Avid’s Freemium Model for Media Composer is Aimed at Students – Now Available

Editing Software

by Julian MitchellMay 9^th, 2023

When Avid presented the offer of their free Media Composer software to NASDAQ, it was an act of benevolence rather than self-interest. They stated they intended to address the ‘urgent demand’ for skilled film and TV editors by providing this empowering opportunity. Let’s break down how you might get your own copy of this industry-standard editing program.

At the moment, the free full copy of Media Composer seems to be limited to the US, and in particular to all college and post-secondary students. If you’re outside of the US, we suggest you check with your local Avid distributor.

But if you aspire to learn the editing craft and join the professional ranks of editors working in Hollywood, TV, streaming services, and elsewhere in media, this could be a pivotal moment for you.

Also, it could be very timely, as according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of film and video editors will grow 12% from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations.

Get on the program

There is no direct or personal route to get Media Composer. To be eligible for the Media Composer for Students program, you will need to persuade your learning institution to sign up as an entry-level Avid Learning Affiliate. Once enrolled, all students at the institution will be able to receive software licenses. Go visit Avid’s website for all the details.

The free initiative also includes teacher training and lesson materials for schools intending to establish a video editing curriculum. But it gets better. Following their graduation from school, career-track editors will also receive up to two years of discounted Media Composer | Ultimate subscriptions (retailing today for $499/year) – allowing them to stay current on Avid’s feature releases.

Details on how to join

Avid says that any school can now join. The Avid Learning Affiliate program is a no-cost, no-obligation way for colleges, universities, and other post-secondary institutions to gain access to a range of teaching and learning resources. It includes ‘Getting Started’ training, free tips, and techniques, content and lesson plans, plus structured courses available via Avid Learning Central, Avid’s eLearning platform.

The ‘for free’ NLE landscape

The free offer of Media Composer for students may be Avid’s first dip into freemium economics but joins several other companies working that way.

You can, of course, try out programs like Premiere Pro – Adobe’s video editing software. They have a seven-day free trial. More generously, Final Cut Pro X has a 90-day trial period. Adobe Premiere Elements, a simplified version of Premiere Pro, is, at the moment, available as a 30-day free trial.

But the king of the free NLEs up to now has been DaVinci Resolve (as long as you don’t want the ‘Studio’ paid version). Also free is Hitfilm (previously Hitfilm Express), Open Shot which is open-source software, VSDC for PCs, Shotcut, a real beginners product, Windows Video Editor, that’s built into the system – it was previously called Windows Movie Maker – and iMovie for Macs, iPads and iPhones. These are all free products but may have in-app purchases.

Featured image credit: Avid

What do you think of this unique move from Avid? If you’re a student, are you tempted to join up, and if you’re already a Media Composer user, would you encourage people to do just that? Let us know in the comments below.