Hi. I am making short experimental digital 8 video with a SONY TRV240E, and want to get the 16mm film look is possible. The video footage was shot at 24fps, with film style lighting, good use of depth of field and some soft manual focus, but I really want the grain simulation, scratches, and something that will let me insert end of reel marks, splices, etc.

I only have PINNACLE 7.15 installed on a Celeron 1.7 system, which I know is never going to be PREMIERE, but what extras can I get that will run with Pinnacle? Can I get anything that will work with Pinnacle to give me film grain simulation, dust and scratches, etc? Or should I invest inPREMIERE for things like CINELOOK, etc?

Any stand alone software that will do the equivalent of CINELOOK or related products that wont mess up the file so that PINNACLE wont be able to read it? Many thanks for suggestions and comments.

Go out and buy Vegas Video.

To be honest it about beats premiere in every single department, and has a grain/film filter lookalike included in it which has the results you are looking for.

Kermie

I second Kermie's motion. Go buy Vegas Video. You can get educational versions for $200-ish or less on Ebay.
Go download the demo from their website. It's a sweet program.

I see a negative trend toward Pinnalce. I would have to say that Pinnacle is good for a novice and excellent considering the price, typically under $100!! I ave played with Video Vegas and while it looks good, I would have to say that the learning curve is steeper than Studio and not as easy to use as Studio. For a casual user Studio is fine. The more complex taks require more sophisticated software. And While Vegas looks good I wonder if I am going to spend a few hundred on my next step then I am going take a full step and go for Premiere. Has anyone looked at Pinncale Edition? I know it is a refresh of an aqusition Pinnacle made, but I like Hollywod FX and TitleDeko.

comming from an experienced premiere user, vegas really has it beat in every regard, hands down.

I wouldn't be able to more highly recomend vegas video.

kermie

Keith, got to disagree with you and side with Kermie here.
I've never used Studio so I can't comment on it's ease of use. However, I picked up Vegas Video in about 5 minutes, without ever having read a manual or tutorial for it, (which I will get around to some day). Granted I have some experience in NLE's already, but it's easy, easy, easy! My DAD got the basics on his own in a few hours with no help, and he's never even used an NLE before!

Everyone has their own opinion, but I'd rather use Vegas over Premiere. IMHO, I don't think Premiere is as good a product, and there are a lot of people here that will agree. I'm not saying it sucks, just that Vegas is a better product for less money.

As far as casual use goes, if you are cutting your family picnic, then whatever software that came with your computer will likely do the job, no need to spend extra money on Pinnacle.

Thats why this is a great place, we can disagree. I am not saying Vegas is not easy. I did play with it and picked up a few things also in a few minutes. But for <$100 Studio is almost child proof. Studio is not as powerful as Vega, but it is a snap to thow a video with titles and effects together for the casual user. Vegas at aroun $350 is for the more serious user that is willing to commit to learning more. Have you seen that music video posted in one of the other forums here, "say" ? He cut it together with Premiere and I question if Vegas could do all that. Truthfully if it can then maybe I will get it instead of going for Premiere eventually, but I know there is much more support out there for Premiere. I found Vegas cumbersome to undo some changes directly. I did find it to work more effeicently on my system than Studio ever could.

Vegas can be had for $260 through various methods. Or even better, (not that I endorse it) if you know a student that can buy it for you, now you are looking at $180.

I have found that vegas actually has every single feature of premiere and more...

But this is a very personal thing, and everyones opinion will differ..... i would suggest going out to a store or college and just playing around with the different programs and see which one tickles your fancy, in the end its not the program that makes a good flick, its the person behind it.


kermie

OK, I am opening wide and about to eat my words. I did a little more playing with Vegas and also the trial of Premiere 6. I was able find and do things faster and easier in Vegas than Proemiere. And actually on a few tasks I gave up on Premiere. One think I do NOT like about Vega is the Title editor. Would be nice to have a few templates filled in already. Now my upgrade choice will be Vegas or maybe Pinnacle Edition. Edition looks good on features and paper, I am eagerly awaiting my trial CD. They say NO official upgrade from Studio, but they will work with customers looking to upgrade, especially from Studio Deluxe.

Quote from goldenfleece:

"...with a SONY TRV240E, and want to get the 16mm film look is possible. The video footage was shot at 24fps, with film style lighting, good use of depth of field and some soft manual focus..."

WOW! I didn't know that TRV240E has a 24fps mode? Or was it a typo? [grin]

Anyway, maybe you wanna try www.bigfx.com. This FilmFX plugin works best in Premiere (though I never go back once I go Mac!) and they even have for the Mac now (soon for FCP as well!)

Have fun!

Well it is a SLOW SHUTTER setting which according to the manual gives 24 FPS. There are only 4 slow shutter settings, the 140E also has these options, quite well hidden down in digital effects menu.