I don't have any free primers on hand (although I've occasionally thought about writing one for basics of vidding, since there are things that make my editor's eye twitch), but I can suggest some resources/programs/opinions!
Photoshop - daunting at first, but if you can figure out some of the basics, you'll find it's actually very easy and very robust. The best resource I found on this was a seminar I took called "The Down and Dirty Secrets of Photoshop" (there's a book version of this too.) If you do decide to use this: find a tutorial on how masking works in Photoshop, clipping masks, and adjustment layers. There is an open source variant called GIMP, but I don't know how similar it's interface is. I think that it has several of the same features. (Although nothing as cool or fun as CS5's puppet warp or intelligent fill. God, are those lifesavers!) I wound up doing the bulk of the work on my SGA Reversebang art the last day.
(I have only the basic sketching ability, so Photoshop is my only avenue for feeling like an "artist".)
Now, because I'm a professional, my opinion in this area is probably tainted, but I know of no good freeware or open source video editing software. Windows Movie Maker is good for really basic edits. Precise edits on WMM is more painful than pulling out your hair. (I'm not sure about iMovie, I know that a lot of Mac users like it, but I've heard similar complains from fellow professionals about its extreme limitations.)
If you're willing to spend some money, or give a thirty day trial a whirl, I'd recommend going with something within the Sony Vegas (http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com) line. We actually use this suite at work, but for the ability to rearrange stuff freely on a timeline, and fairly intuitive editing controls, the basic "Movie Studio" version works fine. (It's limited to I think two audio tracks, and maybe three or four video tracks; but most vidders don't seem to utilize those anyway.) I actually learned video editing on a much earlier version of this product, and I had absolutely no instruction whatsoever. Once you find your way around the interface, you're zipping along.
no subject
Photoshop - daunting at first, but if you can figure out some of the basics, you'll find it's actually very easy and very robust. The best resource I found on this was a seminar I took called "The Down and Dirty Secrets of Photoshop" (there's a book version of this too.) If you do decide to use this: find a tutorial on how masking works in Photoshop, clipping masks, and adjustment layers. There is an open source variant called GIMP, but I don't know how similar it's interface is. I think that it has several of the same features. (Although nothing as cool or fun as CS5's puppet warp or intelligent fill. God, are those lifesavers!) I wound up doing the bulk of the work on my SGA Reversebang art the last day.
(I have only the basic sketching ability, so Photoshop is my only avenue for feeling like an "artist".)
Now, because I'm a professional, my opinion in this area is probably tainted, but I know of no good freeware or open source video editing software. Windows Movie Maker is good for really basic edits. Precise edits on WMM is more painful than pulling out your hair. (I'm not sure about iMovie, I know that a lot of Mac users like it, but I've heard similar complains from fellow professionals about its extreme limitations.)
If you're willing to spend some money, or give a thirty day trial a whirl, I'd recommend going with something within the Sony Vegas (http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com) line. We actually use this suite at work, but for the ability to rearrange stuff freely on a timeline, and fairly intuitive editing controls, the basic "Movie Studio" version works fine. (It's limited to I think two audio tracks, and maybe three or four video tracks; but most vidders don't seem to utilize those anyway.) I actually learned video editing on a much earlier version of this product, and I had absolutely no instruction whatsoever. Once you find your way around the interface, you're zipping along.