Basic Video Editing Software

[Brian]

So I recorded last nights gaming session of Rainbow Six: Siege and would like to share some of the highlights but since Windows 10 doesn't come with any video editing software I need somebody to recommend some basic (and free if possible) video editors.

It seems that YouTube has some very basic video editing features but you have to upload the video first and I imagine that loading a 51g file just to cut it down to a few 1 minute segments would be tedious at best.

Recommend away!

[gilraen]

I've always used AviDemux to split videos. It has other functionality too, but I'm very bad with anything artistic or creative, so I've never used it for anything else.

Some of my coworkers swear by Lightworks.

[Brian]

Thanks. I downloaded Avidemux and am giving it a try.

So far I have managed to create one 30 second clip.
Will have to play around with it a bit to learn how to do some proper editing.

[hentzau]

My system has MovieMaker on it, I don't remember if it was always on there, or if I downloaded it from the Windows store.

[Brian]

It was available on 7 and, until a few months ago, you could download it as part of the Windows Essentials package (I think that's what it was called) but it's no longer available.

[Moat_Man]

I used to use Youtube's video editing functions to splice together clips that I uploaded and insert a basic title card and some transitions, however they deprecated a bunch of features as of Sept 20th. ARGH!

So I did some quick research and ended up with VideoPad. I used it's little brother WavePad to cut up audio tracks to make ringtones for my phone so I'd heard of NCH Software.

I now use VideoPad to do the splicing, title cards and transitions. I output the final video to my computer and then upload the finished product to YouTube. It means my computer has to do the processing instead of YouTube which sucks a bit. It also slows down the amount I can do as my computer can only process one video at a time but YouTube could do all the clips when I'd finished.

Whatta ya gonna do? amiright?

[GreenGoo]

I recently resurrected an old thread in computing with basically the same question.

I've come across some of the same information you have. I'm slightly dismayed to learn that software monthly licensing has reared its ugly head in this field too, with many of the top rated requiring a monthly fee to use.

In other fields they often have a free personal use license but I'm not seeing that in video editing anywhere.

I'd like to try Sony Vegas but it's simply too expensive.

Coopasonic recommended Lightworks so I'm going to check that out.

[GreenGoo]

Searching for a tool to use was a bit disheartening and my enthusiasm for my project has dwindled as a result. The flame still burns however, so hopefully Lightworks is satisfactory.

I look forward to watching yours, Brian.

[hitbyambulance]

Free and open-source video editing software:

Avidemux
AviSynth
Blender
Cinelerra
DScaler
DVD Flick
Flowblade
Kaltura
Kdenlive
Kino
LiVES
Natron
OpenShot Video Editor
Pitivi
Shotcut
VirtualDub
VirtualDubMod
VideoLAN Movie Creator

(from wikipedia)

[GreenGoo]

I didn't say there wasn't any.

3D blender is an effects software that has migrated into the full editing suite field. By it's nature it is focused on effects, even though it can do regular stuff too.

Videolan movie creator is basically vaporware at this point.

Etc.

As I said in the computing thread, I would prefer to use an industry standard if possible. There are 3 main open source software on Linux, all with shortcomings, all with proponents advocating for their tool over the others.

Then there are all the tiny players who do one thing well, but aren't robust enough for general use.

It's complicated.

Needless to say, as a rank beginner ANY of these tools would be good enough to start with, yet I'm reluctant to start using a tool I may have to abandon in short order when I realize it can't do something I want to do. Complicating everything is that as a total beginner I don't even know what I might want to do yet. I only have the vaguest notions.

[hitbyambulance]

so why not go for OpenShot? it's pretty well balanced between 'easy to use' and 'feature rich'.

[GreenGoo]

Because after hours researching over several days you're the first person to tell me that.

[GreenGoo]

Any luck, Brian?

I haven't even gotten started yet.

Are you planning on making your video public at some point?

[Brian]

Any luck, Brian?

I haven't even gotten started yet.

Are you planning on making your video public at some point?

Some. I followed gilrean's suggestion and downloaded Avidemux.

So far all I've been able to do is cut clips out of the larger video file from the entire night.
I've posted some small clips here in the Looking for Group thread along with a link to my Ghost Recon playlist where I will be uploading clips in the future.

