Adobe Premiere has been around for a much longer time. Didn't hurt that it was from Adobe, creators of Photoshop. These kinds of threads keep popping up and never really resolve anything. What application is "better" depends on what you are going to use it for, built in prejudice of those already using whatever they use, not surprisingly are a bit bias and tend to overlook flaws. So people here like Vegas, people using Final Cut Pro like that. More information does not always equal better information. While there may be more "help" on Premiere, FCP, some others, that doesn't mean the application or help is better. It just means what it is, there is more of it around. Its very similar to the Mac verses PC argument. There are diehard Mac fans, diehard Linux and UNIX fans, and for sure there are diehard Cub fans, go Cubbies... excuse me, I'm from Chicago.

If you plan to go it alone, then yes you probably will run into some resistance, from the I don't know any better crowd that have heard through the grapevine that to be a "professional" you got to be using X, Y or Z and sorry, most people don't think Vegas is on that short list yet, but times are changing. Getting a job only knowing Vegas probably is going to be more difficult then say if you knew one of the others. Again, you'll face prejudice from the I learned things on such and such application crowd, what the heck do you know kid. You've probably seen lots of that already in programming, where some are very set in their ways, can't, won't change.

"if you want work as an Editor, you'll want to learn Avid or Final Cut Pro."

I work as an editor and I have no clue how to use either of those programs.

I work as an editor and I have no clue how to use either of those programs.

Me neither, I think what Cheno basically trying to say is
that employability would be rather narrow not be able to use these other editors.
But times are changing :)

JImmy

Jsnkc : Same here, edited some tv shows on Vegas and never touched Avid or FCP...

Point is if you're truly an editor you shouldn't be fazed by whatever tool you have to use, it's a bit like a racing car driver, I've never heard of one who could only drive one brand of car. Just because most of us could drive a race car around a track without crashing doesn't make us F1 material anymore than knowing how to use an Avid system makes us an editor.
As for getting a salaried job as an editor, can't say I've ever met one who'd recommend that as career path, know a few ex editors who look prematurely old.
Bob.

When I came into my job I was stuck with a Video Toaster system...I promptly told them to get rid of it and just get me a copy of Vegas...that was all I needed. So they sold the T2 and we've been using Vegas ever since. Granted were not some big hollywood production company, but we do great things with Vegas.

One thing you weren't asked is: Where are you planning to look? There's a geographic factor. If it's New York or California, if it's film rather than television, the film students around my hood (NYC) are always barking about how you are out of the loop if you're not versed in either FCP or Avid. Now I'd like to learn one of those, but unfortunately I'm too busy editing with Vegas 5 on a home PC. Vegas is so advanced for what it does, going to FCP or Avid is like having a new car but having to back up and learn how to drive with a clutch pedal and manual transmission.

On the other hand, I'm not planning to approach a post house for employment, rather I plan to make indie films and complain to the post houses that they'd get my business if they only had Vegas.

All of us Vegas users are editors, many of us make money at it, so, by definition we're "professionals." I'm guessing that most of us work for ourselves, though, and not for a boss.

If you're working for yourself, or if you're boss only wants a finished product, use whatever you want. If you want a job in a shop that uses Avid, learn Avid. Same with FCP. The fact is, not many large edit shops use Vegas yet, so your job opportunities are rather limited.

Best bet, is to learn 'em all, then once you're in, try to convince your shop to switch to Vegas.

Just keep spreading the word!
Jimmy

Jsnkc, seems your web domain has expired.

J - I still have to do VT2 now and then (I orginally started doing things on it - man what a head ache) and I just cringe at the time it took me to do the work that was needed. however 4 is supposed to be better. But I had that thing for editing. Live switching etc.. sure I'll take it - DDR is very handy deal. Not editing though

Dave

Jsnkc,

I work as an editor as well but don't use FCP or Avid either. Traditionally in the post house market, Avid and FCP are the NLE's of choice. That's not to mention though the hundreds of business and production houses that use Sony, Adobe, Leitch, Pinnacle or Canopus systems. You're finding lower and lower cost solutions all over the place and running for them. Tim Duncan uses an Avid all day long but pulls things in and out of Vegas all of the time due to the flexibility of Vegas. There are plenty of commercials and corporate work cut all the time on NLE's other than FCP and Avid, however as much as it sucks, it's like saying the word Kleenex. It's industry standard. I teach in a film school. I teach the aethetics, art and technology of editing using Vegas. I love it, it's stable, the kids learn it easily and it does with we want it to do. We are however adding a FCP HD suite and a Avid DS suite. The reason being is that these are the two NLE's used the most in the film industry. The students need to learn these systems if they're going to be competivive in a film or television editing marketplace. Will other NLE's gain more ground as time goes on? You betcha. However if you're going to go out after an editing job, it helps to know the software that's being used 80% of the places out there.

Like I said, I'm an editor by trade and do not use either. Do I know them? Yup. Just don't like them as much. :)

What kind of salary can you expect (working for someone else) as an editor? I saw an ad in Monster for the Sacramento Valley area in California that started at $11 an hour. I'm assuming that is an entry level position limited to dusting off equipment or something....right?

$11 an hour is most likely logging and perhaps some offline work. Never hurts though if it's a foot in the door.

Mike