Movie Making

[Styre]

Hi,

I'm a total newbie at this, but I was wondering if any one can recommend a decent Movie making program which allows me to edit and join AVI's, as well as create titles over an image and re-encode the new AVI into other formats?

I have been using Video Edit Magic 4.2 and have discovered this program is a bit useless...

Any help greatfully accepted.

Steve

[Baldrick]

Tried Windows Movie Maker?

[Forum Troll]

you could try Virtualdub, or one of its varieties ... it can do all that you wanted..

[daamon]

Hi Styre,

Welcome to the forums.

For the editing and joining of AVI's, along with creating titles, you need "video editing" software.

To convert to other formats, you need an "encoder".

Software exists that combine the two, but isn't usually all that good. Most people go for seperate tools to do the seperate jobs - but that doesn't mean you have to go for fancy stuff.

Something like Avid Free DV or Adobe's Premiere Elements for the editing and quenc (free), TMPGEnc Plus or Cinema Craft Encoder (both affordable) for the encoding.

If you're planning on putting it to DVD then you'll need "authoring" software. TMPGEnc DVD Author is a good place to start - again affordable.

[Styre]

Thanks for your help guys...

Steve

[daamon]

As well as all the software options mentioned above, there's a few other things you'll need:

* Patience, and lots of it. Closely followed by tenacity.

* Plenty of reading - most of your questions can be answered by searching the various forums, guides, "How-To's" etc. If you get stuck, then resort to asking in the forums.

* If you're looking at burning to disc, by a re-writeable - it'll potentially save you a fortune in coasters and wasted discs coz it didn't turn out as you wanted.

Good luck...

[didikai]

I know it gets a lot of bad press, but I have been using Pinnacle Studio 9. I find it extremely easy to understand and use, and it is an all in one program. I haven't yet needed to step up to a more sophisticated program

[videodirector]

i am using sony vegas 5. a little advanced, but easy to figure. try the thirty day trial.