Is this the product I should get?

Question

I'm a student who's starting video production next year, and I wanted a software like adobe after effects to add special effects to film. But after effects is expensive. I'm wondering if final cut express offers the same sort of technology? Also, considering I'm only beginning with any filming knowledge, is final cut express fairly easy to use or learn? Thanks.

Answer 1

Hi -
IMHO, Final Cut Express is not a comparable product with After Effects.
The focus of final cut is on the editorial aspects of production: scene selection, organization, scene trimming, simple transition and titling.
The focus of After Effects is on scene & graphic compositing and embellishment of pre-selected scenes.
The two are often used in conjunction with each other. The scenes of a movie would be assembled within Final Cut, and then those scenes that require special effects/compositing would be passed to After Effects, and after the work is completed there, returned to Final Cut to be inserted back into the movie.
This is not to say the Final Cut Express does not have transitions or effects, but After Effects really is designed solely to accomplish very complex effects.
If you examine the Final Cut Studio package, it contains Final Cut Pro and the separate application Motion, which similar to After Effects in that it is focused on the effects/compositing side of post production.
In terms of a professional career, a person that had working knowledge and skill with both Final Cut and After Effects will be much more employable than one that is knows only one.
MTD