What video editing program is the good yet easy to learn

poppa_bear42330
Member

Ok I'm working on a movie idea and want an editor program that will do chroma keying, adding sound, taking sound away, ect. It needs to be easy to learn yet produces good results. My kids in their early teens also want to use it so easy is a must here both for me and them. I have access to several programs but it is sort of a "pick one and it is yours" situation with no real chance for exchange and I'd hate to have to spend good money on the program I really wanted after picking the wrong free one. I have the trail version or Premiere Pro but have not used it yet. Waiting on my camera to get back.

So if you have used a program that you think will fit my needs let me know please. We want to shoot a few short sci-fi movies and a zombie movie or two. I'll want to add muzzle flashes and smoke and maybe even a little fire here or there. The kids want to do the same type of stuff so if you have a program in mind speak up please.

Posted 5 years ago #
Ken
Member

I see you're trying one of the pro versions. Any of the pro versions should work. For that matter, I think most of the current consumer versions would probably work. I know the Sony Vegas Movie Studio does chroma key, and allows 4 video tracks and 4 audio tracks. It's difficut to find someone who has significant experience with several different brands, in order to compare ease of use.

I'm using the pro version of Sony Vegas, doing lots of chroma key, and find it easy to use (though of course, there was a learning curve). I have seen magazine reviews that say it's relatively easy to learn. (It's the only one I've used, so I can't compare.)

If you can find a store that sells academic-discount software, your kids might qualify for a significant discount on the pro version of Vegas or Premiere. Try http://www.gradware.com and do searches for "sony" and adobe".

Good luck, :)
Ken Hull

Posted 5 years ago #
hidef1080
Member

I tried Vegas, Premiere and Avid and Premiere was the easiest to use but I really think that is because it was the first one I used.

People keep tell me that Vegas is easier but I can't see it.

Both Vegas and Premiere are very great programs so you can't go wrong.
Avid is good too but it's not cheap at all.

Posted 5 years ago #
poppa_bear42330
Member

I've heard alot of good things about Vegas but I'm a little ticked at Sony right now over my camera. Still it might be the way to go. I will look at the website though and see what I can find on that student discount.

Posted 5 years ago #
jcschild
Member

Another vote for Vegas.
defiantely easiest to learn and priced right!
Adobe would be my fav however (since PP2), Avid by far my least.

have to say so that line up would have been different 2 yrs ago. back then liquid 6 was it for me. now Avid (since buying it) has broke it.

Scott
ADK

Posted 5 years ago #
Johnboy
Member

i'll chime in for vegas as well. Powerful. plenty of books and dvd's to help you learn, great community forums like creative cow, jetdv, sony. I really like being able to set up a loop region, play that loop and be able to add and adjust audio effects on the fly. I am also in the same boat as far as the fact that it is the only package I have used. When i was looking to get back into video editing, i looked at adobe and avid and final cut and then i saw vegas, read a lot on the forums and pulled the trigger on Vegas and never looked back.

John

Posted 5 years ago #
compusolver
Member

I use Premiere Pro 2.0. If you'd said you're doing multi-camera wedding shoots, this is probably what I'd recommend, but PP is more costly than Vegas. The multi-camera feature saves so much time. But you're not doing that, so Vegas is probably the best for you.

Several years ago, I tried out Vegas with chroma keying and it did not do very well. But to this day, neither does PP. I suppose AE would do it just fine, but I've already bought Ultra, so I'm fixed-up for chromas.

Posted 5 years ago #
director958
Member

Premiere and Vegas will both do what you want. They can make your films have muzzle flashes and fire, but you have to get the muzzle flashes and fire.

For a low price, I would reccomend Vegas.

Posted 5 years ago #
poppa_bear42330
Member

director958 Wrote:
Premiere and Vegas will both do what you want. They can make your films have muzzle flashes and fire, but you have to get the muzzle flashes and fire.

For a low price, I would reccomend Vegas.

I'm trying Vegas now and like it pretty well. I took some test footage with my trusty digital still camera and plan to try and add the flashes and sound and anything else I can think of tomorrow. I got the flashed from Detonation films and I think I have a clue on how to do that. Feel free to offer any advice on this.

Posted 5 years ago #
director958
Member

I was just about to recomend Detonation Films for those muzzle flashes. Its a good site and they offer a lot of free effects.

You could aslo try Avid Liquid. Its a little more expensive, but its pretty good.

Posted 5 years ago #
RickGreene
Member

After reading all of the posts the majority seems to be with Sony Vegas, and I can't disagree; However Pinnacle Studio 9 ( which I started with and produced dozens of cable shows with) by far will be the easiest to use. And the lowest price.
I currently have Adobe Premiere ( which take a while for beginners to learn) and am trying Sony Vegas which is a big step up from Studio 9 ( not consider a pro NLE ) and it seems to be a lot more to comprehend, however it offers a lot more features; the question is do you need all of these features for what you are trying to accomplish. Finally no one mentioned that all of these companies offer free trials; check them out and then decide.

God Bless,
Min. Rick

Posted 5 years ago #
MisFire
Member

This program is not real popular in the US but you might give Edit Studio 5.01 Pro a try. It's made in the UK and I feel it's a good value for what you get. Many features are included that you will only find on some of the higher end NLE's. The learning curve is pretty short and best of all, the tech support I have found to be excellent. They have a trial version to download as well. I have been using it for over a year on many smaller 3 to 20 minute video projects and it has done almost everything I have asked of it.

Good Luck!

Posted 5 years ago #
SpencerStewart
Member

Pinnacle studios recently came out with Studio 10, which features chroma-key and many other effects, and is very easy to use, and very cheap. However, like what Rick said, it is not a professional NLE, and be warned, a fair amount of their more complex effects/filters/transitions, you have to pay extra online.

If you have a mac, I would recommend Final Cut Express. It can easily take care of all the effects you want to do and much more, for $299, or less with an academic discount.

Nonetheless, follow everyone's advice: check out the trials and find out what you like.

Posted 5 years ago #
RogerB1
Member

I use Vegas and Premiere. I also use Final Cut Express on my iMac. I think FCE is much harder to learn then either Vegas or Premiere. For me, it does everything too different and just takes too long to get a project finished. I Love Vegas the best. Roger

Posted 4 years ago #