還在猶豫？三大剪輯軟件大比拼 （翻譯文）

The editing world includes a number of software options, such as Autodesk Smoke, Grass Valley EDIUS, Lightworks, Media 100, Sony Vegas and Quantel. The lion's share of editing is done on three platforms: Apple Final Cut Pro, Avid Media Composer or Adobe Premiere Pro. For the last two years many users have been holding onto legacy systems, wondering when the dust would settle and which editing tool would become dominant again. By the end of 2013, these three companies released significant updates that give users a good idea of their future direction and has many zeroing in on a selection. 

現(xiàn)今的市場上有幾個重要的剪輯工具，像是Autodesk Smoke、GVG EDIUS、Lighrtworks、Media 100、Sony Vegas和Qualtel。大部分的剪接市場集中在三個軟體平臺： Apple Final Cut Pro、Avid Media Composer、Adobe Premiere Pro。過去兩年間，很多仍舊在使用舊版的使用者，都在等待塵埃落定，看看哪一個軟體會再度稱霸市場？2013年底三家廠商都推出了可觀的軟體更新，讓大家看得出這些軟體將來的走向，同時也給予很多選擇軟體上的判斷基礎(chǔ)。

Differing business models 

不同的商業(yè)經(jīng)營模式

Adobe, Apple and Avid have three distinctly different approaches. Adobe and Avid offer cross-platform solutions, while Final Cut Pro X only works on Apple hardware. Adobe offers most of its content creation software only through a Creative Cloud subscription. Individual users have access to all creative applications for $49.99 a month (not including promotional deals), but when they quit subscribing, the applications cease to function after a grace period. Users may install the software on as many computers as they like (Mac or PC), but only two can be activated at any time. 

Adobe、蘋果、Avid有著三種不同的采買模式。Adobe與Avid提供掛平臺解決方案，而Final Cut Pro X只能在蘋果的機器上跑。Adobe透過購買Creative Cloud會員帳號來提供軟體工具，個人帳號每月會費為美金49.99元（臺灣售價為新臺幣1620 /月），該公司所提供的特惠促銷活動會有其他的價格。用戶退掉會員資格后，軟體經(jīng)過一段時間會無法使用。使用者可以安裝于多臺電腦，（Mac或者是PC）不過只有兩套可以同時間打開運行。

Apple's software sells through the Mac App Store. Final Cut Pro X is $299.99 with another $49.99 each for Motion and Compressor. Individual users may install and use these applications on any Mac computers they own, but enterprise users are supposed to purchase volume licenses to cover one installation per computer. With the release of FCP X 10.1, it appears that Apple is offering updates at no charge, meaning that once you buy Final Cut, you never pay for updates. Whether that continues as the official Apple policy from here on is unknown. FCP X uses a special version of XML for timeline interchange with other applications, so if you need to send material via EDL, OMF or AAF – or even interchange with previous versions of Final Cut Pro – you will need to augment FCP X with a variety of third-party utilities. 

蘋果經(jīng)由App Store販賣軟體，F(xiàn)inal Cut Pro X售價為美金299.99元（臺灣售價為新臺幣8990元），另外采購Motion與Compressor的售價都是美金49.99元（臺灣售價為新臺幣1490元）。個人用戶可以將軟體安裝在自有的任何一臺蘋果電腦上使用，企業(yè)用戶可以采購大量授權(quán)方案，以安裝于多臺電腦供多人使用（在臺灣多人授權(quán)的蘋果商品，比美加地區(qū)困難）。蘋果新推出的10.1更新，并未對使用者收升級軟體費用，這意味著購買軟體之后，后面的升級是免費的。將來蘋果的軟體是否采取這樣的政策，目前還無法確定。FCP X采用特殊的XML與其他的軟體銜接工作流程，但是需要經(jīng)由EDL、OMF、AAF，甚至與舊版FCP 7銜接，則需要經(jīng)由第三方軟體來進行轉(zhuǎn)換。（ DaVince Resolve 10.1已經(jīng)可以直接讀取，轉(zhuǎn)換的第三方軟體有Xto7 for Final Cut Pro）

