Modification Research Revisited

The batteries were a bust. Okay, first of all the battery system is 8.4volts. Fine. Each rechargeable battery is 1.2volts, so I need seven batteries. The batteries look to be 22mm in diameter and 43mm in length. This is the standard size for a sub-c battery. I measured the old batteries and it looked about right. Wrong. While the only batteries are 22mm in diameter they are about 42mm in length. That’s right. Just a little smaller than I need them to be. Which means I just bought a bunch of rechargeable batteries for nothing.

I’m pretty annoyed. I should have gone with the 33mm batteries. Better to be too small than to large. On a side note I’ll probably make a couple external battery systems from these. If you look on the side of the Beaulieu 7008 Pro you’ll see a +9V plug. That’s right, it’s got a socket for external batteries already. Since a rechargeable 9volt battery is actually 8.4volts, I’m assuming seven of these 1.2volt batteries should do just fine. I’ll probably put them in a sheath and find someway to make a simple tripod mount for them. At least they will be useful for something. However if anyone plans to ever do this, my suggestion is to just go buy an 8.4volt battery kit.

On another note looks like a do have a Bauer T520 projector at home. Nice design and looks good. Runs at 18 and 24fps. But there is no variable speed and looking inside I can find anyway to change the running speed. So that leaves me so far with the Elmo ST-180 and ST-800. Both of these for a fact have places inside where you can adjust the speed. It looks like Elmo Projectors will be my key systems for real-time video transfers.

I’m sorry to say even at 720p, it appears DVCPRO uses a digital anamorphic process to compress the data. So I am not getting full 1280×720 pixel frames. I’m starting to think real-time is not a valid solution. If frame-by-frame is the only quality way to do transfers, I’ll most likely have to return to the idea of using a Eumig D610. But quite frankly after my experiences with frame-by-frame transfers, real-time connected to a computer system may be an acceptable quality loss.

Batteries for a Beaulieu 7008 Pro

Way back in the day I had this beautiful little Beaulieu 7008 Pro, which I treated like a piece of equipment. The one day my cat pushed it off the kitchen table where it promptly hit the floor. After reviewing the machine I saw there was something wrong with the lens. I think it was a little off. Also the counter never reset itself when the film was removed. In fact it never turned off unless the batteries were taken out. So I sent the camera with one of the batteries for repair to www.ijmincorporated.com.

To be more specific I drove down to LA and met the owner sitting in his trailer park. We talked small talk and shoptalk. I gave him the camera with the battery in it, signed a few papers, and he said he’d have an engineer look at it. He seemed like a decent old guy.

A few weeks later he called to let me know everything was fixed, the charge was around $200 and he would mail it. Well he did, and the lens was fixed, but the counter still had the same issue, and the battery which was working fine before was now dead.

I contacted him about the issues and after some heated discussion he asked me to mail it to him again. I never bothered. I don’t know if that was a good idea on my part, but the fact of the matter was I went down and showed him the problem directly to make sure he understood the issue. The fact that he had returned it still damaged and even worse, destroyed the battery, was more than I could stand.

I frankly just didn’t want to deal with the man again. Sometimes I think a one-man shop is great because I like to deal with someone who loves his work, and will therefore does a good job. That was not what I saw there. I wish I had met the actual engineer.

Anyway I downloaded a repair manual on the camera, so maybe someday I’ll fix the frame counter issue that is bothering me. However my larger issues is the battery. It least me down to only one.

I went to find a place to get it replaced, or maybe something that would allow me to use standard batteries:
http://www.beaulieu.de/pages/s8_azub4.php?rubr=s8_azub4

It costs over $450 to get a new battery and over $123 to get a battery holder for 6 AA batteries. That is crazy prices and it doesn’t include shipping. I have got to be able to rebuild those as NiMH batteries for less. The only big concern I have on my mind, is at what voltage.

That camera has been sitting in a box for the last year and never untouched. I have a little about that the current battery has not changed and will not have a charge. So I guess both will need to be recelled by me. But at what voltage? The Beaulieu website reads:

“Power Pack 2.15 Ah NiMH 6008/7008/9008 8.4V 2150mAh Ni-MH”

However the adapter that holds 6 AA batteries would create 9 volts, or 7.2 volts if they were using NiMH. This comparison chart makes me even more confused:
http://super8wiki.com/index.php/Beaulieu_6008_to_9008_comparison
It seems to suggest you could run on all three:
8.4 volt NiCad (7 rechargeable batteries)
9 volt Alkaline (6 regular batteries)
7.2 volt NiCad (6 rechargeable batteries)

The downloaded manual for the 6008 Sound stated it should be powered up at 6.75 volts. But then it starts for the rest of the adjustments the camera needs to be powered at 7.6. This is all listed in the beginning of electronic adjustments.

