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.

[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.

[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! 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!