Avid Media Composer remains the only one of the three that follows a traditional software ownership model. You purchase, download and install the software and activate the license. You may install it on numerous Macs and PCs, but only one at a time can be activated . The software bundle runs $999 and includes Media Composer, several Avid utilities, Sorenson Squeeze, Avid FX from BorisFX and AvidDVD by Sonic. You can expand your system with three extra software options: Symphony (advanced color correction), ScriptSync (automated audio- to-script alignment) and PhraseFind (a dialogue search tool). The Symphony option also includes the Boris Continuum Complete filters.

Thanks to Avid's installation and activation process, Media Composer is the most transportable of the three. Simply carry Mac and Windows installers on a USB key along with your activation codes. It's as simple as installing the software and activating the license, as long as any other installations have been de-activated prior to that. While technically the FCP X application could be moved between machines, it requires that the new machine be authorized as part of a valid Apple ID account. This is often frowned upon in corporate environments. Similarly , you can activate a new machine as one of yours on a Creative Cloud account (as long as you've signed out on the other machines), but the software must be downloaded again to this local machine. No USB key installers here. 

Avid Media Composer是三者唯一維持過去的軟體授權(quán)方式，也就是購買、下載、安裝并且授權(quán)啟動軟體。你可以安裝在多臺蘋果或是PC電腦上，但是每次只能夠啟動其中之一。軟體售價為美金999元（臺灣無公開售價，需經(jīng)由軟體經(jīng)銷商報價），包含Media Composer、數(shù)種Avid官方工具軟體、Sorenson Squeeze編碼器、Avid FX即BorisFX以及AvidDVD即Sonic。可以付費升級，Symphony高階調(diào)色套件，ScriptSync自動以聲音對應(yīng)旁白（只限英語系國家），PhraseFind （以聲音）對白搜尋工具（只限英語系國家），Symphony升級套件同樣包含了Boris Continuum完整的特效與濾鏡效果。

Avid的授權(quán)方式，為三種軟體中最具可攜性的，只要把Mac或者是PC安裝在USB隨身碟上，并且通過授權(quán)認證，只需要帶著這個裝置，就可以到其他的機器或者是其他已被停止授權(quán)的機器上使用。理論上蘋果的FCP X也可以在不同機器上移動，但是蘋果的授權(quán)與有效的蘋果帳號綁在一起，對于多機的企業(yè)用戶來說是很頭大的。Adobe Creative Cloud也類似用帳號，可以在不同的機器上遷徙。不過每當(dāng)你登入一臺新的電腦，他就會要求你在新的機器下載軟體，這都沒有Avid的USB授權(quán)方式來的便利。（這一段主要是針對企業(yè)用戶，而企業(yè)用戶并不一定要采取大量授權(quán)的方案，所以有點不同意他的看法）

Dealing with formats 

檔案格式處理能力

All three applications are good at handling a variety of source media codecs, frame rates and sizes. In some cases, like RED camera files, plug-ins need to be installed and kept current. Both Apple and Avid will directly handle some camera formats without conversion, but each uses a preferred codec – ProRes for Final Cut Pro X and DNxHD for Media Composer. If you want the most fluid editing experience, then transcode to an optimized codec within the application. 

