Time to Upgrade: The latest software Avid and NewBlueFx is must have

American Cinema Editors by Harry B. Miller III, A.C.E.

The latest software Avid and NewBlueFx is must have (and Must get someone else to pay!)

There are two software packages available which are great tools to have in your editing room.

Avid Media Composer (AMC) 6.5 is the update with which I would replace version 5.5. Updating software is always a tenuous proposition: you never know what has been broken until you make the upgrade, and then it’s too late. Better to wait until you know with confidence that the upgrade will work for you.

AMC version 6 had some nice improvements: it was 64 bit, which means it can use more system memory. It introduced Workspaces where you could customize the window / tool layout depending on your task. It expanded beyond the few standard presets, such as ‘Source / Record Editing’. This is extremely useful. I have, for example, set up a ‘Laptop’ preset which compresses all windows to my 15” Macbook Pro screen. Then I’ve created a ‘Home’ preset for when my laptop is connected to my home 24” monitor.

Tabbed windows is another feature introduced in version 6. You can have one window with tabs for several open bins – imagine putting different sound effect bins within the same window. Like a Superbin… only usable. Even tools can be arranged in one window, such as the Audio Mixer, the Audio Suite, and the EQ tool. A very efficient way to use real estate.

But version 6 wasn’t an essential upgrade. I heard of several episodic shows having difficulties with it. One show even downgraded back to version 5. And there was no one feature that I had to have.

Now we have 6.5. And now we have reasons to upgrade. read more...

Check out these items featured in this post and available now at Videoguys.com.
	Avid Media Composer 6.5 Upgrade from Avid Media Composer, Xpress DV, Xpress Pro $588.00			Avid Media Composer 6.5 Upgrade from MC6 $489.00			NewBlue ColorFast Color Correction & Grading Plug-In (Mac) $129.95