Video Editing Program For Mac What Format
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ImToo Video Editor for Mac is a user-friendly tool for editing videos. You can combine multiple videos to form a single video, cut the videos into sections and add effects to each. You can even create movies that look like a pro work and convert them to any kind of a format. This professional video editing software for Windows and Mac is undoubtedly the BEST alternative currently available! Yes, we all love that industry-standard CS or CC software made by corporate giants. IMovie is the Mac-based amateur filmmaker’s best friend, delivering themes, Hollywood-style trailers and video effects with minimalistic panache, a cinematic flair, and deep integration.
Jul 25,2019• Proven solutions
Many people are looking of free Mac video editing software since they have tons of videos and are eager to edit the videos either for better presentation or preservation. Are there any free video editing software for Mac users that are really good? Many people ask this in forums. Here we compare some great Mac video editors, followed by the detailed information of each editor for your reference, and we also made a comparison table for Mac video editor in terms of video format, pros and cons of the 10 best free video editors for Mac. Check it out!
Updates: Are you also looking for video editors for Windows, Linux, mobile phone, or online? Check our latest post 36 Best Video Editors for All the Platforms.
Part 1: Best Free Video Editing Software for Mac Quick Comparison Table
We’ve summarized the features, pros and cons of these best video editing software for Mac users in the comparison table below. You can choose the best suitable one based on your editing skills and needs at the current stage.
Level | Products | Input formats | Output formats | Pros | Cons |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
For beginners | Apple iMovie | DV, HDV, AVCHD, Apple Intermediate Codec, Motion JPEG/A, iFrame, h.264, MP4, MOV... | H.264/MPEG-4, MOV, AVI, DV... | Available on iPhone/iPad; Comptiable well with Apple ecosystem | Audio is copyrighted |
Avidemux | 3GP, ASF, AVI, FLV, H263, JPEG, MKV, MP4, MPEG, MPEG4, MPG, and OGM | AVI, FLV, M1V, M2V, MKV, MP4, MPEG, MPG, OGM and TS | Clean and easy to use interface; Open source software without built-in purchase | Exporting process is slack | |
OpenShot | WebM, AVCHD, HEVC... | MP4, AVI, MPEG... | Provide free built in effects and animations; Support 3D title | Buggy at times; Freeze and crash often | |
ZS4 Video Editor | AVI, WAV, Image Files | AVI, WMV, WAV, Jpg, Png | More than 120 built-in video effects; unlimited tracks | User interface is not friendly | |
HyperEngine-AV | AVI, BMP, Cubic VR, DLS, DV, FLC... | AIFF, AVI, BMP, DV Stream, FLC, MPEG-4... | Includes twelve studio-quality effects; Create slide shows | Discontinued to release new version | |
For semi-pros | Kdenlive | AVI, MP4, FFmpeg... | QuickTime, AVI, WMV, MPEG... | Open source software | Not friendly for greenhands; Update slowly |
Blender | STL, ABC, FBX... | FBX, DAE, ABC... | Fast poly modeling tools; Customizable input | Unintuitive layers system; Animation management is not smooth | |
For pros | Davinci Resolve | MP4, MOV, MTS, AVI... | QuickTime, AVI, R3D, MXF, DPX... | Learning curve is not steep; Offer advance color grading | Single screen editing workflow is not friendly |
Lightworks | MPEG-2, AVC, RED R3D, DPX, Apple Pro Res... | MPEG4/H.264 | Package is lightweight; Only need 3GB RAM to use | Effect library is limited | |
HitFilm Express | H.264, AVCHD, QuickTime, AVI, M2T, M2TS, MTS, MXF | H.264, Apple ProRes, AVI | High level ideo effects compositor | No motion graphics feature |
From the above comparison table, we can see there are so many pros and cons in different aspects. However, you may want to take look at another software - Filmora9- before you decide to use the one you like. It is anexcellnt Mac video editor that can meet your basic and advanced needs.
