I’m trying to help someone out with a project. He wants to splice together clips from several movies, and burn them on to a dvd. In short, he would need to take scene A from movie 1, scene b form movie 2, etc. etc. Is it possible, and how would you go about doing it?
Sure this can be done, but you need software to extract scenes from the movies, reassemble them in the right order, do edits, add in titles and effects, and finally render a new video. I use Ulead’s software for this. They have a trial version. But there are other software options out there. I assume you already have hardware to read and burn DVDs. If the source is not already on DVD, then you might need additonal hardware. Here’s a great source to get more answers.
Thanks. In what ways is the trial verison limited?
Almost effortless, if the movies are already digital movie files, semi-effortless if the movies are on DVD or are saved as clips on a digital camcorder or something, a bit more hassle if they’re VHS, bit of a pain in the butt if they’re 8mm or commercial moviehouse spools or something.
Let’s assume they’re digital movie files and work up to that point for the other formats:
a) Drag each movie or movie-snipped into iMovie
b) Arrange in the order you want 'em; as need be, use menu command “split movie at tape head” to slice single pieces into smaller bits so as to delete or reorder.
c) Add “chapters” if desired (optional)
d) Share to iDVD
e) Insert blank DVD media and burn
If your movies are on (noncommercial, non-copyrighted) DVD to begin with, drag the VIDEO_TS folder to a convenient folder on your hard drive, then use an app like MPEG StreamClip to select and copy any portion and export as standard DV format.
If they’re on digital camcorder, plug FireWire cable to connect to computer, and iMovie will see that and import from camcorder.
If they’re on VHS or other media that has standard RCA-jack audio and video output to playback device, you may be able to pipe it in as analog input into your camcorder and then via FireWire pull the resultant digital videostream into iMove; if you don’t in fact have such a camcorder, you may need to buy a Canopus (or equiv) box, a box that converts analog to digital, aside from which the process is the same.
If your device has composite video instead, most camcorders &/or Canopus-style boxen will have an in-port for that as well as the RCAs.
If it’s some other elderly/godforsaken format that lacks RCA or composite, you’re in for some Radio Shacking and probably some advice that’s beyond my limitations, but essentially you need to pipe the audio and the video signal output wiring to a modern standard connector architecture.
If you’re not on a Mac, substitute Avid or other equivalent software for iMovie, which may or may not entail purchasing it (note: I hear Vista may ship with a freebie much as new Macs always come with iMovie but I don’t know anything about it)
It is time-limited to 30 calendar days from the first time you use it, just as it says on the web page link provided.
Duh, sorry.