Video Editing

Mar 13, 2021 09:54 am

Hello all:

I want to learn video editing. I will do it mostly for making FMVs and personal work related videos. I got inspired by so many talented creators out there. Unfortunately I have limited knowledge of the technicalities. So, please someone help me to find the ropes. I have Adobe Premiere installed and I am looking at tutorials online. But I wanted to hear from actual creators about their process. Which softwares are user friendly, where to download music and video clips from (if not recorded) etc. etc.

Please help!

emmagucci

Jul 21, 2021 01:43 am

Like Maxxx17 said, the program you choose depends on the specs of your device. If it's a powerful computer, you can choose something more professional, but for mobiles/tablets and old laptops ect there are less heavy options. You can compare the requirements for the installation with the info about the system and hardware of your device. On youtube you can check which edits you like more and what program(s) the author uses. Sometimes they do "how I edit my videos" videos. Also check out "top 5 editing software for (insert your operating system)". How user friendly you find it to be really is very subjective and depends on how much experience you already have with other programs (because the mindset of how the menu works, shorcuts ect is similar, especially in graphic programs).

Emara R

Jul 21, 2021 11:04 am

Thank you all!!

amarillis

Aug 24, 2021 10:30 am

Emara, won't call myself a proud creator, as I'm doing this for fun mostly but here are some tips.

The main problem is still music. If you're going to upload this somewhere, be ready to fight with mods about copyright claims. Back in time, it was easier.

As for software, emma already said that it depends on your PC/mac. With your specs, it'd be easier to recommend something. I started off with Windows movie maker (like many others, I believe as it's so basic). Then switched to Sony vegas (it's trickier, but I'm sure, you'll figure this out as I did, hah). Now I use Movavi.
Here's a list of other options, just in case: https://www.movavi.com/support/how-to/video-editing-software-windows-7.html

Another tip - please, don't use clips with subtitles visible. It looks awful. ~~Been there, done that.~~

fio_el

Sep 5, 2021 12:33 pm

Hi Emara, I'm a professional editor, and I predominantly use Premiere Pro, but depending on the clients or production companies I do the work for, I also work on Da Vinci, Edius Pro, and I'm also currently learning Avid. I think if you already have Premiere Pro installed, learn that, it's a powerful program, especially if you are using other Adobe programs, and it's user friendly too.

I can't comment on making FMVs though as I don't do those. When it comes to music, look for royalty free music. There are a lot of channels on YouTube and SoundCloud that offer these, otherwise there are a lot of subscription services for royalty free music, but if you're doing this for fun and personal projects instead of making a living out of editing, I think you're better off looking for free ones on YouTube or Soundclouds, just make sure you follow the creators' terms and conditions for using their work. For editing tutorials, there are a lot out there, but I find Premiere Gal on YouTube is quite good, and she covers a wide range of topics: https://www.youtube.com/c/PremiereGal/videos. If you want to learn more about editing, I'd suggest hitting up blogs on sites like Premiumbeat, NoFilmSchool, Rocketstock and the like.

All the best :)

Emara R

Sep 5, 2021 03:21 pm

Thank You! I am trying out with Adobe Premiwer and so far did not make much progress. But, I am trying none the less.

fio_el

Sep 6, 2021 12:44 am

Have you tried tutorials by Adobe themselves? They have some really good tips and tricks, you can find these on their YouTube channel, and you can also find help in forums like https://creativecow.net/. Those blogs I mentioned in my previous post also have some really good tips and tutorials, some of them give assets for you to play and experiment with.

What are you having trouble with? If it's using the program, those forums/blogs/YT channels I've mentioned will have some tutorials, tips and tricks you can learn from. If it's putting together a video/how to edit/cutting rhythm/etc, like any other skills, it comes with practice :) But it's useful to check out Studio Binder blog, they had a recent one on editing rhythm https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/how-does-an-editor-control-the-rhythm-of-a-film/

Emara R

Sep 6, 2021 08:36 pm

Ah, thank you. Yes I am mostly learning from YT videos. My biggest challenge so far is coordination. Meaning coordinating the scenes with the music. But as you have said, it needs practice and patience. I wish I could give it more time, but still I am happy to have made some progress. Thank you for your suggestions again. I will check out the blog.

MaryReed

May 25, 2022 03:31 am

I am looking for really good video editing software.

Wish Upon A Star

May 26, 2022 03:15 pm

i use cyberlink power director for my trip vids - very user-friendly GUI, and intuitive adding pic-in-pic, cutting vids, adding music, captions, transitions etc. You may want to give this a try