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You've just finished recording your first video! That's awesome!

Man behind a a recording camera talking

After recording a video, you may have multiple clips that you want to put together to make one big video. That's when you need to edit your video.

Video editing is the manipulation and arrangement of video shots. It's used to structure and present all video information, including films and television shows, video advertisements, and video essays , typically using video editing software.

What are the most important things to consider when selecting a video editing software?

Did you know?

In 1985, The Harry was the first all-digital video editing and effects compositing system. Due to technical limitations, it could record and apply effects to a maximum of 80 seconds of 8-bit uncompressed digital video.

Budget

Photo by Fabian Blank on UnsplashPhoto by Fabian Blank on Unsplash
  • Video editing software can range from free to thousands of dollars depending on the type of software you use.

  • Some computers also come with free video editing software that includes basic functions but might not support all video formats.

  • Many paid software programs also provide discounts for students and teachers.

  • Make sure to set a spending limit before you start researching software!

Effects

Do you want to make short films? Beauty tutorials? Vlogs? Comedy skits?

Some software provides graphics, music, and other special effects to make your video stand out even more.

Some effects come with the software free of charge. You might have to pay additional fees to access other effects.

Look for software that provides the specific effects you'd like to include in your videos.

An cartoon of a video editing suite

Compatibility

Before spending your money on software, make sure it's compatible with the video files that you're recording.

For example, if you're recording from a drone, its video file format may be different from your camera's format.

Video editing software on a screenPhoto by Jakob Owens on Unsplash

When you're done with your video, make sure that your software exports your video to a commonly used format such as a .mov or .mp4 file.

If you plan on creating higher-quality videos in 4K, be sure that you have a computer able to process that video. If not, your computer and the video software will likely crash.

Did you know?

4K is an ultra high definition (HD) video format that has a really clear picture. It's now the standard format for most TVs (PCMag, "What Is 4K Ultra HD?", 2021).

Learning Curve

As a new editor, you'll need to learn how to make videos as fast as possible. Look for software that will have:

  • Tutorials

  • Templates that you can customize with your own media

  • Quality customer support that can help you when you run into technical errors (phone support, forums, software FAQs)

A customer support service specialist on a laptop screen

Quiz

Andrea is making a video for YouTube but has ran into an error. What should she do first?

Did you know?

Free trials are the best way to test the software before purchasing it.

Take Action

Go out and start researching the best video editor for you!

A person using a video editing suite

License:

This Byte has been authored by

SA

Soni Allen

eLearning Designer

English

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