just a basic all around video editing program

[malakov08]

I have quicktime pro which lets me loop and combine by copy paste, but I want more. I dont really want to mess with iMovie, but if it can reverse clips, mirror them, I guess I'll go back to it. Is there anything out there that can do simple stuff like this? Maybe I'm just not using quicktime pro right, but I cant seem to do anything other than join clips together.

[guns1inger]

Quicktime Pro is not an editor, hence it's lack of editing capabilities.

iMovie is about as basic as it gets if you want simple.

You might look at AVI Demux, which has an OS X version. You can do basic assemble editing (join clips, remove sections) as well as apply a variety of filters. One of these is a reverse filter.

[terryj]

Reversing and Mirroring clips are functions common to an NLE Program.
An NLE program is just that, a non-linear editing program.
Quicktime Pro is just a gui for the Quicktime extension,
that enables you to see what can be done with Core Audio and Core Video
Codecs in OS X. It isn't meant to be an NLE, just a front end
to showcase ( lightweight) possibilities of the QT extensions.

iMovie, is on the free end of the scale of NLE's for the mac.
On the pay end, FCE and FCP can readily do what you ask.

[malakov08]

I see. Well avidemux is so buggy its pretty much useless. I'm looking at doing overlays things more complicated as well. finalcutpro is way too much and expensive for what I'm trying to do. thanks for the help so far.

[KeepItSimple]

How about Final Cut Express?

[terryj]

I agree, Final Cut Express can be had with student discount for
about $70-95.
And it is RIDICULOUSLY simple to get an education discount.

[Cyrax9]

Final Cut Express is probably what you're looking for malakov08. Final Cut Studio (which is the only way to purchase Final Cut Pro) is a professional-level (hence the price) NLE that's used by indy filmmakers and major motion picture studios alike, and competes primarily with Avid and Adobe Premiere Pro, (not quite as professional as FCS and Avid IMO,) and is certainly far more than what it sounds like you need.

On the flip side, iMovie is the most basic editing software you can find--it's great for throwing together a DVD of kids' birthday parties or a family member's wedding, but it's definitely not a "professional" application, even though I know some "professionals" who use the "music video" effect in it because it supposedly takes less time than creating a title transition using "traditional" methods.

Final Cut Express is the middle-ground between the amateur iMovie and the professional Final Cut Studio suite of programs. Final Cut Express isn't really a "professional" program, but it certainly falls under the semi-professional category (multiple audio/video tracks, preview/program monitors, etc.) with the most basic features one would expect in a "professional" NLE. What's more, despite the fact that Final Cut Express is indeed a consumer-oriented program, it's definitely possible to cut a broadcast-quality SDTV program using FCE, and it's certainly leaps and bounds above iMovie.

Personally, I'm running FCE 3.5 on a Mac Mini from 2006 (which is part of the reason I'm not running FCS yet--when I run FCS, it'll be on my Mac Pro,) and I can honestly say that for what you seem to want to do, FCE will suffice. I believe the current version of FCE is FCE 4 or 4.5, and I'm pretty sure Apple charges $300-350 for it, but there are plenty of ways to get discounts on the program, and as terryj noted, if you're a student, you can get quite a discount on an educational copy. (Just know that Apple supposedly cripples the ability to upgrade educational copies because of the severe discounts that they offer.)

My only gripe with Final Cut Express is that it doesn't have any DVCProHD presets built into it for capturing video, (Final Cut Pro supposedly has no HDV presets built in--go figure,) at least not in version 3.5. (I'm not sure about version 4.) If you're using a Panasonic AG-HVX200A or similar camera, you may want to use a different piece of software for capturing your video--you can do the editing in Final Cut Express, at least this my understanding of the situation. Anything in SD will work just fine though, so if you're using standard MiniDV tapes and DV SP recordings you'll have no problems. Again, this is such a minor issue that I only mention it because I know some people might not want to install another piece of software for capturing video to edit in FCE, but there's freeware that'll do the DVCProHD capturing if you need it. Again, just thought I'd mention this.