After you have mastered the intricacies of filming, download the raw material. What comes next is the editing process which places your video in the optimal sequence while removing the poor quality or unnecessary scenes. This complex endeavor requires expert information and capabilities your computer may not offer. Enter - software made for just that purpose. There are programs available for the PC and the Mac and they can perform magic with a little help from you.

Before rushing to order one of the programs think about the functions you want it to help you do. The software ranges from easy to use to difficult. Plan to invest time in installing and learning to use the software. It should allow you to use a variety of special effects, do timeline editing as well as burning DVDs and changing from one format to another. Another prerequisite is adequate memory on your system. Check to make sure your computer fulfills all the requirements for running a program before purchase.

With this complex software technical help will definitely be needed. Look for tutorials, information such as FAQs and forum support. Regardless of your level of expertise, expect to require information and help in some form before you are able to use the software successfully.

PowerDirector 6 offers a multiplicity of features, ease of use and professional results. The system requirements are: 512 megabytes of RAM (minimum), and a Pentium Four Processor for newer formats. It contains a set of magic tools which live up to their name. With it you can convert raw footage into a movie in four steps, import audio or use one of the thirty songs included with the software. The magic clean feature can remove flaws easily. Get rid of red eye and stabilize a shaky film with ease. The video you edit will be converted from amateurish to professional by matching the soundtrack to the length of your film. There are 140 transitions for you to choose from and over 60 unique special effects.

The download and installation are done with comparative ease by following directions. Plan to spend a few hours learning to use all the features. Cyberlink provides more than adequate learning help for the PowerPoint 6. In addition to the manual there is an electronic version called the integrated help section. PowerDirector 6 also includes a knowledge base and a list of FAQs.

There are some basic steps to take while turning raw video into a finished movie you will be proud to put your name on. Capture the raw material you want to edit. If using an analog camcorder you will need a specific video card to translate the hi8 or VHS tape to the correct digital format that your computer can read. Next you will use your editing software to create a storyboard. You may want to use a timeline as an alternative.

Selecting the point you want to make is of primary importance. Decide on the message you want to deliver to the audience. For example in a travelogue do you want the audience to view the scenery, the indigent population or the buildings in the area as most important. An architectural tour would focus on the buildings while a social worker would focus on the people for example. Let's use a horse show as an example here.

The movie will include footage of several horses as the riders guide them through each event, the barrel race for example. Your daughter is one of the participants and you zoom in on her and her horse during each of her events. The point of the film is your daughter, her horse and how well she competes. Another film might repeatedly zoom in on the judges and the point or focus of that film would be the reaction of the judges as they scrutinize each horse and rider.

Your audience will be informed through your editing skills exactly what the point of your movie is. Select and name each shot you will use to reinforce your point. This will enable you to remember them without replaying each one as you edit. Take your time. Edit in manageable portions. Don't take on the entire movie at once or it will seem insurmountable. Depending on the length you can divide it into a number of sections and edit the sections one at a time.

Do your combination editing first. This is where you arrange your shots in whatever sequence you like. The next step is corrective editing which gets rid of the mistakes you made while filming (everyone makes mistakes, it isn't just because you are inexperienced). Use duration editing to make the movie shorter by removing scenes. Or you can add clips and make it longer.

Now we arrive at the final phase of editing. Add embellishments such as:

Music
Transitions
A menu that allows viewers to select a scene
(You see this on all rental and purchased DVDs)
Special effects
(too numerous to list)

Some experts in the movie industry in Hollywood consider editing to be the most important part of film making. It has been said that a gifted editor can turn scenes into a smooth flowing movie that "captures" the audience. Conversely, bad editing can turn Academy Award material into a second rate flop....

 

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