Third party software for wedding edits? at DVinfo.net

Tim Richards · February 27th, 2006, 01:47 PM

I'm filming a few weddings this summer for friends and I would like to make them look as nice as possible. I'm using imovie HD and idvd. I'm familiar with the menus in idvd but I was wondering if anyone has used any other third party software (wedding specific) that would work with imove and idvd? Thanks in advance.

Tim Richards

Jonathan Jones · February 27th, 2006, 03:26 PM

Having your videos look 'as nice as possible' will rely more on your framing, exposure, and shooting style than the editing application you use. With that in mind, iMovie and iDVD can theoretically provide most of what you really need to produce high quality wedding videos. My entire first year of wedding videos were edited primarily in iMovie, until I could afford to move up to Final Cut Pro, and all of my clients were exrtremely blown away and very impressed with the results (although more of this had to do with long time editing experience in media in general)

A search through the Apple forums, or a google search for "iMovie plugins" will give you lots of info for freeware and shareware plugins that will enhance your iMovie and iDVD apps. Try not to go overboard. Personally, I edit for graceful simplicity rather than effects or flash. The simple graceful wedding videos withstand the test of time better than "the current popular look" that will appear cheesy in 5 years (in my opinion) - so with very few exceptions, I generally stick to simple fade in / out, cross dissolves, and wash in/outs between scenes. I try to create family event videos that will appear just as timeless and viewable in 30 or 40 years as they are the day after the wedding. If you could do this on S-VHS decks 15 years ago, then you can certainly produce it in a free stock application like iMovie. The personalities of the couple, the venue setting and the choices of music might have alot to do with the editing preferences as well.

I have used the GeeThree Slick plugins for iMovie to get more control over color correction and stabilization on some footage than is otherwise afforded through stock iMovie (which is pretty lousy at image enhancement)

In a few cases, I had to rely on MovieEdit3D for emergency fixes to framing in shots that got screwed up by the antics of stupid people walking into the frame at the wrong time - repairs I can now do in FCP, but not otherwise possible in iMovie alone.

For iDVD, you will be able to find some templates from dvdthempak.com. I am pretty sure they have a dedicated pack just for weddings. Some of them are pretty good, some are lousy. With a little bit of know-how you should also be able to hack iDVD and create some static templates of your own - (if that's your thing) - it will party depend upon how involved you will need your menu system to be.

Hope this helps.
-Jon

Jonathan Jones · February 27th, 2006, 09:34 PM

I forgot to mention, although I regularly sing the praises of iMovie, and still continue to use it for a number of tasks, if you find that your wedding videos will involve regular multi-cam shoots with footage that must be closely synced, you will find that iMovie can be a real Pain In The A** when it comes to this due to its limitation of 1 video track. If you think you will be doing alot of multi-cam shoots, you might want to think about possibly investing in (at least) Final Cut Express. It doesn't have alot of the image tweaking capabilities of the full FCP, but the convenience of multiple video tracks can be considered a time saving plus.
-Jon

Tim Richards · March 3rd, 2006, 11:58 AM

The info is certainly appreciated.

Tim

John C. Chu · March 3rd, 2006, 01:06 PM

In my humble opinion, the two indispensible tools in addition to the iMovie and iDVD, for weddings is "Photo to Movie" and DVFilm's filmlook/deinterlacing software.

1) Photo to Movie allows precise and creative[ panning over still photographs. [The built in Ken Burns effect in iMovie is lacking to say the least.]

2) DVfilms filmlook software will deinterlace your finished video and give it the nice 30p look--this is really dazzling and gives your project the "film look".

Both programs are easy to use and very affordable.

With these two bits of software, you can tackle any project.

Tom Hardwick · March 3rd, 2006, 01:16 PM

There again, living in PAL land I'm of the complete opposite opinion. Our 50i video look is a whole lot smoother on subject or camera movement than any 24 or 25p I've seen, and I was glad to move away from the 24p of my film days.

tom.

