This is the first in a series of post about creating a video editing system and environment on a Budget.  I know that many churches, schools, and non-profit organizations do not have the funds available to invest $10K and up on a video editing system.  So I want to point out a few important factors to consider when building your first editing environment.

I have mentioned in a previous post that I am a Mac guy when it comes to video production. I personally think that the Mac is a more stable platform and that Final Cut Express and Final Cut Pro work more intuitively than the other guys. So I always suggest investing your dollars in a quality Apple Mac over a PC. But this begs the question, which mac do I choose?

Apple offers an array of computers to choose.  If you have between $3,000 or more to put toward a computer, I recommend going with a Mac Pro.  It is a tower machine that will give you the power and performance you need when editing and rendering those long video pieces.  They can be upgraded to fit any specific need will last you for several years.  I recommend adding as much RAM and processor speed as your budget will allow.  This type of machine, however, is generally a budget buster and so we need to look at other options.

The Mac of choice for the budge conscience editor is the iMac.  For under $2,000 you can have a robust machine that will allow you to edit and render most any production.  The beauty of the iMac is that everything is built into a simple monitor and requires a very small footprint on your desk.  I would again recommend adding as much RAM and processor speed as your budget would allow.  The iMac is a budget friendly editing solution.

I went to the Apple Storeand configured a 20 inch iMac with a 2.66 Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 4 GB RAM, 320 GB HDD, and left everything else standard and it retailed for $1,699.  That is not a bad price for a budget friendly video editing machine.  With Final Cut Express and this machine, you should be able to produce 80% of all your production needs, which will more than pay for itself in savings from outside production cost.

An often overlooked way to get quality hardware is through Apple’s refurbished Mac’s.  On their store page, they have a link to refurbished machines.  There you will find all kinds of machines offered at discounted prices.  Apple offers these machines with the same kind of warranty and protection as a new machine.  So you are not taking on additional risk by purchasing a refurb, but you will be able to get more machine for your money.

Our next topic will be storage.  We will look at hard drive space and options required for video production.  Stay tuned.

Growing up in Georgia, my dad made sure that I was a brain washed to be a true CHEVY man. He has a 1949 pickup that he bought when he was a teenager. All he has ever owned are Chevrolet’s. I don’t know why he has had such an affinity for the Chevrolet, but Fords were always portrayed as lemon’s. In our household Ford meant Fix Or Repair Daily. Is one really better than the other? I don’t know. All I know is that I now drive a Hyundai.

The debate over PC and Mac is pretty much the same as the debate over Chevy and Ford. Both platforms have applications that will do the job you want. Some variations exist in methodology, but they both work. Traditionally, the argument has been PC for office/home use and MAC for video/audio/graphic use. I don’t know if those divisions are all that valid anymore, the important thing to note is that technology never replaces creativity. And since they both have

I personally use both platforms. My PC is used to do all of my graphics and web work. I have a Sony Viao that I purchased a couple years ago for the purpose of video editing. I now use it exclusively for graphic work in Photoshop or web work with Dreamweaver. My MAC is used for all of my video production and post-production work.

In my opinion, with both platforms using the Intel chip, the real deciding factor rest more on applications and budget than platform. For video editing and post-production I prefer to use Final Cut. I like the fact that I can get all the applications I need in one bundle for such a great price. It is a growing in the television/film industry and taking alot of market share from AVID. Which means that it will be around for along time and it should get attention for updates and revisions to keep up with the direction television and film are moving.

There are several significant factors that seem to make this discussion fairly volatile and heated. We will engage in some of these issues to help you make a better decision when it comes to purchasing your hardware. The purchase of a computer for video production is going to be a significant cost, so it is wise to learn all you can before making that purchase.