, but that is my personal opinion and you may have a different experience than I have.

What Jorgen said. Stick to Avid, but learn Resolve (as that's where your work will be finished).

 

[rand thompson]

Eddie,

Not alot of comparison info. on these three editors, so here is the most recent video I could find with seasoned editors talking about the different NLEs

 

[Marc Wielage]

I edit in MC and color in Resolve. Since you are already proficient in Media Composer my suggestion is that you familiarize yourself with the Resolve toolset for color grading and round trip to and from Media Composer.

Note there is also a very simple preset you can use that provides most of the major Avid shortcuts within Resolve. And you can also choose to use FCP7 or Premiere shortcuts if you prefer.

 

[jake blackstone]

For example, if you said you want the option to do more extensive color work while editing, then Resolve might be a better NLE for you...

I actually disagree a bit on this point. It doesn't have to be a choice of one or another. If you happy with Avid, Baselight Editions is a great addition to that platform and is used by many leading editing facilities to do full color grading and finishing on countless TV projects. The advantage being, this way you have the best of both worlds- a familiar world class editing platform combined with leading color grading platform. And if more heavy lifting needed, then it's pretty seamless jump to a full Baselight and back without need to render by using BLG's.

 

[Steve Sherrick]

I actually disagree a bit on this point. It doesn't have to be a choice of one or another. If you happy with Avid, Baselight Editions is a great addition to that platform and is used by many leading editing facilities to do full color grading and finishing on countless TV projects. The advantage being, this way you have the best of both worlds- a familiar world class editing platform combined with leading color grading platform. And if more heavy lifting needed, then it's pretty seamless jump to a full Baselight and back without need to render by using BLG's.

Absolutely! Baselight Editions might be a perfect choice for some people. That’s why I think there a lot of considerations to account for when making decisions like these. I fought FCPX for a long time, but now there are certain projects that I can do faster in FCPX than any other NLE. But I still use all of the other NLEs depending on what strengths I think they offer for a project. And often a combo of them.

 

[Phil Holland]

I'll play the dirtiest type of devil here.

Learn them all.

I personally prefer Adobe as my NLE for now, some color happens there especially for faster turnaround. Resolve often for color as well. Baselight too. Understanding and knowing Avid workflow is useful as is FCPX. Honestly the NLEs are mostly separated by nuance and aren't crazy difficult to jump between. Editing is now very doable in Resolve, though a bit far from the industry standard NLE and workflow at the moment. Color Suites are a different thing though, lots of little quirks and differences between systems. I also use REDCINE-X PRO a fair amount for various tasks.

You can feel out the advantages and disadvantages from there.

 

[rand thompson]

Phil,


I started out with Avid Media Composer 2.5 on either Mac OSX Leopard or Snow Leopard. When it was just HD video back then, I didn't even think about any other NLE. Then when Sony S-log and a couple of other Sony codecs started coming on the scene, and I couldn't just transcode to Avid DNxHD, I had to export a ProRes file out of Apple Compressor to use it, I started to look at Final Cut Studio.

I got A military discount as a civilian military contracter, which maid it that much more affordable. Final Cut Studio Pro included Final Cut 7, DVD Studio Pro, Motion, Compressor, Soundtrack Pro, Cinema Tools, and I think Qmaster. I loved Final Cut 7 For some of the similarities it shared with Avid Media Composer. I also liked all of the so called "Professional" Apps that came with it . I really only used Final Cut 7, DVD Studio Pro, Compressor and Cinema Tools. I wasn't really doing much Sound Design or much VFX work so Soundtrack Pro and Motion rarely got used. I Eventually went back to Avid Media Composer and used Adobe After Effects with Automatic Duck Pro Import AE for better Titles and for the Color Finesse color grading app that came as a plugin and also used Discreet Combustion with an Automatic Ducks plugin for Combustion.

When Avid started offering Titler Pro along with the Avid Symphony Option for Color Correction , I stayed entirely with Avid. However, When I started using Red .R3D files and eventually got so tired of AMA linking to every damn thing , I thought I would try Adobe Premiere Pro.


Adobe Premiere Pro was ok, but I just didn't love it as much as Media Composer, I could edit as fast as I could think on Media Composer. But in IMHO Avid Media Composer was getting a little "Long in the Teeth". It's still used to Edit a shitload of Hollywood films and its Media Management I think is still second to none, but I just needed to try something new. So I tried Davinci Resolve 12 and loved it ever since.

 

[Marc Wielage]

The advantage being, this way you have the best of both worlds- a familiar world class editing platform combined with leading color grading platform. And if more heavy lifting needed, then it's pretty seamless jump to a full Baselight and back without need to render by using BLG's.

