What's the best video authoring software to make a commercial?

I am looking for video authoring software to make commercials, I need to add slightly transparent logos, text, graphics in separate layers on top of video... What software would you suggest?

What's the best video authoring software to make a commercial?
It doesn't sound like you need anything too advanced, so I'd suggest getting Sony Vegas Movie Studio (assuming you're running a PC) for easily under $80. It's not the fastest for rendering, or the highest of quality, but at, what, 60 seconds tops for a commercial, it will be plenty fast.





There are other options, like Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Express (best budget video editing software for Mac, IMHO) and Sony Vegas Pro that will offer more features, but will be in the $200-500 price range.





If you're talking high-quality, big-budget production quality, you need to look at Avid or Final Cut Pro, but these will cost major dollars.
Reply:Final Cut Express or Final Cut Studio.





Both of those have programs that do what you want. Livetype is part of the Final Cut suite and can do all the effects you want and much much more.





Final Cut stuff can be seen all over the place, including in a couple Countrywide Bank commercials.





You also get music editing options as well, either in Garage Band or Soundtrack. Although Soundtrack didnt come with Final Cut Express 4, the newest Express package. But your machine would still have Garage Band, which is quite capeable.








You can also go with Avid, although that suite has a much steeper learning curve than Final Cut. And it doesnt matter if you are doing Mac or PC, Avid requires much more processing horsepower... so you would probably have to upgrade your equipment for it.





Either way, you will get good looking results.





Don't touch anything less than those two. Maybe... MAYBE you could get away with Premiere. I am not sure about its newest titling abilities, tho, so you would be on your own. Other programs, Vegas and Pinnicale and Movie Maker... are unprofessional and really just jokes posing as video editing programs.
Reply:If you have a mac, definitely Final Cut Studio 2. I know that Suzuki makes their commercials with that. If you have a PC, then use Adobe Premiere, not as good, but it'll still work.