Video editing solution that is better than Windows Movie Maker

I have just completed a class video editing project using Adobe Premiere Pro CS3. The students' bottom line: too sophisticated for their needs.

We want something that runs in Windows and is better than Window Movie Maker and offers the functionality of iMovie. Suggestions? I'm open to Premiere Elements, Pinnacle Studio, etc.

Thanks in advance.

Rod Milstead
www.rodmilstead.com

Tags: editing, video, windows

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Permalink Reply by Ojas Ray on February 5, 2009 at 8:43pm

Actually i have found that for students Adobe Premiere does the job very well. Esp if you are in a school setting, because you can burn a dvd - create a menu - add text without any hassle. The key issue which you are going to face anywhere. is that any VIDEO EDITING is going to require some work, but the simplest yet powerful i find the premiere will fit the bill.

Pinnacle is like not industry based, at one point in time there was a name for it, but now its not to be found. Final Cut and Adobe have taken control of the ranks.

Iv never used windows movie maker -- dont plan on to either.

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Permalink Reply by Stephen Catton on February 6, 2009 at 4:01am

Hi Rod

I have used quite a few video editing tools from Roxio to Pinnacle Studio (works well) to my preference at the moment which is Adobe Premiere Elements 7 This is much easier to use than Premiere Pro.

kr
Stephen

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Permalink Reply by Anders on February 6, 2009 at 7:06am

Yes, Adobe Premier Elements is nice. You can step in as a total newbie and then you can grow in it quickly. And if you buy the bundle with Photoshop elements, you get a cheap (yes there are educationlicense) bundle for school. I´ve tried with pupils from age 8 up to 16, and it works...

/Anders

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Permalink Reply by Kev on February 6, 2009 at 7:37am

Windows Movie Maker for Vista is a huge upgrade over the xp version and can do just about what iMovie can. I wish Microsoft would make that more clear to people.

Anywho, our media class uses Pinnacle Studio with our 7th graders and they do quite well. I learned Pinnacle first and then moved to Premiere Elements when forced due to Vista issues. It took me quite some time to learn Elements and I consider myself pretty advanced. Pinnacle is much easier to use. Elements tends to be more stable but maybe newer versions of Pinnacle are as well. I haven't used it since version 9 on xp.

Elements is a great program with arguably a bit more power than Pinnacle but it is much more techy and has a steeper learning curve.