Part 2: Best Free Video Editing Software for Beginners: Wondershare Filmora9 for Mac (Video Tutorial)
Wondershare Filmora9 for Mac offers some persuasive advantages over other video editing tools available for Apple Mac. It not only includes basic video editing tools but also provides various advanced video effects for you to apply. Below are some features that can help you understand the best Mac video editor. Download it now to have a try!
- Supports almost all kinds of video formats, including MP4, AVI, MOV, AVCHD, MKV and more.
- Complete all classic video editing like crop, trim, cut, split and combine in a few clicks.
- Make your footage look like Hollywood film with color tuning tool.
- Make good use of your music with Audio Mixer and Audio Equalizer.
- Exclusive Action Cam Tool allows you to cut and merge large action cam footages within minutes.
- Advanced video editing tools like Tilt Shift, Face off, Mosaic, Jump Cut, etc for you to explore.
- Convert your edited to any popular video format or fit video to mobile devices.
- Burn your own DVD collection or upload to YouTube and Vimeo instantly.
- Up to 100 audio and video tracks to organize your project and layer media.
- Make exciting GoPro/action cam videos with precise speed controls.
How to Edit Videos with Wondershare Filmora9 (originally Wondershare Video Editor)
Import Media Files
Upload media files from your computer or transport from all kinds of cameras, smart phones and elsewhere. Or directly drag-n-drop them to the program.
Edit Your Video
Easily complete basic video editing by clicking the icons above the timeline. Add different video effects and filters to personalize it. For advanced video editing, you can easily create green screen effects.
Save & Enjoy
Save your video in different formats, share via Vimeo, YouTube, burn to DVD and more.
Part 3: Top 10 Best Free Mac Video Editors for Beginners/Semi-pros/Professionals
We’ve done some research and found out the following free video editing software for Mac users. Some of them are for video editing novice, while some free video editing software are for professionals (but if you need to use the professional features, you may need to purchase the Pro version). Hope you can find the right video editor based on your needs from the following list.
Best Free Video Editing Software for Mac [Beginners]
1. Apple iMovie
iMovie comes with every new Mac (OS X) and you don't need to pay extra money for it. The latest iMovie 11 is a great and free video editor for Mac with many great features such as movie trailer, one step effect, audio editing, etc. And in just a few steps, you can share your movies to YouTube or export videos for your iPhone, iPad, etc. However, iMovie is only free if you buy a new Mac. And when getting started with iMovie, you will find it hard to master this software. All in all, iMovie is one of the best free video editing software for Mac users and receives good reputation. You can learn some iMovie video editing tips and trick at how to use iMovie.
Features:
- Supports editing 4K video
- You can also use it on iPhone/iPad
- 10 video filters are for you
Pros: Available on iPhone/iPad; Comptiable well with Apple ecosystem
Cons: Audio is copyrighted, so you need to download royalty-free music by yourself
2.Avidemux
Avidemux is another great free video editor designed for simple cutting, filtering and encoding tasks. It is available for Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, Linux and BSD under the GNU GPL license and supports a variety of video, image and audio formats, including AVI, DVD compatible MPEG files, MP4, MOV, ASF, JPG, AAC, AC3, etc. High compatibility with many video formats is the highlight of this free video editing software for Mac. You can also cut ads from a TV recording, or just save a small part of the video.
It also offers some filters to use, such as color correction. You can apply these filters to your video to make it more beautiful.
Features:
- It supports AVI MP4 and ASF
- Based on H.264 encoder
Pros: Clean and easy to use interface; Open source software without built-in purchase
Cons: Exporting process is slack, which means it will take longer time
3.OpenShot
OpenShot is a free, simple to use open-source video editor for Mac, Windows, and Linux. It is a good video editor for beginners to learn and train video editing skills. If you just want to mae some basic editing without having to spend too much time, OpenShot can be one of your best choices.
