MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 11 is a reasonably priced video editing program, but it is not quite as easy to use as it would appear at first glance.

The user interface is fairly clean and uncluttered, but we found that most things weren't where we expected them to be, which slowed us down, and we never did quite get used to it. Perhaps the worst thing is the movie preview window, which is located in the top left half of the workspace, rather than the top right half. Recording/importing and editing tools are located in the top right half of the workspace, rather than the top left half, which just feels backwards. The bottom half of the window displays the storyboard or timeline view of your movie, depending on which mode you choose.

Movie Edit Pro can capture video from most analog and digital sources, including VCRs, televisions, and camcorders. It can also import previously recorded video files in AVI, MOV (QuickTime), MPEG, MAGIX Video, or Windows Media Video 9 format (WMV9).

Edit mode is well organized (if backwards), and offers an impressive collection of built-in themes, special effects, and audio that you can apply to your movie. You can add pre-recorded audio files, either manually or with the Song Maker, as well as record audio from within Movie Edit Pro.

If you want to work quickly, you can use the MovieShow Maker to create your movie in a few easy steps. Story Maker mode allows you to be the director, and make all the decisions yourself.

When you finish editing and saving your movie, you can burn it to DVD, VCD, or SVCD format, complete with titles and interactive chapter menus, as well as save it to play back on a VCR or camcorder. You can also export your movie for use on a web site, a PDA, or a smartphone.

A 30-day trial version of Movie Edit Pro is available for downloading from the MAGIX web site.

If you have a limited budget for video editing, then MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 11 may be a good choice, as long as you're not in a hurry, and as long as you are not set in your ways.


Pros: Budget-friendly price, includes an interesting collection of special effects
Cons: Interface really isn't intuitive for casual users, lacks advanced features for more experienced users