Video Editing Software
Martin Scorsese (photo by David Shankbone)
Do you want to be the next Martin Scorsese and produce a blockbuster hit? Or, maybe just want to clean up and polish videos you have shot to make them more professional looking then you will want to get some video editing software. Thanks to advancements in technology, and the cost of hardware and software dropping dramatically, the ability to produce very professional-looking videos is within reach of many of us.
There are many choices when it comes to video-editing software. There are basic programs that are easy to use but very limited in their capability and then there are more advanced programs that can produce very professional looking results and give you the ability to manipulate the video in many ways but it may take some time to learn to use.
Basically video editing software serves a couple of major purposes:
- Edit video – Select the portions of the video you wish to use, put segements of video into a timeline, add voice overlays, add titles, music, etc.
- Video capturing – Capture video directly from various digital camcorders and other devices directly into your program for editing.
- Share video- Prepare your video in the proper format and size for you to share in the manner you wish such as: publish on the internet, burn to a dvd, etc.
So what is the best choice when it comes to software? I don’t profess to know everything there is to know about video editing software so I will share what I have learned through experience with various programs and will also share what the real experts think. In addition I’m going to provide you with links to other resources that will help you gain more in-depth knowledge and determine which program is right for you.
My personal favorite:
Sony Vegas Movie Studio 9.0 Platinum – $84.95 Retail – I have used this program for a few years now and am pretty happy with it. I have found it to be robust enough to do serious editing but user-friendly enough for me to use it fairly effectively after actually reading the directions and a little practice. I would not say this would be good for a beginner that is not tech-savvy at all (and doesn’t want to be). This would be more for the tech-savvy person or someone that is willing to take the time to learn something new.
PC Magazine Favorites:
Adobe Premier Elements - $79.99 Retail- According to Adobe’s website this is “The #1 selling consumer video-editing software” and PC Magazine has selected it as it’s “Editors Choice” for video-editing software. PC Magazine says “Adobe seems to get it the most when it comes to creating anything from home movies to professional independent feature films from scratch, and that’s why it’s our Editors’ Choice for consumer video editing. Adobe Premiere Elements 8 shows the company’s extensive video editing experience, and is the best consumer-level choice for creating excellent results from start to finish.”
Cyberlink Power Director 8 - $69.95 Retail – PC Magazine rated this software only slightly behind Adode’s product above. PC Magazine’s review said “if you want speed, I’ve got your video editing app. CyberLink PowerDirector 8 is the fastest of the current crop of video editors for the PC. CyberLink’s claim to fame, according to the company, is optimized performance for different types of hardware. it’s a solid choice for powerful video editing on the cheap… it’s a solid choice for powerful video editing on the cheap.”
FREE (in some cases, sort of):
Windows Movie Maker – If you have a PC running Windows XP or Vista this probably came with your software. If you don’t have it but you are running one of those operating systems you can click on the link to download it. This a basic video editing program but is a good place for many people to start, particularly if you are not sure if you are going to really like editing video and want to mess around with it for a while before you spend much time or money on it. Window’s website describes this software as “Windows Movie Maker 2.1 makes home movies amazingly fun. With Movie Maker 2.1, you can create, edit, and share your home movies right on your computer. Build your movie with a few simple drag-and-drops. Delete bad shots and include only the best scenes. Then share your movie via the Web, e-mail, or CD. Using third-party software you can even take movies you’ve made and turn them into DVDs. You can also save your movie back to the video tape in your camera to play back on a TV or on the camera itself.”
Apple I-Movie – This is the Applie version of Windows Movie Maker, although like so many things I think Apple has done it much better than Microsoft. This software comes free on New Macs but unfortunatley is not free if you have an older Mac without it. If you have a Mac without it, you can buy ILife for $79.99 and get IMovie as well as a few other fun things, Garage Band, I-Web, I-DVD and I-Photo.
Wax – This is freeware and is truly free. I have not personally used it but have read about it in several forums and on a couple of reviews. It seems to offer a lot for the money (ha ha). If you have any interest in this software I would suggest you go to the software site and watch the tutorials that you will see on the lower right hand side of the page. I watched the intro one and was pretty impressed with the software. I also noticed it seemed to resemble Sony Vegas…hmm…Remember, this is freeware though, so it is “as is” and will not come with tech support..although you will probably find help in forums and from other users. It’s been download by over 750,000 people from just CNET alone (just one source of the software) so it’s getting some attention.
Resources and More Information:
PC Magazine’s review of video-editing software - extensive reviews and information
CNET Reviews of Video-editing software - pretty basic reviews
VideoMaker.com – This is a great website packed with useful information about every aspect of shooting, editing and producing video.
PC World – extensive reviews and information
About Video Editing – not a fancy website but packed with useful information about video
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