MovieWorks 5.1

by Interactive Solutions, Inc.

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000053HM1
• Item model number: MW-01
• Date first available at Amazon.com: February 15, 2001
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #37,278 in Software (See Top 100 in Software)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

With its uncomplicated design and straightforward, step-by-step tutorials, MovieWorks allows anyone familiar with point-click-drag technology to create and edit videos, slide shows, animations, and Web movies. With five separate and simple applications bundled together, this package offers a "lite" version of the more complex video, graphics, and animation tools currently available.

Installation is quick and smooth, and the program is small--only requiring 10 MB of disk space. The five applications--MovieWorks, Animator, Paint, Sound, and Video--are all well integrated, with MovieWorks operating as the main application. The package contains a six-tutorial manual, while the CD contains the file elements used in the tutorials. As the box claims, it's easy to complete the tutorials in well under two hours, during which we were able to build a simple 25-second video, a brief animation, a slide show with transitions, and a short Web movie with titles.

One of the most impressive components of the bundle is the Animation program. Anyone who has used or attempted to use professional applications, such as Flash or AfterEffects, is aware of the steep learning curve associated with these applications. While MovieWorks doesn't attempt to be a poor man's AfterEffects, it does streamline and simplify the user interface so that practically anyone can build their own simple 2-D (cutout) animations. For example, the path tool lets you specify an object's motion around the scene and then scales the object so perspective can be altered as the object gets closer or farther away. You can use standard paint, line, sizing, and color tools to enhance (or degrade) an object. These tools are available in the other MovieWorks applications as well.

One of the reasons for MovieWork's success is its use of QuickTime, Apple's digital video and streaming media application now embraced by Mac and PC users alike. Because QuickTime supports so many media file formats, including .mov, .avi, .jpeg, .mp3, and .pct, it allows for great flexibility and functionality in the creation and delivery of content media. And, because QuickTime offers a variety of codecs-compression/decompression algorithms for a wide choice in Web streaming options, you have the ability to optimize your content delivery based upon the capabilities of your target audience. Simply render your creation, choose Export, then To Streaming, save as QuickTime Movie, and click on Options to choose between popular codecs, such as Sorensen Video, Cinepak, and more.

Whether you're looking to create basic multimedia content or using the bundle as a steppingstone to higher-end professional products, MovieWorks should prove to be a wise and affordable purchase. --John Bosch

Amazon.com Product Description

MovieWorks lets you create Web movies, personal videos, dynamic slide shows, and multimedia presentations with ease and speed. Capture footage from any analog or digital camcorder or VCR. Sequence and edit your clips, create text and titles, and add music and narration. Add animation to your project using simple path tools and scaling effects. Autosequence pictures, text, or video to music and narration markers.

When finished, you can export your project to a VCR or camcorder, or as a streaming movie. Upload to a Web page or attach to an e-mail. Make smaller files using QuickTime compression technology. MovieWorks even allows you to turn PowerPoint presentations into Web movies. With step-by-step tutorials, you can learn MovieWorks in two hours or less.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unbelievable buy for the money!, February 23, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: MovieWorks 5.1 (CD-ROM)

I am a professional web designer and I have used many video and animation software products costing hundreds of dollars. I needed to find something for my mom who is very new at this type of stuff. I certainly couldn't expect her to learn any programs like Flash or Premier (or afford them), so after some digging, I came across MovieWorks.

This product is just as it advertises. My mom was able to put together some simple QuickTime movies after going through the tutorials. It was a breeze for her.

For the money, this is a great buy for a family or small business. Highly recommended.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Don't use for editing video!!!, August 26, 2001

By 

pat moore (south Lake Tahoe, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: MovieWorks 5.1 (CD-ROM)

The video program is too compilcated. How you delete scenes is not easy; you have to hold the shift key and drag slider on the player to delete video. It goes too fast and you end up deleting video you do not want to delete. However, it is suprisingly easy to add music. All you have to do is drag and drop music file in project window, and decide where the music shows up in your project in the sequencer window. Use this product for the animator and sound editor. The animator is easy to use. And it is a blast to make 2-D cutout cartoons. The sound editor is cool because you can manipulate audio files to your pleasure. If you want video editing do not get this product. If you want a cheap way to create fun animation on a computer , This is exactly what you want!!!