Recommendations on software to edit and/or convert movies?

[Douglas Pollard]

Steve Reilly wrote:
> Kevin O'Gorman wrote:
>   
>> I've got a "footage" from a couple of digital cameras, and i want to make
>> sense of this stuff.
>> One produces .avi files, which work fine when I send them to family members
>> with Windoze machines.
>>
>> The other produces MP4s, which requires added software on Windoze.  Is there
>> some way to
>> convert MP4 -> AVI.  While I'm at it, a lot of this stuff is boring and
>> could really benefit from some
>> editing.  All I have on my Ubuntu system is players, not editors; they seem
>> happy with either format,
>> but I need to send this stuff to folks who are clue challenged.
>>
>> Can someone recommend conversion software, and maybe editing?
>>
>> ++ kevin
>>
>>
>>     
>
> theres quite a few, i was just going to suggest kino which can edit and
> export in different formats but heres a nice list of some others as well
>
> http://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/top5-linux-video-editing-system-software/
>
>
>
>
>
>   
I use Kino, Avidemux and Lives but Mostly Cinelerra.  Cinelerra ia great 
if you want to do really involved editing and is pretty much equivalent 
to high priced professional programs like Premiere used in windows.  It 
has a pretty steep learning curve but the more you use it the better it 
gets.  With all the help on line  it can be figured out.  For simple 
cutting and splicing  on  the computer I use Kino and Avidemux.  it's 
easy to learn and gets the job done.
    I take a lot of pictures and mix them in with video and even get 
film clips and pictures on line that are free to use,  there are 
thousands of them.   The stills can be panned and zoomed so that the 
viewer can't tell them from video and this can enhance you video 
tremendously.   With the addition of music sound effects and by putting  
sound over which you can record, your narration on top you can make 
video's that approach professional quality. Good an interesting video is 
mostly in the editing.  Doing Video is one place where Linux really 
shines. Some have said that Linux has not arrived yet where video is 
concerned and yes its a little bit of a struggle at first but not near 
the struggle of earning the couple thousand dollars to buy the software 
to edit it on  Windoz and linux getting better all the time.  There are 
some guys on line that will do a little animated title for you for free 
if you give them credit at the end of your video.  You can learn this as 
well but between doing video and animation there is a heck of a lot of 
learning involved.
                                                                       
                                                                         
Doug