VEGAS Movie Studio 17 – New Pro Features Without the Complexity

News

by Simon WyndhamApril 29^th, 2020

VEGAS Movie Studio 17 has been announced, and it has been designed to give some big performance boosts with GPU acceleration, a new plugin browser, and new VFX effects.

VEGAS Movie Studio 17 promises pro level features, but a very easy to use interface.

VEGAS Movie Studio is VEGAS Creative Software’s consumer/enthusiast version of the VEGAS editing system, not to be confused with the professionally aimed VEGAS Pro. However, don’t let that fool you. VEGAS Movie Studio, now in its 17th version, is full of powerful features, and the latest release adds a glut of new capabilities to the mix.

One of the primary selling points of the software is that it helps guide people, even novices, through the process of editing. It would be easy to dismiss such software as basic, but this is not something that could be levelled at Movie Studio 17.

With more companies, particularly small businesses and individuals, needing to produce their own videos for social media, or for general promotion, VEGAS Movie Studio can be used to fulfil this need without having to be a died in the wool professional video producer.

After all, people who run their own small businesses may not have the funds to hire in professionals, but at the same time they don’t have the time to learn the ins and outs of professional editing software. Yet on specifications Movie Studio 17 doesn’t appear to be any less powerful as a result of this.

The VEGAS Movie Studio 17 editing interface.

VEGAS Movie Studio 17 new features

The new features of the software  include:-

• Redesigned effects windows. These have been fully redesigned with more powerful plug-in browsing complete with tagging, favourites, search, and sorting capabilities.
• GPU accelerated decoding for AVC and HEVC for providing higher frame rates and smoother previews at higher resolution.
• Unified colour grading workflow. Important colour grading tools and controls are organised in a more user-friendly, unified window to simplify grading.
• New slow motion plug-in with Optical flow technology creates super-smooth slow motion effects.
• New trim handles on event edges. Trim handles and larger trim hit areas makes it easier for users to identify and successfully grab the edge of a timeline clip event for trimming.
• Storyboard enhancements. New enhancements enable users to add the same media to a single storyboard multiple times, ideal for interviews, talking-head YouTube videos, etc. Storyboard thumbnails show the frame at the in-point so multiple instances from the same clip are easily identifiable.
• Project location memory. VEGAS Movie Studio 17 remembers where users left off when a project is closed and re-opened. The project cursor/playhead remains in the same place so work can immediately resume.
• 25 kinetic text Titler presets. Professionally designed titling presets make adding dynamic kinetic text elements to projects faster and easier.
• Potratizer automatic blur for portrait-oriented video. When shooting in portrait mode but delivery is in widescreen format, this feature provides an instant method for turning the black sidebars into blurred copy of the video itself.

A look at the interface for VEGAS Movie Studio 17 shows that this is not ‘childish’ software in any respect. In the past when editing software has been aimed at novices it has often looked basic, with big colourful icons giving away the fact it isn’t designed for professionals. Movie Studio 17 is different.

A quick look at the interface and you’d be forgiven for thinking it is a fully professional piece of software. It is clearly one that can grow with the user as they become more proficient and knowledgeable.

The VEGAS Movie Studio 17 media bins.

Price

VEGAS Movie Studio 17 is available in three different versions:-

• VEGAS Movie Studio Classic:  $49.00 USD
  VEGAS Movie Studio Platinum: $79.00 USD
  VEGAS Movie Studio Suite: $139.00 USD

Upgrades are also available for existing owners:-

• VEGAS Movie Studio Platinum: $59.00 USD
  VEGAS Movie Studio Suite:  $99.00 USD

At that sort of price, if you are in the market for low cost, but capable editing software that is easy to use, VEGAS Movie Studio 17 would appear to be well worth a look.

What do you use for quick edits? Do you use your main software, or something else? Let us know in the comments!