Recommend me good (simple) film editing software...

[Neil]

Seems ULEAD Media Studio Pro 8 is not Vista (64) compatible. So need some new video editing software...

[Mutineer]

I prefer and use Vegas.

[MinionZombie]

But Vegas isn't really simple to be honest, or at least far more complex than what Neil is probably needing.

I'd say Pinnacle Studio, the newest version - 12 - is now out and is apparently good. There's plenty to do, so it's way more than the likes of Ulead or obviously Windows Movie Maker.

I've found Studio to be a good middle-ground editing suite and still use it today (although in conjunction with Vegas for certain things like cropping and colouring), and it's got a simple, straight forward interface so it's far from the likes of Avid which is preposterously complex (no wonder it requires training courses, or the patience of a saint).

I've briefly used Adobe Premiere, but didn't like it at all, found it complicated and fiddly and just not user-friendly, or me-friendly at least.

So aye, I think for you Neil - Pinnacle Studio 12.

Although I haven't personally used PS12, but I've heard from someone who recently upgraded to v12 that it's stable, has plenty of options (a lot more than previous versions, which weren't exactly thread-bare anyway) and would be ideal for you.

[EvilNed]

I say Adobe Premiere 3.0. It's not hard to learn, and once you do you'll never go back. Then there's always AVID, but I don't think you're ready to commit suicide quite yet...

[3pidemiC]

Windows Movie Maker?

[MinionZombie]

Windows Movie Maker?
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too simple, and not that good either I don't think. I always thought WMM was just a really very, very, very silly piece of software personally.

Personally I think Premiere is too dang fiddly. I stand by Studio, Neil. Give it a Googlin' ... in fact, give them all a Googlin', and see what you'd fancy more - if cost is an issue, I believe Studio is also reasonably priced ... otherwise, *ahem*, let me know. :sneaky::D

[EvilNed]

Pinnacle is nothing more than a watered down Premiere, if you ask me. If you can handle one, you can handle the other. Pinnacle just has less options. But hey, that's just my opinion, and truth be told I never used version 12. I think I used 9 or something below that. Maybe things have changed.

EDIT: Besides, doesn't Pinnacle studio support only a limited number of audio tracks?

[MinionZombie]

Yeah, but like Neil said - he's looking for a good & simple piece of software, and while I don't consider Studio to be "simple", rather "straight-forward", I think Neil would do fine with three audio tracks for whatever he wants to do.

So, what say you Neil?

[EvilNed]

Bah. Better take the half-hour it takes to learn Premiere and you're all set for EXCELLENT editing, rather than mediocre.

[Neil]

Yeah, but like Neil said - he's looking for a good & simple piece of software, and while I don't consider Studio to be "simple", rather "straight-forward", I think Neil would do fine with three audio tracks for whatever he wants to do.

So, what say you Neil?

As long as Premiere allows good control of a number of video/audio tracks, with effects and tricks such as cropping and the like, and is intuitive to use, that should do?

[EvilNed]

I don't know what you're going to edit. But Pinnacle is a watered down editing program for amateurs (No serious editing program would limit video or audio tracks!).

I also don't trust programs that could theoretically have some features, but they were cut out so that they could be put in the more expensive version instead. I'll admit that Pinnacle is easier to use. But anyone who's edited before (and it seems like you have) will have no problem learning Premiere. And Premiere is up there with the best of them, despite not being the market standard like AVID or Final Cut.

[Neil]

I don't know what you're going to edit. But Pinnacle is a watered down editing program for amateurs (No serious editing program would limit video or audio tracks!).

I also don't trust programs that could theoretically have some features, but they were cut out so that they could be put in the more expensive version instead. I'll admit that Pinnacle is easier to use. But anyone who's edited before (and it seems like you have) will have no problem learning Premiere. And Premiere is up there with the best of them, despite not being the market standard like AVID or Final Cut.

So are we talking Adobe Premiere Elements 7? Or Adobe Premiere Pro CS3?

[DjfunkmasterG]

VEGAS...


