I am trying to get back into vidding again, and to do so I'm using Sony Vegas on a Windows machine. There are two things that are frustrating me (and that escape me from the last time I vidded, many years ago).

Can anyone recommend me some software to do the following:


1) Convert AVI files to MPGs (Vegas only lets you work with mpg source files, right?)

2) Clip my source files with.


Characteristics I would like the software to have:

- streamlined interface - it's relatively intuitive to use (eg. for clipping, simple "start clip here/end clip here/click here to export selection" controls)

- doesn't result in unexpected/unwanted changes to the source - e.g. altered aspect ratio, visible compression

- is free.

Software can be for Windows or Mac.

Halp?


ETA: Slightly unrelated, but um - if I bought Parallels, I would have to buy a copy of Windows as well, wouldn't I? Parallels doesn't come bundled as the parallel software + Windows? The site is very unhelpful in answering this.

Since the start of Feb, cupidsbow has been writing stories and meta and all kinds of shiny things, and damn, I wish I could have played (though I did squeeze that Suzie story out), but a new job and shaky housing situation has taken up all my mental energy, alas.

However. In poking through my "ideas for stories" docs in mind of writing something humourous for amand_r's help_haiti prompt, I came across this storytime exchange between Cathy and I that made me cackle in glee.

It's short but sweet. ( Read more... )

Happy Valentine's Day!