We are getting FCP4 and are new to Macs and video editing. What is the best way to train our family on using FCP4? We have kids in jr high, high school, and the parents that want to learn. What books or DVD training do you recommend? Also, do you need to be a professional to use FCP? Are we getting a product beyond the capabilities of beginners/novices? Thanks for your time.
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Whats the best way to get trained on FCP4? DVD training or books
- Thread starter macharrington
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Well, for me it was a combination of books and hours upon hours infront of the monitors. I just recommend getting Final Cut Express first, just to learn on it. Then upgrade. Take it from me, jumping in cold turkey into FCP4, it'll feel like brain surgery, especially if you dont have any non-linear digitial editing experience.
I use Final Cut Pro and I'm a professional. So try out Final Cut Express first, then go to FCP4. You may outgrow Final Cut Express after a few months, but you'll never out grow FCP4.
Ultimately, which ever you choose, I recommend books and hours of experimentation on the computer. Learn by being hands on.
Hope that helped.
I use Final Cut Pro and I'm a professional. So try out Final Cut Express first, then go to FCP4. You may outgrow Final Cut Express after a few months, but you'll never out grow FCP4.
Ultimately, which ever you choose, I recommend books and hours of experimentation on the computer. Learn by being hands on.
Hope that helped.
i went to college last year and had to learn PhotoShop. it's probably alot differnt to FPC, but i guess it's sort of the same in some areas.
i think the most important thing is to keep continually using the software you are trying to learn on a continual basis, even if it's only once a week. it's real easy to forget stuff if you don't keep using it, especially when your only learning.
i don't think books are all that good, unless you wan to become a walking encyclopaedia on FCP.
it would really help if you have a project of your own to work on. figure out what you want to do, then look around on the web and learn how to do it.
a helpful thing to have is a printout of the shortcuts at hand.
i think there would be heaps of stuff on the web to help you learn it, but if your'e going to buy a book, get one that has lessons in it where you work on a project throughout the entire book.
hope that helps, but you won't really know what you need to learn until you start having a play around with it, if you know what i mean.
i think the most important thing is to keep continually using the software you are trying to learn on a continual basis, even if it's only once a week. it's real easy to forget stuff if you don't keep using it, especially when your only learning.
i don't think books are all that good, unless you wan to become a walking encyclopaedia on FCP.
it would really help if you have a project of your own to work on. figure out what you want to do, then look around on the web and learn how to do it.a helpful thing to have is a printout of the shortcuts at hand.
i think there would be heaps of stuff on the web to help you learn it, but if your'e going to buy a book, get one that has lessons in it where you work on a project throughout the entire book.
hope that helps, but you won't really know what you need to learn until you start having a play around with it, if you know what i mean.
tutorials
Tutorials are the best, and force you to explore lots of different features. That is how I learned Flash, and Fireworks, which are very daunting at first. Also, a book can be fantastic for more advanced specifics as you are going along.
Good luck with FCP4
--Waluigi
Tutorials are the best, and force you to explore lots of different features. That is how I learned Flash, and Fireworks, which are very daunting at first. Also, a book can be fantastic for more advanced specifics as you are going along.
Good luck with FCP4
--Waluigi
I started out using really basic eiditing programs at first such as pinnacle and iMovie, then i moved up to premiere but i didn't like it and so i got FCP4. I have just expermented with it, no one has showed me how to use it. I just try to figure out how to do it myself, and if I can't figure it out I search help or the web. Hours of practice/self exploration will help you out.
If you're new to video editing then Final Cut Pro is probably serious overkill. iMovie comes with the computer and lets you do some pretty amazing things. If you max out the abilities of iMovie, then step up to Final Cut Express. To answer you question directly, yes--final cut pro is beyond the capabilities of beginners/novices. Start with iMovie.
You might want to check out the following site.
http://www.lynda.com/
I found that there tutorials are really comprehensive. Especially for the beginner to intermidate and the online tutorial movies are great. That's ofcourse if you have broadband.
~e
http://www.lynda.com/
I found that there tutorials are really comprehensive. Especially for the beginner to intermidate and the online tutorial movies are great. That's ofcourse if you have broadband.
~e