It has less bugs, is easy as hell to learn, and has tons of options. I learned Vegas in 15 minutes, without tutorials or books. Can Adobe and Avid make that claim? F**k No!

And VEGAS is used by CBS broadcasting for a multitude of its programs.

[EvilNed]

So are we talking Adobe Premiere Elements 7? Or Adobe Premiere Pro CS3?

Elements is a watered down version of Premiere. Never used it myself, but it's probably not much different from Pinnacle. CS 3.0, definetly.

And DJ, yes, Premiere can make that claim. I learned Premiere in about the same amount of time. AVID, however, can't.

Whats good about Premiere is if you just want to do basic stuff, it's easy to do so. But if you want to do more advanced stuff? Nothing stopping you. And it's all easy. Especially once you learn the keyboard shortcuts.

Also, most broadcasting networks use what's CHEAP, not what's good. So, there you go. :p

[MinionZombie]

Fifteen minutes? What the fudge?

Either I'm slow to pick up software, or down right stubborn (I am Scottish, so...), but fifteen minutes to pick up the whole thing? I'm calling shenanegans on Deej and Ned! :D SHENANEGANS!

*Officer Barbrady comes running*

Well in that case Neil - I'll say go Vegas, then you can also get Magic Bullet and have an absolute jizz-fest! :cool:

[Neil]

Fifteen minutes? What the fudge?

Either I'm slow to pick up software, or down right stubborn (I am Scottish, so...), but fifteen minutes to pick up the whole thing? I'm calling shenanegans on Deej and Ned! :D SHENANEGANS!

*Officer Barbrady comes running*

Well in that case Neil - I'll say go Vegas, then you can also get Magic Bullet and have an absolute jizz-fest! :cool:

I'll try Premiere as the review all say it's easy to use...

[DjfunkmasterG]

VEGAS is cheaper and just as effective and doesn't crash nearly as much as Adobe.

THe full Version of VEGAS via OEM is $299, with all HD plug-ins, Premiere charges extras for the full HD plug-in and only comes with a basic HD plug-in.

Vegas 8.0b is the current version, well at least the version I am running.

Vegas can also export right to Blu-Ray standards (Tis a Sony Product), Vegas also offer rendering of straight to AVI, MPEG, DVD, QT, and about 15 other formats.

Vegas save files can be imported into FCP, and AVID. Premieres can but are buggy.

[LouCipherr]

DJ did in fact teach me how to use Vegas in about 15-20 minutes after the installation. Vegas is a straight-forward, easy to use interface which is very intuitive - and if you've already messed with any other video editing software, this will be second nature.

After his quick lessons, I managed to whip together a 5 minute video with music in the background without any problem. Also, the few videos I put together at the beginning of Trapped (the behind-the-scenes stuff) were all done in Vegas also. It's all I'll use for video editing now.

I'll tell ya, I've used many different video editing software packages since then, and Vegas was the easiest for me to use. After my first hour or so in Vegas (and mind you, at this point I had NEVER done any video editing) , I had my first video (about 5 minutes long, with background music) completed.

Your milage may vary, but Vegas is it for me.

MZ - no shennanigans, 20 minutes was all I needed explained to me to do the BASICS of video editing. Now, if you're trying to do some wicked green-screen stuff, of course that's not gonna happen in 20 minutes, but for the basics? Yeah, vegas IS that easy. ;)

[MinionZombie]

Damn, I need Deej to fly over here and teach me how to use Vegas then. He's got the magic touch! :D

No ... not that kinda touch, you pervs. :lol:

(Okay, JUST on Channel 5 now, a trailer for a documentary called - "The Whale That Blew Up In A Street" :lol::lol::lol: Seriously.)

[PJoseph]

As much as I hate Premiere, it is very easy to use. And I felt that Vegas is just as easy. You can be cutting with both pieces of software in just a few hours.

And BTW - to everyone has not used an AVID here - it's not as complicated as everyone makes it out to be. If you have "editing" skills, than it's just a matter of learning the buttons. I'm using one right now as I read these threads - and honestly, all these pieces of software you are recommending have taken their cues from Avid. Once you learn one of them, you can move easily between them.

pJ

[MinionZombie]

I duno, when I used Avid I found it to be needlessly complicated and fiddly, didn't get on with it at all. Tried another version, still didn't get on with it whatsoever.

