WHY?

Mike Jones put things in perspective for me last year about rethinking what an NLE is and about the forward thinking of editing video on Vegas. Although the AAA SUITES can accomplish what is required of them - they are based on an archaic methodology of separate apps being used by separate editors. The NLE is used by a video editor, the audio sweetening is done by an audio person, compositing is done in a compositing app by a SFX editor. Therefore, those who ascribe to the Solo VJ paradigm, are forced to learn three distinct applications which have their own steep learning curves.

Then there’s Vegas Pro. Resource efficient and about as hardware neutral as can be for a Windows based application (Can even be used with Parallels on a MAC). Zen like in it’s interface and usage. Transitions are one step - not 3-5 as with other apps. Audio can be edited on the timeline and motion graphics can be handled as well. You never have to leave Vegas unless there is something that cannot be done in Vegas - which for the VAST majority of VJ’s is unlikely. I occasionally go into Sound Forge to do some custom tweaking of audio but other than that, I stay in Vegas.

Want to add multiple video formats to the timeline - with Vegas, you just add them and keep editing - no rerendering, no waiting. Want to change the project properties in the middle of an edit - you can do so without having to recreate it as you would in the other apps.

The problem I see is that my fellow Solo VJ’s have been duped into believing that to edit video as a so called “Professional” as the spin doctoring ad wizards would have them believe, they HAVE to use a suite of applications in order to accomplish their jobs. I posted on my blog why Vegas Pro is better suited for VJ’ism than any other app currently available. It’s only my viewpoint, but I feel it is pretty accurate.

Newsrooms are in budgetary crunches as is plainly stated in various Newspapers VJ discussion arenas - why not utilize existing windows based hardware and make it last longer by using an efficient application that costs 1/3 of the suites, yet accomplishes 95% of these separate apps - all in one easy to learn application? For those who aren’t primary video shooters - SONY’s Vegas Studio Platinum edition can do much of what Vegas Pro 8 can - for less than $130.00.

I’m not saying that Vegas can handle Hollywood type projects, but it can do for VJ’s what they need to get done - and do it in a shorter timeframe.

Cliff Etzel - Solo Video Journalist (and SONY Vegas Pro Advocate)
bluprojekt

I mentioned liquid in the First of these posts as it is now badged, in the UK anyway, as an Avid product so I included it along there. You are right though, its a neat app.

I’m including quicktime pro in the the last part of this series of posts. I was thinking of it as one of those apps that you may use but ‘did you know it also edits’ type thing. Its a powerful tool though and one worth exploring