One of the best compliments an editor can get (when you already know that the client actually likes your cuts and your workflow) is that you are fast.
This is one tendency that will brings clients back again and again. The more directors and producers start to edit their own material with editing suites coming down in price so much, the less work editors have. One way to let them leave the edits to you is to show them you are going to get their job done faster.
If you are like me, you edit with both Final Cut Pro and Avid. I did learn Final Cut Pro about a year before I started editing on Avid, but now hold Avid a tiny higher than FCP. For what? It all depends. But the one thing I like to keep the same (or close to it) is the keyboard. This makes switching between systems much easier.
Now Final Cut Pro and Avid will match a bit more.
Here are a few examples from my keyboard:
A: Selection tool still.
B: Overwrite
C: Cut (close to the Avid X)
D: Drop the “in point.”
F: Drop the “out point”
H: Cutting tool (formerly “B” on FCP)
I: In, like normal.
J,K,L are all the same.
M: Remains marker actually. This is kind of what makes this a hybrid keyboard at times.
N: Kept this at snaps.
O: Out, the same.
P: I don’t use this much, but kept it at the pen tool.
Q: Go to in point.
R: Roll Tool.
S: Slip Tool still.
T: I LOVE the T key in Avid, but I also like to select tracks with it so I kept it and made T in Avid Y in FCP. Close enough, right?
U: Remains the same.
V: Insert Edit.
W: Go to Out.
X: Close the gap. I figure this makes it possible to Mark In (I), Mark out (O), Cut (C)and then close gap (V). That should speed cutting on the timeline up a bit.
Y: Select Clip, like T in Avid
Z: I kept this at Zoom because of the I,O,C,X shortcut was close enough to lift for me. Or Y then C then X.
Now that I typed it out, I can see that I have it as more of a hybrid keyboard than anything else. Enjoy and if you have any other tips or shortcuts between the two systems, please share!