Making anniversary present please help!

[ckeen]

I know this is a lot to ask as I need quite a bit of info, but I really want to make a great anniversary present for my G.F.!

I'm not a TOTAL noob in video editing but I'd say i'm pretty beginner (i understand the basics).

Anyways, I have a lot of MOV files (taken by cannon cameras - I have media info if necessary). Often I will take these videos and compress them with Windows Live Movie Maker.

It works GREAT! It compresses the files VERY small, does so VERY fast and I can BARELY notice the loss in quality. But here is my problem.

I use adobe premiere to create my 'montage' videos. I have tried a MILLION times to achieve the same affect that is produced by WLMM but I simply cannot. Often the file size is LARGER, takes HOURS to render and in the end the quality is never as good.

I just don't get it. I have tried SO many things, searched ALL over google. The settings in adobe premeire are just too complicated. I feel what I want to achieve should be very simple, but I just cannot seem to get what I want (render quick and decent quality... file size is not that important as I won't be emailing it).

Anyone who helps, bless your soul!

[aedipuss]

you're trying to use a sledgehammer to put in a thumbtack. premiere is a pro tool that is not supposed to be either easy or quick. after a couple years of using it everyday it might become comfortable to use. if you paid the $800 for it take the time to search out all the tutorials that are available online and learn the program.

[ckeen]

you're trying to use a sledgehammer to put in a thumbtack. premiere is a pro tool that is not supposed to be either easy or quick. after a couple years of using it everyday it might become comfortable to use. if you paid the $800 for it take the time to search out all the tutorials that are available online and learn the program.

I've actually spent over 8 years using the program intermittently here and there. I'd still say I can only use 20% of the program. I've taking many tutorials and I've learnt a great deal.

It works great for the effects and tools I require. My ONLY issue - and it's ALWAYS been my issue - is when it comes time to export. I've watched tutorial after tutorial. For some reason I just can't wrap my head around all the variables in the export settings. It's the only part I need help with.

WLMM simply doesn't provide me with the "power" I require to make the video.

[Selur]

Often the file size is LARGER, takes HOURS to render and in the end the quality is never as good.

I would save the content to a lossless format (i.e. avi with HuffYUV), yes this file will be huge, and then reencode the output file to whatever output is needed.
Assuming HUFFYUV is installed http://www.animemusicvideos.org/guides/avtech/premiereproexport.html should help with the how to export.

Once you got the huffyuv avi, reencoding the file to smaller size should be relatively easy,...

[hech54]

Often the file size is LARGER, takes HOURS to render and in the end the quality is never as good.

SKIP Windows Movie Maker then.
If Adobe won't accept the Canon files....try opening them with something else (I'd try AviDemux myself), then save them as Selur says...HuffyUV.
"Small Size" usually means CRAP. Everything looks OK on a tiny preview screen. You need to be saving your final product at AT LEAST MPEG2/DVD quality......and don't skimp on the audio either. DVD only accepts certain types of audio.....and MP3 is NOT one of them.

[ckeen]

Often the file size is LARGER, takes HOURS to render and in the end the quality is never as good.

SKIP Windows Movie Maker then.
If Adobe won't accept the Canon files....try opening them with something else (I'd try AviDemux myself), then save them as Selur says...HuffyUV.
"Small Size" usually means CRAP. Everything looks OK on a tiny preview screen. You need to be saving your final product at AT LEAST MPEG2/DVD quality......and don't skimp on the audio either. DVD only accepts certain types of audio.....and MP3 is NOT one of them.

Thanks for the response. It's not that Adobe won't accept the cannon files (it does, the files are MOV), it's that I just want a codec/compression utility, that compresses the file in REASONABLE time and of REASONABLE quality. I never skimp on the audio.

For instance, can someone tell me how I would compress the video in record time? The fastest compression possible? Perhaps I could start from there.

[hech54]

Often the file size is LARGER, takes HOURS to render and in the end the quality is never as good.

SKIP Windows Movie Maker then.
If Adobe won't accept the Canon files....try opening them with something else (I'd try AviDemux myself), then save them as Selur says...HuffyUV.
"Small Size" usually means CRAP. Everything looks OK on a tiny preview screen. You need to be saving your final product at AT LEAST MPEG2/DVD quality......and don't skimp on the audio either. DVD only accepts certain types of audio.....and MP3 is NOT one of them.