Anyway I don’t know who to think is right. I guess I’ll know more when I find the camera and have the actual manual in front of me. The camera itself is an amazing machine; I guess trying to power it is the headache. I’m hoping to take it with me and shoot all the rolls of film I have left before I leave Vietnam. Oh the hassle of the medium.

DIY Update

While I have not totally given up on my real-time transfer ideas, I’m beginning to move back to the idea of frame-by-frame transfers. This is mainly due to the fact that it is impossible to get a 1920×1080 progressive scan image with a real-time transfer. Since this is my objective, I’m going to have to move on for now.

Actually, come to think about it, that really a dumb idea. I mean on paper Super 8mm may in fact reach the resolution of 1920×1080, but in practical application it doesn’t look nearly that crisp. I could tone it back to 720×1280, which actually is possible to do. Hell, I could do that with my HVX-200. Plus I could do it in real-time and get 4:2:2 color sampling, recording directly in DVPRO as QuickTime files on the Firestore. This makes the process a little easier, but it still doesn’t get me off with the projector issues.

This is a really sweet page that has information about building your own telecine transfer system:
http://homepage.mac.com/onsuper8/diytelecine/

They have quite a bit of information here about making a frame-by-frame transfer system that is pretty sweet. They even suggest the Eumig 610D because the pulldown claw it the only thing that governs the speed. That makes since because it’s a dual system to work on Super 8mm and Regular 8mm. They even have extra sprockets and film gate to change from one format to the next.

So Dual is probably the way to go just for this reason. And I think the Eumigs are excellent machines. My first projector was a Eumig. They suggest the 610D because it plays at speeds of 3/6/9fps for frame-by-frame transfers. However, since I want to do real-time, I’d probably get a 710D or 810D.

Oh, that reminds me, I was looking around for information on the Eumig 710D and I cam across this open letter to Eumig from 1972:
http://www.thereelimage.co.uk/moviemakers/november72/comment.htm

I’m still trying to find the variable speed control switch, but it does give me hope that most of the late eighties projectors have the ability to easily adjust the speed. It would make sense, as there must have been quality assurance experts who needed to calibrate them to begin with.

Anyway I suppose all this is irrelevant for me. Although it’s nice to have the “prefect” machine for a system, I’d rather not pay for anything else. Use what you have, that’s my motto. And what I have sitting in a storage collecting dust, is a Bauer T520 Duoplay and a JK Optical Printer models K104.

Why I kept these I have no idea. The Bauer T520 was suppose to replace my T610, until I opened up and realized they were not even close to the same internally. I guess that’s why www.super8sync.com doesn’t support them. Anyway the damn thing ran at 25fps and I didn’t know how to change the speed so I put it in storage until I had time to look at it. That time never came.

Also, in some odd wisdom of mine I got a the JK Optical Printer with a Rex-3 Double Super 8 camera in the hopes of making optical prints of films. I think this was back in the day when I also was sound striping film for people with a high-end striping system. No one wanted either optical prints, or sound striping done, but they all wanted telecine transfers.

Oh yeah, and I also went to the house of the guy who makes the optical printers. He lives like an hour away from me:
http://www.jkcamera.com

I also had a 16mm gate so I had him modify it for Super 16. Crazy. I don’t know what I was thinking. But maybe I can use this for frame-by-frame transfers of Super 16mm footage. He recommends the Micro-NIKKOR 55mm 1:2.8 lens for optical printing. I say buy one of these on Ebay and slap on your RedrockMicro 35mm adapter and see how she works. Oh yeah, I have one of those two.

You know, with all the high definition gear you would think I’d be shooting with it rather than talking about integrating it into a system to transfer film to video. Such is the mysteries of life.

Projector for Telecine

Well half my idea of a 1080/24p real-time transfer system was shot down in flames as the Black Magic card only does 1080i and a firewire connection would give me 1440×1080 with a confused frame rate. For now that leaves me to focus on the 24p part, and that moves me back to projector issues.

