Apple Makes Video Editing Easy with Avid Cinema

Ginny Williams

Apple Computer recently introduced Avid Cinema, an easy-to-use digital 
video editing package. This integrated package consists of a video card 
and software that features storyboard templates and a tab-driven 
interface.
 
Basic Steps
There are four basic steps to making videos with Avid Cinema.
   
1. Plan the video. The software provides more than 20 storyboard 
templates with suggested camera shots and sequences. These templates are 
fully customizable.
  
2. Film and import the video. Use a camcorder to shoot your video. Then, 
within the Avid Cinema software, locate the video source (such as a 
camcorder or VCR), name the project, and click on the Record button.
  
3. Edit the video. Use Avid Cinema's editing features to combine video 
clips, QuickTime movies, and tracks from audio CDs. You can drag and 
drop shots to rearrange them, add titles and credits, create 
transition effects, and record voice-overs.
 
4. Publish the finished video to videotape or digital formats. You can 
save videos on VHS tape or in several QuickTime formats. These formats 
are optimized for different end uses, depending on whether you plan to 
incorporate the video into presentation software, send it across the 
Internet, add it to a Web site, or publish it on a CD-ROM.

More on the Hardware
Avid Cinema runs on Performa and Power Macintosh systems with a PCI 
expansion slot and built-in composite or S-video input. Minimum system 
requirements are MacOS version 7.5.3 or later, 24MB of RAM, and a 1GB 
hard drive.

The 7-inch video card supports the leading video standards (NTSC and 
PAL) and has Motion JPEG compression/decompression on board.

Availability and Pricing
The MIT Computer Connection sells the Avid Cinema package as part of a 
Video Editing bundle (part no. M5609). This bundle, priced at $2195,  
includes a Macintosh Performa 6400/200 with 32MB of RAM and a 2.4GB hard 
drive. The Avid Cinema video card and software will be available as a 
stand-alone product in the near future. For more information, contact 
the MCC at x3-7686 or <mcc@mit.edu>.