Best video editing software for effects such as gun shots and smooth slow-motion?
Question by : Best video editing software for effects such as gun shots and smooth slow-motion?
Hey, a friend and I are making a movie of sorts and we want to know what the best editing software is for an “action” movie. We’re thinking along the lines of Adobe After Effects 5 and Vegas Pro 9, because their effects are realistic and advanced; any suggestions for such an action movie? Money is not a constraint. Thanks!
Best answer:
Answer by Cazador
Hmm, most people have nasty budget constraints that prevent them from getting nice software. Consider yourselves lucky.
As for your listed choices, you’re on the right track. Piece together your basic edits and action sequences in Vegas first; then, take specific shots that involve fire or explosions and bring them into after effects. The following website has loads of free, muzzle flash & explosion stock footage:
http://www.detonationfilms.com/
If you want some really nice keyed out explosions, go buy Andrew Kramer’s “Action Essentials Two”, all shot in RED HD. If you also want “smooth slow motion”, don’t just settle for the time remapping and time-blending features on AE, get the plug-in, Twixtor. Basically it slows down footage a bit more intelligently than AE would on its own.
A note about slow-motion though: If you’re looking for slow motion like you see in the movies, you better have a camera that can shoot in 120fps or at least 60fps. Slowing regular, 30p footage down to ridiculously slow speeds in AE will just look plain ugly, and choppy.
Last but not least, RedGiant’s Magic Bullet plug-in for AE will give you some awesome color-correcting abilities.
Expect all the listed items (if brand new) to cost about at least 1k, unless you’re a student, or planning on only purchasing After Effects CS5.
Good luck!
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