February 27th, 2006, 01:47 PM	#1
Tim Richards New Boot Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 16	Third party software for wedding edits? I'm filming a few weddings this summer for friends and I would like to make them look as nice as possible. I'm using imovie HD and idvd. I'm familiar with the menus in idvd but I was wondering if anyone has used any other third party software (wedding specific) that would work with imove and idvd? Thanks in advance. Tim Richards

February 27th, 2006, 03:26 PM	#2
Jonathan Jones Trustee Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Healdsburg, California Posts: 1,138	Having your videos look 'as nice as possible' will rely more on your framing, exposure, and shooting style than the editing application you use. With that in mind, iMovie and iDVD can theoretically provide most of what you really need to produce high quality wedding videos. My entire first year of wedding videos were edited primarily in iMovie, until I could afford to move up to Final Cut Pro, and all of my clients were exrtremely blown away and very impressed with the results (although more of this had to do with long time editing experience in media in general) A search through the Apple forums, or a google search for "iMovie plugins" will give you lots of info for freeware and shareware plugins that will enhance your iMovie and iDVD apps. Try not to go overboard. Personally, I edit for graceful simplicity rather than effects or flash. The simple graceful wedding videos withstand the test of time better than "the current popular look" that will appear cheesy in 5 years (in my opinion) - so with very few exceptions, I generally stick to simple fade in / out, cross dissolves, and wash in/outs between scenes. I try to create family event videos that will appear just as timeless and viewable in 30 or 40 years as they are the day after the wedding. If you could do this on S-VHS decks 15 years ago, then you can certainly produce it in a free stock application like iMovie. The personalities of the couple, the venue setting and the choices of music might have alot to do with the editing preferences as well. I have used the GeeThree Slick plugins for iMovie to get more control over color correction and stabilization on some footage than is otherwise afforded through stock iMovie (which is pretty lousy at image enhancement) In a few cases, I had to rely on MovieEdit3D for emergency fixes to framing in shots that got screwed up by the antics of stupid people walking into the frame at the wrong time - repairs I can now do in FCP, but not otherwise possible in iMovie alone. For iDVD, you will be able to find some templates from dvdthempak.com. I am pretty sure they have a dedicated pack just for weddings. Some of them are pretty good, some are lousy. With a little bit of know-how you should also be able to hack iDVD and create some static templates of your own - (if that's your thing) - it will party depend upon how involved you will need your menu system to be. Hope this helps. -Jon __________________ "Are we to go on record, sir, with our assertion that the 'pink hearts, yellow moons, orange stars, and green clovers' are, in point of fact', magically delicious?" - Walter Hollarhan before the House Subcommittee on Integrity in Advertising - May, 1974

February 27th, 2006, 09:34 PM	#3
Jonathan Jones Trustee Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Healdsburg, California Posts: 1,138	I forgot to mention, although I regularly sing the praises of iMovie, and still continue to use it for a number of tasks, if you find that your wedding videos will involve regular multi-cam shoots with footage that must be closely synced, you will find that iMovie can be a real Pain In The A** when it comes to this due to its limitation of 1 video track. If you think you will be doing alot of multi-cam shoots, you might want to think about possibly investing in (at least) Final Cut Express. It doesn't have alot of the image tweaking capabilities of the full FCP, but the convenience of multiple video tracks can be considered a time saving plus. -Jon __________________ "Are we to go on record, sir, with our assertion that the 'pink hearts, yellow moons, orange stars, and green clovers' are, in point of fact', magically delicious?" - Walter Hollarhan before the House Subcommittee on Integrity in Advertising - May, 1974

March 3rd, 2006, 11:58 AM	#4
Tim Richards New Boot Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 16	Thanks The info is certainly appreciated. Tim

March 3rd, 2006, 01:06 PM	#5
John C. Chu Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Rego Park , NYC Posts: 665	In my humble opinion, the two indispensible tools in addition to the iMovie and iDVD, for weddings is "Photo to Movie" and DVFilm's filmlook/deinterlacing software. 1) Photo to Movie allows precise and creative[ panning over still photographs. [The built in Ken Burns effect in iMovie is lacking to say the least.] 2) DVfilms filmlook software will deinterlace your finished video and give it the nice 30p look--this is really dazzling and gives your project the "film look". Both programs are easy to use and very affordable. With these two bits of software, you can tackle any project.

March 3rd, 2006, 01:16 PM	#6
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	There again, living in PAL land I'm of the complete opposite opinion. Our 50i video look is a whole lot smoother on subject or camera movement than any 24 or 25p I've seen, and I was glad to move away from the 24p of my film days. tom.