Even before Louis Le Prince released Roundhay Garden Scene in 1888 and William K.L. Dickson's Monkeyshines No. 1 in 1889, people have been fascinated by films. With the introduction of new technologies and state-of-the-art multimedia capabilities, an increasing number of independent filmmakers have managed to turn their vision into a reality, reason why video networks like YouTube, Vimeo, and the like have thrived. People have the option to shoot and edit short films, or convert storyboard illustrations into animation. They can freely enter international amateur movie competitions. All they need is a good story, a digital video camera and movie software.
For those who have taken to making mini-movies as a hobby, there is some notable free movie software available for download over the web. If you are using Windows 7, chances are your system has come equipped with movie software that allows you to cut and edit videos, and burn them to a DVD. Another option is the free Portable Windows Movie Maker 5.1 to your flash drive, which helps you come up with nice home videos.
Those willing to spend the money can look into Adobe Premier Elements 8. You can add fun templates to your videos; create thought bubbles and other effects, text and graphics, as well as cut and use smooth frame-to-frame transitions. They also offer discounts to students and teachers.
Ulead VideoStudio 8 is also a rather good movie software that gives users the basic video editing features, plus a set of cool video effects. It has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy for those who have never edited a movie before to come up with a dazzling video. |