面對當(dāng)今多樣的檔案格式，三種軟體都有很好的處理能力，媒體的編碼、格數(shù)、影片圖像大小。在某些狀況下需要安裝最新第三方套件，來確保讀取能力，比方說：Red攝影機所產(chǎn)生的檔案。蘋果與Avid都可以直接處理攝影機所產(chǎn)生的檔案，但兩者都有偏好的編碼器，F(xiàn)inal Cut Pro X的ProRes和Media Composer的DNxHD。如果你希望剪接的過程很流暢，請你將原始檔轉(zhuǎn)成剪接軟體所偏好的格式。

Adobe hasn't developed its own mezzanine codec. In fact, Premiere Pro CC has no built-in transcoding tools, leaving that instead to Adobe Prelude or Adobe Media Encoder. By design, the editor imports files in their native format without transcoding or rewrapping and works with those directly in the sequence. A mix of various formats, frame rates, codecs and sizes doesn't always play as smoothly on a single timeline as would optimized media, like DNxHD or ProRes; but, my experience is that of these three, Premiere Pro CC handles such a mix the best. 

Adobe沒有發(fā)展自己的編碼器，事實上Premiere Pro CC并沒有轉(zhuǎn)檔工具，而是將轉(zhuǎn)檔的工作交給了Prelude CC與Media Encoder。設(shè)計上，Premiere Pro CC讓你直接輸入素材，然后就直接在Timeline上開始工作，但混合的格式、播放速率、編碼器、大小，往往讓你的剪接變得非常不順暢，最好還是可以將素材轉(zhuǎn)檔成為DNxHD或者是ProRes為佳。我個人的經(jīng)驗（指Oliver Peters）三者之中， Premiere Pro CC處理多種格式的能力最好。（這個我也存疑，因為Adobe對于素材的處理能力，要端看硬體加速的能力如何而定）

Most of us work with HD (or even SD) deliverables, but higher resolutions (2K, UHD, 4K) are around the corner. All three NLEs handle bigger-than-HD formats as source media without much difficulty. I've tested the latest RED EPIC Dragon 6K camera files in all three applications and they handle the format well. Both Adobe and Apple can output bigger sequence sizes, too, such as 2K and 4K. For now, Avid Media Composer is still limited to HD (1920 x 1080 maximum) sequences and output sizes. Here are some key features of the most recent updates. 

我們大多數(shù)的工作可能處理的是HD （甚至是SD）來交片，不過更高的解析度時代即將來臨（2K、UHD、4K←他應(yīng)該說的是cinema）。這三種軟體在處理HD以上解析度的素材都沒有什么問題，我測試了最大的Red Epic Dragon 6K檔案，這三個軟體都有不錯的表現(xiàn)。蘋果與Adobe皆可設(shè)定與輸出2K與4K的畫面，Avid Media Composer目前還是限制在只能輸出HD的Sequence與輸出的影片在1920x1080的尺寸。以下是這幾款軟體最近的更新訊息：

Adobe Premiere Pro CC (version 7.2.1)

The current build of Premiere Pro CC was released towards the end of 2013. Adobe has been enhancing editing features with each new update, but two big selling points of this version are Adobe Anywhere integration and Direct Link between Premiere Pro CC and SpeedGrade CC. Anywhere requires a shared server for collaborative workflows and isn't applicable to most users who don't have an Anywhere infrastructure in place. Nevertheless, this adds the client-side application integration, so those who do, can connect, sign in and work. 

這個更新的版本是在2013年底釋出，Adobe一直不斷的更新中推出更好的剪輯功能，這個版本的最大賣點有二：Adobe Anywhere整合，還有與SpeedGrade CC的Direct Link。Anywhere是一個系統(tǒng)，必須要有相當(dāng)?shù)挠搀w建設(shè)和分享伺服器，讓有Anywhere功能的工作站可以登入進來工作。Premiere Pro CC除了在本機作業(yè)以外，現(xiàn)在也有能力可以登入Anywhere來工作。 

df_nle_7_smOf more interest is Direct Link, which sends the complete Premiere Pro CC timeline into SpeedGrade CC for color correction. Since you are working directly with the Premiere Pro timeline, SpeedGrade functions with a subset of its usual controls. Operations, like conforming media to an EDL, are inactive. Direct Link facilitates the use of various compressed codecs that SpeedGrade wouldn't normally handle by itself, since this is being taken care of by Premiere Pro's media engine. When you've completed color correction, the saved timeline is sent back to Premiere Pro. Each clip has an applied Lumetri filter that contains grading information from SpeedGrade. The roundtrip is achieved without any intermediate rendering. 

