Non-Linear Editing

When non-linear video editing (computer-based) first hit the scene in the early 1990s, I was skeptical of the new technology and reluctant to transition from linear (tape) editing. My thought was there was too much video compression in non-linear editing to make it worthwhile.

In 1992, at an NAB convention in Las Vegas, I shared a cab with MTV's senior video editor, and we talked a lot about the transition to NLE. He was the guy who came up with the Astronaut standing next to the flag for the early MTV logo. I told him the day that video didn't have to be compressed to edit was the day I'd transition over. One of the things he said was that with NLE, there will no longer be any waiting for tapes to stripe, copy over, or master a finished edit.

Well, here I am today editing 100 percent NLE, and I have spent about a third of my time waiting for edits to render and export. So what my friend said years ago was true, in effect: I am not waiting on tape, but there is still a lot of waiting in the edit process.