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Free Software for Movie Production?

Posted by Cliff on from the amateur-actors-and-aspiring-directors dept.

Ploum asks: " Like some folks, I like to take my mini-dv camera to make films. First, I was using Premiere, then Avid Xpress on Windows. But now I want to make [a movie] on my Debian box. Everybody says that video under Linux is not possible but I want to do it! I want to write the scenario on Linux (maybe with a set of Latex commands or SGML?). When all is in the box, I want to put it on my computer. Dvgrab does a perfect job! Now I'm looking for a video editor. Cinelerra is nice but it doesn't read files from dvgrab. When it's time to have fun with FX, I was using Adobe After Effect, but [are there similar programs for Linux]? Film Gimp? Jahshaka?"

3 of 37 comments (clear)

  1. What I found... by GreyWolf3000 · · Score: 3, Interesting
    FilmGimp appears only for image processing and effects on movies, not the software for "glueing" and cutting scenes together.

    Kino is a program designed to work with dvgrab and also aims to be easier to use than Cinerella.

    --
    Slashdot: Where people pretend to be twice as smart as they really are by behaving like children.
  2. Re:Except for Kino, you are out of luck by shepd · · Score: 2, Interesting

    It makes sense that cinerella crashes all the time. The authors stopped distributing the original version of it (Broadcast 2000) as a protest to the MPAA. As usual, it did nothing but slow down the production of the free software (no eyes on the code == no bugs fixed) and ensure that the MPAA sticks to what they know best -- software that challenges freedoms. Big win all 'round...

    But it was their ball, so they can sure take it home if they want. That doesn't mean I have to like it, though.

    --
    If you could be told what you can see or read, then it follows that you could be told what to say or think - BoC
  3. lyx & script writing by pamri · · Score: 2, Interesting
    I want to write the scenario on Linux (maybe with a set of Latex commands or SGML?).
    Good.But why bother with typing latex commands, when you have Lyx.
    Lyx, according to lyx.org, is a
    "LyX produces high quality, professional output ..using LaTeX.. in the background..No knowledge of LaTeX is necessary to use LyX, although it will give a user more power. "

    Lyx comes with templates for movie & broadway scripts & is a powerful WYSIWYM editor that lets you concentrate on writing rather than formatting. It also has an in-built & easy to use versioning system and you can output to ps/pdf/html/ascii/dvi & misc other formats right from the menu. Read this for more info on what lyx is.
    The reason this post is more abt lyx rather than writing scripts is, it is not a specialised software but never the less it is highly versatile & has some great features to aid you in script-writing.