Screenblast Movie Studio announced

filmy wrote on 7/10/2003, 12:05 PM
Announced yesterday from Sony... a "pioneer in developing unique online service + software offerings for enhancing and sharing personal media" ...the brand new version of Screenblast Movie Studio will be available online sometime this month and in stores in September. Sounds a bit like VV 4 + DVD to me, but a lot cheaper. But that's just me. ;)

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"Our new software products meet the needs of today's digitally-connected consumer," said Andrew Schneider, senior vice president and general manager, Screenblast. "As people of all ages experiment more with digital images and music, they expect more from the software they use. They're no longer content to just insert a title and simple effects. Instead, consumers want professional-looking results that are easy to create, and that's what our software provides."

The new version of Screenblast Movie Studio software lets users get even more from their digital cameras and camcorders than ever before, bringing the power of Hollywood to their desktops.

Screenblast Movie Studio software includes integrated DVD authoring software and features over 40 pre-made, lifestyle and entertainment-themed DVD menu templates -- including weddings, birthdays and other special events -- from the Sony Pictures Digital Authoring Center. The software also supports today's most popular video and audio formats, such as MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 import, editing and export, which allow users to play their projects on most VCD and DVD players.

Other new features include:

* A more extensive interactive tutorial for video capture. This makes the process of capturing video from camcorder to PC easier and more integrated into the video editing process.

* A sixth track on the timeline specifically for text effects. This feature provides greater flexibility to personalize digital media.

* An increase to 177 customizable transitions. The new transitions -- including page peel, page roll, and Venetian blinds -- let users connect scenes with professional polish.

* An increase to 125 special effects. Effects such as border, black restore, deform, lens flare, light rays, linear blur, mirror, quick blur, radial blur and threshold, have all been added so that users can enhance their images with Hollywood style.

For the professional videographer, Screenblast Movie Studio includes many features found in higher end professional editing software that offer increased device support, such as:

* A wide range of output formats. These include Windows Media(R) 9 and Macromedia Flash(TM) file format (SWF).

* A DSR-DU1 hard disk unit. This is used by many prosumers and videographers with their Sony professional DVCAM camcorders for extra storage.

* The ShuttlePRO(TM) MultiMedia Controller. Many prosumers and videographers use this in addition to their keyboard and mouse for more precise editing control.

"We've made it even easier for novices to use our software, with expanded and more accessible 'Show Me' interactive tutorials, while adding sophisticated features for the videographer and hobbyist," noted Schneider.

The suggested retail price for Sony Movie Studio software is $99.95 and will be available by September nationwide at retailers, including CompUSA, Micro Center and Sony Gallery, as well as online at Amazon.com and Sonystyle.com. Included with the software will be an offer for one month's free premium membership to the Screenblast online service.

Comments

Chienworks wrote on 7/10/2003, 12:33 PM
VideoFactory 3 maybe?
vitalforce2 wrote on 7/10/2003, 3:48 PM
Extrapolating from this, perhaps it indicates that Sony intends to continue to breathe life into the former SoFo products--including perhaps V5? With the latest assault in the NLE wars (Premiere Pro, FCP4), continuing development is key.
tserface wrote on 7/10/2003, 5:51 PM
I wouldn't mind having a few more themes for DVDA... I wonder if these would work? I'd probably pay the price of a VideoFactory upgrade just to get those.

Tom
jrsunshine wrote on 7/11/2003, 8:41 AM
I don't want to sound like a nay sayer but this makes me worried. I have committed to using Vegas Video as my NLE of choice and for good reason. Sony looks like they are going to turn the NLE we all love into a $99 bargin bin item at CompUSA. This is not the "happy happy joy joy" the insiders were proclaiming when the Sony deal was announced.

I hope someone from the Vegas Video dev team or at the very least a Sonic Foundry tech person can dispell my fears.

Otherwise, "...HEY FILMY..." can you share some of your Premiere wisdom so I can get up to speed on Premiere Pro?

Thanks,
Roy
SonyEPM wrote on 7/11/2003, 11:12 AM
The new screenblast video product is an improved and updated version of Videofactory 2 and is not a dumbed down version of Vegas 4 or DVDA.
dvdude wrote on 7/11/2003, 11:58 AM
Thanks SonicEPM - I might be able to actually sleep tonight.....

