Video editing for n00bs.

[raid517]

Hi, I have given my sister and my brother in law a new digital camera to celebrate the birth of their new baby daughter.

Unfortunately they are complete n00bs at all things technological - and even after 3 years of owning a PC, they are still not even clear on even the most basic of things such as how to burn CDs etc.

Mostly they get by, but rather than being dumb or stoopid or anything, they are just the sort who don't have any real interest in this kind of thing. They are active and happy people - and as a result such things are fairly low in their list of priorities.

But they are interested in the camera, for what are some very obvious reasons.

I think this is a fairly common experience with many people. They just want things to work - and if they don't work quickly and reliably, they rapidly loose interest.

Well anyway enough of the background. The thing is I'm now shopping in the market for them for some suitable video editing software. What I need is something that has a very obvious and easy feel to it, that anyone could master within minutes - but which still nonetheless retains the potential to add some highly advanced fetaures to their video productions as (and if they become so inclined) the desire develops for them to do so.

I need software that is a virtual no brainer to use, but that is also fun, has very powerful features, but is not limited in those fetures by its appeal to n00bs.

I worry a little because all the software I have tried so far that is targeted towards n00bs also had only very limited features.

Those with more features tended to loose (even some of the initial) appeal that would attract a n00b to use it.

The bottom line is I would LIKE something as powerful as adobe premier but that you could teach a 10 year old child to use in under 10 minutes. (At least for those features that matter).

Powerful but amazingly simple...

The question is, what if anything would meet this requirement?

This isn't about your favorite video editing suite, so please don't just rave about what you are using or why you are a fan.

Also the built in ability to burn the completed project to DVD would be no bad thing.

Please take into account that these are just ordinary people - and I am looking for a specific solution that is likely to best meet their needs.

All suggestions are very much welcome.

GJ

Edited September 12, 2004 by raid517

[dokakis]

Windows Movie Maker, simple enough, and does the basic things you would want it to do.

But I would recommend Premier or something as powerful as that, and an introduction course to the software. They can do so much more and have so much more fun with a software like that, instead of WMM.

[lexor]

Well for a newbie audience, I don't think there is anything easier than Ulead VideoStudio (non pro or pro is just features, same interface, so think about wheather or not they need the features for the price)

There is a reason Ulead stuff is shipped with so many low-mid end Video and still cameras. It's aimed at the newbie audience, I doubt there something more friendly for them than Ulead. It may not be the best and the most powerful and it will still not be the walk in a park if they as you say complete n00bs to the stuff, but I highly doubt there is something easier yet more powerfull.

Also without knowing intended use (computer watch, make DVD's or something else) hard to make definitive recomendation, but MS Movie Maker (comes by default with XP) is as n00b tool as it gets, but it's quite a bit more limited than Ulead, and tied in with MS formats.

All in all for a beginner I highly recommed investing time and energy into getting comfortable with Ulead, it's a solid basic suite, and if they ever decide to go up in line, learning curve for other (more powerful) apps won't be as steep for them anymore.

If you are willing to do a bit more research, you migh check out Vegas Movie Studio with wich I have no expreience but it is a dirivative of my fav suite (I know you asked for no plugs, but hey) and it will cost the same as Ulead (non-pro)

Edited September 12, 2004 by lexor

[raid517]

Windows Movie Maker is horribly unstable for me and always has been on large files. Moreover it isn't well suited to anything beyond editing basic web cam quality images, it also tends to default to WMV - which can't be played on most commercial DVD players and has no built in DVD burning functionality.

I did try very hard to point out that they were n00bs - and not just n00bs but n00bs with no deep or abiding interest in using complex technology. The chances that they will ever master or muster sufficient will to get to grips with something as relatively complex to use as Adobe premier range from nil to - well nil really.

I just can't see it ever happening.

Let's put it this way... Movie maker is along the right lines - but it could still be simpler.

It could also be more effective, more powerful, more stable and have more features - for if and when they ever felt confident enough to use them.

They sure aint going on any college course to learn how to use Premier - and I don't have the time or patience to teach them - even if they were interested.

Any suggestions allong these lines might prove useful.

GJ

[raid517]

@lexor I'll look at those thanks...

GJ

[lexor]

Let's put it this way... Movie maker is along the right lines - but it could still be simpler.

Just a small point:

Nothing is simpler than MS Movie Maker :D

And for both Ulead and Vegas there is only drag-and-drop action required for everything, same as MS Movie Maker.

[raid517]

Yeah well, like I said, the point is, nothing could be too easy. And Movie Maker still chokes too much on big files - and has all the other issues I referred to.

But I'll give anything else anyone suggests a go.

:)

[raid517]

Mmm... well Vegas looks interesting - and also extremely powerful, though the inteface is somewhat n00b unfriendly on first impression. Maybe it is n00b friendly, but to look at initially you might not think so.

Anyway I'll give Ulead a go.

GJ

[jnr]

Hi,

I completely agree with the Ulead Studio and Vegas Studio suggestions.