更有趣的是Direct Link讓Premiere Pro CC的Sequence得以直接送進SpeedGrade CC進行調(diào)色， SpeedGrade等于是透過Premiere Pro CC對Timeline工作，這個時候的EDL輸入功能就會失效。對于眾多不同的編碼器，原本SpeedGrade CC無法辨識的，現(xiàn)在也可以經(jīng)由Premiere Pro CC的機制得以用于工作。當(dāng)調(diào)色完畢之后，儲存并返回Premiere Pro CC每一個Clip都會含有Lumetri濾鏡，而其中含有SpeedGrade CC所有調(diào)色的資訊。這個工作往返的流程，完全不需要特殊的轉(zhuǎn)檔即可完成調(diào)色。

df_nle_6_smThis solution is a good first effort, but I find that the response of SpeedGrade's controls via Direct Link are noticeably slower than working directly in a SpeedGrade project. That must be a result of Premiere Pro working in the background. Clips in Premiere Pro with applied Lumetri effects also require more resources to play well and rendering definitely helps. The color roundtrip results were good in my tests, with the exception of any clips that used a filter layer with a LUT. These displayed with bizarre colors back in Premiere Pro. 

這個解決方案是個很好的第一步，但我發(fā)現(xiàn)使用Direct Link在SpeedGrade CC下工作，明顯的感受到軟體反應(yīng)變慢，不像是直接使用SpeedGrade，一定是因為Premiere Pro CC也同時在背景工作的關(guān)系。Timeline上的Clip如果含有Lumetri效果，播放的時候明顯的需要很多硬體資源，經(jīng)過算圖之后會很大的幫助。我所測試的調(diào)色工作流程，結(jié)果非常令人滿意，不過發(fā)現(xiàn)在素材中，若事先套有LUT的畫面，回到Premiere Pro CC時，顏色會變得非常詭異。（進入調(diào)色軟體前，本來就應(yīng)該將原來的色彩效果去除，老師在講都沒有在聽嗎？）

You can't talk about Premiere Pro without addressing Creative Cloud. I still view this as a “work in progress ”. For instance, you are supposed to be able to sync files between your local drive and the Cloud, much like DropBox. Even though everything is current on my Mac Pro, that tab in the Creative Cloud application still says “coming soon”. Others report that it's working for them. 

說到Premiere Pro CC就一定要提到Creative Cloud，我依然將它視為一個「仍在進行中的工程」。舉例來說：你應(yīng)該可以同步將把本地磁碟上的檔案丟上云端，就像是Dropbox一樣。雖然現(xiàn)在所有的東西都在我的Mac Pro上，Creative Cloud軟體仍然告訴我「即將到來」，也有人說他們的軟體沒問題。（這我完全同意，Adobe應(yīng)該要幫幫自己的忙，因為就算想寫書、寫介紹，也不可能替Coming Soon的東西寫啊～說不定寫完就改了�。�

Apple Final Cut Pro X (version 10.1)

This update is the tipping point for many FCP 7 users. Enough updates have been released in over two years to address many of the concerns professional editors have expressed. 10.1 requires an operating system update to Mavericks (10.9 or later) and has three marquee items – a revised media structure, optimization for 4K and overall better performance. It is clear that Apple is not about to change the inherent design of FCP X. This means no tracks and no changes to the magnetic timeline.  As with any update, there are plenty of small tweaks, including enhanced retiming, audio fades on individual channels, improved split edits and a new InertiaCam stabilization algorithm . 