I hate doing all this writing from Vietnam since I can only theorize. I can’t call anyone, test any equipment, or check any of my books or magazine I have amassed over the years. I can’t wait to get back to my storage unit in Vietnam.

Projector requirements are a little confusing. Obviously I’d like a projector that runs 24fps. The motor needs to be electronically controlled so we can vary the speed and sync that baby to 24fps. How well it will say in sync is a serious issue, I have. If we can’t stay in perfect sync with the camera well have serious issues. And I’m fairly sure the camera is actually running at 23.976fps. I suppose you could get something to force the camera into sync from a place like www.super8sync.com. I like the idea of a timing mechanism. But this could be overkill. Most of the issue is not being technically exact, but perceptually accurate.

Another issue is trying not to damage the film. Film getting ripped apart inside the projector or burned by the bulb is always an issue. I’d like to reduce these problems. I understand that the workprinters from www.moviestuff.tv are made from GAF projectors because Roger felt the sprocketless system would have less chance of damaging the film. This wouldn’t reduce the stability of the frame as it is kept in place by a metal pressure plate and moved by the pulldown claw. Generally speaking this might be the way to go since pressure is then only maintained by the motors on the takeup reel. I hate that I know so much about projectors. I’m ever going to find a job back in America.

The problem I have with the GAF projector is they use non-standard bulbs. I’ve seen the bulbs over on www.super8stuff.com/lamps.html and they are going to be difficult to work with. I want to do a simple replacement of the bulb with an LED that is tungsten balanced. Most of those default to a 12v MR16 bulb design with GX5.3 pins. These match fairly well with the EPF 12v 100w standard, except it has GZ6.35 pins. I understand that the number is the distance between the pins, and replacing the end connector on the projector would not be difficult. Then we could insert an LED lamp such as what you can find here http://www.theledlight.com/12volt-led-bulb.html. My vote would be to try the EO EL16 51X3 which would give me a warm white as it puts it.

The bulb might really be the starting point of decision making. That leaves me with Bauer, Bolex, Braun, Chinon, Elmo, Eumig, and Noris projectors. Most of those have recents build dates, which means they probably won’t have a 2 bladed shutter. I wonder if I could rip one off an old version of the same model. It’s worth looking into.

I admit, I’m partial to Eumigs. I had an S-905 model as my first projector. I bought from some girl in Berkeley. Excellent machine and the only one that you could easily take your film out of when you decided half way through a 400ft reel you didn’t want to watch it anymore.

The Beaulieu 708LE was a beautiful beast made of heavy metal. Many models had a three bladed shutter that could be switched back to two blades. Mine didn’t. I think I had the duo version, not the stereo version. Anyway it was very and huge and expensive and used a 15v 150w light. Not sure what would happen if I plugged a 12v LED into a 15v socket.

The Bauer T-610 is a fine machine. A workhorse which if you can the extra parts, you can do even more with. I had my modified by www.super8sync.com to be controlled by a number of crystal devices. I’d be using it to test now, only one day I was working with it on a wheeled projector stand and the wheels broken and the projector fell to the ground. At least I learned my lesson about being lazy. No wheels for me from now on. I’ll carry things if I want to move them. I wish I knew someone in America who could fix it. Anyway it used the right lamp and had a dimmer setting for still work.

The Elmo’s were always projectors I was going to get one, then did not. The ATA ended up getting on old Elmo ST-1200 and I have to say I hated the way it worked. However the Elmo ST-180E has been looking good for a while and today I just saw someone post internally these are modifications that can be made to adjust the projector speed correctly. That does interest me. I wonder if it works just like any projector with a variable speed knob on the side.

Real-time 1080/24p film transfers

I got to thinking today about real-time transfers. I haven’t thought much about it because all my old footage I transferred frame by frame to standard definition. Why was that again?

 Super 8mm film runs at 24fps or 18fps if you want to be cheap. Standard Definition Video runs at 29.976fps, or 30fps if you don’t want to be exact, except that’s exactly what you need to be. Let’s add the interlacing which make two frames from one, make the actual total frames 59.952 (half frames depending on how you want to look at it).

