Not so long ago video editing was an out-of-reach art requiring expensive, bespoke hardware & software solutions. Now, with improved compression techniques, and the advent of the domestic DV recorder, we can all produce our own Citizen Kane!
As with all things digital, the software available ranges from wizard-driven editing applications to ProAm post production suites (with prices to match) that give you varying control over sound and vision, along with titling, special FX, fades, transitions, etc.
We strongly reccomend you take note of the system requirements for each application, video editing is a resource hungry beast and requires plenty of hard drive space - better than average RAM is also an advantage. Supplementary hardware may be required.
In addition to software packages there is also a raft of free online video-editing services that let you trim, edit and generally fiddle about with your online video.
Serif's software is a no-nonsense video editor. Although its interface isn't as pretty as its rivals', it focuses on efficiency with single-button keyboard shortcuts...
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There is a lighter version of VideoStudio that comes without the comprehensive HD-editing add-ons, this Plus version is the one that also lets you upload directly to YouTube.
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Eyespot is a sophisticated online video-editing suite that will leave you slack-jawed at what you can do and, more importantly, how easily you can do it.
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Yahoo's Jumpcut service will let you upload video directly to it. It will also take audio and pictures – the latter either as direct uploads or via imports from Facebook or Flickr.
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This simple-to-use video trimming service can take any video from a range of other services – including YouTube, Google and MySpace – and lets you fiddle about with them.
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Since we last looked at Pinnacle's offerings, the company has been taken over by professional video software developer Avid, which makes the software that edits most of the programmes we see on our TV screens.
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Most of the software here is designed to let you get the most out of a fully-fledged digital video camera. This is all well and good, but with video capabilities popping up on all sorts of hardware devices you may not need to add fancy titles/cuts...
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This massive suite of programs featuring Roxio's latest video-editing software is the same price as the Pro version of Roxio's older standalone product, so in terms of which you should go for it's a no-brainer.
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This takes a different approach to most of the other software, loading different programs to cope with different sections of the editing process, from capture through to creating a final product.
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Avid has made its name in the professional video-editing arena. This free version of its digital video-editing software is intended to give a taste of what you're missing.
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