Best editing software for say, a grand??

[johnnymac]

I have been using Pinnacle Systems Studio versions for about the past 6 years and have been really pleased. I am debating on jumping to maybe Pinnacle Liquid, or perhaps Adobe Premiere Video Collection.

I understand Avid is the defacto standard, and not above buying it (seems they bought Pinnacle too). But I am feeling that $1200 will only be the start down the Avid road. Then I’ll be locked into more thousand dollar purchases for plug ins that will ultimately have some feature that I can’t live without. I feel Avid is way beyond the depth of my needs, at this point anyway.

I don’t do this for a living, but don’t mind spending the jack to get it right. I have successfully produced more than a dozen videos over these past years that got the audience either dancing or crying by the end of my production.

Anybody have some input on Liquid or Adobe, or should I just suck it up and go Avid. And Sony has some Vegas thingy too? Should I be loooking there?

My next big production is for my daughters graduation. Her school is the biggest benefactor of my work. My last release was part of an event that was shown in the gym on a 300″ projector. I ended up selling copies for a fundraiser before the year was over. So the pressure is on to out-do myself this year and Studio just won’t cut it anymore.

I built a platform, Intel 3ghz, 800mhz fsb, 160gb boot drive, 400gb video drive, 1.5gb memory, Nvidia and dual 19″ lcd monitors. Adobe Video Collection is 15 bills, thats where I am leaning, but before I do, what is your best reccomendation for the money.

Thanks in advance

Johnny Mac

[Anonymous]

Johnny boy,
you can do more than you’ll ever be able to learn, with the AVC. Get it. and pick up a copy of Particle Illusion, too. You’ll be more than pleased with available options in all the Adobe programs. I make stuff for company conference large screen projections a lot, and Adobe is more than adequate to create high end video. Look around the net for people’s demo reels using Adobe software, to get an idea of the quality you can accomplish. After Effects is hardcore video effects processing. It does for video what icing does for cake. And Particle Illusion is just another opening for spectacular and audience-wowing effects usages.
good luck…

[johnnymac]

I figured Adobe was a good choice.. glad to get feedback from someone using the product.

[Endeavor]

I agree with that. I highly recommend getting the pro version though as you will want photoshop and other features like tracking and advanced keying features that only come with pro.

[johnnymac]

Great site Endeavor… nicely written…

what keyboard/jog shuttle should I get?

[Endeavor]

johnny mac Wrote:

Great site Endeavor… nicely written…

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

My input will probably be useless since you’ve invested so much into a PC already, but I’ll share it with you anyway just in case you ever decide to jump the proverbial fence.

If I was you I would go with Final Cut Pro. I’ve produced feature’s, documentaries, shorts, mocumentaries, over 50 wedding video’s, and a few class reunions. It has run very smoothly, for me anyway. I’ve used Avid, Premiere Pro, and Pinnacle, and I would definatly say FCP is a better product when money is concerned.

[Endeavor]

I have to agree that FCP is the better product (mainly because of the stability of the Mac OS) but man! You have to be doing pretty well or already have some money to afford it. Maybe when my first major motion picture goes to video… Until then I will have to get by with PP.

[Author]

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