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recommended basic video editing software?


MadAbbott

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It seems amateur directors can put something pretty decent looking together from their phones or laptops nowadays so I'm looking to try something different... I've always used iMovie when needed, which is about once a year. However it's a case of watching tutorials and refreshing my memory on how to do pretty much anything each time, plus I use it so rarely that I normally have to update EVERYTHING to use it, doesn't accept photos unless they're sync'd to iPhoto and all sorts of frustrating stuff. I bet it's great and very simplistic for regular users, but it's too bloody difficult for me when I just need to do something basic...

 

I've got a tonne of great footage from gigs, scratch sessions etc collected over the last couple of decades that will likely never see the light of day cos the prospect of editing it is too bloody daunting. I know there's no quick fix for that and it's a long winded process but at least if i'm not put off by the software that will help!

 

Anyone recommend something (ideally free) for Mac that's pretty straightforward? I do have a pretty old PC so PC recommendations welcome too...

I also installed a handy editor on my samsung phone which I may put some time into and see how that goes - I imagine it's fine for what I'll need, which is just using a couple of different angles and some basic effects, a little bit of texts and some fade in/outs etc...

 

Many thanks!

 

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Try videoshop if you are wanting to edit directly on your phone. I'm sure there are others but that's what I'm familiar with.

 

I use GoPro Studio for gopro vids. It's pretty easy and free. I would think it can edit video from other sources too but not 100% sure. Regardless tho, GoPro is a super powerful camera for the price.

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Guest Symatic

adobe premiere is fairly easy but needs a goooood computer ideally.

if you dont wanna steal it from the internet you can also pay monthly which is good for amateurs so you dont have to shell out loads for one project

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Fully recommend Adobe Premiere if you are on Mac...it's as pro as you could ask for and affordable if you decide to buy a sub to Adobe CC.

 

Otherwise if you want something a bit more template friendly try Final Cut Pro X....doesn't take as much knowledge to get good efx/looks out of footage and has tons of pre made transitions etc.

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Go grab Hitfilm Express, its free, there are a ton of tutorials on YouTube, and it has some of the best Effects around for a layer/comp based editor/compositor.

If you want something a bit higher class then go grab Black magic Resolve and Fusion, basically the two best bits of software on the planet right now for independent film makers, and the free versions are actually not even limited very much (Mainly limited amount of render nodes), however, beware with those you are stepping in to a rabbit hole of perpetual learning and addiction, they are used on pretty much every TV show and Film made in the last twenty years, so while there are some free tutorials out there, most of the damn tutorials are high end too.

 

Personally i would say if you are willing to learn, Resolve will sort you right out.

Edited by Flexinoodle
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Get Final cut pro man, it's like a suped up version of iMovie so everything will be familiar but should be more functional. I got to grips with it in like a few hours.

 

My computer is pretty crap, and it handles it ok... It kind of only renders stuff when you leave it alone for a while.

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