I use it to create short commercials or messages for my local church. To create modern day parables if you will. For instance, the student ministry wanted to create replacement (fake) commercials for the recent Superbowl party. So, we wrote quite a few scripts and allowed the students to act and be on the big screen in a professional looking scenario. Some were advertising upcoming student events and some were completely bogus, advertising a made up product. They seemed to like it.

I would like to say, that although I'm currently only doing voluntary work with Vegas Video, Videography is my passion. At the moment there is not a big market in this area for professional videographers, so I'm currently working for a sound and lighting company. However, I did compare to the other big NLE's before deciding to personaly use Vegas Video.

The interface of Vegas is what makes the biggest difference to me. There are so many little things that just seem to make common sense in Vegas, where the others fall short. I guess that is a benefit of starting out after the NLE concept had been developed a little, and not having a user base to keep happy with an unchanged interface.

JBJones

I am into editing 8mm movies too (well I will when I stop reading these so helpfull and friendly forums). Need to compare notes on best way to capture films. (perhaps a separate forum??) I am working on speeding my projector up to 25 fps and synch locking it to the camera analog out. This is for PAL of course. Then just slow down in Vegas for correct speed. Any ideas on best screen for video capture, is a mirror and rear screen worth the trouble??
Brian

I use Vegas to record bands for a living. I always thought it would be 'local' bands, but some of the mixes have turned out so good, I've now been approached by big labels to do a few album tracks. Vegas transformed a part time hobby into a full time job!

hehe

Jason
Stakeout Studios
UK

Jeff,

Me too on the church stuff. I started doing video for our church around a year and a half ago and it has become a great (useful) hobby. I love doing music videos and short commercials. Perhaps we should start a videos for church club???

Tom

I use Vegas (and other Sonic Foundry products) primarily for my work as a freelance radio journalist (my full time job is a print news journalist). Vegas makes doing audio reports faster and makes it easier as a whole to complete things in frantic times.

In the last few weeks I have also been doing commercial video work. My associate and I have created a few skating videos for a national Canadian skating camp for a few skaters. So I have transformed my audio suite to a video post-production suite, for those projects.

Vegas (once again, and other Sonic Foundry products) are powerful tools that make my everyday work much easier. I can't imagine doing my work without these tools.

-André Barriault

RWS:
Just curious. You state that you are using VV to edit Hi8 and 8mm, that you will move to VHS as soon as you get a convertor. So, (and I'm just curious, now) how are you capturing your Hi8/8mm at present?

VV's capture method is DV via firewire. Of course, you may be capturing your Hi8 and 8mm outside of Vegas, but, then, again, if Hi8/8mm outside of Vegas, what impedes your efforts on the VHS side.

Just curious.

Caruso

Oh, and I am sorry to have been so rude. I'm using VV30 for a number of tasks:

1) editing/sync'ing multi-cam shoots of classical concerts (loads of fun)
2) ripping CD's for custom compilaton for my personal library
3) restoring vinyl LP's prior to burning them to CD
4) in tandem w/ WaveLab 3.0 to assemble CD's of the concerts captured in item #1 (I am still partial to WL's real time auditioning of audio FX, and WV's Montage is a fine way to lay out a CD (you can crossfade tracks, allow 2 seconds between, whatever), but, for me, VV30 is much more intuitive when I need to do corrective editing. For example, either my turntable got winded or there was a momentary interruption in the current being supplied, but, one of the files I created during an LP restoration had an obvious pitch dip with which I would not live, so, I simply re-recorded the problem area, and used VV30 to splice in the good, delete the bad. I know without a doubt I could have accomplished the same task in WV, but, VV is so intuitive that I had the task completed in the time I might have spent rummaging the WL index for how to's. VV is very, very powerful in terms of what you can accomplish in a minimum of time. BTW, WL's CD capabilities are quite good, IMHO. I've been using it in lieu of VV for printing CD's.

Thanks for an interesting thread. I look forward to reading other replies.

