ADOBE PREMIERE PRO: SHOULD YOU LEARN IT?
As a young filmmaker or film student, perhaps you’ve heard of Adobe Premiere Pro. This film and video editing software has seen a recent surge of popularity, especially since the developers at Apple created the new version of Final Cut to function more like the lesser iMovie software (something many filmmakers are complaining about). The question is, how important is it to learn Adobe Premiere software, and how will it benefit you?
Let’s start by saying that despite recent complaints, Final Cut Pro is definitely a software you should be familiar with if you plan to be a professional filmmaker, due to its wide usage throughout the industry. However, you will also see people using Adobe Premiere Pro, as well (and possibly more so in the future, as we discussed above). What is the difference between the two softwares?
For all intents and purposes, Adobe Premiere and Final Cut do the same things with video editing. They are competing products from different developers, and they tend to keep up with one another in functionality as new updates are continually coming out. Besides differences in their interfaces, the primary differences between the two software programs are that Final Cut is exclusively an Apple/Mac product, while Adobe Premiere Pro is available for both Mac and PC; and Adobe’s price tag is generally lower than that of Final Cut. Otherwise, deciding which one of the two is better is basically a matter of preference. Mac users frequently choose Final Cut (at least the earlier versions of it) because it integrates so well with related Apple programs. PC users are likely to prefer Adobe Premiere Pro over Final Cut.
As a young filmmaker, should you learn Adobe Premiere Pro? The best way to answer that question is that the more familiar you are with different programs, the more versatile and qualified you will be when job openings arise. If you’re applying at a studio that favors Adobe Premiere, and all you know is Final Cut, you will be at a disadvantage, especially if another applicant does know Adobe Premiere. Unless Apple re-vamps its newer editions of Final Cut to resolve customer complaints, this is a trend that is likely to continue, as Adobe Premiere Pro may be found in more and more studios in days to come. At the current time, Final Cut Pro is still basically the industry standard, so learning that program should be a priority. However, you can only increase your versatility by learning Adobe Premiere Pro as well—and if you’re considering film school, it is wise to choose a school or program that will teach you both of the software programs.
The upshot is that while you shouldn’t expect Final Cut to disappear from studios anytime soon, it is reasonable to expect Adobe Premiere to be more widely used. Thus, learning Adobe Premiere Pro in addition to Final Cut can only work to your advantage.
