[yellowlab]

I know this is a photo forum, but if anyone has any recommendations for easy to use software for a beginner, I'd appreciate it. Thinking of putting together a short film based on my travels, as I've got a bunch of raw footage that needs to be edited.

Paul

 

[Poopy McButtfart]

I know this is a photo forum, but if anyone has any recommendations for easy to use software for a beginner, I'd appreciate it. Thinking of putting together a short film based on my travels, as I've got a bunch of raw footage that needs to be edited.

Paul

Microsoft's Windows Live Movie Maker is pretty basic and easy. It just came with Windows 7, I'm sure if you're on XP or Vista you could acquire it straight from Microsoft for cheap, but I haven't really looked into it.

 

[tkww]

Microsoft's Windows Live Movie Maker is pretty basic and easy. It just came with Windows 7, I'm sure if you're on XP or Vista you could acquire it straight from Microsoft for cheap, but I haven't really looked into it.

You can get a version of windows movie maker as an update for XP (and I assume vista), assuming you don't mind installing a few other microsoft products along with it. Which is to say, WGA and Malicious Software Removal or whatever it's called.

I have been looking for some a program as well, and installed the Microsoft option 'cause it was free and people had some decent things to say about it, considering it's price. Unfortunately it won't handle .mov movies--quicktime movies, which is apple's format--and that's the format some compact cameras use. Lord knows you wouldn't want to make it convenient for the consumer or do something that encourages them to use your software.... :beathead::beathead:

 

[Roy Griffith]

Corel Videostudio X3 would be my suggestion.

 

[J3000]

While it will not be helpful if you don't have a mac, iMovie is he best "basic" editing program that I've seen on any platform.

 

[tkww]

I use a mac at work, but editing fishing videos at work seems...how shall I put it...if I was unemployed I guess I'd have more time to try out all the software at home. :hmmm: But I've heard good things about iMovie too, so I may just have to find a way.

Thanks for the Corel suggestion too. I'll look into it.

 

[clausbelly]

Windows Live Movie Maker, hands down.I used to use Showbiz. That was a great product, plus it was really easy to use. Converted to almost any format if I remember. Don't do too much editing now, so I haven't used it in a while.

 

[Kent Lufkin]

Paul, you didn't mention what platform you use. If it's some flavor of Windows I'd steer clear of Microsoft's products and look carefully at Adobe's Premiere Elements 8 (http://www.adobe.com/digitalimag/consumer/). It's inexpensive, intuitive and effective.

If you're using a Mac (as virtually all video production shops do today), the suite of choice is Apple's Final Cut studio (http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB642Z/A?fnode=NDQ4OTY4OA&mco=MTM3NDgwOTI). At just a buck south of a grand in price, it isn't cheap. But in real life, that's what 90 to 95% of pros use and there's plenty of good reasons why.

K

 

[slim]

Hey Paul, I see that your post was in February. If you found software already great, if not Kent makes a good point regarding platforms. Final Cut Pro (Apple) is definately the way to go, but the best cheap video editing software is Adobe Premiere and Sony Vegas.

 

[Chris Scoones]

I know this is a photo forum, but...

Paul, really I just didn't add video to the sub-forums title. Even I'm interested in such topics, given my 7D does video. Went ahead and added video to the forum title.

Chris

 

[scottybs]

Windows Live Movie is very intuitive, been about 4 years since Ive used it but it was very way to use.

 

[d. rose]

I have a MacBook Pro and have been really happy using Final Cut Express 4. I'm using an AVCHD solid state camera that records to an SD card. If you can use iMovie you can use this.

 

[kale]

I would recommend Adobe Premier for PC and definitely iMovie for Mac. I do all of my editing in Final Cut Pro, and all of my compositing, titles and graphics in After Effects and Cinema4D.

 

[XstreamAngler]

AVID

SAK