I know a bunch of post houses in LA (particularly trailers) that go seamlessly back and forth from Avid to Resolve and they do just fine. It's pretty smooth with anything after 8.x. I just did an Avid project yesterday and today with I think Avid 2018.11, and all the repos (even dynamic repos) were perfectly done in Resolve 15.

I also know some very specific trailer rooms that are using Lustre (eFilm and Universal) and doing just fine. I think it's more about the artist and not so much about the platform.

 

[jake blackstone]

I know a bunch of post houses in LA (particularly trailers) that go seamlessly back and forth from Avid to Resolve and they do just fine. It's pretty smooth with anything after 8.x. I just did an Avid project yesterday and today with I think Avid 2018.11, and all the repos (even dynamic repos) were perfectly done in Resolve 15.

I also know some very specific trailer rooms that are using Lustre (eFilm and Universal) and doing just fine. I think it's more about the artist and not so much about the platform.

Ok, seeing that you're completely missed my original point, I'll do it once more. Steve wrote "if you said you want the option to do more extensive color work while editing, then Resolve might be a better NLE for you..." I replied, that that wasn't necessary, as Baselight Editions does bring "the option to do more extensive color work while editing," while using Avid. So, the point is, it is not Resolve vs Avid, as some would like to portray. A more nuanced and practical approach may be more appropriate. Believe it or not, there are still places out there, that prefer platforms other, than Resolve. I know, it's shocking) And if you want to go the anecdotal route, in the trailer place I work (you know the place), EVERY job ends up in exported BLGs, no exceptions. Which means, if shot needs to be extended, there is no need to ask color department to do it. Instead Avid and Flame artists now can just do it themselves. Yes, Flame platform can also now use BLGs, along with Nuke. And yes, it's the artist and what they feel comfortable using, which may not be necessarily Resolve...

 

[rand thompson]

Jake,

Still wish I had my Mac and Avid Media Composer To try this out.


BL4Avid v5 part1a

"A look at the new features in Baselight for Avid V5, including workspaces, new navigation tools, advanced copy-paste modes, extended scratchpad functions and client monitor playback caching."

Version 5 Baselight for Avid Part 2


"A quick overview of some of the new grading tools and operators including BaseGrade and the DeNoise filter, scene-based Truelight 'Looks' and new colour spaces which enable working in high dynamic range."

 

[jake blackstone]

Jake,

Still wish I had my Mac and Avid Media Composer To try this out.

BLG workflow also functions just fine on Avid Windows, as well as Flame and Nuke on Linux. There is no need to be forced to edit in Resolve, if there is ever a need for proper color grading functionality on the Avid platform. Also, I'd like to point out, that no long form editing is done using RAW files. I know, there are many users, that will be jumping all over this statement, but the fact of the matter, editing using RAW files is unnecessary and is not common or better yet, non existent. So, editing with Resolve doesn't really buy you much, as you still will need to reconform back to RAW files for proper color grading.

 

[rand thompson]

... Also, I'd like to point out, that no long form editing is done using RAW files. I know, there are many users, that will be jumping all over this statement, but the fact of the matter, editing using RAW files is unnecessary and is not common or better yet, non existent....

Jake,


Yeah, and I also stated this in another thread, most projects are maybe edited and graded with either ProRes or DNxHR/HD at about DCI 2K. You would know better than I, because I have never color corrected anything near the length of a feature film.

 

[Phil Holland]

no long form editing is done using RAW files

Absolutely won't jump on you there Jake, it just makes sense to work with proxies on >= 30 min to hour+ content for sure. It's a general workflow, speed, and storage battle there and a good deal of the editors I know are working on laptops that are fairly under powered in the face of any manufacturers raw offerings.

But what I will say, as I do work natively often on stuff that's <= 30 min and have been exceeding that all last year, it's a slowly growing trend, but only for people exploring that workflow.

The good thing about workflow is you can design a pipe that works for you and the project's needs. Bigger projects, particularly involving 2 or more houses, to make live easier for everybody, smaller files are welcome.

To the point of actual NLE work and proxies I have seen more people locally working in 4K on the timeline however with their edits (mostly ProRes LT I believe), and you can understand where that comes in for sure for ease of cutting and export.

 

[jake blackstone]

I have seen more people locally working in 4K on the timeline however with their edits (mostly ProRes LT I believe), and you can understand where that comes in for sure for ease of cutting and export.

Resolution is not a problem. Pretty much nowadays any lowly laptop can edit 4k using Prores LT or some other type of compressed codec. Many network shows are done using dailies transcodes or Prores/DNX material directly recorded in cameras and Avid is still very popular for that kind of work. And the idea of staying on the same platform without needing to deal with conform issues on another platform makes perfect sense. On the other hand, doing proper finishing work pretty much requires going back to RAW files and at that point all bets are off and the traditional transcoded workflow is still the only practical way to go.
Bottom line, if you're an Avid editor, there is no need to move to another platform, if you need proper color grading tools.