Ressources

For your reference, a page with the software tools I use. I am not affiliated with any of these companies. I hope you find it useful! (Updated 2023)

NLEs
My NLE of choice is Apple Final Cut Pro X, not a single day passes without me opening FCPX. I also use Adobe Premiere which is part of my Adobe Creative Cloud Subscriptionand to a lesser degree Avid Media Composer and DaVinci Resolve.

I did cut on legacy Final Cut Pro v.1-7 (discontinued by Apple) for the entire life of the software, I rarely use it anymore. I have Intelligent Assistance 7toX excellent app to migrate legacy projects to X.

I also used Media100 extensively in my career. It used to be an expensive piece of equipment (bundled soft+hardware). The software, compatible with AJA and BMD cards, is now available for free (and frozen) courtesy of BorisEffects, and runs on macOSes from 10.9 to 10.14.

Before that, I used Sony tape-to-tape editing systems, with two decks, a player and a recorder and a remote / mixer / sync / buffer box to control them and provide a few effects and transitions. We also had a chyron machine for (very limited) text, and various prehistoric machines and computers for (ugly) effects & graphics. I cut on BetaSP, 3/4inch UMatic and even VHS "Pro"... Anyway, end of the historical section.

PLUG-INS:
I have a few FxFactory plug-ins, also goodies from Alex GollnerCHVColor Grading CentralCoreMeltNeatVideoSpherico.

ANIMATION, MOTION GRAPHICS:
I use Apple Motion and Adobe After Effects (CC.) I still have to get my hands dirty with BMD Fusion. Not enough time!

PHOTO, GRAPHICS:
I'm using Pixelmator Pro for most quick tasks, and I like it. I only fire Adobe Photoshop when I cannot do something in Pixelmator. I've started fiddling around with Vectornator, but I find that it slows down considerably as projects get more complex.
 Illustrator does slow down also with large projects, but not as much. So I still use it like Photoshop since the are part of the CC sub.

COLOR GRADING, COMPOSITING:
BMD DaVinci Resolve rules. I graded with Apple Color (discontinued) for some time, the transition to Resolve was easy. I really like Resolve for color/finishing work, much less for editing. It's a great tool to have for syncing and creating dailies. 

SOUND:
I've started learning Reaper, it's growing on me! I am still using ProTools though, time will tell if I jump ship. Digidesign/Avid ProTools still rules. I want to try Apple Logic X, maybe one day. Maybe one day. For small fixes and quick stuff I occasionally use Audacity and Adobe Audition (CC).  I move audio from FCPX to ProTools with X2Pro.
To batch convert audio files I use Monkey Tools' excellent SoundGrinder, super efficient software.

AUDIO PLUG-INS:
Waves Diamond Bundle, Clarity, Vocal Rider
iZotope RX
SPL Audio.

AUDIO LEVELS:
I watch my levels with Youlean Meter, and TC LM2N Loudness Meters. I did try Klangfreund LUFS Meter and liked it. I haven't purchased it yet though.

DCP:
DCP-o-matic is AWESOME! Thank you Carl! I was an early adopter of Final DCP. I loved it, but they are too expensive to justify for my limited output. No regrets.

DVD and BLU-RAY:
Adobe Encore CS6 (frozen but still available from Adobe). Used to love/hate DVD Studio Pro (discontinued by Apple.)

FILE COMPRESSION:
Adobe Media Encoder and Apple Compressor.

MISCELLANEOUS:
Vimeo, Frameio (now included in Creative Cloud subscription), Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, WeTransfer, for moving things around and reviews.
I use Apple Automator quite often, batch renaming stuff, recording temp V.O. from text and more.
Also, fantastic file renaming app A Better Finder Rename from the good guys at publicspace.net.
I can't sleep without Carbon Copy Cloner running in the background.
I'm not getting a lot of footage from Convergent Design's Odyssey anymore, it's been discontinued, but I used to run their CDProRes Transfer software often to bring in the goods.
I would be lost, well my stuff would be lost, without NeoFinder. Danke Norbert!

I do not use FileFinder,
 Mpeg Streamclip, nor QT Sync anymore.


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