AWESOME.
That's right, awesome like you wouldn't believe. I just received Adobe's Video Collection Pro v2.5 and it is truly a modern marvel. I wouldn't even try to tell you what all of these programs can do. Not only are the base products unbelievable, but it came packaged with TONS of plug-ins (little extra programs that work within the base programs). Plug-ins usually let you do flashier effects, 3D animation, and better overall production.

I just loaded it all onto my computer last night and started playing around a little bit. It took a couple of hours to install and register the products (Adobe is intent on eliminating software piracy...noble attempt, but I doubt people are just going to stop bootlegging Photoshop anytime soon). I've got one product to work on for the weekend, plus finalizing my wedding video (I've been waiting for all this software so that I can finally finish it!) as well as editing and producing the DVDs for my sister's wedding.

So let's have a quick rundown of what's in the box:
Adobe Premiere Pro 1.5 - Video editing application.
Adobe After Effects 6.5 - Motion graphics. Came with a neat 3D modeling plug-in, as well as an advanced keying plug-in.
Adobe Audition 1.5 - Audio creation/editing app. Has a lot of pitch correction, noise filtering, and overall audio sweetening controls built in, as well as a library of over 5,000 loops, effects, and other great toys.
Adobe Encore DVD 1.5 - This is one serious DVD creator. Seriously, if you've ever watched a DVD and wondered how to make all the flashy motion menus and fill the disc with extras and fun things...well, this program lets you do it all.
Adobe Photoshop CS - This is the new version of Photoshop, and you can do just about any kind of image editing and creation. Even includes an app for you to build your websites and export graphics in HTML code, ready for publishing.

Best of all, all of these programs work TOGETHER. You can be editing in Premiere Pro and jump into Audition to play with the audio or add effects (although Premiere has some really good audio handles built in, including creating Dolby 5.1 surround audio). And lets say you're working in After Effects or Premiere and you want to tweak an image...well, click on it and select "edit in Photoshop" and BLAZZAAMM! You're in Photoshop. Same for DVD menus. Encore uses all the layering effects of Photoshop to create the menus, so if you want to tweak the image, same thing...just click and select "edit in Photoshop." Additionally, if you're using content in one program that was created in another, any changes you make to the original are effected immediately in the other program. For example, if you make a flashy 3D menu in After Effects for use in Encore, as soon as you make a change in After Effects, it is immediately updated when you move back into Encore. You can even do the right click thing to immediately edit a piece in another app. So lovely.

So now that you have all read this (or more likely, skipped to this sentence, ignoring all the advertising I just laid down), you are all more educated about what this incredible piece of programming can do. And now you also know what I'll be doing with the next few years of my life ---- learning EVERYTHING that this software can do.

Now that I own this software, I'm looking into becoming an Adobe Certified Expert (ACE) in Digital Video and Graphics. It'll be taking me some time, but it'll all be worth it. Wish me luck.