Web Video Applications

[funkgurus]

Hi

I hope I am posting in the correct place and please forgive my lack of understanding if what I am asking is basic to say the least for such a technical forum!

We are a music production company offering primarily audio and music production services (voice-overs/commercials/jingles etc). We were recently asked to produce some basic web videos, which we completed using MS Powerpoint and a PPT to FLV convertor. The results were OK but due to the lack of functionality in PPT and also with the convertor, we decided we needed to get a decent application for when we are asked again.

We are primarily a team of audio people. We have a great recording studio and understand the principles of combining multimedia elements such as music/voiceover/still images/animation/presenters etc, but we really do not know what application we should get to enable to us to do this effectively – with the output needing to be a high quality FLV file for uploading to a clients server.

We don’t want to spend too much as this is not really our core business – I guess because we can do the audio and music tracks, people will ask us to do the visuals too, especially as we are based in Egypt, where media technical skills are thin on the ground at best.

We have seen an application called CyberLink PowerDirector 8 Deluxe for around USD70. Can anybody tell me if this would enable to produce professional web videos, or is there another product out there that would be better value for money, while still providing the right functionality to handle the different editing of multimedia elements? I am happy to pay more than this of course, for an application that will give us what we need with the right kind of user interface.

Thanks in advance for your help. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Craig Hume
Funkgurus.com
Egypt

[Eye for Video]

Well if you want to have professional results, at least look at what the professionals use. And of course Adobe Premier Pro would be among the list. Not looking to spend that much? Well there is an Adobe Premier Elements version that is more in the price range that you mentioned.
http://www.adobe.com/products/premiereel/?sdid=EPZVG
Best wishes,
Eye for Video
www.cidigitalmedia.com

[funkgurus]

Dear Eye to Video

Thanks for your reply. Much appreciated.

I looked at Adobe Premier Elements in a direct comparison with other lower price apps and it came in third behind the app I mentioned in my original post. I'll take another look however.

We use Apple Logic pro 9 and Soundtrack pro in the studio...I'm wondering whether to just go the whole way and buy Final Cut pro too and do it all on the Mac. Just not a good time to be spending that kind of money when it's not a primary function for us.

Do you feel that Adobe Premier Elements would give us reasonable functionality for the web video world?

Cheers

Craig

[Eye for Video]

I base my opinion on using the "Elements" version as a step toward using the "Pro"version. I found Premier Elements a very good program for that. I'd used Pinnacle before but most of it's interface did not carry over to use in Premier Pro, while most of the Elements interface did.
I'd recomment that you look down the road a little and imagine what your next video editing program would be, after you outgrow the "starter" version. Then choose one that helps train you for that advanced program.
Or just go for it and get Final Cut Pro.
But for simple Web editing, almost any of the entry level software will work. But will it help your learning curve when you upgrade to something more complex?
Anyway, wishing you the best,
Eye for Video
www.cidigitalmedia.com

[funkgurus]

Sound advice mate...

Thanks. I'll give it some serious thought - but it's likely I won't get Final Cut at this time as the learning curve for Logic and Soundtrack pro has still got me beat some days.

Best from Egypt
Craig