Editing video files?

[Hitcher]

Having now started to shoot video files with a helmet camera, I've got the beginnings of a library of raw footage, which should increase exponentially in the coming months.

Now I am bemused as to what to do with this material, in terms of editing, compiling short promo clips and the like.

What's a good, straightforward video editing product that doesn't require boatloads of memory and dollars to acquire, and which can be easily operated by an Old Fart(TM) with an aversion for reading instruction manuals?

[Gubb]

Mac has some really good editing software.

You on a PC?

[Hitcher]

I am on a PC, running XP Professional.

[Gubb]

Windows used to come with Movie Maker.

It was pretty good for basic stuff, but not too much else. Tried that?

[Cajun]

yeah i about to say for basic learning what to do just try windows movie maker,

it should be in your start menu somewhere or look at C:\Program Files\Movie Maker

give you a place to start.

There are tons of different editers out there, but movie maker is a good basic one to start

[Big Dave]

An iMac.
Can't answer for PC.


You'll find uncompressed small screen movies run to about a GB per minute and the working files with the edits are huge.

Unless you have a gazillion GB free keeping the tapes or burning projects to DVD is the best management.

[Hitcher]

Tried that?

Nope. Don't think I've got that.

[Blackbird]

Windows Movie Maker is what I did this with, including sound track: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASxx-GhweyQ. I've since bought ULead Video Studio 11 and when you've got used to the free Windows Movie Maker, it's easy to use the basics. It does have heaps of classy features which take longer to learn. If you want to ummm... evaluate Video Studio at some time, drop me a PM.

[Headbanger]

Movie Maker has plenty of capabilities if your willing to delve into it, I'm no fan of it though.

My main tools are Virtual Dub (its free) for cutting my footage up into segments, and then Premiere Elements ($150?) for stiching it all together and adding titles,music, fancy shit) I then output to DV (the same as the original captured footage) And then use a specific tool depending on what I want the output to be viewed on, AutoGK for online footage, Some Ulead app to author to DVD, etc etc.

[cowboyz]

Without a doubt I recommend womble.

http://www.womble.com/

it is fast, really idiot proof (I can use it so that is saying something)

There is a mpeg video maker and a mpeg DVD maker. The second works exactly the same as the first but has options to create chapters and encode to VOB files.

I should add all my youtube videos were done with MVM

[CookMySock]

some newbie windows software probably suits you best, but if you get bored with that, or it wont do what you want, then try this ;

http://garbure.org/pho/?el=Screenshots

DB

[Gubb]

Nope. Don't think I've got that.

It's standard with XP installs, but here's a link. (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/updates/moviemaker2.mspx)

[scracha]

It's standard with XP installs, but here's a link. (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/updates/moviemaker2.mspx)
Nero 8. Cheap as chips...(even without a cracked product key :-) ), really excells at converting DVD's too and you get a 30 day download to try before you buy.

http://www.nero.com/ena/nero8-introduction.html

If it's real basic stuff you're doing then Nero makes it easy. Windows Movie maker (free) will also do a basic job.

You'll need RAM, RAM and umm...more RAM. If it's XP then I'd suggest at least 1GB and if it's vista..umm...3GB. A good fast SATA hard drive (Seagate 7200.11 are ideal) is also nice. RAM is as cheap as chips so there's no excuse for trying video editing on an XP box with 512MB or summit.

[Hitcher]

All good tips. And yes, I have got Movie Maker hidden away amongst my "accessories".

[henry]

What's a good, straightforward video editing product that doesn't require boatloads of memory and dollars to acquire, and which can be easily operated by an Old Fart(TM) with an aversion for reading instruction manuals?

This is a joke right?