這一次的更新是對于許多仍在使用FCP 7的用戶是個轉(zhuǎn)捩點，許多愛用的專業(yè)剪輯師所題出的專業(yè)功能，在這次的更新中已有足夠的提升。10.1必須在Mac OS 10.9 Mavericks以上才能夠運作，工作介面與檔案結(jié)構(gòu)上也有改善，為4K環(huán)境的最佳化以及整體效能的提升。蘋果并未改變原來FCP X的設(shè)計結(jié)構(gòu)，這代表著tracks與magnetic timeline都沒有改變。其他很多小的功能更新，包括了變速的改進、每一個音軌可以作淡入/出、改進了split edits、鏡頭穩(wěn)定跟蹤的新運算引擎。

df_nle_9_smThe most obvious change is the move from separate Events and Projects folders to unified Libraries, similar to Aperture. Think of a Library as the equivalent to a Final Cut Pro 7 or Premiere Pro CC project file, containing all data for clips and sequences associated with a production. An FCP X Library as viewed in the Finder is a bundled file, which can be opened using the “show package contents” Finder command. This reveals internal folders and files for Events, Projects and aliases linked to external media files. Imported files that are optionally copied into a Library are also contained there, as are rendered and transcoded files. The Libraries no longer need to live at the root of a hard drive and can be created for individual productions. Editors may open and close any or all of the Libraries needed for an edit session.

最明顯的異動是將以前分離的Events 與Projects 檔案夾，改為統(tǒng)一的Libraries，有點像是Aperture 的架構(gòu)。Library 等同于Final Cut Pro 7 與Premiere Pro CC 的Project 檔案，里面包含了所有Clips 與Sequences 的資料。一個FCP X 的Library 檔案，在蘋果的系統(tǒng)中被打包在一起，可以用「顯示套件內(nèi)容」指令打開，其中包含了檔案夾、專案和連結(jié)外部媒體檔案的連結(jié)。輸入的素材若選擇拷貝進來，也會在這里，轉(zhuǎn)檔與算圖后的檔案也在此。Library 檔案現(xiàn)在可以存放在任何地方，剪輯師可以打開任何需要的Library 來針對手上的專案進行剪輯。

df_nle_8_smFCP X's performance was optimized for Mavericks, the new Mac Pro and dual GPU processing. By design, this means improved 4K throughput, including native 4K support for ProRes, Sony XAVC and REDCODE camera raw media files. This performance boost has also filtered down to older machines. 10.1 brought better performance with 1080p ProRes and even 5K RED files to my 2009 Mac Pro. Clearly Apple wants FCP X to be a showcase for the power of the new Mac Pro, but you'll get benefits from this update, even if you aren't ready to leap to new hardware.

Along with Final Cut Pro X 10.1, Apple also released updates to Motion and Compressor. The Motion update was necessary to integrate the new FxPlug3 architecture, which enables developers to add custom interface controls. Compressor ??was the biggest change, with a complete overhaul of the interface in line with the look of FCP X.

FCP X 是針對新的Mac OS X Mavericks 和新的Mac Pro 雙GPU 所調(diào)校。設(shè)計上為了增進4K 的流量，包括了4K ProRes、Sony XAVC 和REDCODE RAW 檔案。這些效能上的提升，也因為硬體的新舊而有所差別。我的2009 年Mac Pro 在FCP X 10.1 在1080P ProRes 與5K Red 檔案還可以勝任愉快，就算是沒有追新的硬體，這次的軟體升級還是能在舊機器上有不錯的表現(xiàn)。

Avid Media Composer (version 7.0.3)

The biggest feature of Media Composer 7.0.3 is optimization for new operating systems. It is qualified for Windows 8.1 and Mac OS X 10.8.5, 10.9 and 10.9.1. There are a number of interface changes, including separate audio and video effects palette tabs and changing the appearance of background processing indicator icons. 24fps sound timecode is now supported, the responsiveness with the Avid Artist Color Controller has been improved and the ability to export a simplified AAF file has been added.