Apart from doing basic video editing, you can also render 3D animation. This free editor for Mac also supports more than 70 languages. No need to worry about the language barrier to stop you from editing video.
Features:
- You can trim/slice video quickly
- Show waveforms while editing
- Offer templates to edit titles
Pros: Provide free built in effects and animations; Support 3D title
Cons: Buggy at times; It freezes and crashes often
4.ZS4 Video Editor
ZS4 Video Editor is a free video editor for Mac which provides media experts with a facility to combine a variety of media types into one (or more) output file(s). Besides Mac, it is also available for Windows and Linux. ZS4 Video Editor comes with over 150 built-in video effects which can help you bring your videos to the next level instantly.
More importanly, you can use it to combine various media files into one, like video, audio and photo. With this all-in-one editor, no more needs to install too many annoying apps.
Features:
- You can edit photos, videos, and audio files
- It is easy to use
Pros: More than 120 built-in video effects; unlimited tracks
Cons: User interface is not friendly
5.HyperEngine-AV
HyperEngine-AV is a free video editing software for Mac used to capture, edit, organize process, and export video, audio, and text to create DVD quality movies and slide shows. It comes with twelve studio-quality effects from Arboretum's Hyperprism suite of audio processors. Besides, it offers text features to display credits, section titles, or karaoke lyrics with fully editable font, size, type, color, style, alignment, and scroll direction. Definitely, HyperEngin-AV is really a good free video editor for Mac users.
Features:
- You can use it to create slide shows
- Supports capturing desktop and editing video
Pros: Includes twelve studio-quality effects; Create slide shows
Cons: It is discontinued to release new version
Best Free Mac Video Editing Software for Semi-pros
1.Kdenlive
Although the development team has moved full-stream-ahead on Linux, you can still use this excellent free video editor on Mac with packages available via MacPorts. Kdenlive supports almost all popular media formats, and you can easily add the files to software's multitrack timeline.
You can create 2D titles to light up project like aligning texts and rotating. For editing huge size of video file, it offers proxy to make the editing experience smoother.
Features:
- It allows you to edit several audio and video tracks
- You can customize shortcuts easily
Pros: It is open source software
Cons: Not friendly for greenhands; Update slowly
2.Blender
Like Avidemux, Blender is available for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, GNU/Linux, FreeBSD and OpenBSD. It's a free 3D graphics application and considered as one of the best free video editor for Mac. It can be used for modeling, rigging, texturing, UV unwrapping, skinning, animating, rendering, water and smoke simulations, particle and other simulations, non-linear editing, compositing, and creating interactive 3D applications, animated film, video games, or other visual effects. Blender has lots of advanced features like powerful character animation tools, modifier-based modeling tools, a node-based material and compositing system, Python for embedded scripting and so on.
Features:
- It is a 3D creation suite
- It supports CPU and GPU rendering
- It has various sculpting tools and brushes
Pros: Fast poly modeling tools; Customizable input
Cons: Unintuitive layers system; Animation management is not smooth
Best Free Mac Video Editing Software for Professionals
In our impression, professional-thing costs a lot. But it isn’t true when coming to video editing software like DaVinci Resolve, Lightworks and HitFilm. There are two versions for those video editing software, and the lite version or the free version usually costs no money with limited features which makes them good choice for people who are looking for professional video editing solution to some degree.
1. Davinci Resolve
Blackmagic Design's Davinci Resolve has been growing from an advanced color-grading tool to an video post-production solution. If you are an experienced video maker and want to apply a high quality color correction/grading to your footage, Davinci Resolve's free basic version can be your choice.
Timeline curve function is a powerful feature for you to add keyframe if you want to edit a specific scene. Also it offers full 3D editing particle systems to let you release creativity.
Features:
- Multi track timeline you can choose
- Trimming video is easy to use
- You can adjust constant or variable speed
Pros: Learning curve is not steep; Offer advance color grading
Cons: Single screen editing workflow is not friendly
2.Lightworks
Lightworks is a professional video editing software for Windows and Mac, its free version offers you limited export option. It includes video effects, multicam editing, titling, as well as the multi layered timeline approach which is perfect for advanced video editing needs.
