Question Good video editing software?

[Andy44]

So I figured I would ask some smart people this.

I am trying to find some not-too-expensive video editing software that's not too hard to use.

I need the ability to add audio to it, and sync it up, as well as to string together parts of different videos to make one continuous video (ie. "edit").

The abilty to do screen-captures would be a bonus, but not a requirement.

What do you guys use/recommend? I have been using phone apps, which work pretty well, but I can't record loud music with my phone's microphone, and even if I could it's not necessarily the audio source I want to use anyway.

 

[RisingFury]

If you're just looking for something basic like adding together clips and audio as well as captions, transitions, titles..., then Windows Movie Maker will do the job just fine.

If you're looking for screen capture, you should try Dxtory. It's free, however, I have heard from some Let's players that it can be a pain in the settings department.


If you're just looking to record Orbiter, these two should do just fine.

As far as paying software goes, I can think of:
Sony Vegas
Camtasia studio


I'm not sure if Adobe After effects is free or not, but it's aimed more at making video effects.

 

[Ghostrider]

Depends on your definition of "not too expensive"... The features you mentioned are included in any basic suite. VirtualDub is pretty basic and only really works well with AVI but it does everything you asked for and is free. If you run any modern Windows you already have the Windows Movie Maker which also can do this. Otherwise, try LightWorks which is also free and feature-packed but expect to expend some time learning how to use it.

If you're willing to spend some, get Pinnacle, or Cyberlink Power Director Pro. I use the latter and it's great IMHO but your mileage may vary.

To record loud music you should get a dedicated recorder or microphone. Do you have to record it live on location because you need diegetic music in your production or do you need to add a soundtrack?

 

[Pablo49]

Anything but Sony Vegas. Never ever. Thank me later.

I use Adobe Premiere for video editing. I have no experience with free video editors so I have nothing to recommend there. If you are looking for screen capture, I highly recommend Open Broadcaster Software, it is totally fantastic and free!

 

[Andy44]

To record loud music you should get a dedicated recorder or microphone. Do you have to record it live on location because you need diegetic music in your production or do you need to add a soundtrack?

I already have decent sound recording gear. I want to shoot some live video of bands playing and then sync up the audio to the edited video.

 

[Loru]

I'd recomend Adobe Premiere. If you want to save money, you can look for older, 2nd hand licenses (CS2 for example). Even Premiere Pro 2 will be more than enough to do the job.

 

[Unstung]

I'd recomend Adobe Premiere. If you want to save money, you can look for older, 2nd hand licenses (CS2 for example). Even Premiere Pro 2 will be more than enough to do the job.

CS2 is very outdated and runs poorly, if at all, on modern operating systems. The activation servers for CS2 have been shut a few months ago so the software doesn't need a license to run. The purpose was to not inconvenience those who already own a license and let them reinstall the package.

However, Sony Vegas is an easy to use yet powerful video editor that has cheap versions other than the Pro edition. The extra features that are in the Pro version are useless to most people. It isn't hard to find Movie Studio Platinum for under $50.

Anything but Sony Vegas. Never ever. Thank me later.

I don't know what problems you have with Sony Vegas, but I've been using it just fine for over five years.

 

[blixel]

The extra features that are in the Pro version are useless to most people. It isn't hard to find Movie Studio Platinum for under $50

I'll second that. I use Sony Movie Studio Platinum 13.0 for light video editing. The UI is very responsive and it's easy to learn. Before Sony Movie Studio, I had Corel Video Studio Pro X5. It was functional, but the UI was unbearably slow. (And I have a very capable system.) But Corel was so sluggish that I wrote it off as money wasted and switched to Sony's product.

If I just need to trim the beginning or ending off of a video, I use Avidemux. The great thing about Avidemux is that you can do very basic edits without re-rendering the video file. So you don't have any quality loss.

 

[Proximus]

Adobe premier linked with adobe after effects always do it for me.
They are excellent quality and premier is very intuitive to use.
After effects is not intuitive but an emensly powerful bit of software.
I used Andrew Krammer's (guy that does new star trek titles) website, video copilot and I cannot stress how much of a master this guy is with after effects. Best of all all his tutorials and project files are free :thumbup:

 

[Pablo49]

I don't know what problems you have with Sony Vegas, but I've been using it just fine for over five years.

Would be shorter to list the problems I didn't have. I nearly have an actual stroke seeing it being recommended ever. I went through like two years fighting with that software. Largest issue, terrible terrible performance. Everything else is infinite little inconsistencies. I just assumed video editing must be that difficult just in general. THEN I SAW THE LIGHT.

I mean, if it works for you, somehow, go for it. But I've only had heartache from it and I try to save people from ever experiencing it.

 

[Donamy]

Magix Movie Editor Pro

 

[Blake]

I have also been using Sony Movie Studio Platinum for years without issues. I'm not a power user so perhaps I just have not run into some of the problems others have.

Blender can also be configured for video editing, but I admit I have not tried that yet.

 

[Melvin]

Roxio Creator NXT

 

[Andy44]

Thanks for the replies.

I like Windows Movie Maker; it seems very easy to use, but I'm not sure how hard it is to sync audio with video. I guess I'll have to do some experimenting to find out...

It does have the added benefit of already being on my computer.

 

[Ghostrider]

Any video editing software that allows to edit the sound tracks independently from the video tracks can sync audio. However you need a visual/audio cue to do this, hence the clapperboard.

 

[Andy44]

Thanks for your responses, all. FOr now I'm just sticking with Windows Movie Maker and doing okay. It's not the greatest, but it works and I already paid for it so why not?

Here's what I've been able to do with it so far: