Editing at Home - Help!

Hello there

First time user. I've recently stopped shooting my shorts on 16mm film and have moved over to digital (mini DV). I couldn't believe the power of digital editing/shooting. I use Premiere Elements on my home PC. I got so excited when I realised that Premiere Elements could do blue screen that I embarked on my first special effects film. I thought: what's the simplest monster I can create and manipulate with blue screen? The short is called Doodlebug and you can see it here:

http://www.virginmediashorts.com/film/1543551325

The process took ten months; I'm very proud what we managed to achieve, at home(!) on such a low budget (fifty pounds).

My quick question is: I'd like to take my special effects film making at home to the next level. Premiere Elements isn't really a compositing/animation programme; it's an editing package with a little blue screen application embedded in there.

So, which reasonably priced PC based software would you recommend, please, specifically for creating special effect shorts (animation and blue screen)?

Thanks for this


Lee