Chosing the Right Video Editing Software

When making a decision about which video editing software to buy, there are quite a few things to take into consideration. One of the most important is the computer you are currently using; do you have sufficient memory to work with video files? Take a look at the system requirements for each program before you make a purchase, last thing you want to do is buy a program that your computer cannot run.

Here are a few other things to look for when purchasing your editing software:

Ease of Use: Video editing requires multiple steps, so the program needs to be as easy to use as possible. Make sure the software includes easy-to-use instructions and solid customer service.

Editing Tools: Find software that allows you to edit video in timeline and storyboard mode; make trimming scenes, cutting video, and adding text a simple process. The best video editing software even corrects lighting and helps stabilize shaky camera work.

Editing Effects: You are definitely going to want a library of effects, or filters to give your clips a unique flare. Transitions help you segue from scene to scene smoothly, so having a library of standard transitions is also important.

Audio Editing: Not all video editing software comes with audio tracks included, so you must be able to import your own music from CDs or your hard drive. Trimming, fading, and extending audio tracks to fit a scene are essential.

Exporting: Once you've completed all editing of your video, you'll want the flexibility of exporting it to several video formats. Common formats include flash video (FLV, for YouTube), MPEG-1, MPEG-2, and MPEG-4, VCD, SVCD, DVD, AVI, WMV, MOV, and even AVCHD.

Disc Creation: If you want to showcase your videos on a computer or DVD player, you can create a disc with or without a menu. Good video editing software comes with a library of DVD menu templates, and even makes it easy to create your own.

For more tips on photo and video editing, visit us at MandarichPhotography.com.