N00b level vidding query

[lizbee]

I haven't completed a vid in aaaaages, but I have the urge. Of course, I vid rarely enough that every time I try, I find I've gone and changed operating systems, and have to start all over from scratch.

(Why isn't Sony Vegas available for Mac? It was such a NICE program. Then I found a site that said Kdenlive, the delightful Linux video editor I used a few times, was available for Mac ... and it is, but via some high-level workaround stuff. I just want to vid, dammit!

Anyway, my n00b level question -- when you real vidders talk about clipping, what do you mean? And what software do you use?

What I THINK you mean is that, before the vidding begins, you go through and cut out the clips you want to use, so you're not sitting there with ENTIRE EPISODES or ENTIRE MOVIES in your video editor when you're making the actual vid. Is that the case? Because it certainly seems like an easier way to go about it. But what software do you use if you're on a Mac? Or am I heading off in the wrong direction all together?

Comments

[sapote]

1) Yes, that's totally what it means! You cut out one shot, for example, and title it EP 3_02 TOPH STOMP GREEN BACKGROUND.avi or whatever, and save it in a folder. (This can also be in deference to the processing power of your vidding computer).

2) I have no idea what one does on a Mac, though. Possibly you use the same video editor you'd use to put the vid together later? I have this idea that there are some very high-end video editors that decompose the source shot-by-shot for you so that you don't have to do this, but I could be wrong about that.

[lizbee]

OH GOOD, THAT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE.

I guess I can do that in iMovie, then -- it's a little too basic for my vidding needs (it's a lot like Windows Movie Maker back when I first learned to vid, which is a good thing -- but these days I like my editors non-linear) but seems perfect for this.

Thank you!

[rhivolution]

Mac thoughts! You could clip in a separate program (MPEG Streamclip) or something, but it strikes me as extra work when you can just import your full video into your non-linear editor and clip in there.

The NLEs most used for Mac are Final Cut (expensive), Avid (really expensive), and Adobe Premiere (inexpensive but Adobe are all in the goddamn cloud now). I also know people who swear by Media100 but it's never been my cuppa. I use the sadly out of print Final Cut Express, a stripped down Final Cut Pro that does basically everything I need. I'm sure someone has it floating around somewhere, and I can vouch it still works in Mountain Lion plus.

I'm a Final Cut fan but I've heard Final Cut X and upwards aren't worth your time, so for vidding purposes, it's really mostly just a matter of finding an interface you don't hate.

TEAL DEER

[lizbee]

THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING WITH MAC. I'm going to try out Lightworks once I'm done clipping -- it seems to be a lot like Vegas, and has a LOT of tutorials.