Popular Video Editing Software to Learn Online during Lockdown

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Popular Video Editing Software to Learn Online during Lockdown

Due to the pandemic Covid-19, we all are facing a tough phrase of life. But it doesn’t mean that we stop here. This period shall go too. So, it’s time to think about how you can utilize your free time while sitting at home.

Today, in this blog, we are going to see a list of some of the popular software that you can learn and master during the lockdown to boost your career as a video editor. 

So, here we go!

Popular Video Editing Tools to Learn During Lockdown

We are going to divide the software into two categories – Free and Paid

Let’s check Free Software first.

Free Software

HitFilm Express

HitFilm Express is a free software that offers superlative editing tools for beginners as well as film students. It also comes with VFX tool that can be used by gaming experts to create amazing content free of cost.

Highlighted Features:
  • Superlative video editor
  • 2D & 3D compositing options
  • 500+ preset and effects
  • Limitless transitions and tracks
  • Compatible with both Windows and Mac
  • Access free useful  video tutorials

DaVinci Resolve 16

Next in the queue is DaVinci Resolve 16 that is an all in one software for various solutions like 8K editing, color grading and correction, audio editing, post production, VFX, an more.

It provides a user friendly interface where you can switch between different functions very quickly by  a few clicks.

Apart from the user-friendly interface, DaVinci Resolve Studio also provides real-time multi-user collaboration. So, it becomes easy for the editors, designers, artists, to work live on the same project. This software is being used in not only post production but it also becomes a standard tool for films, television shows and commercials.

Highlighted Features:
  • Navigate quickly with dual timeline and save your time from wasting in scrolling and zooming.
  • Avoid searching in the bin for the clips by quickly review them using Source Tape in bin.
  • It has updated options like “Trim Interface” which helps the users to review the both sides of clip that will consequently assist in creating an accurate cut.
  • Avoid placing points in the timeline. Use the intelligent edit modes that provide you synced clips.
  • Use variable speed playback to quickly see the complete clips.
  • Edit pictures using built in tools, work with text, audio, and more in the same place. 
  • With quick export option, you can take out an instant render. It also gives sharing options to get your videos viral in the social platforms like YouTube.
  • Import all you projects with complete folders using media import option.
  • Enjoy portable editing on small screens too.

iMovie

With iMovie for macOS and iOS, take your video clips to the next level and add movie magic to them.

It’s an easy to use and learn application that makes things easy for you.

You can create stunning trailer like Hollywood movies and work with 4K resolution.

Highlighted Features:
  • It gives n number of styles to create studio-quality titles and credits that are 100% editable and customizable.
  • It comes with picture-in-picture and screen special effects that can make your clips stand out.
  • Use high-fidelity filters to add a cinematic look. From nostalgic monochrome style to futuristic cool blue look, there are various filter to explore in it
  • Access over 80 soundtracks to intelligently manage sounds of your video. Try to create your own voiceover and add into the clips to let it rock.
  • With iMovie, start editing in your iPad or even iPhone and finish it Mac with seamless portability provided by iMovie.

OpenShot

For a starter, OpenShot is the right software to begin with. It is designed to make the editing of the videos easy as well as fast.  Its amazing tools and interface make it easy to comprehend for beginners specially. So, let’s look at some of its highlighted features.

Highlighted Features:
  • OpenShot is capable to run on more than one operating systems. It is compatible for Mac, Windows, and Linux.
  • It offers various kinds of trim and cut options that allows you to grab the perfect view for your movie.
  • It comes with a powerful framework for animation and key frames that mean you have a plenty of things to add in your project, for instance animating the objects by adding fade or bounce effects.
  • With unlimited tracks you can work with as many layers as you want.
  • It offers video effects like inverting the colors, manipulating the background, adjusting the brightness, etc.
  • It lets you work with audio waveforms.
  • With the help of its title editor, you can add titles to your video without any hurdle.
  • It also gives you power to work with 3D animations. You can create different kinds of 3D animated titles as well as effects like fire, rain, snow, etc.
  • Go into slow motion or speed up your video with playback speed and direction.
  • Drag and drop editing will enhance your workflow.
  • It is coming with almost 70+ languages and you can even translate your video online with its Launchpad.
  • Its user interface is designed for both beginners and experts. It is simple yet interactive.

VSDC

Free non-linear editing system to edit videos on different types like HD, DVD, and GoPro videos formats.

With in-built profiles and templates you can work on different devices.

This software offers some versatile features like overlay on audio and text, slideshow maker, charts, diagrams, etc. in its business and home suits. 

Images and video files can be synced and you can use them on any device.

Besides, all objects can change their properties, shape and position in time.

VSDC is an effort saving software that let you create full HD videos within a few minutes with the help of its enhanced features such as multi-color Chroma Key, adjustable parameters, hardware acceleration, and many more.

Highlighted Features:
  • It comes with multi-functionalities that make it an all in one suit for you.
  • It gives a high speed performance as it is developed optimized according to the high-quality algorithms.
  • It is available for Windows operating systems free of cost. Anyone can download this software for their pcs and laptops.

Paid Software

Adobe Premiere Pro

First in the queue, we have Adobe Premiere Pro that is industry-leading non-linear video editing software being used for not only film but for TV and web media too.

