Okay. I always here people who use AVID say that the media
management is so great and really better than any other system.

Does anyone care to elaborate on that? I'm wondering how and
why it is better (never worked with Avid myself). What does it
do differently, how does it do it? How does it help you in your
work etc.?

I'd really like to know! Thanks!

Hmmm... how to explain color to a blind man....

Sorry, and old metaphor.


Basically AVID allows you to manage and sub-manage media more efficiently than other NLE'S. One example, in VEGAS, only one sequence can be open in a project at one time. In AVID, you can create unlimited versions of sequences, store them in bins and sub-folders and duplicate and combine them without having to "Open another project". More efficient, no? Move sequences from another "closed" project into the one you are working on (without leaving the project you are in) Create unlimited bins and sub-bins with subclip variations. Rename the clips, sort bins by name, date, time code... lines from the script, notes... arrange your bins in frame mode, text mode, SCRIPT mode (actually import your script and put the frames in place on the appropriate lines of the script) even color code your clips and bins so you can find them on the timeline at a glance.

All of these things can be done, in one fashion or another... in other NLE's, yes... but not as efficiently as in AVID. In addition, AVID's networking properties are unparralled for huge projects where you might have ten editors/FX artists all needing access to the same footage on one server. (Granted, not a big deal for a one-man shop, or a small project.) What it comes down to is how the media is "Managed". How do you find a single clip in a hundred hours of media? How do you subdivide it? How do you open and search all the sub folders for the right footage? How do you name it? How do you sort through the footage on your timeline and delete the stuff in your drives you are not using? Not a big deal while working on a thirty second spot or a three minute music video perhaps... but a huge deal in a documentary or feature project.


AVID's interface and workflow are widely copied by the other NLE's... because they were first, and because they are efficient. (Vegas excepted... they decided to create a new look and language... their prerogative of course.) The dynamic JKL trimming in Avid has recently been copied in FCP, but not yet in Vegas (I expect that will change eventually).

AVIDS EDL's are industry standard... mostly because the top finishing suites are all avids. So if you shoot a 35mm feature and decide to edit on your laptop at a lower rez just take your edl or project folder into a Symphony for recapture, super correction or up-rezzing, or execute the snazzy effects... smooth move, no problems.

Some people find the AVID system "too complicated... overwhelming".... it's often the feeling I get when I stand at the counter of a Baskin Robbins and look at all those flavors. Some people just prefer chocolate, vanilla or strawberry.


These are my opinions and experiences. Your mileage may vary.

Thank you very much for your reply. I understand that it is hard
to describe (color/blind) to someone without the ability to see/
demonstrate it etc. I'll have to re-read your post a couple of
times probably, heh. Thanks!

a third party plug called media manager helps Avid users alot.
While the bin management is powerful, Avid's media tool is very weak. Media Manager allows you to delete media in a file manager kinda layout.
Beats the heck outa sifting through OMFI files.

Are you referring to the "Media Manager" that is part of Avid? Not sure what third party tool you are referring to. Who makes it?

No, I'm not talking about media tool.
I'm referring to Media Manager which is a 3rd party plugin for managing media in Avids.
dunno who makes it.... just know it makes things quicker and easier.

I searched Google for a "Media Manager" plugin for Avid and no hits. I wonder if you might have the title slightly off or if the company went out of business?

nope.
just can't remeber the maker's name right now, man.

Do you have acceess to a copy?

yeah. I use it all the time.
it's quite the time-saver.

sorry- I'm much better at pushin the buttons than remembering who I write checks to or for.

Are you referring to Unity/LANshare?

No
a plug in that treats omfi files like file manager.
Much better than media tool.

love to learn more about this one... just spent hours digging and deleting...

The Media Mangement tool and "consolidate' are good ways to delete old files. Not sure about this third party plug in, I'd like to know more about it as well.

http://www.randomvideo.com/Product%20Info.htm

Thanks Grinner,
I'm downloading the 30 day trial as we speak.
Note for others, FYI, it's $150 per copy and works on several OS's.

Richard -
That has to be the BEST damn explanation of the Avid Media Management advatage I have ever read. Wonderful job!

A similar thread like this was going on the VIDPRO listserve, and I cut and pasted your post to it. (I hope you do not mind).

Gary

I've seen this third party app on a Media Composer, and thought it was part of the system. Now I get it. Yeah, it's a nice piece of work. It supposed to run on Xpress Pro too.

Gary, Cut and paste away. The reality is, most people use their NLE's for short form projects... Thirty minutes or less I would say. And often, I would think they are working from no more than a six to one ratio of footage. Completely manageable under most NLEs.

Avid really shines when you start dealing with huge media loads , networking computers, long form cutting. I am cutting a documentary right now, thirty two hours of footage. Just subdividing it into neat topic folders, and creating sub-sequences is such a nice feature to have.