Make your own epic film -- with soundtrack
By MIKE BERMAN
Scripps Howard News Service
December 18, 2002

You've taken miles of videotape of your latest trip or endless frames of cherubic offspring opening Christmas presents. What's the next step?

Fortunately for you, I have the answer.

I've been playing with a couple of products that will not only enable you to copy those precious images to CD or DVD, but will also enable you to add a professional soundtrack to your epic film.

NeoDVD ($29.95 for Standard and $49.95 for Plus) from MedioStream and SmartSound Movie Maestro ($49.95) from Sonic Desktop Software combine to bring out the Zeffirelli in all of us.

NeoDVD is one of the easiest programs I've found that lets you capture video from just about any source and transfer it to either a writeable CD or DVD.

The software walks you through the process of capturing and editing your movie through an easy-to-follow interface, whether it be from camcorder, DVD or images already stored on your computer.

Using the Standard version of the program, you can:

• Create DV, DVD or VCD files in MPEG-1 and 2 or AVI formats.
• Burn DVD or VCD videos onto CDs or copy DVDs to DVDs.
• Re-edit DVD disks using +VR.
• Set video quality to maximize disk space.
• Set automatic chapter breaks.
• Add MP3 or WAV audio.
• Go directly from VCR, YV or camcorder to DVD.

Moving up to the Plus version adds:

• The ability to create slide shows of your images in either DVD or VCD format.
• Creation of Mobile Menus.
• Dolby Digital audio support.
• The ability to record voice-over narration.

The addition of a professional soundtrack can be accomplished by using Movie Maestro, which includes 26 songs to enhance your production. These soundtracks cover the gamut from sports to family events, with music beginning and ending with each scene.

The software is very easy to use, using drag-and-drop technology and walking you through every step. Even I was successful the first time.

Additional features include:

• The ability to import individual scenes and add music appropriate to those scenes without editing the video files.
• Creating a soundtrack without viewing the video.
• Exporting the finished product to your video editor (such as neoDVD) to add the final touches.
• Transitions from scene to scene are automatically geared to the type of music.
• Smart Blocks ensure that you always have a beginning, middle and end to music accompanying every scene.

You can purchase additional movie packs for $29.95.

The combination of these two products makes it easy for you to share your precious moments with everyone. Just create a CD (or DVD) and pop it in the mail! That's a lot easier than packing all your friends and relatives into your family room for a viewing.

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