Need help in video editing. Not an easy task for me. Started by James D:)

Hello. It feels little awkward when I ask for help the community but this time I just need to be 100% sure in what i am doing because I can't fail.

So I need to create a video for a school where my mom works as a physical education teacher. I have to put different photos and video fragments in a one full single nice video WITH (and here is a catchy moment for me) a music playing while slideshow AND nice effects of changing photos (for them even Powerpoint 2003 effects are nice LOL). Not sure if I have to burn DVDs or can create 1 big HD mkv file (which I certainly prefer more as DVDs should be in the past nowadays for such work).

Usually I would try to do it myself with tries-and-errors method or google but as I said I am doing this not for me and this responsibility makes me use the safest way.

Software: currently have Xilisoft video converter, but tell me any other if it has to.
My experience in video editing: I have created photos+video fragments video BUT: 1) no music during photo slideshow and 2) for some reason in the middle audio of video fragments became not synchronized but I believe it was a bug of program. Need to eliminate such bugs though.

The last note. I know, it is very easy to do for someone who already did this once but I didn't so please, create How-to video with fraps or write an article for me, OK?
I guess it is the least I deserve

 

Can't say what you want will be easy. Most of the video converters and editors advertised will be very similar in operation. You're right about the video fragmentation which throw off the audio. It's probably a bug in the software, or it could be a background process decided to jump up and steal some CPU power from the video converter at that moment which causes encoder to lapse momentarily (very rare, but possible).

My best advice is for you to create the video portion first. Get the photo slideshow portions all done, and saved into video format. Then assemble them with the video clips you want. Then get the video into the format you want (format as in resolution, frame rate, etc., not file format). Once the video parameters are what you want, insert the audio. When you stitch the audio and video together, make sure to set the video converter to "Direct Stream Copy" or whatever the program calls it. You want to tell the program not to touch the video stream at all and only join the audio stream into it. You also want to have the audio in the format you want before joining it with the video (mp3, AAC, etc.). Once you have the audio and video assembled, and it test plays fine, then you can put it into an mkv container. That way you're not having to wait each time for it to be in mkv format before test playing it.

 

If you want to do video editing its best to use a video editing program. Sounds like you're using PowerPoint? Can it be done with that program? Probably, but I have no idea how to sink it.

Anyway, its a simple process with even the simplest video editing programs. You can even do it with Photoshop now (CS6+) if you want.

Start by laying down your audio/music, then place your video/pictures clips at whatever points you want them to show. Render to whatever format you want.

Dedicated editing programs have more render format choices. That's the reason to choose them over software such as Photoshop which only does it in a limited capacity...on the side.

 

Thank you people. I am going to do this in Xilisoft, powerpoint was just a measure of special effects they expects. The main concern for me is to create a special effect of changing photos. So they wouldn't just be going like one photo is showing for 2 seconds and then BANG! now you see another photo.
If anyone knows another video converting program which does this for sure please tell me.

radji, when you said not to put photos in mkv until I merge everything, what should I do then? Convert in mpeg4?

 

download the 30 day trial of cyberlink power director 12 and give that a go PowerDirector 12 Ultra Free Trial Download | CyberLink

im still using version 10 and it has 2 video timelines and 2 audio time lines which can overlap on finished video. the transitions between each video or picture slideshow are also great. you can also overlay text.
also has the fastest 64bit rendering of any software out there.

 

What I mean was, get your photos together, then make them into that photo slide show. The idea is to do each slideshow part including effects. Then save each photo slide show into a video format. That way the video editor will treat each slideshow your adding as another video clip. The best format to use when editing is still avi. No compression on the video. Then once you've got all the video and audio together the way you want it, have the video converter compress it into an mkv container.

 

avi, this is what I need. Thanks.

 

The straight "cut" is still the most popular way to transition from one frame to another, unless you're trying to create mood. With that in mind, the type of a transition best suited for you is known as a dissolve. Its typically use to create that more relaxed mood or shows the passage of time.

The above mentioned Cyberlinks should work fine. But an audio editing program would be best.

Its not that you can't do the edits you need on program like PowerPoint, Photoshop, etc. its just that dedicated editing software makes the task a simple procedure with far more advanced controls (if you need them), precision, and flexibility.

With an audio editor you can see the waveform and know precisely where to sync your photos to your sound.

 

really? use windows movie maker, dude. sorry to everybody else for resurrecting this thread.