Features:
- It is a rewarded editor in the world
- It offers Proxy for 4K
- Compatible well with Mac
Pros: Package is lightweight; Only need 3GB RAM to use
Cons: Effects library is limited
3.HitFilm Express
HitFilm Express is more like a compositing video editor, compared with Adobe After Effects, it's more easy-to-use and friendly to semi-pros. People who are not familiar with the video editing process may find using HitFilm Express difficult.
Features:
- Various courses are available
- It offers Proxy for 4K
- More than 400 video effects
Pros: High level ideo effects compositor
Cons: It lacks motion graphics feature
Conclusion
You may have found the best video editor for Mac after reading this article. I’ll try my best to keep the list up to date, but if your favorite free video editor for Mac isn’t listed above, please leave a comment and let me know. This article is for mac version, click here to get more info about free video editing software for Windows.
Easy-to-use and powerful video editor for all creators.
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- Choosing Video Editing Software
- Video Editing Tips
Best Professional Video Editing Software 2019 - PC and Mac Editors
We started reviewing professional video editing software in 2012. Since that time, our best overall pick has not changed. Adobe Premiere Pro CC is the perfect program for users who have cut their teeth in consumer video editing software and are ready to upgrade. Its traditional timeline layout and easy-to-find editing tools mirror the workflow of the best consumer video editors. Also, your subscription gives you access to the incremental updates Adobe makes to the program.
Best OverallAdobe Premiere Pro
Adobe Premiere Pro includes the tools and features professionals demand – this nonlinear editor has the power, versatility and depth to be our top pick.
Best ValueMAGIX Video Pro X
MAGIX Video Pro X is a powerful, capable application. It can edit projects that hold their own against videos made with its competitors, but you own it outright rather than pay for a subscription.
Best for Mac UsersFinal Cut Pro X
If you’re a Mac person, you’ll love Final Cut Pro X. It’s powerful, versatile professional video editing software – plus it’s easy to pick up if you’ve used iMovie.
Product | Price | Overall Rating | Design | Editing Tools | Media Management | Export & Production | Interface & Workflow | Skill Level Required | Windows | MacOS | Enhanced Timeline | Sequence Nesting | Color Correction | Masking | Video Stabilizer | Stereoscopic Editing | Closed Captions | Dynamic Media Folders or Bins | Multicam Support | Automatic Content Analyzer | Automatic Audio & Video Sync | Export as File | 4K Support | DVD & Blu-ray Authoring | Export to Web | Export to Mobile Devices |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adobe Premiere Pro CC | View Deal | 5/5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | Excellent | Intermediate | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Final Cut Pro X | View Deal | 4.5/5 | 3.5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | Excellent | Intermediate | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Media Composer | View Deal | 4.5/5 | 4.5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | Good | Advanced | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ |
Lightworks | 4/5 | 4.5 | 5 | 2.5 | 4 | Good | Basic | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | |
HitFilm Pro | View Deal | 3.5/5 | 4.6 | 3.6 | 2.5 | 3 | Good | Advanced | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✖ | ✓ | ✖ | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | ✖ |
MAGIX Video Pro X | View Deal | 3.5/5 | 2.5 | 4.5 | 4 | 5 | Fair | Basic | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
EDIUS Pro | View Deal | 3/5 | 4.6 | 5 | 2.5 | 4 | Good | Intermediate | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✖ |
VEGAS Pro | View Deal | 3/5 | 2.5 | 5 | 2.5 | 3 | Fair | Intermediate | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | ✖ |
Best Overall
Adobe Premiere Pro
Premiere Pro CC Single AppThe basic functionality of professional nonlinear video editors doesn't change much from application to application.
