Good video editing software

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tidefan94

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I need a recommendation for video-editing software. Cost isn't really that much of an issue (nothing extravagant though), but the features are. It needs to be fairly simple to use, but at the same time having a lot of power. And it would be preferred if it works on Windows
 

dacca

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hey dude, finally a forum post i can help out on, it really depends on what you want the software for, is it proffesional editing? a hobby? game editing? i would recommend after many many years of college (most retaken due to me being slack) that adobe premiere pro is the way to go, a very simple user interface, great for beginners and pros, a bit costly mind you! there are free editing software applications, if you are just looking to do it as a hobby then i would recommend windows movie maker, very simple and you can get great results, someone actually won a 200000 pound prize at a film festival using it! but other than that there is sony vegas pro! this is cheap software and you get some great results, think this retails at around 30 pounds, as opposed to premiere pro which is upwards of 200-300 pounds, but this software is a dream to use, that is my strong recommendation if you are willing to spend
 

4Ryan6

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emma lee, The website you listed has a free MP3 converter, I looked over what it describes it can do, and I was wondering if you use that program yourself, does it have the capability to re-process existing MP3s with various bitrates, to a selected common bitrate?


 

gidgiddonihah

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Adobe is the way to go!! There really isnt anything out there for free... :) Ive tried :).
 

angelican

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I have used a few video editing programs and the easiest one has been
Photo MovieTheater. Very easy to use with professional features and
same sort of layout as Movie Maker however a lot more powerful.
http://www.etinysoft.com/slideshow-photo-movietheater.html

If you are looking for special effects such as light sabers, lasers,
running on roof tops then you will need Adobe After Effects very good
program that can produce some genuine looking film effects however does take some learning.
http://www.adobe.com/products/aftereffects/
Hope it helps
 

hundredislandsboy

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I use Pinnacle Studio 14 ($50) and have it used versions of it for the last 4 years and now just starting to edit in HD with files from Flip Ultra HD and Samsung UM10.

Most reviewers like Studio because it's more intuitive and easier to use than most and it's features are more tna enough for beginners.
 

buzzyone

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Great time to ask this question. Last week, Adobe released a fully retooled software line. For video editing, there are three options whose cost start at 0 and go to up to major coin.
1) Premiere Express -Combo of online app and software-free in basic form that uses some of the tools from their pro package but for a consumer audience,

2) Premiere Elements- Cost about $100. This is a more advanced set of vid editing tools that are easy to use and will help you out-based on your comments-and will be able to handle all of your stuff.

3)Premiere Pro- Pricey professional editing software. This is the real deal and includes animation tools that will blow your doors off. The good news is a few of the tools are broken down in Express and Elements so that you actually can use some serious toys.

You can download full trials of Elements and Pro. Give em a try. From the sound of it, my guess is the Express app will do the job-even help you create cool tricked out special FX. :bounce:
 

buzzyone

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Sorry DACCA, but I disagree with your comment on "easy to use interface" of P Pro. I was involved in the technical beta test (pre-release-according to Adobe) of Creative Suite 5. Pro is several software packages under one roof and there are few amatures that would be capible of using it fully. The cost of the newly release Pro is $800 or 527 pounds. The other end of the matter is equipment. Unless you work with professional video/film cameras, I strong recommend against making the an investment of that size. Beyond the vid editing sware, it comes with sound and editing capibilities Great if you are making a feature film but not so great if you want to trick-outed vids.

Check the below post on the three new video editing packages Adobe released, last week. Even the most basic version, Express has some of the Pro level tools but in an easy to use format.

Three options. Premiere Pro is kiiler software but has a big pricetag. I would warn anyone who is not a film professional that it isnt ment for fun, or even use by those who consider themselves vid-savvy. Elements is as far as you need to go-both in cost and complexity. The focus of Pro is film industy pros. Elements and Express will both do a far better job than Movie Maker. While even I bown down to the MS gods when OS and Office is the question, Movie Maker is like "My First Chemistry Set." Not much there.
 

buzzyone

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Lightworks is OK sware, but has limitations. If you are shooting anything serious, I recommend you take a look at "Adobe Story." An end-to-end film making program that is an online capibility. Though CSLive. You can drop any of the output from Premiere Pro into it.
Compare Lightworks to Adobe's new goods. No I dont work for them. Not a chance. I will tell you they have sent out early copies of Photoshop with incorrect product key. Interest news floting in the beta-test forum.
Other than glitches, this will grab up a great deal of the film-making and video market.
 

buzzyone

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I cede the point on open-source. Has merit in theory. However, I did "Linux" for some time to evaluated the pros/cons, but went back to MS and Adobe. I lost time and a % of functionality. The devil you know with tech support by phone works for me. That said, I use many Open Source utilities on a near daily basis. My answer is trite but true-you get what you pay for with IT hard or software. I would rather fork over the change to know with a high degree of certainty that all 3 PCs and data stored in my network is protected. I have professional services contracts with both MS and Adobe. In a single 4 hour phone call a few months ago, the contract paid for itself as a biz techie helped me to save a hard drive which I thought was trashed. Our back-up drive had a software problem-the last bkup failed. In addition to support, I get MS software without time limitations. Adobe is a bit different with the same end result. At the end of the day, it all depends on your needs :sol:
 

Bruceification73

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Well, I appreciate your view, buzzyone, but my experience with Linux has been much different, as has my experience with MS. I like scripting, listening to music, and browsing the internet. Two of these Linux does better, in my experience, and the other it does just fine.
 
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