And you didn't need a million dollars. You just needed a PCI slot. Do you have a specific memory of using Hollywood FX, or would you like a technical deep-dive into its nodal compositing architecture for a follow-up?
Hollywood FX didn't just edit video; it ornamented it. It gave texture to the low-resolution, low-bitrate world of DV and Hi8. The golden age ended with a purchase. In 2005, Avid Technology —the pro industry standard—bought Pinnacle Systems. The goal was to absorb the Pinnacle consumer line (Liquid, Studio) and, crucially, Hollywood FX. pinnacle hollywood fx
You could make a video play on a spinning torus (donut). You could make text burst out of a video wall. You could—if you were patient—simulate a virtual set by mapping a greenscreen actor onto a floating plane moving past a 3D background. And you didn't need a million dollars