Calling All MediaStudio Pro TRUE BELIEVERS...please weigh in

[shazer]

Ok...we've all been through this...a newbie to the forum asks all sorts of questons that have already been answered a million times... Hopefully this is not the case here...
But anyway...here's the deal...

I'm not a newbie to video...heck I was there when Sony introduced the first B/W reel to reel...remember that? And I helped shoot one of the first video to film transfers...a terribly droll horror classic, "Boardinghouse". Saw the very first demonstration of HDTV in Vegas (we're talking years ago). And, of course, the elders of the motion picture biz swore that film would always be superior to video.

Fast forward to now...where almost everything's done digitally or at least with a DI (just took twenty-three years of waiting). And so now I find myself having to decide which editing application to spend my time learning.

Started with VideoStudio and was impressed at how much I got done intuitively. Pumped out two local commercials with ease. However...it became apparent that within a few months I would outgrow VS so I began to look around for a more powerful editor. No doubt, if I spent the next month researching, I could find out the answers to the following questions but could a few of you true believers save me some time...as you may have noticed we're not getting any younger!

Question 1) I read somewhere that Vegas has speed envelopes that allow you to stall the action down to a crawl and speed it up again. Well, I tried my best to go with Sony. Played with MovieStudio on at least four different occasions. But Sony has trouble importing files that Ulead handles, no problem. It seems to me that one of the hallmarks of superior software is how robust it is. In that regard Ulead has it all over Sony (which both surprises and disappoints me). However...will I be able to easily create that same kind of speed-shift effect in MediaStudio?

Question 2) I'm totally impressed with Tony Scott's two films, "Man On Fire" and "Domino" (even though Domino was panned by the critics). I love that bleach-bypass look and want to emulate it. Other software apps have plug-ins for that effect. Have any of you tried to produce that look and if so, did you find an easy and convincing way to make it happen?

Question 3) What is it that you true believers see in MS Pro that the reviewers are overlooking? Why would you recommend that one go down the (new) Corel road, as opposed to the tried and true Avid Liquid road or Adobe Pro road? (I'm a little concerned about the latest takeover...having rarely seen buyouts lead to good results in software land. And have noticed from reading other posts that I am not alone in this regard).

Finally, let me just say that I've always been a rebel and am not impressed by status-quo arguments in favor of the establishment...software or otherwise. The producers of "The Blair Witch Project" laughed all the way to the bank, as have others. If MS Pro can deliver a gritty "inde" product, then I'm all for it. I just need a little convincing as I'm really not interested in having to start all over five years from now with a new application.

Thanks in advance for your opinions and your patience with my questions.

PS They're using Rudy of Quiet Riot to plug this software.
So I just want to say...HEY RUDY!...if you happen to read this... You've come a long way from McNatural's on Sunset Blvd.... Rock On Man!

[gundark]

shazer, welcome to the boards. I may not have a high post count (one counting this one!), but I've been a lurker on these boards for a LONG time. Props to all the guys who have answered all my questions without me ever having to post.

Let me start by answering question 3. I've been a MSP user since v6 back in 1999. I too started with VS and quickly out-grew it. I've tried all the other software in the under-$600 range. For the money, MSP just does more than the other guys - especially if you throw in Video Graphics Lab. I just updated from v6 to v8 a couple months ago...and only because I'm getting ready to go HD.

In my eight years of using it, MSP has proved to be very stable - except under Windows 2000 where I had driver issues. Maybe I'm one of the lucky ones, but I've never had a project file corrupted. Heck, I've probably only had the program crash a dozen times in eight years (counting my problems with WIN2k).

I think MSP gets overlooked by some reviewers because it doesn't follow some of the "industry standards" for interface design. I find the interface to be easy to use. It doesn't hold your hand like VS, but it is still easy to figure out what everything does. Some reviewers probably never get past the fact that the interface doesn't look like FCP or Premiere.

As far as the buyout by Corel. I don't know what's going to happen to MSP. I wouldn't hesitate to purchase it, though. It can do HD editing, so it's going to be good for the next several years. In my experience, it's stable. Best of all, you have community forums like this full of people eager to help you out.

Question 2. MSP gives great control over the picture. I am unaware of any plug-in that exists for the effect you are looking for, but it would not be difficult at all to create your own filter in MSP8. I have created several filters to make video from multi-camera shoots appear like video from a single camera. Changed color temps, saturation, hue, etc. No sweat.