I've only scratched the surface so far and am hoping to start possibly narrating and adding sound effects as well as splicing together gameplay into compilation videos.

We've got another gaming session tonight so expect more videos to show up by the weekend.

If I can get good enough, I might ask the rest of the group to maybe start recording their sessions and I can edit clips showing everybody's perspectives.

[coopasonic]

Lightworks is used by pros in the movies and is free for personal use. It has a learning curve, which I haven't really ascended because I have Windows Movie Maker and haven't needed more, but it can do great things.

I wouldn't call that a recommendation necessarily, more a somewhat informed mention. As I mentioned, I have the now dead Windows Movie Maker that I know how to use. The barely competent Spartan Race video on my youtube channel was made with it. I didn't realize the free version of Lightworks is limited to 720p which makes it useless to me.

[Rumpy]

I had been looking for an editing tool for putting together the Eclipse video I had posted. I tried at least two of them before settling in on Lightworks. The problem I have with a lot of simplified editors is that by trying to be simplified, they're actually more complex, and out of at least two that I tried, I could never get them to do what I wanted and the mechanics on how they worked were never quite as intuitive for me. Then I tried Lightworks and I was able to easily put something together in a single day. I just found it more straightforward than the others. But maybe that's just me and my thought process at work.

I believe the two I tried were Openshot and Shotcut.

[Isgrimnur]

Windows Movie Maker has a replacement:

Windows News

Microsoft is introducing a new Windows 10 app today that has been missing since the operating system's launch nearly two years ago: Story Remix. It’s essentially Windows Movie Maker on steroids.
...
Story Remix works in the cloud by collating images and video you use from any device. That means there will be a Story Remix app for iOS, Android, and Windows so you can grab content from multiple devices and work on your video. It’s similar to Apple’s new Clips app, but a lot more customizable and powerful. If you start a story on an iPhone, you can resume its creation on a Windows 10 PC and vice versa.

[gameoverman]

Da Vinci Resolve is where I'd steer people looking for something free. Wondershare Filmora is what I suggest if you're looking for something relatively cheap, relatively powerful, and yet very easy to use. Filmora is to a full featured video editor what Paintnet is to Photoshop, it's a cheaper alternative that is more than enough for most users.

edit: both of these can be tried for free

[Isgrimnur]

Humble Bundle Vegas Pro

$1 - FastCut Plus

[GreenGoo]

Humble Bundle Vegas Pro

$1 - FastCut Plus

$25 for the Vegas Pro tier, fyi.

[Isgrimnur]

Yup. After further reading, FastCut is supposed to be an 'automatic' editing software.

[GreenGoo]

Yup. After further reading, FastCut is supposed to be an 'automatic' editing software.

Vegas is still a good deal. Humble bundle thinks it's a $300+ value (not sure about USvCan) while the internet has it around $250-270. $25 is a great deal.

[Skinypupy]

Humble Bundle Vegas Pro

$1 - FastCut Plus

$25 for the Vegas Pro tier, fyi.

I used Vegas in a previous career doing video editing. It's a fantastic package that's very easy to use. Would definitely recommend it, especially at that price.

[GreenGoo]

Vegas Pro 15 Edit is in a humble bundle for $25 right now.

[Unagi]

Vegas Pro 15 Edit is in a humble bundle for $25 right now.

I see it for $399

https://www.humblebundle.com/store/vega ... search_bar


edit: Wait, I have no idea how Humble Bundle works at all. so - yeah - how do I get it for $25?

ok, so - I see the bundle - pay $25 or more and you get X,Y,Z... and I get a key and download and , etc...

wow - that seems like an amazing deal.

[GreenGoo]

Gonna pick it up tonight. My problem is that there are a bunch of specialty software included, but I have no idea what it does or whether I even want them.

Spent 30 seconds looking for tutorial videos and the first couple weren't useful to me. I'm hoping I don't need a week of training to use the damn thing.

[GreenGoo]

I picked it up and initial impressions are positive. That said, this is mostly uncharted territory for me and things aren't intuitive (because my intuit is broken, not because the UI is a mess. I don't know enough to even be able to tell).