Andy
filmy wrote on 7/11/2003, 9:00 PM
>>>The new screenblast video product is an improved and updated version of Videofactory 2 and is not a dumbed down version of Vegas 4 or DVDA.<<<

So it is Videofactory 2 + DVDA than? "Screenblast Movie Studio software includes integrated DVD authoring software and features over 40 pre-made, lifestyle and entertainment-themed DVD menu templates..." If the new Screenblast contains a DVD portion but it isn't a 'dumbed down version' of DVDA than it contains the full DVDA?
Chienworks wrote on 7/11/2003, 9:17 PM
I can't imagine that it contains the full DVD-Architect. The licensing fees on both the MPEG-2 encoder and the AC3 encoder would probably more than eat up any profit. I would guess that the DVD authoring is a completely different application.
jetdv wrote on 7/11/2003, 10:14 PM
Actually, I believe it is Video Factory with EZ CD Creator (which now does DVDs in a VERY limited way)
JohnnyRoy wrote on 7/12/2003, 10:39 AM
This is great news. VideoFactory 2 has a LOT of catching up to do. If you look at its competition in the $99 price range (e.g., Pinnacle Studio, Ulead VideoStudio, etc.), you’ll see that they all added DVD support LAST YEAR. So I wouldn’t go jumping the gun here on what Sony is doing. VideoFactory users deserve an upgrade. I’m happy to see Sony added a 3rd video track. This leapfrogs the competition because they only have 2 video tracks and Studio really only has one video track and one static text overlay track. So VideoFactory 3 sounds like a winner to me, not a dumbed down version of Vegas 4 or DVDA

BTW, if you look at Pinnacle Studio 8 with Hollywood FX Pro, it is quite an impressive package. (if it would only work… which it doesn’t!) The DVD support has more function in some areas than DVDA. Hollywood FX Pro is a $99 add-on that is like Boris FX, which sells is $595! Even the standalone Hollywood FX Pro is $395 but yet its only $99 for the Studio version. This is the same software not a lite version. You can import 3D objects and manipulate them in 3D space within your videos. I use it all the time with Vegas 4. (I just export to Studio, render the effect, and import back. I use Studio as you would the standalone Hollywood FX product only it’s a lot cheaper.) Even Ulead VideoStudio has a Boris FACTORY plugin for $99. VideoFactory 2 has no such support. (neither does Vegas 4 since I can't afford Boris Red at $1,500)

My point here is that the $99 competition has raised the bar significantly in the past year while VideoFactory has stood still. IMHO, Sony is doing the right thing in making VideoFactory competitive in its price range.

~jr
filmy wrote on 7/12/2003, 11:18 AM
Those who follow my posts have heard me say I used to edit NLE with a D/Vision set up. When D/Vision went under it was bought up by various companies and ended up with Discreet and is now morphed into "smoke". So I decided to do a look-see and here is what D/Vision has become - http://www.metvid.com/smoke.htm

Now D/Vision had a lower end version version as well and it was called "Cineworks". It was the exact same as D/Vision *but* if you had no dongle you did not have EDL export support, or the ability to view the 'real' edl information. (What you got in 'Cineworks' when you viewed the EDL was almost exactly like the VV EDL) But at the time for a 'video Factory' / 'LE' type software you got SMPTE TC capture, DVE's, full editing, Chrystal Flying Fonts, Full deck control for recapture, Dos based EDL Disk formating utilites, Dos based film match back program and more. It has been about 6 years since I have used D/Vision - so I know I am leaving out stuff. So my point is that 10 years ago NLE was not like it is now and "cineworks" was the first 'sub $1,000' NLE software and actually offered a lot more pro type solutions than do todays $99 software. (And please keep in mind that the 'under 100 dollar' NLE software of today is very much the same as the 'under 1000 dollar' NLE software was 10 years ago) And if you go to the link you can see that D/Visions feel stayed the same but the overall options have grown with the times. (Notice Color Correction and full HD support) So who knows - 10 years down the road will Video Factory/Vegas Video become like 'Smoke'?
ZippyGaloo wrote on 7/12/2003, 11:38 AM
Does anyone remember the first DV Editing Software (via firewire)....EditDV? Which by the way was incredible at the time, very Avid Like. This was before Final Cut Pro. And it was even better than Final Cut Pro 1.0 when it came out. Anyway EditDV went from Radius as "EditDV 1.0" to Digital Origin as "EditDV 1.5" to Discreet as "Cinestream". Where is it now? GONE! Every part of it. GONE! Just something to think about.
discdude wrote on 7/12/2003, 1:20 PM
So is Screenblast Movie Factory "Video Factory 2.5"? Will Sonic Foundry be coming out with an even better Video Factory 3 at a later date?

Also, what's wrong with having a stripped down Vegas 4 for a stripped down price?
JohnnyRoy wrote on 7/14/2003, 12:39 PM
> what's wrong with having a stripped down Vegas 4 for a stripped down price?

Nothing and I hope I didn’t give the impression that this was not a good thing. I was trying to add perspective to those who may have felt that Sony is giving away too much for too little. The competition is tough in the sub-$99 and companies like Pinnacle are adding high quality function from their more expensive line into their low end line of products. I think Sony is just answering them with some high quality function of their own.

~jr
ronaldf wrote on 7/14/2003, 1:40 PM
I would hope it becomes "smoke". I don't think anyone would want to use 10 year old technology. Microsoft's "Linux WXP" will probably have a built in editor (MovieMaker25?) that will be far superior to anything that is now available!!!