Question 1. There are no speed envelopes in MSP8. You can, however, change the speed of a clip. It would be pretty time consuming to make a smooth transition from one speed to another. I've never done much with slo-mo, however. There may be somebody else out there who knows how to do it, though.

In the end, it all comes down to whatever works BEST for you. All the major players have trials, so you know what you're getting into before you buy. My last bit of advice, though...I've tried the Pinnacle products in the past and have had major stability issues. Maybe they've fixed it by now, but it's given me a bad taste for their products.

[Devil]

Gundark
You CAN make smooth transitions of speed. Read the paragraph on "Variable Speed" on p. 67 of the manual.

[shazer]

Yo Gundark and Devil, Thanks for the great welcome. You confirmed what I had thought...namely that 1) this is a great product and 2) it would be useful to pickup the Graphics Lab as well.

I was a "lurker" for a month and a half and hesitated to ask questions because (as you probably know) it's amazing how cyclical forums can be. If one has the patience, usually all the answers you ever need just pop up. Had to know these things spot on and was encouraged to find out I can count on you guys to help out. (Most people don't realize that a good forum is actually part of the product).

Devil, thanks for that tip...down to the page number. And special kudos to gundark...as I had the honor of receiving your very first post

Well, I'd write some more but it looks like I've got editing to do...
Thanks again,
Shazer

[gundark]

Devil, did you just tell me to RTFM!?

Well, I have egg on my face. Like I said though, I really dislike slowing down DV footage, so I never really bothered to learn about it. If I could overcrank my camera or something, that would be better.

Oh well...it looks like I used up my ONE mistake for the year. And it's only MAY!

[heinz-oz]

Well, like gundark, I started out with VS and outgrew that one during my first project. Have been using MSP ever since from version 6.5 Directors Cut right down to MSP 8 now.

I have never had a corrupted project file but have managed to crash it a few times usually due to my impatience and never seriously. a restart was all that's needed and I could continue with my projects from where I had left off.

Whether or not Corel will continue this great product is anybodies guess. For now, it's the one which gives you the best bang for the buck. I'm sure I will keep using it for years to come even if it is not continued by Corel.

[Devil]

Devil, did you just tell me to RTFM!?

Actually, I do that quite a lot on the forums. Probably 30% of the questions asked on various forums, possibly more, could be answered if the guys posting only opened the manual. The explanations there often answer the questions better than my feeble command of the English language ever could and by repeatedly drumming in the fact that the manual is there for a good reason, who knows? Users might even think that its 308 pages are there for more than decoration. That having been said, the index is deplorable!

[shazer]

Probably 30% of the questions asked on various forums, possibly more, could be answered if the guys posting only opened the manual.

When you say "manual"...you don't mean the help file, do you? 'Cause when you're using the thirty-day trial version, that's all you've got. I looked at the help file and noticed it didn't have page numbers so I'm assuming you're talking about something else.

Now, I suppose there are guys who ACTUALLY read the instructions completely before assembling a bicycle or swing-set. But a lot of us like to wing it. In fact, as far as I'm concerned, a good test of software is how much I can accomplish intuitively before I have to resort to reading the manual.

So, IMHO, your comment was kinda harsh.
I mean...do you realize that approximately 30% of all statistics quoted in forums is not based upon actual scientific data but is merely guesswork.

[Devil]

Not so, Shazer. The manual is downloadable, free of charge, from the Ulead web site, so that even the TBYB guys can - and should - consult it before posting questions here. In fact, I'll go even further, if you had read the very first post on this board, you would have read in the first sentence:
"Before asking questions in this forum, please make sure you have checked everything in the USER MANUAL and README of the program. ".
Now that thread, written by the site admin, not by me, is entitled:
"PLEASE READ THIS FIRST BEFORE POSTING!!!"
so I presume you must have read this, as you have posted more than once.

Then the last sentence in that post says:
"And one more thing, use the SEARCH function!!! It is likely that your question has already been answered in other post! "

If everyone only read AND FOLLOWED these very simple instructions, then we, who try to help others when they have found themselves with a problem, would have a much easier time. Please remember that we have no affiliation whatsoever with Ulead and receive no remuneration or even thanks from Ulead for helping people. Personally, I spend at least an average of an hour/day on 3 forums helping, to the best of my ability, MSP and DVD-WS users. If I used that time in doing some useful editing, my productivity would be much higher and this could be the case if the instructions were followed to the letter. Now, dear Shazer, please excuse me if I respectfully point out that you have not followed the instructions for posting on this forum, easily proved because you have not completed your profile, as requested. So, you then dare accuse me of being harsh when I waste my time trying to help you in the best way I can?