Vegas Studio is a lite version of rock solid professional Sony Vegas 5 and if you want more flexibility, quality and power, is a better choice. It really is not anymore difficult to use than Ulead, you simply have to drag and drop; but its interface is more loaded (as MS Word is), so it's just a matter of knowing that you have a media tab, an fx tab, and so on from which you drag and drop into the timeline. Then you just select render in the file menu. If you want a software that is not feature-limited, go for Vegas Studio.

Good luck

[Hills420]

I have heard that Sony Screenblast is fairly easy to use but I have never used it. I am also in the market for an easy to use video editing software for my wife. My MAC friends swear by their iLife suite, too bad it doesn't work for PCs.

Adobe Premier is a little costly for noobs and the experienced alike. I am trying to find a great product in the $100US range.

[raid517]

Well this at lease looks more like what I'm looking for:

http://www.pinnaclesys.com/ProductPage_n.a...501&Langue_ID=2

Big dumb menus and easy to comprehend inteface.

And they have their selling blurb right on the money.

Having a baby was labour enough. Making a video of their first year shouldn't have to be.

It's almost spooky, since I have heard my sister say more or less exactly the same thing.

I mean she doesn't want to learn any new skills - she has enough on her plate coping with a new baby and 2 other kids. So it really has to be that obvious to use.

I'm not sure if it is as easy to use as it looks - but we will see I guess.

I got the Sony Vegas stuff. It seems more targeted to an intermediate user. I think she would be a tad too intimidated by it.

I read some poor reviews about Ulead.

GJ

Edited September 12, 2004 by raid517

[Hills420]

I checked Amazon for some reviews and Pinnacle Studio got 2.5 stars out of 5. (47 reviews) You can get it for $54 after rebates. Many people had complaints about it.

Sony Screenblast 3.0 received 4 out of 5 stars with 36 reviews. It costs around $82.

Ulead Video Studio recived 3.5 out fo 5 stars but only 5 reviews. It costs around $52 after rebates.

I will not list every product I have checked but I am personally going to stay away from any of the reviews that cite corruption or problems with large files.

Still looking...

Edited September 12, 2004 by Hills420

[raid517]

Me too...

But then again it depends which reviews you read I guess:

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&ie=UT...pinnacle+studio

You have to remember that Amazon is full of Uber n00bs bitching about how this or that software or hardware item didn't work too well with their Windows 98 systems, with outdated/uderpowered hardware and so on. If you stick to formal reviews, you are likely to gain a better impression.

I don't know which to go for.

I looked at Roxio Videowave, but like all Roxio products those who know counted it as an early non runner. It might be a little embarrasing (even for a n00b) to have any Roxio products on your PC anyway.

GJ

[jnr]

I would stay away from Pinnacle Studio; I have seen v8 crash, and v9, although better, still has many complaints:

http://reviews-zdnet.com.com/Pinnacle_Stud...04.html?tag=tab

I suggested Vegas Studio because I have used Vegas and it is much faster and stable. A friendly GUI never makes up for unstable behavior.

For user opinions on videoediting software you might find this link useful:

http://www.videohelp.com/tools?s=17#17

[Raven]

I'm a noob to video editing and really like the Pinnacle Studio 9 bundled with my capture card. It's very easy to use since I don't know what I'm doing. I captured a tv movie, edited out the commercials, placed transitions between segments, and created a chapter menu with moving backgrounds. All this with minor reading of the help menus. It's really intutitive to use. I burned my video to an SVCD and it plays perfectly on my dvd player. I haven't seen it to be unstable and hasn't crashed on either my notebook computer or my desktop. My only complaint would be a lack of transistions and menus but you can get add-ons for that.

I don't recommend Premier as it's very complicated to use. Very powerful doesn't translate to very easy to use. Premier is also expensive.

[raid517]

@jnr

Yes that may be true, but as I have tried to point out, it isn't for me. I personally don't mind 'unfriendly menus' (indeed as a Linux admin I am positively used to them) but for a n00b with kids and a million other responsibilities to deal with, if it ain't obvious, then it ain't worth their time.

Maybe later when they have grasped the fundamentals they may want to invest more effort in it.

But ATM I'm stuck looking for something that looks as easy to use as Pinnacle Studio, has all of the features of Sony Vegas Video (if the user want's to use them) and has all of the stability and flexibility of Adobe premier (stability being the primary area of interest here).

Of all of the reviews I've read, nothing out there has all of these features so far.

Pinnacle did/does have a lot of issues - but as far as I understand it, many of them were addressed in the 9.1.2.15 patch.

I guess the only thing to do is try it and see.

I'm not totally sold on anything I've seen yet though.

GJ

[jnr]

Raid,

I'd say get Ulead Studio. I have tried Ulead Studio 7 and it worked fine. Very easy to use and does enough.

If they really get into it, then they can always move to a more sophisticated software.

:)

[raid517]

OK well I've got them all. So I guess I will just have to test when I have more time and see.

I'll let you know my opinion in a few days or so.

GJ