They all have timelines, media bins and a multitude of tools you can use to make advanced alterations, adjustments and outright transformations of raw video, audio and image files. What separates Premiere Pro from the rest is how these features come together. Adobe understands that every editor and project has unique needs, and it created an application that is infinitely customizable to meet those needs.
Media organization is essential to creating video efficiently. Adobe Premiere Pro comes loaded with adaptable media bins and panels, so you can store your media as well as preset attributes before you drag them onto the timeline. Adobe has some great instructional videos on media strategy that can help you optimize your workflow with top-notch bin structure. Once you have a structure that works for you, you can even save a bin template to your hard drive or the cloud. This saves you loads of time at the beginning of each project by eliminating the need to manually create a bin structure each time.
Premiere covers all the bases for transforming your final sequence into a finished work. You can export it as a digital file of any size, from standard definition to ultrahigh definitions like 4K. This application can also burn videos to optical media such as DVD and Blu-ray discs. Additionally, Adobe Media encoder can create a video for any file format or codec.
Best Value
MAGIX Video Pro X
Even though MAGIX Video Pro X’s price falls within the average range for the programs we reviewed, we chose it as our best value pick.
That’s because it includes the tools necessary to make professional-quality projects, plus you own the software outright. Competing programs, such as Adobe Premiere Pro and Media Composer, require a monthly subscription, putting you at risk of losing access if you can’t make the bill. Plus, you get free updates throughout the current version of the software.
MAGIX Video Pro X’s timeline is unique among the applications we reviewed – it’s an “open timeline” that allows you to handle objects such as video, images and audio with more refined precision. This is because you don’t need to convert disparate file formats before you bring them into the workspace.
One of the most compelling things about this software is it’s accessible to users who are just getting into professional video editing. The application is intuitive enough for new users who already have a grasp on the basics of video editing. This is particularly true of people who have used the company’s consumer-grade product, MAGIX Movie Edit Pro.
We would love to see this program adapted for macOS. It would be a natural competitor to Final Cut Pro X and allow cross-platform collaboration.
Best for Mac Users
Final Cut Pro X
In true Apple fashion, Final Cut Pro X’s interface both looks great and is highly functional. For example, you access most of the frequently used tools from the workspace’s main window.
Additionally, you can customize the interface with one of Final Cut’s preset options or organize the windows to fit your preferred workflow. This makes it a good option whether you work on a single display or multiple. Despite its simple design, this program has all the tools necessary to create Hollywood-level movies, commercials, music videos and more.
If you’re steeped in the world of Apple, Final Cut Pro X’s integration with other Apple products, such as iTunes and Photos, is extremely useful – you can access all the music, images and other elements you need to build a video with a personal touch.
Once highly criticized as being too much like iMovie, this has become a strength of Final Cut Pro X. It opens the door of professional movie making to millions of users who might otherwise be intimidated by professional software.
Final Cut Pro X is only available for machines running the OS X operating system. We would like to see Apple do with Final Cut what it did with iTunes and release a version compatible with Windows.
Best for Special Effects
Hitfilm Pro
HitFilm is an interesting entry in our review of the best professional video editing software – it’s a non-linear editor and visual effects and compositing tool rolled up into a single application.
Before you buy this program, understand that it is centrally focused around graphics, compositing and special effects. If you don’t generally work with these features, you’d be better served to look elsewhere and get a plugin. However, if visual masterpieces are your thing, there’s no better program than HitFilm to create them.
Best for Advanced Users
Avid Media Composer
Avid Media Composer 1-Year SubAvid Media Composer is the most popular program used by professional Hollywood editors to create movies, TV shows, commercials, music videos and much more – and for good reason.
It has everything you need to create projects as simple as instructional videos or as complicated as blockbusters like “The Avengers.”
If you choose this program, keep in mind that it will take a long time to learn how to use it to its full potential. If you jump right in without training, you’ll likely get lost very quickly. We recommend learning the basics in a different program first. Media Composer has a free version that’s ideal for getting your head around the interface and workflow.
