Good Video Authoring Software, For the beginner Options

[Coomer]

I have a fair knowledge of computers and graphics and photography, but no experience with editing/producing my own videos.

I plan to make a cool video of my car once the weather gets nice if it's not sold by then, so I probably have a couple months before all of the gravel and salt that they put all over the roads is cleared off to plan and learn some software.

I know that here at work we have tons and tons of expensive and not-so-expensive video authoring programs, so chances are I can find whatever I need here. If not, I can probably get it cheap from school.

So my question is, what video authoring software should I be considering using, and why? I have no experience whatsoever with video editing, so I don't need anything too advanced, but I'd like to be able to have fade effects and stuff like that.

[prpnum1]

since im assuming you have Windoze, i would say your best bet without having to spend thousands on an avid system since your just looking to do little home videos would be adobe premier. It would be equal imo to like Imovie for apple. I use final cut pro for my stuff but its not just for home stuff but yeah for a car video for personal use i would say get adobe premier.

[creis]

Adobe Premere is pretty good, and easy but not for big videos, I tried to split a full lenth dvd movie into vcd size parts with it and had no luck.

Ulead Video Studio was my first video editing program, its easy and simple but does not let you do to much to the video, well the old one I have does not maybe the new vertion is better.

Macromedia Flash MX Its not a video editor by nature but works very well, you can add anything you want, text whatever flash fetures you want to put in it, even with Swift 3d you can do 3d animation for it, then just publish it as a mpg or avi etc.

This post has been edited by creis: Jan 11, 2005 - 7:58 PM

[Coomer]

since im assuming you have Windoze, i would say your best bet without having to spend thousands on an avid system since your just looking to do little home videos would be adobe premier. It would be equal imo to like Imovie for apple. I use final cut pro for my stuff but its not just for home stuff but yeah for a car video for personal use i would say get adobe premier.
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Is Avid good? We have that here at work and I think that's what the video guy currently uses most often.

[prpnum1]

For Windoze there are really only 2 options. You can spend big big bucks for Avid which is pretty much the industry standard. or you can use adobe premier, which is very basic and i dont really like it but for home videos and what not it will do. there is also a Pro edition of premier but i wouldnt waste the money on it. it would be like buying GOOD CRAP.

[creis]

just "Get it" and if you like it enough to buy it then go for it, but dont spend eny money till your confortable with that program.

[prpnum1]

yeah avid is the best of the best although apple is trying very very hard to have the industry "replaced" with final cut pro, which is what i have cuz i'm a MAC man. but yeah if you can get your hands on an Avid system then DO IT. although i think for the avid systems there is a key that you must have to run it. but hey if you can learn avid well..you can also just go to hollywood and make lots of money. :-D

[prpnum1]

Here is the consumer edition of Avid's software
Avid Xpress DV