Hi Adam,
- No, AMA is Avid Media Access. You can read more about it here:
http://www.avid.com/US/products/Avid-Media-Access
But as I said previously AMA still doesn't work so good as native editing in Premiere
- Premiere media management is not that bad, but nothing beats Avid. People often say that Avid is database with NLE capabilities :)
- In Avid you still have to transcode for optimal workflow. Transcode everything, and is sometimes time consuming (honestly I don't believe that is the right path for file based workflows, and that will probably change with 64bit MC6). Basically that works this way: You use AMA to get your native clips into bins and than transcode selection within MC. It would be best for you to download MC trial and do some tests:
http://forms.avid.com/forms/mctrial
In Premiere I have tried Red, HDSLR h264, AVCHD, AVC INTRA, File sequence, everything works.
- Finishing ..... Definitely that won't be easy as "send to Color" (although even for that one you should take care how you prepare your sequence).
First you have to check what formats your CC suite supports (Resolve for example).
Basically it comes down to this:
A) If Resolve supports your native format:
- In Premiere edit native, export EDL, import into Resolve and connect to original files
- In Avid, AMA to original files, transcode selection, edit, reconnect to original files, export EDL, conform in Resolve
B) If Resolve doesn't support your native format:
- In Premiere edit native, render out (Uncompressed, what ever), export EDL, import baked clip into Resolve, create cut list from EDL
- In Avid, AMA to original files, transcode selection to higher quality DNxHD MXFs, export EDL, buy Avid MFX option for Resolve, conform.
* Note that everything I wrote above is a bit simplified, but that's how it goes.
* In any case you'll be working with 15-20 minutes reels. But I suppose that you already know that.
* If you can afford/rent Avid DS, I would always consider finishing Avid projects in DS (even with not so great CC tools).