Caruso

Besides having a blast with a video camera and a two-year old son, I've been using Vegas Video 2 and 3 for a few more professional jobs. Some of the recent ones in 2001:

- A 25-minute promotional video for the Stroke Recovery Association of Manitoba
- Using the audio capabilities of VV and my cozy little studio for the Omushkegowak Oral History Project, a University of Winnipeg initiative in conjunction with the Elder Louis Bird and other First Nations storytellers and storykeepers. I'm currently proposing a system to record (digitally, of course), restore, archive and distribute oral histories that are currently on aging audiocassette. I'm hoping this one goes Canada-wide. SF products will be there, of course.
- Some other miscellaneous video projects for the U of W, including a 45 minute piece with Louis Bird and a ph.D candidate from Germany named Roland Bohr, on First Nations archery and the current collection at the Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature.
- Just polishing off a 1+hr video interview-diary of my mom. Hoping this idea catches on by word-of-mouth; it's one of the more idealistic things you can do with a cam and some time.

There you go, those are pretty much my 2001 jobs with a wedding and a few Catholic functions thrown in for good measure (always keep at least two pieces of crucifix clipart handy). I also do photo restoration outside of the SF products. It pays the bills (well, at least my heating bill - the others are paid by my somewhat less idealistic but higher paying day job as a systems architect).

Take care!

-Doug

Nice topic:

... Video for my son's, and daughters, school auction. You know, make a video that helps the parents part with their money. We raised $110K for our school.

... Recently finished a video for my son's scout group reviewing the activities they participated in over the last year.

... A goodbye video for one of our close friends. They moved to another state.

... A survivor application video ... Yep, I submitted my application and just waiting for them to call.

... Family vacation summary.

... Customer reference video for my company. I volunteered and it's looking good.

My son, 12 years old, is pulling together a few videos also.

Looking for more opportunities to work on and improve along the way.

Cheers,

Dean

Caruso:

As far as capturing goes, I have been using an ATI All-In-Wonder, which I haven't been completely thrilled with. The picture quality is okay but the file sizes are massive and capturing is a time consuming process. The audio also gets out of sync very quickly because I must capture with my computer's sound card. Recently, the capture software just quit working, forcing my system to re-boot every time I attempt to use the TV card or capture video. After two late nights of re-formatting my hard drive to seek a solution, no luck. I liked my old Matrox Rainbow Runner much better but it would not work when I upgraded my system.

I bought a Hollywood Dazzle DV bridge a couple of weeks ago and captured about three hours of video before I decided to return the unit. For the money, I felt the unit produced too many digital hiccups at scene changes. I was able to use the VV3 capture software with the Hollywood DV Bridge. I'm pretty certain I will buy a Canopus ADVC 100 within a week or so and put off the purchase of a digital camcorder until my Hi-8 camera dies. Its easier to justify having a converter than having two working camcorders. Not sure my wife would understand why I would need a third camcorder in 10 years (my first 8mm died, probably from falling out of the closet—no one is fessing up).

By the way, I have TWO two year olds that provide plenty of interesting subject matter. However, the little ones limit me to editing late at night or early in the morning. I like the real-time previewing Vegas offers--it is a huge time saver.

I use Vegas Audio on a professional level for all of my digital editing & CD Mastering tasks. I have mastered several CD projects & singles since recently acquiring Vegas Audio. Another (lengthy) current project is loading in & editing down 25 hrs. of audio on 10 mini-discs of a male voice talent reading the King James version of the New Testament. I used to use Sound Forge (4.5) for all of my editing/mastering duties but I can't even imagine how long it would've taken me to do this job with that. The easy yet powerful NON-DESTRUCTIVE editing capability of Vegas has made this a snap. We had to record some correction voiceovers & plucking out the old & plugging in the new is quite easy. Other jobs include custom editing of commercial tracks to create routines to be used in dance competitions by various dance schools, flag teams, etc. I sure love my job :))

Jeff Lowes
On-Track Recording

Finished a documentary film about a trip to NY ground zero at Christmas. Shown in several colloquia at college where I teach.

Recorded samples of a craftsman who is making cajones (wood drums) for him to display his wares.

Put together a music video with slides and footage from my trip to Costa Rican rain forests.

Working on tracks for 7th CD release. I've finally got the setup to do it all by myself (except for final mastering of course!) and save the big expense of studios that I used for the last 6 releases.

