Editing with Main Actor

MainActor is from MainConcept and available for Windows and Linux. Included in this month’s CD, the demo version can be activated by purchasing license online at for Euro 120 (approximately Rs 5,700).

1. Click here to import clips 2. This one lets you import pictures and set the durations they are to play 3. Click this to set background rendering to on.  4. A video clip placed on timeline 5. An audio clip on timeline. Line in the centre is volume control. 6. A transition placed on Fx line 7. Browser window: shows transitions and effects 8. This is used to play timeline in preview window. You can choose to play both audio and video or one of the two. 9. Preview Window 10. 10. Scale for time line. You can vary this from one frame to 3 minutes 11.  You drag video effects and transitions from the browser window here. Effects are applied between clips in Va track and Vb track. 12. Cut tool. Use this to cut a long video clip to pieces

Though Main Actor does not have the capabilities of Premiere or Final Cut Pro, it costs less in comparison. It is divided into independent modules that include DV capture, DV out Video Capture and Video Editor. You create your edit in the Sequencer and we shall focus on it. The interface is simple with only a preview window. Unlike other editors, there is no place for collecting material before placing them on a timeline. Once you import a clip, it goes directly on the timeline and all operations like cutting, cropping etc are directly done on time line. The Browser, unlike in Premiere, holds effects you can apply to video. Transitions are applied on a separate effects (Fx) line on time line and can be applied only between clips placed on Va and Vb timelines. Video effects can be applied on any line. An effect that is applied on video is immediately rendered and you can see it on the timeline. This also means that you will have to wait for the render to finish before proceeding.

Once you have assembled your clips in time line and applied necessary effects, select export from file menu. Available export formats include AVI, Real video, Video for Windows, MPEG 1 etc.

Krishna Kumar