Which Software?

[Onsrac]

I need help... My buddy suggested adobe premiere elements 4, but after some research I thought that power director 6 was a better deal. There are a ton of positive reviews.

Automated Video Editing - CyberLink PowerDirector

I am looking for something easy, yet can grow into also.
Thanks

 

[PerroneFord]

I don't think you are going to do much growing with that... Your buddy gave you some solid advice. You'd do well to listen to him or her.

 

[diversteve]

It appears that the Power Director upgrade path is just 4 versions of the same base product with more features added at the higher end. But that's after a quick review of their website, I have no personal experience with the product. It's the free product bundled with some camcorders.

A better path might be Adobe Premiere Elements to Adobe Premiere Pro CS3. There's different versions of Premiere Pro ending with the Master Collection depending on your future needs.

Or start with Sony Movie Studio/Movie Studio Platinum and upgrade to Sony Vegas 8.

I'm not sure what the integration is between Pinnacle Studio 11 and Avid Liquid 7. I'm not a fan of Pinnacle products - it took 4 .1 upgrades for my version of Studio 9 to become stable.

 

[Empty V]

If you're stuck on a PC I'd have to say Sony Vegas. If you are fortunate enough to get on a mac Final Cut Pro all the way.

Billy

 

[PerroneFord]

Vegas is great, but it's not easy by any stretch of the imagination. Maybe the Sony Movie Studio is easier. Not to say I don't like Vegas, I use it, but if I was just learning.... whooo..

 

[DaFireMedic]

Don't bother with Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro, Sony Vegas, nor any any other pro level software package. You do not need it. Many people buy these programs and end up using only the features and tools that can can be found entirely within Premiere Elements. In the dollar range that you appear to be looking, Premiere Elements is your best bet in terms of cost and features. It's also very easy to use.

Avoid anything with "automated editing" as a prime selling point. Those products are very limited in features and give you very little control over what your video looks (and sounds) like in the end.

 

[Empty V]

Don't bother with Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro, Sony Vegas, nor any any other pro level software package.

The first program I ever used for editing was Final Cut Pro 2. It's not about what you don't use, it's about the ease of use and how well the user interface is designed. Most people when they first get into editing don't want to limit themselves by their choice of software. If you get into Final Cut Pro or Sony Vegas or Avid Xpress Pro you have lots of room to expand and learn. Don't be intimated because it has pro in the title, you don't have to be a pro to figure it out. Tools can sometimes spark someone's creativity, and I've never seen anyone build a house with just a screwdriver.

Billy

 

[Teamcasa]

I’m not a pro but I love to shoot video. I use Pinnacle Studio 11 and it works fine on my PC. It runs a little slow on my laptop but it gets the job done. It runs fast on my desk top machine.

One last word. I use external hard drives to store the raw video footage and only move them to edit. Man, do those vid files eat space!

 

[DaFireMedic]

The first program I ever used for editing was Final Cut Pro 2. It's not about what you don't use, it's about the ease of use and how well the user interface is designed. Most people when they first get into editing don't want to limit themselves by their choice of software. If you get into Final Cut Pro or Sony Vegas or Avid Xpress Pro you have lots of room to expand and learn. Don't be intimated because it has pro in the title, you don't have to be a pro to figure it out. Tools can sometimes spark someone's creativity, and I've never seen anyone build a house with just a screwdriver.

Billy

I agree with you Billy, all of the above points ring true. What I am referring to is the $700-$1600 (and up) price tags on these software packages. Thats a lot of money for the average Joe. Unless someone is using it to make a living or is very serious about their hobby and has spent enough time doing it that they know they will stick with it, I can't recommend spending that kind of money. Once someone has found that they really enjoy it and want to spend a good chunk of their hard earned savings to pursue it further, then certainly invest in the program that will take you to the next level. I'm all for buying the right tools for the job.

I think that part of my opinion comes from hanging out on filmmaking forums and hearing people tell young teens just starting out that they really need to get a $4500 prosumer camcorder with a $600 external shotgun mic plus thousands more in other accessories in order to get started in Indie filmmaking. These kids are years away being able to afford anything like that. I say use what you can afford. Write a script, grab your dad's camcorder, use your friends as actors and make something. It might just turn out pretty good, but even if it doesn't it's something to build on and learn from until you can afford the higher end stuff. You are limited only by your imagination.

 

[Empty V]

One last word. I use external hard drives to store the raw video footage and only move them to edit. Man, do those vid files eat space!

Dave you're right on with this my friend and bring up a great point, IMO(gotta put that everywhere now to be PC). Internally in my MacPro I have 2 Terabytes of storage and 4TB of storage externally. If you're going to go external with your files you can work directly with them as long as you've got a fast interface between your comp and the storage device. I highly recommend SATA or firewire 800. That's how I've got my gear setup and I'm working with very large files.

Billy