A video for my son's pinewood derby and basketball league.

An EP for 4th grade music class with original tunes that they helped write.

Vegas Rocks! I didn't even realize I was being so productive. Seems I spend a lot of time reading forums too.
Thanks for the thread.

I love travelling abroad (spend all my spare money on that).
And I have a 16-year old son that was 1-year old 15 years ago.
And I have a lot of VHS, V8 and DV tapes coming back from the past. And growing up in the present.
I am doing Edit, Improve and re-Print to Tape (VHS/DV) of all them. And I am also doing Video CD's of the same, for portability.
All in all, it takes more or less 2.5 hours of my work for each minute of ready-to-show video.
Then, all of a sudden, it's all gone. The family sees in one-hour what took me 150 hours to create.
But, do you know, creating is all the fun !!! The rest is accessory.
I have an old analogic capture card (Pinnacle MP-10) and a digital Firewire card (Pinnacle Studio DV). I used to rely on the Pinnacle Studio Software to edit, but now I am having a much greater time with Vegas !!!
I am really enjoying it !!!

decrink -

I am interested in talking with you about the Mastering of your CD#7.

If you are at all interested, you can e-mail me directly at OnTrackRecording@sbcglobal.net.

Thanks.
JL
OTR

We use Hi8 camcorder, and pinnacle dc-30 capture card. Previously used Adobe premier 6.0 for video editing, but swithed to VV3 after crash after crash and lack of CD track import. I use to edit soccer highlights for my daughters high school team, now college (SCAD), also edit highlight tape we shoot for local HOSPICE. My daughter is a college graphic design/photography major with sound design minor, she uses to produce multimedia presentation projects using photos, video, cd and original sound tracks. She always gets an "A" when using VV3. Great product and greater forum.

I record and put together radio infomercials and 60 sec spots for broadcasts. Hope to record my own music with Vegas in the near future. Great product. Great forum.

- pup

I'm working on my first music video for a local band. I'm doing this one for free, and would love to make some money on the side (how do I promote myself?). Also editing home movies.

C'mon, no one's editing PORN with it yet? (err, admitting to it..)

C'mon, no one's editing PORN with it yet? (err, admitting to it..)
falz

Ahhh..... I believe that would be of the "Home Movies" variety :P

Currently, I have been using Vegas Video 3.0 to:

Edit Home Movies :)
Edit Vacation Video's
Music Video's
Multi-track audio mixdowns
Red Book CD burning of my SONAR and ACID projects.

Billy Buck

I had been using video factory mainly for editing wedding
videos, retirement parties, and such. I've been shooting
video as a hobbie (that pays) :o) for about ten years,
but with the advancement of digital technology,and editors
like vegas video 3.0, I,ve taken my hobbie to a whole new
level. Recently I completed a music video for some local talent
which was a ton of fun, and very successful. I co-produced,
shot all the wide to medieum shots, and did all of the editing
using VV 3.0. The word circulated quite fast, and now I,m in the
process of shooting an instrutional martial arts video.
Which will prbably be mass-produced if all goes well.
I would like to add, that used a few low end editors
like video wave, studio dv, and I've even had a bout ,or two
with adobe premier before trying sonics products,and to
my oppinion VV3 blows them all away. thanks,
and keep all of the valuable input coming.

RSR:
I don't know much about that Canopus converter (although I've read mostly positive comments about it here), but, if I were you, I'd look long and hard at some form of DV cam that would allow for either pass-through or dubbing of your collection of analog material.

For the money, you'll get the desired conversion capability, and, more importantly, you'll have the option to shoot future material in digital form. I don't think you'll regret such a decision.

Whatever you decide, enjoy those young'uns. Without going into detail, I can state with authority that they'll be grown before you have a chance to hit the pause button a second time.

Caruso

I'm using this editor to do edit home videos and making Karaoke type thing. I have a Sony Digital 8 camera as well as the old VHSC camera but in order for me to transfer my analog tapes I dont use any converters. I just plug in the Sony Dig8 Camcorder (DCR-TRV320)to my computer using fire wire and at the same time plug in the analog audio/video (RCA) to the VCR or VHSC camcorder to capture the VHS or VHSC or even the DVD.