 Inside the projector you have a three bladed shutter which cuts 1 frame into 3 frames. So 24fps becomes 72 frames and 18fps becomes 54 frames. And remember these frames are not in sync. With the shutter closed have the time, what happens is we get sometimes more light, and some times less, and sometime light from a different frame. This leads to flickering or strobing as some people call it.

 The transfer solution is to run the projector at 20fps, or rather something close. 20 frames become 60 frames with the shutter which fits nicely into 60i. We can add 10 extra frames to slow the film down digitally in post. But the process of adding frames may cause a stutter in the film we don’t want.

Frame by frame transfers allow more light for the process. There’s no shutter involved and you get a one to one progressive transfer so there is no interlacing. It’s much easier to sync your equipment when running at a slow speed. However you will have to add extra frames in post-production once again.

1080/24p have allowed true real-time transfers. The film runs at 24fps and you record at 24fps progressive. Film running at 18fps will need to be slowed down in post, but I say that’s what happens when you’re cheap.

A prefect solution! Well not really. We still have a shutter on a projector that doesn’t run at exactly 24fps and we need to be in sync with the equipment at 24fps or one of those created 72 frames is from the wrong part of the film.

Well, the shutter is connected to a drive shaft. The drive shaft is run by a motor and turns at a 1 to 1 ratio with the motor. The motor is synced to the oscillating current of voltage coming from the electrical socket. Get the adjust the timing correctly and you should run at exactly 24fps. Or is that 23.976?

In theory you should be able to view everything through the viewfinder or LCD screen of the camera at the speed the camera is running. You want the shutter to turn at that same speed. If you draw lines on the drive shaft wheel, and the lines don’t move when looking through the camera, then your projector is running at the exact speed as your camera. The biggest issue is they cannot be timed together, but hey, life’s not perfect. You want perfect, do a frame by frame capture.

Now we need a camera, and some way to capture of the image from the projector. For the camera my current choices are the Canon Vixia HF10, HV30 or HV20:

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ProductCatIndexAct&fcategoryid=173 - $999

Whichever one you pick you can shoot 1080/24p. Gotta love it. It’s actually 24fp so you’ll nee to do a reverse pulldown in post-production, but it is running at 24fps.

Use a little black magic to run this into your computer and you have 1920×1080 at 4:2:2 colour space rather than a compressed 1440×1080 at 4:2:0 color space.

http://blackmagic-design.com/products/intensity/techspecs/ - $249

In the future I may be able to get this with the AVC-Intra 100 codec, but right now I can’t at those prices.

Now for how to capture the footage. If you want to copy directly off the emulsion rather than project and bounce the image, then try using the Raynox MSN-202

http://www.raynox.co.jp/english/video/hv20/index.htm - $59

I’m going to try it. I’ll let you know how it goes. Either way, you’ll probably want a micro rail system to put this baby on:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/193311-REG/Velbon_SMAGSLIDER_Super_Mag_Slider.html - $99

I’m probably going to need to sip the lens off the projector and fit the macro lens into it, then replace the projector bulb with an Led or something that doesn’t heat up and give me a color balance of 3200 degrees Kelvin. But so far in theory this isn’t too bad.

Digital editing

Once your film is processed, I suggest you get it transferred to a digital format before the film gets scratched or dirty. After that I suggest you keep it in cold storage away from the sun. There it should last at least for the next 50 years. Who knows that resolutions we will be using in 50 years!

The nice thing about film is that you can always transfer it to a higher resolution. I’ll watch a DVD that I know is 480p. Then I’ll see the movie in 1080i. The quality difference is very noticeable.

If you shoot video it will always be the same quality it was shot with. For most people that will be 720×480 interlaced for standard definition, although the new AVCHD cameras that do 1920×1080 progressive at 24 frames per second are looking nice. I’m still not sure if they compression the signal to 1440×1080 anymore. But each time a better format comes out the film can be scanned into the new format to look even better on a larger screen.

35mm film today is usually scanned at 2k and burned back to film after edits at the fame resolution. In Academy aperture that is about 2048×1492 progressive using square pixels (that comes out as an aspect ratio of 1.37:1). Scans can be done at an even higher resolution, but that will also take more hard drive space and frankly on an average movie screen, 2k looks fine. With digital projectors these days, needing to stay on film has become obsolete, even for a major release (How many AMC theaters have DLP projectors now?) you can use files stored in the hard drive in 2k resolution.

