Question for a friend

p@mast3rs wrote on 10/29/2004, 8:31 PM
Had another discussion with a friend tonight that is interested in digital video. He asked what software to use to edit, composite, author, etc...

Naturally I recommended VV5+DVD Architect and Photoshop CS. However, I had no clue on what to recommend as far as a compositing app. While I own After Effects 6.5 Pro, I have heard many clamor about Boris Red and Combustion.

So my question on his behalf, what would be the bare minimum software for him to make the conversion to digital video? VV5 and Photoshop CS obviously. Should he go with After Effects 6.5 Pro, Boris Red GL, or Combustion? Im not sure budget is an issue for him.

I believe the projects he will be working on are weddings, events, short films, and some local commercials.

Comments

Spot|DSE wrote on 10/29/2004, 8:36 PM
If you own AE, you can likely teach him some things. Learning curve for all three is steep. Might as well have him get something that a friend knows and owns.
Unless he wants 3D extruded and motion paths, why not stick with Vegas?
skibumm101 wrote on 10/29/2004, 9:55 PM
Personally I love Combustion. It has great particle effects, awsome color corection tools, great compositing, and motion tracking. For me if i am not using vegas, most likley i have combustion open. I might be partial to combustion3 because I had it before i had vegas 5. Vegas is my editng software, and vegas can do a lot of the things that Combustion does, but i feel combustion does a few things better and easier, and it does a lot of things that Vegas doesnt.
Spot|DSE wrote on 10/29/2004, 10:06 PM
Combustion's motion tracking is wonderful. I like Vegas C/C tools better, and it would be nice if Vegas had particles, no doubt. Apple's new Motion has the most wonderful particle generator I've ever seen. Wish it ran on a PC.