Movie making on the Mac - MacroMind Inc.'s MediaMaker for the Apple Macintosh - Product Previews - product announcement

Home Office Computing, July, 1991 by Steven C.M. Chen

Have you ever thought of creating a video with your camcorder to promote your business?

MediaMaker from MacroMind, priced at $695, is software that makes video editing possible right on your Mac II screen. Just as desktop publishing is a software tool that brings text and graphics together on a page, MediaMaker lets you bring together video, sound, titling, and animation on a video time line. Basically, you simply place each video, sound, and animation event in the order you wish. Preview your video on your Mac monitor, decide where you want your sound and video clips to start and end, and then drag that clip where you want it to go on the video time line. Move all your clips around freely, and when you're happy with your combination, "print" to a videotape.

You're still going to spend some money initially. A CD-ROM or a laser-disk player is necessary as a high-quality sound source, and two videotape recorders are recommended (one for playing source video, such as your camcorder, and the other for recording the final creation). In addition, a special video board and a converter box that turns Mac video signal to NTSC (a standard television signal) are required. An audio mixer is necessary for controlling the sound levels. Add Farallon's MacRecorder so that you cann do your own voice-overs. What is the total price tag for all this equipment? About $10,000. This may sound like a lot, but just think--this is less than what it would cost to hire someone else to put together a video for you--just once.

For people looking for an easy-to-use video-editing system on the Mac, MediaMaker represents a step in the right direction. Pitching yourself or your ideas via an effective video is now only a few clicks away. MacroMind, (415) 442-0200