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Editing software, etc.

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daniel_mop

Hi.

I am looking at some softwares and I see that there is Adobe Premiere Elements and Adobe Premiere Pro. One is much more expensive than the other. It is hard for me to judge which one I should use just by looking at their features. What would I want, or do I even want either of those?

Also, I have shot some video footage at my nephew's birthday party but the sound quality is very much like a cheap hand-held video camera that my dad used to have. Would a shotgun microphone help solve that problem and allow me to record some clear sound?

Thank you.
 
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Most of the editing suite companies make a "stripped-down" version of their software.

Adobe Elements is a stripped-down version of Premiere Pro. Sure, it doesn't have all the bells & whistles of Prem Pro... but maybe it doesn't need to, for what you are doing.

Adobe also make a Photoshop Elements. Same deal.

The price is reflected in that exchange. Sure, maybe you can't hook linked projects to After Effects... but does that matter? (given your project)

Adobe, Vegas, Final Cut & even Avid have basic versions of their software. It's a handy choice, for both you and the companies. (You get the option for a cheap commitment... the companies bank on you getting the "pro" versions after you've become used to their tools)

Tbh, you may as well use the free video software that comes with your computer (Movie Maker for Windows; I-Movie for Macs) than ponying up extra bucks for software that really doesn't do *that* much more than what you can already do.

There might be a few extra features (on any given name), but the results will be pretty much the same.


Would a shotgun microphone help solve that problem and allow me to record some clear sound?
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Maybe. They are certainly very handy, though.

Does your camera actually have inputs for an external mic?
 
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You could go for the entire Adobe CS4 Production Premium for $600 in student pricing, Comes with premiere pro, after effects, photoshop extended, illustrator, encore, flash, soundbooth...

Can't really do any better than that, I've been using the CS3 production premium for 2 years, and it's been fantastic, you will be limitless!

However, you could go with premiere elements if you are on a tight budget, it does have many many features (even rendering lightning and blue/greenscreening, just to give an example of advanced capabilities included). I stared with Premiere elements 1.0 and it was great.
 
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I'm currently using Premiere Elements, and find it works fine for what I am doing. I'm quite pleased with it. I don't quite have the big bucks for Pro yet, but my works don't use alot of the stuff on Pro.:)

I thought I would need big expensive equipment, and was worried that "only" had Elements and smaller camera. Now I'm coming here seeing this is stuff closer to the norm than exception :)
 
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Will Vincent said:
Aside from the fact that the student license doesn't allow you to use the software commercially, that's a bit of a limit.
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Newbie here-they mentioned Student Pricing, you mentioned about the student license-can you elaborate?Does that mean that under the "student licence"(as opposed to what other types?) if they whip together a movie, they can't use the software for financial gain? Or, what does it mean?
 
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That's right. Basically if you buy the student version, your are not allowed to make any money with the film. However I think there's a student version with a special license that allows you to use it comercially while still costing way less that the normal version.
 
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exactly. Student licensing (and therefore student pricing) exists so you can learn the software, not so you can profit from it.
Click to expand...

That's right. Basically if you buy the student version, your are not allowed to make any money with the film. However I think there's a student version with a special license that allows you to use it comercially while still costing way less that the normal version.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the clarification! I thought that might be it, wasn't sure. Thanks for the help to both of you :)
 
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Forgive me for my complete novice question, but, I am just getting into filmmaking, and I have the entire CS3 suite, but I heard using a Mac was best for editing, effects, etc. Is that true, or should I take advantage of the Adobe CS3 suite and maybe invest in Vegas also?
 
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TWISTEDII said:
I have the entire CS3 suite, but I heard using a Mac was best for editing, effects, etc. Is that true, or should I take advantage of the Adobe CS3 suite and maybe invest in Vegas also?
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'sup :)

Dunno about Vegas.

Mac best for editing? There are arguments going both ways. I've always used Adobe, myself, but it definitely has one huge lack... OMF support.

Every sound editor (and their dog, too) seems to use Mac-based software. When I need someone to mix/master or sound-design, the first thing they all ask for is the audio exports in OMF. CS3 can't do it.

The CS3 bundle is very nice indeed (I recently upgraded to that, from CS1) but the nightmares I had from failing to give the mac-based sound-guys what they insisted on is making me have second thoughts. Can't even think about the possible upgrade to CS4 right now, but I sure wouldn't throw down the bucks to get it without knowing for sure if OMF is finally in there.

On the other hand... if sound-guys weren't so snooty, and would suffer to work on a PC... I dunno.
smiley_pac.gif
 
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