Hi guys
Complete novice here and want to try and make a little ad for my new venture. Just for a facebook ad really to begin with.
Thinking about buying a few stock 4K vids from istock or somewhere similar. Then knocking up an Ad. Is it worth buying these vids or can you get hi-res video clips for free in places? ( i know my way around torrents if that can help)
So...can someone please recommend cheap or free video software that's EASY to use for me to experiment with. Movie maker appears to be discontinued so any recommendations or advice welcome.
Is Sony Vegas ok for a newbie Kidder?
cheers
Sorry BP, I saw your message, but didn't get onto it as soon as I did.
Honestly? It depends on if you're buying it. If you get me. That would naturally spring the next question of... What level are you at?
If Windows Movie Maker or the likes is your entry point, then yes, most definitely go for Vegas. I wouldn't go in for anything more unless you fully understood the (there's an acronym that should go here, LME I think) environment. The differences between WMM, SV and Adobe Premier are mostly like any other software. More expensive and more in-depth - but with the right mindset, you can get pretty good entry-level results with SV and there's loads of plug-ins and tutorials on the internet for it.
So go for SV, but don't go buying it, save that cash and put it toward a cheap 4k Go Pro clone and get your own footage as opposed to using stock.
Stock is great n'all.
But the benefits of creating your own stock in the most creative ways possible is more rewarding and you never know, you could sell your stock on.
You'd be competing with people who use RED cameras and professional cameramen, but if you try to emulate whatever you want to buy on there in the cheapest way possible... then you've not only saved yourself a few bob, but you could earn too.
I know your lad is in Uni, so I don't know his access to equipment, but if you're going down the route of editing, I'm imagining you have something - or want to have something - to edit.
I think it is one of those things mate... you just gotta pick it up and see if it sticks. Sony Vegas is a great place to start however, and the biggest piece of advice I can give you is the advice I got in uni which EVERY editor or potential editor gets - which is, learn your keystrokes and shortcuts.
The biggest time waster in editing is moving the mouse from point-a to point-b. You can get an overlay for your keyboard or kind of make one yourself or print one out. Whatever you use as a cue, I would advise that you go into it in this mindset as opposed to just clicking about and getting lost in menus.
Another piece of advice is to be goal orientated and set targets of yourself - for example: day one - 1. learn to open and import media/files into 'bins' (basically folders). 2. learn to trim, edit and import footage into timeline. 3. learn to ripple edit, transition.
Focus on video 100% for now and give audio no seconds thought until you've fully figured out your own workflow on Vegas, and then focus on audio. Don't make the rookie mistake of trying to fix both at the same time. Have a plan to work on one, then the other - this is the way studios employ two teams do it, and they do that for a reason. So two 'mindsets' are needed.
Sorry if I'm teaching you to suck eggs or seemingly shrift in response... But in all honesty Pete, as cliche'd as it sounds, it really is easy when you get the hang of it and it is a bit like swimming. No difference - just takes a few days to get over the whole vastness of it, but then when you start setting goals, you can get into a flow of learning.
So, I don't know your direction... But get yourself a dress cupboard, paint it a nice white with a nice textured background (not wallpaper though), a few small lights and invest the money you'd spend on buying footage, and just try to get some equivalent footage off of YouTube and use that to edit for the time being.
I'm just a tight-arse who'd scrimp on just about anything though, so I dunno... the true answer to your question lies within sir and I'm sure you've mentioned your plans earlier somewhere, but without them at-hand, it all comes down to what you want to actually do in the long-run.
Which is why Vegas would be perfect to use at this point.
Stock Footage? Can get a bit,
expensive mate.
Edit: In fact, hang on, I'll find something and PM you.
Edit 2: Just seen what your target is - Facebook video for some kind of business venture I guess? (as mentioned in another thread?) - same advice goes really... depends on your output - but if you've got a specific piece of media in mind that you really, really need... then get it... but it can cost a lot depending on what you're using it for.
So aye, just my 2 cents mate.