by Mark Richards

Looking for a video editing software package that is easy enough for a beginner to use but contains the powerful functions required by a video editing professional? And you don't want to pay more than a $100?

Check out the new Movie Edit Pro 2004 program from Magix. Relatively unknown in the US, Magix is a major supplier of multimedia programs throughout Europe.

Not only can you capture and edit video from analog and digital sources, you can output your final videos in a variety of streaming video formats such as QuickTime, Real Media and Windows Media. The output options provide a choice of quality and compression ratios, image sizes and frame rates. 

The program even includes an application for creating your own video streaming web site. If you don't have your own domain, you can upload the finished video to the Magix web site - Magix.TV -  and then share it with your friend and relatives. 

You can save your videos as MPEGs or AVI files and copy them back to tape. If you have a CD or DVD burner, Magix has bundled in an application which enables you to organize, author and burn your own movie DVDs and video CDs.

When you first launch the program, it appears a bit confusing. However, after watching the demo videos and skimming through the printed manual, it all jells together. According to Carol Soper, Product Manager, "Magix provides an amazing array of pro features, but really is a consumer product, with consumer-oriented functionality and pricing. Our approach (using effects overlays and combining right-click menus with drag and drop functionality) makes these pro features accessible to everyone - and providers an amazing value and product that can grow with the consumer."

If you are just starting out, you'll probably opt to use the basic storyboard editing structure that enables you to easily mix and match your scenes, and then add effects and transitions just by dropping them in. More advanced users will instead opt for the timeline approach which offers a bevy of professional features and capabilities including extremely sophisticated audio mixing, sweetening and editing capabilities.

The audio editing capabilities are awesome - everything form a 8 track stereo sound mixer to a "Audio FX" application that includes a 10-band audio equalizer, reverb, audio compressor, stereo effects controller and real time PPM and spectrum analyzer.

The video effects and transitions are almost as impressive - you get a choice of 170 transitions, 100 different borders, 115 audio and video effects - plus a powerful effects controller application that enables you to do color correction, speed up and slow down the video and even spin and turn the video within the frame. 

Also included with Magix Movie Edit Pro is a Scene Recognition feature that automatically slices and dices your captured video segments into smaller and more easily manipulated clips; and the Song Wizard that creates customized soundtracks for your movies. You pick the style and instruments and the length. It creates the song. Movie Edit Pro ships with an extremely limited selection of songs and styles but you can buy more from Magix - check out their "SoundPool" collections.

By the way - Magix Movie Edit Pro is for Windows users only. 

We strongly recommend Magix Movie Edit Pro 2004 for beginning video editors as well as those who want a taste of what high level video editing is all about. You might not get all the pro features and bells & whistles that you would find in a $600 editing application, but for $99 you will be amazed.