It has powerful and creative tools that help you to be in your creative flow along with this its integration with other apps and other party services let its users to craft a well-polished project.

Highlighted Features:
  • Adobe Premiere Pro comes with the automated tools that are power-driven by the artificial intelligence technology known as Adobe Sensei.
  • With Premiere Pro, you can select any camera, pick up any format and work on any platform. It makes editing very simple. The formats include 8K as well as virtual reality.
  • It comes with native file support, faster ProRes HDR along with lightweight proxy workflows to let its users work in the way they want.
  • Premiere Pro has the seamless tools that allow the users to create everything they want to create.
  • Premiere Pro is integrated with other Adobe apps such as Adobe Premiere Pro, Audition, Rush, After Effects, Stock, etc.
  • With Adobe Premiere Rush, Premiere Pro has extended its functionality to the next level. Premiere Rush is a new all-in-one app for editing and sharing the footages across the social media from your phone, tablet, desktop or laptop.

Apple FCPX

If you want to edit and create professional videos at the speed of thoughts then this software is for you. With its innovative interface and intuitive tools, one can take their editing and compositing skills to the next level.  Final Cut Pro is not only non-linear editing software but it is a complete suit for post-production that can let you accelerate your post-production workflow.

Highlighted Features
  • Professional editing of videos and audio, motion graphics, compositing and better delivery.
  • It has advanced colour grading options, ProRes Raw and HDR support.
  • It comes with VR headset playback.
  • With its new Metal engine you’ll be able to go for 360° video editing.

Cyberlink Power Director 18

PowerDirector is an ultimate package that brings the high-end performance capabilities for attaining the supreme control over video editing and production, thus, it is an ideal choice for all the aspiring creators, and producers.

Highlighted Features
  • It comes with a powerful shape designer that let you edit and add vector graphics in your videos very quickly.
  • It has perfect options for YouTubers to add text, effects, templates that are completely customizable.
  • It also let you combine your simple titles with stunning motion graphics that will consequently make your story modern.
  • It gives you access to many different sizes so that you can use them to create or edit vertical or landscape orientation videos. For instance ratio 1:1 square size is available for Instagram & Facebook.
  • It gives control options to scale, rotate, skew, increasing or decreasing the opacity, etc.
  • You can use audio scrubbing in Power Director to hear audio while dragging the playhead. This will let you find the clip you need in no time.
  • It comes with multi-key sampling chroma key editing feature where you can perform green screen editing.
  • It guarantees you 100% advanced motion tracking that makes you efficient in frame-by-frame motion tracking.
  • Work with 360? video stabilization and become free of shaking videos.
  • With Power Director enjoy ever-growing collection of premium content and plug-ins.

Avid Media Composer

Avid Media Composer is a complete editing application where you can start from your first cut and finish it to the compelling stories.

Highlighted Features
  • Its import settings let you manage your work with different types of media and content.
  • It also let you create the realistic VFX stories in no time.
  • It comes with n number of options for color corrections and sound effects.

Sony Vegas Pro 17

VEGAS PRO 17 is known for its fast and innovative functionality. It is built for passionate creative who want to work with a fast, flexible and innovation NLE software. With Vegas Pro you can think about the video production in better way than ever.

Many more features are there to explore in it such as multiple nested timelines and industry-leading HDR editing tools.

Highlighted Features
  • You can attain stabilization on shaky footage by converting them into smooth and high quality video using the video stabilization engine
  • It has the nested timelines that let you organize projects and help you to speed up your workflow
  • It offers industry-leading HDR tools to grade your colors.
  • Work with powerful color-grading tools to unify you workflow. It let you take most out of its easy, customizable, and flexible layout to work quickly.
  • With the help of Mesh Warp add a grid of points to map your video on. Also, correct distortions, tweak and stretch your image in the way you want to give different kinds of style effects. Even you can map your footages to distorted shapes very quickly. So, with Vegas Pro, you take head to limitless possibility and unlock your imagination.

Some useful tips at the end:

Remember what’s your goal?

Your goal is to tell a great story and go beyond the small basic things.

Cut away inessential clips and work on correcting their order. This will give you numerous opportunities. Yes it will as you’ll be able make your video dramatically pleasing and compelling so that you can convey your envisioned message and bring up the right sentiments.

Stick to Keyboard Shortcuts

Make yourself familiar with the keyboard shortcuts as most of the NLE software are coming up with the keyboard short keys that you can utilize to speed up workflow by performing the wide range of functions in no time.

Fast Editing and Rendering Matters

It’s true that having a fast computer won’t certainly make a video editing expert. But a fast computer allows you to give more time on your story editing as you can skip the long rendering process within a few minutes. Use SSD; though it will double the price, it’s absolutely worth it.

Also, there is no doubt that increased RAM heads to faster speed for editing as well as rendering.

This could be a reason behind the recommendation of having at least 4GB of Ram by most of the modern NLEs.

But if you’re a passionate editor then you need to a lot more than 4GB of Ram, most of the experts prefer to have at least 8GB of RAM that means the more RAM the better it is. You need to think of better processors and video cards.

Hope this blog will be helpful for you.