Getting a Computer for Editing

Seun, our New York Film student has just received an HD camcorder from Hook Me Up's tech expert, Jon. Now Jon has to make a decision about a computer and all the accessories Seun will need to shoot and edit video for school.

The Editing Machine (aka a computer)
Seun has an old computer, but the hard drive is sketchy, it doesn't have a lot of memory, and the processor is slow. A key component to editing video on a computer is having a fast processor and lots of memory.

To get video from a camera to the computer, Seun should have a FireWire port on her computer. Her current computer doesn't have FireWire in. Finally, her present computer is running Windows. If she wants to get serious about editing, she should probably be working on a Mac.

Many independent filmmakers prefer the suite of editing products available on the Mac. There are a bunch of Windows-based programs, but for the college film-school scene, Seun should have a Mac, as much for function as for credibility in the community.

MacBook Pro
This is Apple's brand new Intel-based laptop. The new processor allows this system to run much faster than previous Macs. It has a 15.4-inch display and includes all the video inputs a budding filmmaker could ever want. It is portable: at 5.5 pounds Seun can throw this in her backpack and use it anywhere. The Macbook Pro comes with Apple's iLife suite of software: image, music and video editing programs. Seun will start out using  iMovie to edit her videos. It's a very good program and a great way to learn the basics of video editing: cuts, transitions, and audio layering.

If Seun wants to upgrade her video editing software, she will have to step up to a program like Final-Cut Express ($200) or she could get the full version of Final Cut Studio. This professional grade editing software retails for $1,299, but if Seun buys the software using Apple's student discount program, she would only pay $699. Most School bookstores have educational prices for students who can prove they are enrolled (student ID card), or you can buy online from Apple's education store if you have a valid student ID number from a recognized educational institution.

The Accessories
Jon got Seun a tripod for the camera. He chose a low-cost model with a liquid head for smooth pans and steady tight shots. Any video editor can tell you the downfall of rookie videographers is unintentional 'shaky cam.' After a few minutes of watching the images rock back and forth, the viewer has motion sickness and can't watch anymore.

Headphones
When Seun listens to the audio on her camera, she will need to isolate and assess quality issues: can dialog be clearly heard over ambient noise?  Headphones are key for this task. One problem Jon discovered on the shoot is that the Sony Camera he got for Seun didn’t have a headphone jack, so she couldn’t check audio in the field. This is one of the downsides of buying a product online, you don’t get to look at a floor model to see if it has all the things you thought it would. I’m still glad Jon got Seun headphones: they are also crucial in the editing process. In a shared environment like a classroom, the library or a dorm room, headphones are far superior to external speakers.

External Drive
Video takes up a ton of space on the hard drive, so Jon got Seun a 250GB Western Digital external combo drive. Seun can store and back up her video projects on an external drive as she creates her video portfolio.

The Assessment
Seun wants to use her work as a portfolio, creating a body of work she can use for school. This portfolio will someday be used to get Seun a job where she has access to professional grade video equipment. I'm not sure Jon needed to get her a High Definition camera—she won't be watching it in High Def or sending it to a TV network that will be broadcasting in High Def, so I think we could have gotten a 2-3 CCD camera and saved a couple hundred bucks.

With that extra money, I would have bought Seun a wireless microphone or a better directional microphone. After 13 years in the television business, I know one thing for sure: viewers will tolerate a crappy image, but crappy audio is unbearable. Shooting in a city, Seun will have a ton of audio issues. A $300 wireless microphone could help her to add a more professional approach to the video she shoots, and that could make the difference on the final video reel she sends out when pursuing a job.

Jon's external hard drive, headphones, and a tripod are great choices to maximize the quality of Seun's video projects.

Overall, I think this set-up will be a great jump-start for Seun's video career. Look for her name on the big-screen sometime in 2012.