Avid Media Composer
Avid Media Composer

Avid is Booming: Media Composer 2020.4 Announced, and “First” Reaches 2Million Downloads

2020-05-05
4 mins read

Here’s some exciting news from Avid: First, the Media Composer 2020.4 has been released with cool features including improved ProRes compatibility in Windows. Second, Avid announces that the freemium model (“First”) has reached over two million downloads helping to spread Avid among creators. Read on. 

Media Composer
Media Composer

Media Composer 2020.4: New features and improvements

The new version of Avid Media Composer 2020.4 contains new features mainly focused on user experience perspectives to improve workflow acceleration, as stated by Avid: “We’ve packed many new timesaving features into all flavors of Media Composer to help simplify, speed, and extend your workflow”. Avid says that the goal of 2020.4 is to “Boost your efficiency”. Let’s overview of the main new features. 

The Avid Media Composer
The Avid Media Composer

We’ve packed many new timesaving features into all flavors of Media Composer to help simplify, speed, and extend your workflow

Avid

Apple ProRes Support on Windows

ProRes is being supported by Avid Media Composer for a long time, as an Avid friendly codec. However, working with ProRes in a Windows environment was tricky and extended the workflow. Now, the new 2020.4 version for Windows users allows exporting ProRes As well as working with it natively inside the Media Composer. Media Composer 2020.4 supports the creation of Apple ProRes media in OP-Atom, MXF OP1a, and MOV containers on both Mac and Windows. The Media Composer support for ProRes does not require QuickTime. It means that you can work on Apple ProRes projects end to end on Windows. As stated by Avid: “Like Mac users, Windows users can now create, edit, collaborate, and export ProRes media natively with full decoding (read/playback) and encoding (write/export) support for Apple’s video compression format. Get all the same macOS Media Composer ProRes functionality on a PC, including.MOV export, MXF OP1a, and MXF OP-Atom workflows”. Nevertheless, it’s important to note that Apple ProRes RAW is not yet supported. Furthermore, Media Composer 2020.4 supports macOS v10.15.4 (Catalina). The macOS Catalina exclusively supports 64-bit applications. 32-bit applications no longer run. 

Media Composer 2020.4: Apple ProRes support on Windows
Media Composer 2020.4: Apple ProRes support on Windows

Like Mac users, Windows users can now create, edit, collaborate, and export ProRes media natively with full decoding (read/playback) and encoding (write/export) support for Apple’s video compression format

Avid

Simplify features: Timeline Sequence Map

Another cool feature is that Media Composer 2020.4 lets you create and select projects more easily and see what’s new in a specialized project window. Also now you have the privilege of getting a birds-eye view of an entire 128-track sequence with the Timeline Sequence Map, enabling faster navigation without scrolling or changing the view size.

Media Composer 2020.4: Timeline Sequence Map
Media Composer 2020.4: Timeline Sequence Map

Multi-platform content creation: FrameFlex framing presets

Furthermore, Media Composer 2020.4 allows the multi-platform content creation for mobile video platforms and social media with new 9×16 and 1:1 Mask Margins and FrameFlex framing presets. Moreover, you can fine-tune the color with more precision with the ability to make more granular gain value adjustments when working in ACES spaces, plus output media to 15 new color spaces.

Media Composer 2020.4: FrameFlex framing presets
Media Composer 2020.4: FrameFlex framing presets

In general, the new interface allows a more user-friendly approach to accelerate workflow and possibilities, like greater control over user permissions and the option to set up your workspace the way you like to work. For further details have a look at the video below that summarizes the main features of Media Composer 2020.4. 

Avid’s “First” reaches 2Million Downloads

According to Avid: “Aspiring creative people around the globe have now downloaded Avid’s free Pro Tools | First, Media Composer | First and Sibelius | First more than two million times”. Furthermore, Avid says that the downloads of Avid’s “freemium” offering have more than doubled since 2018, enabling many creators to enjoy producing music and videos with industry-leading tools for free.

With more than two million downloads to date, our free creative tools strategy is attracting people who want to express their ideas, tell their stories in the most powerful way possible and begin their life journey as career creators that stay with Avid

Jeff Rosica, Avid CEO and President

Media Composer | First

Avid Media Composer “First” (properly known as Media Composer | First) is the free, entry-level version of Avid’s flagship Media Composer NLE. The “First” contains much more than basic features. Although the “First” version is limited in some capabilities comparing to standard versions, it allows decent possibilities mainly for those who are eager to try Avid before investing in the full version. “With more than two million downloads to date, our free creative tools strategy is attracting people who want to express their ideas, tell their stories in the most powerful way possible and begin their life journey as career creators that stay with Avid,” said Jeff Rosica, Avid CEO and President. For the complete feature list and comparison between the “First” version and other paid versions, head over Avid’s FAQ page.

Avid Media Composer “First” compared to other versions
Avid Media Composer “First” compared to other versions

Initial thoughts

It seems that the freemium model is working pretty well for Avid. Apple has also implemented that kind of business model as it allows its professional NLE (FCPX) and DAW (Logic Pro X) to be downloaded for a trial period of 90 days. Although it’s not a freemium product but a fully functional software, it’s limited on time. The “First” version can be compared to DaVinci Resolve Free vs Studio which based on the same business formula. A lot of Free Resolve users have upgraded to the Studio version. That strategy allows spreading the software for everyone who’s fascinated about telling stories, and not just the pros. As for the new version of Media Composer, it looks promising. Let’s hope for ProRes RAW support in the next release.

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Yossy is a filmmaker who specializes mainly in action sports cinematography. Yossy also lectures about the art of independent filmmaking in leading educational institutes, academic programs, and festivals, and his independent films have garnered international awards and recognition.
Yossy is the founder of Y.M.Cinema Magazine.

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