Why Trust Us
Since 2012 we’ve been evaluating the best video editing software on a periodic basis. In that time, we’ve spent hundreds of hours researching, rating and ranking each program. We’ve conducted hands-on editing tests as well as reached out to professional video editors to find out what they look for in the programs they choose.
Richard Dutcher, an independent film director from Salt Lake City, has produced eight feature films including “God’s Army,” “Brigham City,” “Evil Angel” and the upcoming “The Boys at the Bar.”
As we discussed his editing experience, he said, “I learned on Avid, used that until Final Cut Pro X came out,” then added that he’s been using it ever since. He also noted that editors should find what works best for them. “Because of the learning curve and limited amount of time, once I learn something I pretty much stick with it.”
When asked how people new to using professional video editing software can learn to work with the application proficiently, he said, “Classes are great if they’re available and affordable. If not, buy the manuals that are not published by the software companies, such as Final Cut Pro X for Dummies - written by actual users in the language that’s more accessible.”
We also reached out to Drew Tyler, a digital media instructor at Weber State University. He teaches both Adobe Premiere and Final Cut Pro X to beginning classes. When the class was over, he estimates his students chose Premier over Final Cut at about 65 percent to 45 percent.
He said there are “Two major considerations – does it fit your ecosystem, how much do you want to grow into the software.” Tyler added that you should choose a program that will fit your needs as your skills grow. “Look for something that has the ability to stretch. It might be overkill for what you’re doing now but you don’t want to run into a wall.”
How We Picked the Best
The top editing applications make your job easy and provide the tools you need to make a flawless final cut. We evaluated video editing software based on the following criteria:
Design
We evaluated each program’s interface and workflow to determine the skill level required to use it: basic, intermediate or advanced. We also considered how well each step of the editing process flowed into the next and whether it is customizable enough for editors to adapt it to their personal preferences.
Editing Tools
We evaluated each program’s timeline tool, looking for features that make it easy to arrange and enhance your footage and other elements.
In addition, we checked for features like color correction tools, which adjust the tone, hue, and saturation in your shots so they match and look as vibrant and beautiful as possible. Another feature we looked for was stereoscopic editing, which allows you to create the illusion of depth in your video.
Media Management
The best professional video editing software is compatible with whatever camera, media type and file format you happen to be working with. In our evaluation, we found that every program can import and export all popular video file types, including proprietary files found on cameras and in software.
We also looked for smart media bins that can automatically analyze and sort your production elements. Additionally, we checked for content analyzers that examine your video footage and organize it by shot type, generate metadata, detect faces and recognize speech. Further, we made note of which programs can analyze a video file’s raw sound and match it to a corresponding audio file. This feature alone saves a great deal of effort and frustration by automating the syncing process.
Export & Production
Every product we reviewed can export a video as a stand-alone file on your computer. Any video editing program should be able to export your movies as popular file formats such as MOV and MP4, and the best can export videos in a dozen or more formats.
We also looked for programs let you upload your projects directly to sharing sites like YouTube and Vimeo. This is a great feature because the software also optimizes your video for those specific platforms. Additionally, we checked whether each program can author DVDs and Blu-ray discs to take your project from start to finish without needing additional software.
Other Considerations in Choosing Professional Video Editing Software
Will It Run on Your Computer?
Before you spend hundreds of dollars on professional video editing software, you should make sure your computer is equipped to handle it. Start by checking your computer’s specifications. You can usually find them in the control panel’s home screen if you operate a Windows machine. If you’re on a Mac, you simply select “About This Mac” from the Apple Menu in the top left corner of your screen. Then, look up the system requirements of the application you’re considering. These can usually be found somewhere on the software’s official webpage. If you have trouble finding them on your own, simply Google the program’s name and “system requirements.” You can then compare what you find against what your computer has.'
