General Q & A:

Avid released Media Composer | First June 29th, 2017

A. No, there are no hidden costs. When it’s available, you’ll be able to download and use Media Composer | First at no cost. Media Composer | First uses software licensing; it does not require a hardware key (dongle).

A. You can do a whole lot with Media Composer | First. The software is designed to be easy to use yet powerful, and a great introduction to professional video editing software. Media Composer | First has all the tools to create a project from start to finish and to deliver a finished movie in professional formats and to popular web outlets, unlike some freeware products that disable critical features like saving or delivering finished projects. It includes many of the same features as industry-standard Media Composer. It also lets you expand those tools and feature sets through additional purchases including plug-ins, and additional applications.  Additionally, users have the opportunity to upgrade to a full version of Media Composer without losing any of the items that were purchased with Media Composer | First.
 

A. Media Composer | First is perfect for aspiring video professionals, video enthusiasts, students, and people interested in experiencing the video editing software used to create 99% of prime time television shows and the vast majority of major motion pictures. It’s a great way to get started in video editing. For people experienced with other video editing software, from those who have outgrown basic freeware to those using other commercially-available video editing software, Media Composer | First provides a step up. While working professionals and filmmakers will likely find Media Composer | First too limiting, they can always purchase add-on plug-ins and additional software, and can of course upgrade to full Media Composer.

A. If you want to try all of the features and functionality that Media Composer offers, we encourage you to download a free 30-day trial of Media Composer or a low-cost subscription, which are available now.

A: To help make the journey easier for first-timers, we’re planning a Get Started Fast with Media Composer  | First video series specifically for beginners and those new to Media Composer. Also, because Media Composer is so popular, there are many resources on avid.com and the web about working with Media Composer and producing great video that stands out from the crowd.

A. Media Composer | First provides a simple, easy to use interface and workflows for the aspiring professional. While it shares many of the same features and functions of Media Composer, there are a number of differences. Media Composer | First sequences can have up to 4 video tracks and 8 audio tracks, while projects can have up to 5 bins and are not supported for project and bin sharing via Avid NEXIS. While it can link to any format and codec that Media Composer supports, Media Composer | First creates and outputs SD and HD media. The UI of Media Composer | First is simplified with a single row of buttons and information in the Source/Record and Timeline windows, and there are only ~10 settings to navigate and configure. A complete list of differences can be found here.
 

A. Media Composer | First uses purely online download and registration, there is no iLok or other device required.


A. At this time, Media Composer | First does not use cloud projects or storage. All projects and media are stored locally. Support for cloud-enabled workflows may be added to Media Composer | First in the future.


A. We expect Cloud Collaboration will be available for Media Composer | First, and will have more information about timing and functionality at a later date.


A. No. You cannot import or export a Media Composer project or bin with Media Composer | First. You can import or export video and audio files, and you can open a bin from Media Composer | First in another Media Composer | First. You also cannot open bins from Media Composer | First in Media Composer; this functionality will be added at a later date. You could however sign up for a 30-day trial of Media Composer that would allow you to open your friend’s project.


A. Media Composer | First is a launching pad to keep getting better. You have a range of choices to expand your horizons beyond the tools and features that come included for free. You can expand through additional purchases including plug-ins and additional applications. Additionally, can buy an upgrade to a full version of Media Composer without losing any of the items that you purchased with Media Composer | First.


A. Through our new Publishing service, you can export and upload your finished projects directly to many popular social sites, like YouTube and Vimeo. Alternatively, you can export a QuickTime movie directly to your local hard drive.


A. At this time, Media Composer | First and Media Composer cannot be installed on the same systems.

Questions, let me and/or RalphC know..........

Marianna

Marianna:

Questions, let me and/or RalphC know..........

Will a co-install with Media Composer be possible?

Will it support shared projects on Nexis?

Pheral - co - install should still be supported as it is now with MC and PT

marianna

Any talk of inter-operability with MediaCentral?

Not yet .... stand by for more scoop soon.

Marianna

slim66:

Any talk of inter-operability with MediaCentral?

 

Sign up now to be notified when it’s available. 

http://connect.avid.com/Media-Composer-First-Get-Notified.html

 

I'm courious if it will need a Quadro card or we will see a version 9 with Geforce cards support at the same time

ugo

MC First will not require a Quadro. For that matter, MC itself doesn't require a Quadro. It's just that Avid only tests MC systems with a Quadro and willl only guarantee operation on specified systems with specified cards.

Dave is spot on!

marianna

O, thank god! I might now be able to replace Resolve as the affordable NLE I teach at the community arts school, the Gaston School of the Arts.

Meanwhile, I'm loving ScriptSync and PhraseFind--I've been re-editing my first narrative film with them. It was 51 minutes long, a bad length for festivals. I'm trying to see if I can get it below 40 minutes by cutting lines and shortening scenes. What's so cool about ScriptSync is that ordinarily when I'm reviewing footage, I'm not likely even to look at a clip that's really short. I tend to assume the later, longer takes are better. But that 100MB, truncated early-take might have the most genuine smile. For ScriptSync's sake, I loaded every take, no matter how short. And I'm getting a whole new look and better acting out of the process. A post-production assistant to make all the sub-clips is all I need now!

Yr Pal,

Mary Beth Ross

I is important that any prospective video card possess at least 2 gig memory, of course, more is better.

Will Media Composer First still be released this month? 

uptownvideo:

Will Media Composer First still be released this month? 

Let me check this. Hang tight!

Thanks,

RalphC

uptownvideo:

Will Media Composer First still be released this month? 

We're still shooting for June no ETA yet, I will keep you updated for latest news.

Thanks,

RalphC