I currently use the following software…

Adobe Premiere. I use this to pull the video from camera, and used to use it to process my clips. This is simply too slow for me since I now process many clips at a time, but would be good for you since you do not have volume. You can pull the clip from your camera via FIREWIRE and then cut, watermark, and process the clip all in one program. You do not have the multiple options for encoding, WMV, QTM, and so on which is helpful for later use. But it is a good program for your initial needs. I still use it for pulling the video myself. However, I then use other programs to make things much faster. I also use this program in the first step to render a DVD.

Sorenson Squeeze.
I use this program to import my videos, and compress them. It gives you the option to process many clips in a que, which I love, so I can load it up and go to bed. You also have the option to easily process the clip into other formats if you like. Which is helpful for limited content library and clip store use. It has a lot of other features I do not use, but it is a very robust program.

VideoCharge
I use this program for watermarking. Since I do many clips at once now via Sorenson. I also use this program to cut up processed clips. This is done in a few seconds and wastes little time. Which is nice. When you do this in Premiere, you have to wait for it to re-render. Again, not a big issue for you since you are starting out, but it is a hassle when you are trying to rerun 20 clips on stores and sites at once.

FrameShots
This little gem is awesome for video captures. You need vidcaps for your clip store, or I would recommend it, as I have found out that is converts best for me. You do not want to have to manually go through frame by frame trying to grab 6 shots from a clip. This program you can load up the clip, and set it to pull 10/50/100 whatever snaps, and then you just roll though them and pick 6. It does a nice job, and makes it much easier.

CuteFTP Pro
I use this program for my uploading of clips. I am not sure what all else is out there anymore since I have never had an issue with this program. I just update it so often as they add in new features. It does well for your uploading of clips, whether to site or clip stores. I do not like to use web browser uploaders. In fact, I can’t fucking stand them.

Adobe PhotoShop
I use this program for piecing together my 6 shots for the clip store. You do not need anything this fancy for this simplistic use. I am not sure what all else is on the market, but a simply editor should do the trick and there may even be a free one for this minimalistic need. I also use it to crop, and clean up, the raw images from shoots so I have it for TGP submissions and such down the road. TGP submissions are how you get a lot of links, and some traffic. It is really becoming more important for SEO purposes then it is for traffic generation now a days.

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A special note for those of you who are college students. You can get a discount on a lot of software by faxing them a copy of your college I.D.. Sometimes it is as much as 50-70% off!! So it is worth your while to check into it. Especially if you have a college I.D. to fax in for those more expensive programs.

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