[shazer]

Then the last sentence in that post says:
"And one more thing, use the SEARCH function!!! It is likely that your question has already been answered in other post! "

I was a "lurker" for a month and a half and hesitated to ask questions because (as you probably know) it's amazing how cyclical forums can be. If one has the patience, usually all the answers you ever need just pop up. Had to know these things spot on and was encouraged to find out I can count on you guys to help out.

Not so, Shazer. The manual is downloadable, free of charge, from the Ulead web site, so that even the TBYB guys can - and should - consult it before posting questions here. In fact, I'll go even further, if you had read the very first post on this board, you would have read in the first sentence:
"Before asking questions in this forum, please make sure you have checked everything in the USER MANUAL and README of the program. "

Devil, YES I read that sticky and really that's how ALL forums work. When I read that sentence about the USER MANUAL, I didn't know it was downloadable at the website. That was above the gradient for me. For you, it was old news. In fact, I didn't know about the possibility of downloading the manual UNTIL YOU WROTE IT. You interpreted that admin sentence as being applicable to everyone whereas I read it as being applicable to those who had already purchased the program and had a manual.

Sadly, even smart people maintain a learning curve. The world would be a much better place if babies were born already able to walk and possessing a master's degree but life isn't set up that way. So people are going to read that sticky and they're STILL going to ask what appear to be avoidable, stupid questions. They're going to read the post...but not REALLY read the post. And yes...this is going to happen OVER and OVER again, despite employing the best means of prevention.

And actually, I'm on your side. I hate stupid questions. But what I hate worse is asking them. Which is why I wrote in my very first post...

Ok...we've all been through this...a newbie to the forum asks all sorts of questons that have already been answered a million times... Hopefully this is not the case here...
AND
Thanks in advance for your opinions and your patience with my questions.

To hopefully avoid the exact conversation we're having.

Admin wrote the initial warnings and apparently I didn't heed them to the extent that you feel I should have. Meanwhile, I wrote some apologies in advance and you didn't consider them to the extent that I feel you should have. So, you see...that's life, my friend.

Please remember that we have no affiliation whatsoever with Ulead and receive no remuneration or even thanks from Ulead for helping people. [snip]... you have not followed the instructions for posting on this forum, easily proved because you have not completed your profile, as requested...

Yes, Devil that's true...but that sword cuts both ways.
I'm just a tester...Ulead is not paying me to do so. I have SEVERAL packages to get through in order to make a financial decision and not a lot of time to do so. Under those constraints, you're right...I haven't completed my profile. You're coming from the POV of someone already COMMITTED to MediaStudio. Under those conditions everything you said would be a reasonable expectation.

And Finally (while I'm burning down the house)

[snip]...easily proved...[snip]...So, you then dare accuse me....

Wow, Man...
I really don't know anything about proving...daring...or accusing.
I'm too old to waste time trying to prove things. I hadn't realized that any dare was involved and as far as I know we're not in court and you haven't been accused of anything. I merely stated an opinion. And being an American, I thought I'd do that before the second incarnation of the "Patriot" Act kicks in and we're no longer allowed to ask questions.

Anyway, thank you for your input. And I'm sincerely sorry if my behavior made you uncomfortable in any way.

[MrA]

Wow, Man...
I really don't know anything about proving...daring...or accusing.
I'm too old to waste time trying to prove things. I hadn't realized that any dare was involved and as far as I know we're not in court and you haven't been accused of anything. I merely stated an opinion. And being an American, I thought I'd do that before the second incarnation of the "Patriot" Act kicks in and we're no longer allowed to ask questions.

Anyway, thank you for your input. And I'm sincerely sorry if my behavior made you uncomfortable in any way.

LOL, dude u got sucked up into this.. Don't fret, they are sharks defending their territory.

The software rocks, it's been compared to an equivilent to Final Cut Express, (I have Final Cut Pro, on the required Apple), and it is just that, finally on the apple. The only thing I don't like about MSP 8 it doesn't support multi cam. You can simulate it tho. I put out a lil over 200+ commercial grade vids with this software. (not all my editing tho, I actually have employees that do this for me..)

Only probs I have had with MSP 8 is no time code/direct HD editing.. Some new probs with smart compositor, but, I am a newbie, will always be a newbie, and stand behind that fact. (actually, I think MSP 8 directly supports HD editing with a limited mumber of cameras, but, the cameras I chose, will only capture at mpeg2)

Anyone check out "on the lot" yet?