We've all seen what video editing can do—just think of movies on the big screen! But, you may not have realized how important video editing is for brands and small businesses, too. Video editing helps make your videos more professional, more interesting, and more engaging. So before you go posting raw footage, take a look at what we think about what video editing software is best.
1) Adobe Premiere is an industry standard for PC
First, we'll look at Adobe Premiere Pro. It's an industry standard for PC but also works with Mac computers. It's a go-to in the professional editing world, both for its commercial use and in film. It was used to edit Daredevil and Gone Girl! Recent updates of Adobe Premier have simplified both the import and export experiences, and included automatic caption generation, integration with Frame.io, an Auto Reframe feature, a new learning tool, and more.
If you swing for the for the full suite of Adobe Creative Cloud at $55/month, you get access to Photoshop, Illustrator, and After Effects, which is the industry standard for motion graphics. Since they are both by adobe, Premiere and AE work (mostly) seamlessly together.
There are some cons, however, and one of them is pricing. Adobe Premiere is a monthly subscription between $21-$55/month (depending on how many Creative Cloud apps you subscribe to), which can add up. It is also constantly getting updates, which can cause bugs, glitches, and interruptions to the editing process.
2) Final Cut X is an affordable choice for Mac
Apple's Final Cut X is an affordable choice for Mac and great for those who have outgrown editing in iMovie. Like iMovie, Final Cut X uses a magnetic timeline, which Premiere does not, and Final Cut X can help develop non-linear editing skills. With an almost identical workspace, the Final Cut X interface allows iMovie users to hit the ground running when it comes to importing, arranging and trimming clips in the timeline. Making it easier to transition from iMovie. Some Final Cut X features include: customizable effect filters, powerful compositing tools, grade specific colors and tones , and it works with .PSD files.
Initially, when Final Cut Pro was discontinued in 2011 because Mac released Final Cut X, a lot of people were unhappy with the new interface and switched to Adobe Premier. However, there are a lot of die-hard fans who love Final Cut X! It's a one-time cost of $300. It is also more stable of a program than Adobe Premiere, with fewer ongoing updates.
Be aware, however, that it only works on Mac computers because Final Cut X was created by Apple. It should also be noted that there is no iOS version of Final Cut X, either, so you can not use the application on iPhones or iPads.
3) Davinci Resolve is a free program with Pro Features
Davinci Resolve is the "new kid on the block" so to speak, and a lot of amateur editors looking for professional-level quality are turning to it as their first editing software. It has a very robust free version which is popular among YouTubers and gamers. If you want all of the premium features available, it's just a one-time price of $295.
However, the free version still offers standard editing and cutting, effects, motion graphics, color correction, and audio editing. DaVinci was created by the camera company BlackMagic Design, whose cameras film natively in log, which requires a lot of color grading. They really understand the importance of color in storytelling, and even the free version of DaVinci has a very robust color grading system! DaVinci Reslove supports a wide range of formats, including a wide color gamut, HDR images, along with DaVinci’s 32‑bit image processing for high quality, professional results. The only downsides are that it has a steep learning curve, and is not as commonly used in the commercial world.
These three professional video editing software options are great, but they do take a bit of an investment: either in money, time, or both. Hiring a professional videographer is a great way to invest in high-quality video and video editing. If you are looking to learn more editing skills you can also hire an editing coach. Angela Wolf Video is available for 1:1 Coaching to teach you the technical and creative elements of video editing.
Do you have a specific video question? Schedule a free video analysis call at bit.ly/callawv