Most filmmakers these days edit digitally. You will want to use Final Cut Pro, Avid Xpress, or Adobe Premiere for your non-linear editing system. Your storage format for the digital video will most likely be MiniDV or a DVD. If your audio needs to be modified I would suggest looking into other software that is specific for sound.

Should you want to take the hard road of having a edited film copy on Super 8, consider not only the service limitations, but the distribution limitations. As far as I am aware there is no place that will make copies of your film anymore to Super 8. Also, I am the only service I know of that will sound stripe your film. Even if you manage to get copies made and sound striped, where are you going to show them? No one had a xenon Super 8 projector for viewing. For all the effort to make a edited copy of your film, you might as well blow up the copy to 35mm. At least then you can show it in a regular movie theater.

So if I don’t suggest keeping your film on film, why should you shoot on film to begin with? Well first I don’t suggest keeping film on film only due to the cost and difficulty of the task. Also I don’t suggest this because digital is easier for distribution. But you should shooting on film not only gives you better future options, but the images you capture have more depth, color, and contrast than they ever will with digital equipment. But compare both someday and decide for yourself.

Indoor lighting

3,200 degrees Kelvin is the correct color balance temperature for Tungsten, or indoor light. 5,600 degrees Kelvin is the correct color balance temperature for sunlight. The difference in wattage is 250 watts and 650 watts.

If it is possible, try using the 250 watt lights that are balanced at 3,200 degrees Kelvin. You can get these at most photography stores. Try using a lamp clamp with these. They are also cheap and easy to find at a hardware store. They are great when you need to attach a colored jell or diffuser with a few clothespins. However you can also use these light bulbs in standard light sockets. If you are worried about overheating the light socket, I suggest getting a ceramic light socket extension. These will usually work for up to 650 watts, so should be fine for 250 watt lights.

250 watt light may not be enough with Plus-X. However with Ektachrome or Tri-X this should work fine. I have used three of these in different locations to shoot some Ektachrome film and the shots came out fine.

Old Super 8 Movie lights as what was made for Kodachrome 40. These are usually balanced at 5,600 degrees Kelvin and get very hot. I mean damn hot. I once put one on a fire escape with a cardboard box around it so the light would not reach the street. The box caught on fire after about 20 minutes. In general I can tell you what lights are best to get. I have no tried all of them out there. However I have used the Sylvania Sun Gun II movie light SG-55 and it works great. You can usually get these for under $20 off eBay.

There is no portable lighting I can suggest. If you need portable lighting I assume you will either been shooting in a dark outdoor location, or at night. If you are shooting at night I suggest you use negative film. If you are shooting in a dark outdoor location, I suggest either getting a very long extension cord or a power converter so you can plug that cable into your car. Even then, you want to make sure that converter can take some heavy voltage.

If I didn’t mention it already, those Super 8 movie lights are damn hot! Don’t ever touch the bulb! Grease on your fingers will make it explode once it heats up and I have no idea where you can even find replacement bulbs. I only suggest these lights because getting three of then would be cheaper than buying or renting a 3 650K light kit. Many of them also have a way for you to screw them on the camera, or to a tripod.

Beyond your lights, you may also want to think about illuminators and jells for color or diffusion. Jells are relatively inexpensive. However if you want to save money on an illuminator, you may want to consider using a big piece of white cardboard. This can also have the same effect as an illuminator.

Wild sound

Eventually you are going to want to shoot film and record audio the same time. Generally speaking I don’t suggest wild sound. Sound synchronization can occurs in a number of ways. However they stopped making Super 8 Sound film in 1997. Crystal synchronizing your camera to run at exactly 24fps using a crystal oscillator will cost at least $500. And pilotone or pulse synchronization requires an expensive audio device (I tried pulse synchronization once with a minidisc recorder, but the pulses kept bleeding into my audio track).

With wild sound, as the name suggests, you are simply recording the audio with no markers to reference the film speed. At the most, some filmmakers will slate the beginning and end of a take. This is tedious at best and will make the sound synchronization process in post a difficult task. But if you have time more than money, this can be the best way to go.

I recommend a cheap MP3 recorder for you field audio needs. These units are compact and light. They can easily be found used for under $100. Plus since they are digital they run at an exact running speed.

One thing to consider when recording sound is that the camera itself can be quite loud, and usually doesn’t run at exactly 18 or 24fps. Not much can be done about the speed issue. This means you will not be able to sync up all the sound with the film perfectly. But with cuts at the right point your sound film can still come out great. However this will not resolve the issue with camera noise in your audio. Even overlapping ambient noise may not fix this.

