Which video editing apps contain these various features...

[takearushfan]

Hi all,
I apologize for posting this in the "newbie" section, but it applies to editing, restoration and more - therefore I couldn't pick just one. Hence, my posting here.
For a considerable amount of time, I've been into audio work of all sorts. Any video work was merely cutting, copying, pasting, etc... things that can easily be done in VirtualDub. However, now I require more advanced video manipulation software; things that VDub just can't do.
Since I'm a total newbie to the video editing "thing", I need some advice. Which applications can allow you to edit frame by frame and apply various "effects" to a specific area of a frame, rather than a generic filter that affects the whole frame? I'm looking for features such as cloning tools, saturation adjustments, and much more. In other words, something rather robust.
I've heard of products from Adobe, Avid and others, but don't know which would be most suited for me. Another factor is that I might not have enough RAM. I only have 1 Gig
Thanks,
Justin

[poisondeathray]

Video is really a collection of still frames. You can decompress video to stills. If you want precision work with masks (for areas of a single frame), clone tools etc , you can use photoshop or any image editor , and re-assemble the stills as a video

After Effects has many similar tools to photoshop, so you can work right on the video in such a manner

Traditional NLE's like vegas, premiere, don't have as much precision control over delicate work or control over masking , but many things can still be done on individual frames

1GB isn't enough for either , you will be constantly swapping memory with the page file, and it will be painfully slow

[edDV]

I think we need to know more about what you need to do.

Products like Premiere and Vegas are the base for editing minutes to hours. They also do limited compositing and effects.

After Effects works on the minute level with option for more moving layers (composites). Think of it as zoomed with more control.

Photoshop is a frame tool with graphics layering.

"Editing" covers a lot of territory including clip separation, overlay of titles, graphic elements or compositing many layers. Also filtering, "color correction", faking 3D with 2D, etc.

In the past we all lusted for a 3.2GHz P4 with 1GB RAM and got the job done. You can still do that.

[takearushfan]

Interesting,
You made me think up a question:
If videos are a collection of stills, then what format are the stills in? I'd imagine they're the highest quality possible...? And the resolution? ... 720x480 (NTSC)? How does that work?
I guess I'll have to try After Effects, since I don't have the RAM for Vegas or Premiere. Hopefully it'll suffice.
Thanks,
Justin

[poisondeathray]

The highest quality possible is lossless. So you could use .bmp , .tiff, or .png (for compression) for example. I wouldn't use jpg (lossy)

AE can consume more memory than Premiere or Vegas, and usually does. You can work on small sections at a time , which could reduce consumption. While 1 GB might have been adequate in the past, new software eats more and more. For example Vegas 9 eats about 2x as much as Vegas 8 , just loaded and idle (not doing anything). Premiere CS4 takes about 3x as much as Premiere Pro 2

Anamorphic images 720x480 (either 4:3 or 16:9) have a PAR correction switch in photoshop and AE so you can composite (or do whatever) accounting for the aspect ratio. Video can also be interpreted with AR switches

edDV is right, you should clarify exactly what you want to do. When you said "clone" tools, I immediate conjured up images in my head of airbrushing and delicate detail work, and you can pretty much write off vegas and premiere for that.

[edDV]

Interesting,
You made me think up a question:
If videos are a collection of stills, then what format are the stills in? I'd imagine they're the highest quality possible...? And the resolution? ... 720x480 (NTSC)? How does that work?

The stills are from video acquisition. You import or capture input video from whatever source you have. You also create or import title/graphic elements.

Premiere and Vegas default to 720x480i DV format. Dozens of other formats are possible. High quality is better than low quality but to learn, it makes little difference.

You need to work with what you have and gain skills.

I guess I'll have to try After Effects, since I don't have the RAM for Vegas or Premiere. Hopefully it'll suffice.
Thanks,
Justin

Nope. You are not ready for After Effects or any of the other programs mentioned. 1GB P4 is fine for a learner. You need skills not hardware.

Explain again what you want to do. We will offer software suggestions.

"Focus Grasshopper"

[takearushfan]

Okay. I downloaded a film trailer off of YouTube. The quality is beyond awful, but it's a classic I'd like to restore as much as possible. It goes between too blurry and too pixelated, the colors are unnatural at times and it's too dark at times. So, I'd need something to deal with the frames that are too blurred, the frames that are too pixelated, the frames that are unnatural colored and those that are too dark.

[edDV]

Mostly hopeless from the sound of it.

If you want to work on a short clip frame by frame, the process is called "rotoscope". You can do it with Photoshop but this is a specialty craft that is difficult to get right. Frame to frame inconsistencies will appear as flicker when played at video rates.

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&source=hp&q=photoshop+rotoscope+tutorial&aq=0&aqi=g4&oq=P...48890d3c90c6fc

[jagabo]

Okay. I downloaded a film trailer off of YouTube. The quality is beyond awful, but it's a classic I'd like to restore as much as possible. It goes between too blurry and too pixelated, the colors are unnatural at times and it's too dark at times. So, I'd need something to deal with the frames that are too blurred, the frames that are too pixelated, the frames that are unnatural colored and those that are too dark.

Are you aware that VirtualDub can apply each filter to only certain portions (range of frames) of the video?

[poisondeathray]

Mostly hopeless from the sound of it.

I agree. Look for a better source. Someone uploaded a better version to youtube, and youtube re-encoded that at a low bitrate.

[takearushfan]

Okay. I downloaded a film trailer off of YouTube. The quality is beyond awful, but it's a classic I'd like to restore as much as possible. It goes between too blurry and too pixelated, the colors are unnatural at times and it's too dark at times. So, I'd need something to deal with the frames that are too blurred, the frames that are too pixelated, the frames that are unnatural colored and those that are too dark.

Are you aware that VirtualDub can apply each filter to only certain portions (range of frames) of the video?

No, I didn't know
That could help, somewhat.

[takearushfan]

Mostly hopeless from the sound of it.

If you want to work on a short clip frame by frame, the process is called "rotoscope". You can do it with Photoshop but this is a specialty craft that is difficult to get right. Frame to frame inconsistencies will appear as flicker when played at video rates.

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&source=hp&q=photoshop+rotoscope+tutorial&aq=0&aqi=g4&oq=P...48890d3c90c6fc

I'll check into it. Thanks

[takearushfan]

Mostly hopeless from the sound of it.

I agree. Look for a better source. Someone uploaded a better version to youtube, and youtube re-encoded that at a low bitrate.

So, you mean I should try to ask whoever posted it to a direct copy of the unaltered version? Perhaps to be emailed or obtained some other way?

[takearushfan]

BTW, my goal is to - I guess you could say "remaster" this trailer. It dawned on me that I own the film the trailer is to... therefore that can help tremendously in replacing various video/audio sections that need to be restored. Duh *insert embarrassed emoticon*