Video Editing Software

While looking for the video editing software, you are presented with so many choices that it is easy to get overwhelmed. The evolution of technology has been pretty dramatic over the past decade. The video recording tools are digitalized and more advanced. Linear editing has had its day in the sun and is now almost passé.  The idea is to narrow down the options so that you could take the right pick. Here is the list of the most important parameters to help you make the right decision.

The Basics

Video editors these days are loaded with plenty of advanced features. But, all the extras wouldn’t matter if the editor cannot do the basic editing well. Regardless of the number of features added to the editor, basic editing remains as the mainstay of any editing project. The video editor should allow you to trip, join, split, crop, and slice the clips without any hassles.

Since the evolution of video technology, the word ‘basic’ in editing has broadened its scope. Simple transitions, animated transitions, chroma-key, and picture-in-picture (PiP) techniques are widely considered as basic. Unless it is a completely casual editing job, you will need these features for most projects.

Filters are also an integral part of any video editor these days. Even the most basic, lightweight mobile video editors include filters. The filters are presets that help you enhance the colours and also let you change the colour temperature and colour grading to a great extent. A good quality video editor must pack plenty of filters for the wide range of aesthetically appealing video effects.  

The ability to add multiple timeline tracks, text overlays, and audio clips is also more or less considered as basic. Even a slightly advanced video editor must include these features.

The Purpose

When it comes to buying the video editing software, there is a wide range of choices to pick from. On one end of the scale are the free video editors that include only the most basic features. On the other end there are high-end editors that bundle loads of advanced features and also cost handsomely.

Making the right choice could get a bit tricky, especially if you new to video editing. This is why, it is important to have a clear understanding of the purpose for which you are exploring the options so that you can make the choice accordingly. If you intend to create casual videos to share with friends on social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube, basic and free editors like Windows Movie Maker or Filmora should be good enough. On the other hand, video production houses that need to create professional grade videos would need expensive editors like Final Cut Pro, Sony Vegas Pro or Adobe Premiere Pro.

Format Support

As the digital video recording devices are getting more powerful by day, they are also becoming much easier to use. A pretty broad range of video devices are available in the market with support for various output formats. High quality video content can be recorded on DSLRs, action cameras, mirrorless cameras, and even smartphones.

If your video editor does not support all kinds of formats in use, you will need to use an extra program to convert the video to the desired format – a tedious and wasteful task! If you believe you will need to work on a wide variety of formats, buy the video editing software that supports the desired number of formats.

Audio Editing

Audio editing is an exceptionally important part of video editing, especially if you work on professional videos. The sound quality must match the video quality or else the impact will be lost on the audience. Any good video editor is expected to have a good collection of canned music. But, that’s just a start. The ability to add custom soundtrack is crucial for professional video editing.

The video editor should also be able to separate video and audio tracks so that they can be edited individually if required. It should allow you to remove the background noise to render clearer audio. There should be an option to add the environmental audio effects to the video for better audio results. The more advanced video editors also offer ‘audio-duck’ feature, which let you lower the background during dialogue or narration.  

Conclusion

Above is the list of some of the most important aspects to consider while buying the video editing software. The choice of video editor largely depends upon the purpose. But, other factors weigh in too and influence your course of action. For instance, you need to take personal budget into account as well. Weigh your needs and options well to make a balanced choice.