for hard core compositing - i think more of shake, fusion and a few discreet products ---

Once I've stated around here that Vegas was great for video compositing and it really is. After Effects is a little wonder, though. Its plug-ins are almost unlimited and its options are more....let's say profound that those of Vegas. No need to say lots of threads around here asking for Vegas Effects or something like that. By the way, everybody may know how much I like Vegas and how much I prefer this wonderful piece of software than Premiere Pro (let's start with.....Dolby Surround), but let's say the truth...After Effects is After Effects.

--Once I've stated around here that Vegas was great for video compositing and it really is. After Effects is a little wonder, though. It's plug-ins are almost unlimited and its options are more....let's say profound that those of Vegas. No need to say lots of threads around here asking for Vegas Effects or something like that. By the way, everybody may know how much I like Vegas and how much I prefer this wonderful piece of software than Premiere Pro (let's start with.....Dolby Surround), but let's say the truth...After Effects is After Effects. --

I couldn't have put it better myself. Vegas is a great editor, and has (IMHO) the best effects built into it of any editor out there, should you need them.
That being said, short of 3D modeling, I can't think of any special effect that cannot be duplicated in AE. If you need to composite or create something flashy from scratch, AE is the swiss army knife. If you need to cut something together, Vegas is what you need.

Trust me, I wouldn't try editing in AE! Although it can be done, it's not what it was built for... just as Vegas wasn't necessarily built for effects work.

David.

That's it, David! Congrats!

Though simple composition can easily be done in Vegas. I do a lot of compositing and usually can do most of what I need to do In Vegas.

A little late to the topic, but what $300 promotion? Is there a link you can point us to?

Thanks
Tom

Guess it's more of a sale/limited time offer than a promo... here are 2 links I found - Adobe Store or Sales Harbor which also includes FREE Total Training for After Effects DVDs.

I've actually been trying to decide between After Effects, Combustion 4, Boris Red or wait for Boris Blue and welcome comments from anyone using these products - in any event, $399 for After Effects seemed like too good of an offer to pass up.

EDIT - I only deleted the previous message because I left out a quote mark in the link and hit enter too soon

Do take the learning curve into account also.

AE can do just about anything, but it takes a long time to master. Like Photoshop, but different...

Combustion is much easier to learn, and it can do some things much better than AE (and AE can handle some things better than C*).

It also runs many AE plug-ins. Combustion 4 is an awesome release, and with Gary M. Davis' book and a few free additional tuts you can learn it quickly. The TSP videos are also quite good.

Boris RED is also very powerful, but I haven't heard anybody say that it is easy to learn.

It is helpful to really know what the strengths are for each of these apps, and see what's important for your own needs.

Thanks for links Julie.
Tom

Yes, as you've just said - SIMPLE COMPOSITION. Here's a link to some of the best tutorials I've seen using After Effects. The guy's from Japan, so NIPPON, BANZAIIIII.
http://www.ayatoweb.com/ae_tips_e.html
Combustion is great also, despite the fact I never understand that much how it works....Some people may say After Effects learning curve must be taken into account.....not at....easy, easy.. ;)

From Adobe:

"After Effects 6.5 Standard provides core 2D and 3D compositing, animation, and visual effects tools.

After Effects 6.5 Professional includes all of the features in After Effects Standard plus motion tracking and stabilization, advanced keying and warping tools, more than 30 additional visual effects, a particle system, scripting, network rendering, 16-bit-per-channel color, additional audio effects, and more."

The $399 AE is the Standard version, very basic, not comparable to the other packages by a wide margin.

Right now, there is a Combustion 3 on eBay for $299 (BuyItNow price) at Space Station. I don't know the seller, but the positive feedback rating of 99.4% from 2,143 customers is a good start. It's a C3, not C4, but this can be upgraded later when you need the new features. The user interface is virtually unchanged (I have used both).

Just a thought.

From what's been said here I think I'm getting closer and closer to buying Combustion. I've watched the demos of what's coming in the next release and it does look very capable. I gather Combustion is their entry level package as well, the next level up must be truly mind blowing. I also like the background rendering, even working with 4:2:2 things shouldn't get too bogged down.
Anyone using their higher end products?
How big is the cost / hardware requirments?
Bob.

you may - if you want something more -- look at eyeonline fusion -- you can buy their 'lite" package
DFX+ 4 with Module Bundle (Includes Modules 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7) for 1295$ ..

works with most AE plug-ins also ..

2004 Film Credits:

Hellboy
The Aviator
The Passion Of The Christ
Cellular
Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind
Les Triplettes De Belleville
Flight Of The Phoenix
Dirty Dancing 2: Havana Nights
Scooby Doo 2
Sideways
Meet The Fockers
Resident Evil: Apocalypse
Son Of The Mask
New York Minute
The Day After Tomorrow
The Alamo
Catwoman
Garfield
Blade: Trinity
Cinderella Story
I, Robot
Sky Captain And The World Of Tomorrow
The Notebook
White Chicks

2004 Television Credits:
Stargate Atlantis
Iron Jawed Angels
Six Feet Under
JAG
Smallville
Angel
The Collector
Wonderfalls
Alias
Cingular (Com)
M&M’s (Com)
Sunny Delight (Com)
Samsung (Com)
Reebok (Com)
Honda (Com)
Capri Sun (Com)
Star Trek: Enterprise
Stephen King's Kingdom Hospital
Star Trek: The Experience - Borg Invasion (Ride)

I'm assuming most of the film work though was done on the fusion 5 surely and not the 8 bit DFX+ 4?
Bob.

its the same program -- same core ..

if you bought all the mod' s for DFX, you would have fusion

but some people dont need certain functions --

i think they also have a program were you can lic a mod for a certain time period for a certain project ...