I highly suggest anyone who wants to shoot sound get a barney for their camera. Sound deadeners for cameras are either blimps or barneys. Blimps are a hard shell that can really deaden the camera noise. However they usually force you to mount the camera on a tripod. Barneys are made from sound deadening fabric and will usually cut down most of the high tones emanating from you camera which are the hardest to mask. Barney’s are usually easier to put on your camera and a pouch can be added on to store your MP3 recorder!

Eventually you will also need to consider what type of mics and headphones you will use. For headphones I suggest the DJ kind that will cover your entire ear so you only hear what comes through the mic. You will probably want all three types of mics available. Boom mics are great, but require a boom pole and thus a boom operator. However some Super 8 cameras have boom mics attached and can work well for your needs. The other two mics types are lavaliere and PZMs. Lavalieres are great when you only have two or three actors. I suggest wireless lavalieres since you don’t want to see cables coming out of your actors asses. PZMs (pressure zone microphone) are used when you have many actors around a small area such as a table.

Choosing a camera

The Super 8 camera is the perfect side-arm for a guerrilla filmmaker. Although there are three known variants of the 8mm film gauge (Super-8, Single-8, and regular 8mm), Super 8 has the largest frame and is the most widely available at the cheapest price. There are also more low-cost Super 8 cameras than any other type of used motion picture film camera available.

For the record you can’t buy a new Super 8 camera today. They don’t make them anymore. Refurbished units are available from companies like Pro 8mm. There are also Russian models that have never been opened since they were packaged and stored back in 1992. But there have been no new cameras produced in the last 10 years.

Generally I recommend buying a camera from eBay. Sometimes you can find old equipment at camera stores, but with a high mark-up cost. Antique shops and thrift stores are also good locations to find equipment, but often it will be in questionable condition and usually not the best model. On eBay you’ll find a multitude of Super 8 cameras, projects, and equipment which usually auctions at a reasonable price. If you choose this route, you’ll find that sniping at the last minute is the best way to get the lowest price, and PayPal the fastest way to pay.

If cost is not an issue, then I could recommend investing in a camera that has crystal synchronization. This means a crystal oscillator is used to ensure a steady running speed at 24fps. Cameras modified with this have an easier time synching the sound with the film in post-production. I also suggest a camera that can take c-mount lenses. This way you have the option to use many lenses rather than only the lens that has been mounted on your camera. The only camera that has both these functions is a Beaulieu Pro camera. The model numbers are either 6008, 7008, or 9008.

If cost is a major issue (and for the Militia it usually is), I’d stick with a known brand that is easily available. Currently I’m hoping to fill an arsenal of the Super 8 Militia with a cheap standard side-arm. For those of you who want to run and gun, one consideration you need to make is being able to set the ASA of your internal light meter, or make exposure adjustments. Most cameras were made for use with Kodachrome 40 ASA film or Tri-X 160 ASA. Kodachrome is not available anymore and the ASA for black and white has changed. Also negative film at 200 and 500 is not available by Kodak. Try using a Canon 512XL which are fairly cheap.

As a preference I like the Nizo cameras. These German made workhorses are rugged tanks. At the high end, the Nizo 6080 has a great lens, excellent features, and is the quietist running Super 8 camera I have even encountered. I’d love to fill the Militia arsenal with the Nizo 801 M model if I could. If you know someone who can help you in Germany, I would suggest using the German eBay site to get the best deals. Too bad the best deals are only for those who live in Germany. Most sellers will only sell to people in Germany, and want payment via bank account direct deposits.

Get a Mac

For editing and distribution my answer is get a Mac with a Blue-Ray burner and use Final Cut Pro. I’

d use this to editing anything. If you just want a file in the end then don’t worry about Blue-Ray. Just get a Mac and Final Cut Studio. Sure, you can edit and iMovie or Final Cut Express, but either it won’t be high definition or you will not have all the functions you may want. If you need to stick to a PC my advice is Adobe Premiere Pro CS3. You could try Avid, but frankly it takes a little bit of getting used to and so far I found it’s not worth the effort unless you plan on editing at a major studio in your future.

http://www.apple.com/mac/

http://www.apple.com/finalcutstudio/