df_nle_10_smTranscode choices gain a set of H.264 proxy file codecs. These had been used in other Avid news and broadcast tools, but are now extended into Media Composer. Support for RED was updated to handle the RED Dragon format. With the earlier introduction of 7.0, Avid added background transcoding services and FrameFlex – Avid's solution for bigger-than-HD files. FrameFlex enables resizing and pan/scan/zoom control within that file's native resolution. Media Composer also accepts mixed frame rates within a single timeline, by applying Motion Adapters to any clip that doesn't match the frame rate of the project. 7.0.3 improves control over the frame blending method to give the editor a better choice between temporal or spatial smoothness.

There is no clear winner among these three. If you are on Windows, then the choice is between Adob??e and Avid. If you need 4K output today, Apple or Adob??e are your best opt??ion. All three handle a wide range of popular camera formats well – especially RED. If you like tracks – go Avid or Adob??e. If you want the best application for the new Mac Pro, that will clearly be Apple Final cut Pro X. These are all great tools, capable of any level of post production – be it commercial, corporate, web, broadcast entertainment or feature films. If you've been on the fence for two years, now is the time to switch, because there are no bad tools – only preferences.

Media Composer 7.0.3最大的進步，是針對新的作業(yè)系統(tǒng)。它可以在Windows 8.1和Mac OS X 10.8.5、10.9、10.9.1上運作。功能面板上的更新有：聲音與畫面各自有獨立的效果面板、背景算圖的icon設(shè)計、支援24fps的聲音timecode、Avid Artist Color Controller介面反應(yīng)時間變快、能夠輸出簡化的AAF檔案。

轉(zhuǎn)檔的格式新增了H.264 Proxy格式，這些曾在新聞與廣播系統(tǒng)，現(xiàn)在延伸支援到Media Composer來，增加了針對Red Dragon的檔案控制能力，背景轉(zhuǎn)檔服務(wù)，F(xiàn)rameFlex功能是Avid針對大于HD檔案的一項功能，透過Pan / Scan / Zoom功能，將原始大于HD尺寸的影像合于HD的Timeline。Media Composer也提供了不同速率的影片使用在同一Timeline的功能，藉由Motion Adapters將速度統(tǒng)一。7.0.3提供了Frame Blending的能力，讓剪接師可以增進流暢度。三種軟體中并沒有哪一個勝出。如果你使用Windows平臺，那選擇應(yīng)該落在Adobe與Avid。如果需要輸出4K，蘋果與Adobe則是最佳選擇。三種軟體都支援多種攝影機檔案格式，尤其是對于Red攝影機。如果你喜歡多軌剪輯方式，那就選擇Avid或Adobe。如果你希望在新的Mac Pro上跑得最佳選擇，很顯然的就是使用蘋果的Final Cut Pro X。廣告、企業(yè)簡介、網(wǎng)路影片、廣播娛樂事業(yè)、電影，這三種軟體都是很棒的工具，能夠滿足各項的后期制作。如果你這兩年一直無法決定哪個剪接軟體，現(xiàn)在是決定的時候了，工具并沒有好壞，只有個人偏好而已。

當(dāng)然這三個軟體的確優(yōu)于市場上其他的品牌，但是并不代表其他品牌不好，還是要看工作環(huán)境與工作流程的設(shè)計。比方說：許多電視臺都以GVG為工作骨干，那么EDIUS可能就有比較多的相容性，出了電視臺與外界不相容也具有保密性。

而這三個軟體中，作者一定要把Avid列在其中，可能也只是要滿足美國市場上，很多不愿意放手Avid的導(dǎo)演們。到底在亞洲的臺灣，跟美國的市場有很大的差異，我們工作上必須要更具彈性，因此我個人的「偏好」之中，是不會把Avid放在選擇之中，除非近期內(nèi)該軟體能夠加速軟體的更新。對于小工作室或者是獨立制作來說，Avid實在太僵化了