That's just me I guess, but neither is it my plan to be a professional editor, or in that zone anyway - as in, I'll edit my own stuff, but I won't edit other people's stuff.

[EvilNed]

AVID is a pain in the ass. It's a combination of EDIT and all evil things in this world.

[DjfunkmasterG]

AVID is just way too complicated for its own good. Editing software should be simple, and accessible. Like VEGAS :D

[EvilNed]

Or even better... Premiere! Vegas is for imperialist dogs. True men edit in Premiere.

[MinionZombie]

Or even better... Premiere! Vegas is for imperialist dogs. True men edit in Premiere.
True men say "f*ck all this", and go and look at some boobs.

[EvilNed]

True men say "f*ck all this", and go and look at some boobs.

LOOK at boobs? I never got people's fascination over LOOKING at boobs...

[DjfunkmasterG]

LOOK at boobs? I never got people's fascination over LOOKING at boobs...

Me either... I am a leg and ass man myself

[EvilNed]

yeah, but... Look? I mean, looking gets boring pretty quick.

[DjfunkmasterG]

Not too quick. A lot of fantasies can happen during the look. :p

[MinionZombie]

Don't underestimate the power of looking my friends, there's always a fresh set of boobs out there to have a gander at ... unless you're Mervin on FurTV and you've seen all the porn in the world, so you need a crazy cannibal lady to eat half your brain to cure you ... ... yeah, I've been into FurTV lately.

[Danny]

Or even better... Premiere! Vegas is for imperialist dogs. True men edit in Premiere.

da comrade, premier is true working mans editor, it drive like iron horse!


- seirosuly though, its real easy to use, the most basic way to use it is just import video and you can then unsynch the sound and video to move it about on the time line as you please and ad fades and titles. if you can grab it and after effects videocopliot.com has great tuorials for easy stuff on there, like having a camera move through a car via rolled down windows but make it look like the windows are still there and its moving right through them. its easy when you get the hang of it. though premier pro is currently losing stock with the indstry in the uk for some reason, maybe because every tom dick and harry can get a copy but it appears final cut is now the standard so hopefully premier pro will drop in price for you
im using the cs3 masterclass at univeristy and on my delicious top of the range i-mac (suck it beeyotches:p) at home and ive never touched vegas or avid again

[DjfunkmasterG]

Like I said... want a stable easy to use editor use Sony Vegas. Want an unstable crashes to the desktop every 5 seconds its put under the smallest of CPU loads, go with Premiere. Want something that works with 100% no issue go to Final Cut Pro.

[EvilNed]

Like I said... want a stable easy to use editor use Sony Vegas. Want an unstable crashes to the desktop every 5 seconds its put under the smallest of CPU loads, go with Premiere. Want something that works with 100% no issue go to Final Cut Pro.

Kinda interesting how nobody but you seems to have those experiences with Premiere, DJ...

Premiere works just fine, Neil. Also, in case of a crash (which is quite uncommon, actually) Premiere is the BOMB at salvaging lost materials. Never, ever have I ever lost anything unsaved in Premiere, because the program itself salvages it. Something that cannot be said for any other editing program I've been in.

[Mutineer]

But Vegas isn't really simple to be honest, or at least far more complex than what Neil is probably needing.

I find Vegas to be the most intuitive NLE on the market (I've only used FCP and Premiere in Demo versions)

Super easy.

In fact, Neil .... download the DEMO for free and see for you self.

I'll be more than happy to answer any questions if you get stuck.

[DrSiN]

I cast my vote for Sony Vegas as well. 8.1 is a very easy to get in to editor that can go toe to toe with Premiere and Final Cut. You can get Vegas Platinum for like $100 at Best Buy. While it's not really geared towards movie making (not enough audio tracks) it's a great starting point.

And Vegas 8.1 64bit works great on Vista, uses all my ram and is smooth as silk.

[tkane18]

I would recommend Vegas also.