Thanks for the response. It's not that Adobe won't accept the cannon files (it does, the files are MOV), it's that I just want a codec/compression utility, that compresses the file in REASONABLE time and of REASONABLE quality. I never skimp on the audio.

For instance, can someone tell me how I would compress the video in record time? The fastest compression possible? Perhaps I could start from there.

Depends on what you want as a final outcome. If your plan is a DVD then MPEG2 with either LPCM or MPEG2 audio is what you need to compress it to. AC3 audio is another option but for some reason AC3 doesn't come "standard" in many editing/DVD authoring packages.
"Fast" depends on too many variables....including computer performance/power. video encoding is rough on a computer....fast is sometimes NOT an option.

[aedipuss]

if you have a gtx690 nvidia card using a cuda encoder would probably be the fastest and you could use something like mediacoder for the rendering program.

[ckeen]

Often the file size is LARGER, takes HOURS to render and in the end the quality is never as good.

SKIP Windows Movie Maker then.
If Adobe won't accept the Canon files....try opening them with something else (I'd try AviDemux myself), then save them as Selur says...HuffyUV.
"Small Size" usually means CRAP. Everything looks OK on a tiny preview screen. You need to be saving your final product at AT LEAST MPEG2/DVD quality......and don't skimp on the audio either. DVD only accepts certain types of audio.....and MP3 is NOT one of them.

Thanks for the response. It's not that Adobe won't accept the cannon files (it does, the files are MOV), it's that I just want a codec/compression utility, that compresses the file in REASONABLE time and of REASONABLE quality. I never skimp on the audio.

For instance, can someone tell me how I would compress the video in record time? The fastest compression possible? Perhaps I could start from there.

Depends on what you want as a final outcome. If your plan is a DVD then MPEG2 with either LPCM or MPEG2 audio is what you need to compress it to. AC3 audio is another option but for some reason AC3 doesn't come "standard" in many editing/DVD authoring packages.
"Fast" depends on too many variables....including computer performance/power. video encoding is rough on a computer....fast is sometimes NOT an option.

Essentially what I want is to compress the video EXACTLY how WLMM does. I am very happy with the SPEED and the resulting quality of WLMM. Where WLMM fails is the tools that you use to edit your video.

Is there no way to render video (in adobe) EXACTLY how WLMM renders video? If I could just achieve that I would be the happiest camper on the planet.

[ckeen]

if you have a gtx690 nvidia card using a cuda encoder would probably be the fastest and you could use something like mediacoder for the rendering program.

I have a ATI Radeon HD 4800 Series. Any suggestions for that?

[hech54]

Essentially what I want is to compress the video EXACTLY how WLMM does. I am very happy with the SPEED and the resulting quality of WLMM. Where WLMM fails is the tools that you use to edit your video.

Is there no way to render video (in adobe) EXACTLY how WLMM renders video? If I could just achieve that I would be the happiest camper on the planet.

I don't use any of the Windows movie stuff.....but I'm pretty certain that WLMM has several output option that you must decide upon. Same here....YOU must decide what you want as an output.
If you plan on giving this to her on a DVD that she can watch on her TV via her DVD player....I've already given my answer.

[ckeen]

Essentially what I want is to compress the video EXACTLY how WLMM does. I am very happy with the SPEED and the resulting quality of WLMM. Where WLMM fails is the tools that you use to edit your video.

Is there no way to render video (in adobe) EXACTLY how WLMM renders video? If I could just achieve that I would be the happiest camper on the planet.

I don't use any of the Windows movie stuff.....but I'm pretty certain that WLMM has several output option that you must decide upon. Same here....YOU must decide what you want as an output.
If you plan on giving this to her on a DVD that she can watch on her TV via her DVD player....I've already given my answer.

Thanks for your response, and I will definitely keep your info on the DVD. I most likely will keep searching for the answer and I'll post here if I ever find one.

[ckeen]

In case anyone is interested in the outcome of this project (recording a screen saver) I've finally finished the project after 3 months of work:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxoT5...ature=youtu.be

Fastforward to 3:25 to see the direct result of recording the screen saver.

Wouldn't have been able to do it, if not for the helpful people found here in forums like these.