Programs like Avid Media Composer use a lot of resources. And even though your system may have the minimum requirements to run the software, you might still have trouble. Such programs are designed to work with specialized hardware with far more processing and rendering power than your average Windows or Mac machine. If you want to experience the full power of a professional video editing program, you may need to invest in a computer that is specifically designed for editing video and other highly intensive tasks.
Available Training
Many professional video editing programs are becoming more and more accessible to the average user. But editing video is still complicated and time-consuming, and it takes months or years to become proficient at it. Before you select your video editing software, you should take some time to research the training resources available on the internet. Luckily, there are tons of free training videos on sites like YouTube that are made by professional video editors and targeted at users like you. Some software publishers, such as Adobe, partner with learning services like Lynda to provide in-depth training courses that show you how to use all the tools and features in their software. You have to pay for courses like these, but it’s worth the investment if you’re serious about becoming a professional video editor.
Do You Need Professional-Grade Video Editing Software?
In many cases, you can save a lot of time and money by opting for a consumer or prosumer editing program instead of a full-fledged professional application. Think about your project and consider your editing skill level and how much time it will take to learn to use the software you choose. Chances are that if you’re new to editing or have limited experience, programs like PowerDirector, VideoStudio and Pinnacle Studio have enough tools and features to meet your needs. They cost much less, have many of the same tools found in their professional editing counterparts and can produce more or less the same results in many cases.
How Much Does Professional Video Editing Software Cost?
The professional video editing programs we reviewed can cost anywhere from $200 a year with a subscription to $600 to buy outright. The average among the programs we evaluated is about $400. A major consideration should be if you want to pay yearly or monthly or buy a program outright. Subscription programs are advantageous because you get the latest updates immediately. On the other hand, when you buy a program outright, you eliminate the risk of losing access to your work if you fall into hard financial times and can’t pay the subscription.
Professional Video Editors for Free
If you’re making a small- or medium-size project, you may not have to shell out big bucks to buy editing software. Many of the programs we reviewed offer free trials or have free watered-down versions. For example, Adobe Premiere Pro has a 30-day, unrestricted trial period. This is plenty of time to finish post production on a moderately sized project or to at least get a rough cut done before you must pay for a subscription.
The same applies to Final Cut Pro X – it has a 30-day free trial before you have to purchase the software outright. One of the great things about FCP X is you can import iMovie projects. This means you can take your time making a rough cut in iMovie, then activate the FCP X trial, import your project from iMovie and use FCP X’s powerful tools to fine-tune for a month. This is a great strategy if you’re a Mac user who’s working on a budget.
Other programs we reviewed have watered-down versions you can download and use absolutely free – HitFilm Express and Lightworks Free are two examples. You may find these programs have everything you need to complete your videos. In fact, these programs will likely suit your needs in most cases. Even if you’re editing a feature film that will be seen by large audiences, it’s advisable to see if a free program is good enough before you spend money on a paid version. Additionally, these free programs are an excellent place to learn the ins and outs of professional video editors that cost hundreds of dollars.
How to Become a Professional Video Editor
To become a professional video editor, all you have to do is become proficient in the craft. Having a college degree may help you land a job easier, but it’s not a necessity.
You can learn everything you need to know about editing videos for free online. On sites like YouTube, there’s endless content that teaches you both the theory of video editing and the practical use of individual applications. If you’re willing to put in the time to learn, there’s nothing to stop you from mastering all aspects of video editing.
Since your body of work will be the primary way potential employers and clients judge you, it’s critical that your work shines as brightly as possible. A strong reel and completed projects will far outweigh a degree in most people’s eyes. Getting that takes a lot of time and practice, so if you’re forgoing formal training, you’ll need to work at the craft every day until you’re proficient with video editing software.
Video Editing Program For Mac What Format Factory
You should also consider becoming certified in as many editing programs as possible. Adobe offers a certification exam for Premiere Pro, and Apple has an official certification for Final Cut Pro. Certifications enhance your resume and are great augments to a strong demo reel, especially if you don’t have a college degree.