Video Editing Software

[killblazer]

Hey, I enjoy making AMVs but I am just soooo held down by the video editing software I currently have. I was wondering what you guys/gals use for making your AMVs or what software you might recommend.

[DarkStar]

Well, it depends!

Here are a few questions that might help to make suggestions:

What operating system are you using?
What hardware do you currently have (processor, RAM, anything else that might seem important)?
Do you have a budget for the software?
What features are you looking for in the software (transitions, keying, straight cuts)?

[murder_of_raven]

All of DarkStar's questions are useful but as far as the "what do you use?" question: I use Adobe Premiere and Abode After Effects (and in my opinion After Effects probably isn't important enough to warrant a purchase, unless maybe if you get them in a set). Like all Adobe software, they've got a kind of harsh learning curve and are prone to crashing from time to time, but in the end they can be used to do some pretty incredible stuff.

[killblazer]

Well, it depends!

Here are a few questions that might help to make suggestions:

What operating system are you using?
What hardware do you currently have (processor, RAM, anything else that might seem important)?
Do you have a budget for the software?
What features are you looking for in the software (transitions, keying, straight cuts)?

Windows XP
Intel 2 Quad Core QX9650 3.0 Ghz
OCZ SLI-Ready Dual Channel 4096MB PC6400 DDR2 800MHz Memory (2x2048MB)
2x XFX 9800 GT Graphics Cards running SLI

I would say I have a budget around $900. I really have no interest in going over $1000 on video editing software.
Well right now with my current software I can't do anything cool with my clips. All that I can do pretty much is cut, add some transitions and do a direct video overlay which looks horrible. If I do a video overlay it places the video over it in a square and I cannot trim the edges of it or add any special effects.

I want software that has a lot of special effect options and will do some nice faded video overlays.

[darkhero]

at home i use Sony Vegas pro 9 for all my video editing and then when im staying at my uncles place i get to use adobe premier pro, after effects and soundbooth CS4 to edit film footage i shoot myself though i haven used them to make amv's yet.
i find it more easier to use sony vegas than adobe premier. and also vegas is more cheaper than premier
i used to use pinnacle studio before i got vegas and that was even more easier to use.

[killblazer]

at home i use Sony Vegas pro 9 for all my video editing and then when im staying at my uncles place i get to use adobe premier pro, after effects and soundbooth CS4 to edit film footage i shoot myself though i haven used them to make amv's yet.
i find it more easier to use sony vegas than adobe premier. and also vegas is more cheaper than premier
i used to use pinnacle studio before i got vegas and that was even more easier to use.

Yeah, I kinda want to take my time looking at software because I don't want to buy something right away without knowing much about it. Hopefully some of these products have a trial period though I doubt it.

[Blue Leader]

I use MAGIX Movie Edit Pro a lot. The last one I got was 15 Plus, but there's a newer version out now I believe.
It's not the best program out there, but it's worked pretty well for me over the years since I started using the programs. And if Wilsonville isn't too far for you, if you keep your eye on the Fry's Electronics ad you can usually find the programs pretty dang cheap. My first MEP cost me nothing as it was $40 with a $20 in-store rebate and a $20 mail-in rebate. MEP 15 Pro Plus was on sale for half off it's original price, so I got it for around $25 or 30.

And yeah, I think MEP has a trial. I'm not sure what the trial entails, probably just a time-limited version with less features or something.

Though I do wish I could find a decent, easy to understand, cheaper special effects program so I could make lasers, explosions and such. I'd love to find one... ><

[killblazer]

I use MAGIX Movie Edit Pro a lot. The last one I got was 15 Plus, but there's a newer version out now I believe.
It's not the best program out there, but it's worked pretty well for me over the years since I started using the programs. And if Wilsonville isn't too far for you, if you keep your eye on the Fry's Electronics ad you can usually find the programs pretty dang cheap. My first MEP cost me nothing as it was $40 with a $20 in-store rebate and a $20 mail-in rebate. MEP 15 Pro Plus was on sale for half off it's original price, so I got it for around $25 or 30.

And yeah, I think MEP has a trial. I'm not sure what the trial entails, probably just a time-limited version with less features or something.

Though I do wish I could find a decent, easy to understand, cheaper special effects program so I could make lasers, explosions and such. I'd love to find one... ><

Thanks for the info, Ill keep a look at it to see if I can find something cheap

[DarkStar]

I would say I have a budget around $900. I really have no interest in going over $1000 on video editing software.
Well right now with my current software I can't do anything cool with my clips. All that I can do pretty much is cut, add some transitions and do a direct video overlay which looks horrible. If I do a video overlay it places the video over it in a square and I cannot trim the edges of it or add any special effects.

I want software that has a lot of special effect options and will do some nice faded video overlays.

For something short like an AMV, I would suggest starting out with Adobe After Effects ($349.00 with education discount) and then expand by eventually adding Adobe Premiere (another $349.00 with education discount). Add in a few of the Visual Quickstart Guides from Peachpit Press and you'll be all set.

[Washougal_Otaku]

I hope nobody minds, but I thought I'd revive this thread, since there's these questions here.

What operating system are you using?
What hardware do you currently have (processor, RAM, anything else that might seem important)?
Do you have a budget for the software?
What features are you looking for in the software (transitions, keying, straight cuts)?

- Windows 7.  (It was NOT my idea)
- AMD Athlon 64 Processor/ATI Radeon HD3200 Graphics, up to 1408MB HyperMemory/3 GB Memory.
- Well, if it'll be good enough to help me out, I'd be willing to save up for the software, so, not really.
- What?

[murder_of_raven]

For something short like an AMV, I would suggest starting out with Adobe After Effects ($349.00 with education discount) and then expand by eventually adding Adobe Premiere (another $349.00 with education discount). Add in a few of the Visual Quickstart Guides from Peachpit Press and you'll be all set.

In my experience it's *very* difficult to edit only using After Effects because the program offers almost no support for syncing to audio. If you were going to go for only one or the other I'd recommend just getting Premiere.

As for trials/demos I'm fairly certain Adobe offers trials of all of their major programs, including Premiere and After Effects.

[Sui Fong]

Haha, wow, in reading this forum i feel like a total cheapskate. I only spent like 60 bucks on my video editing software. I use Sony Vegas Movie Studio. It does the basics, and has all the transitions and such. It's not as nice as the Vegas Pro, but it gets the job done and puts out amvs that people like, so it was worth its price

[Samcyxk]

Well, I use Sony Vegas 6, but it's rather old-fashioned compared to the software most of the other editors have... XD But it's a very good program, with a lot of stuff you can do (and it's perfect for those not really encyclopedias on how to make AMVs, like yours truly) and its products are always of incredible quality.
Plus, it's a cheap buy X3

[Washougal_Otaku]

Sounds like Vegas or Premiere are top choices, then?

[Dragard]

I'd say Kdenlive, but you more than likely wont use it, since it's only available for Mac, Linux, and some other thing. It's really nice, and completely free...

[Maiku]

I recently upgraded my adobe to CS5 and got premiere pro.  It has a fairly steep learning curve compared to some other software, but what you can do with it is really something else.  If you have the money to spend, and use a mac, I'd suggest final cut pro - it's what a lot of studios out there use for editing.

[Sui Fong]

I recently upgraded my adobe to CS5 and got premiere pro.  It has a fairly steep learning curve compared to some other software, but what you can do with it is really something else.  If you have the money to spend, and use a mac, I'd suggest final cut pro - it's what a lot of studios out there use for editing.

omg, my best friend has final cut pro and its amazing. i wish i had that kinda money