Gear - Editing

Having shot your raw material, you need to assemble it into a film. The first time you make a video, you’ll be surprised how many of the decisions can be left until this final stage, if you have the right software.

Mac users

You have it easy, since Apple’s iMovie will have come with your Mac. Old versions will work with miniDV cameras, but the latest version will handle a wider range of formats, including AVCHD.

iMovie is a terrific piece of software, but it does have its limitations. In particular, letting the audio from one clip run while you cut to a different shot is extremely difficult or even impossible to achieve. Our advice is to work within the limitations of the software you have, rather than fighting against it. However, if you find yourself outgrowing iMovie, look at Final Cut Express (£130, education discounts available). It’s more complex, but vastly more capable. You could edit a feature film in Final Cut, and people do.

For handling sound and music, your Mac will also have come with GarageBand, which is excellent. With recent versions you can drag your edited film in and use the included loops to write a musical score, then export the whole thing directly. Genius.

Incidentally, there’s a handy list of cameras compatible with iMovie, that’s worth a look. It’s never quite up to date, but it’ll give you an idea of which cameras you can expect to work seamlessly with your Mac.

Windows users

Microsoft’s free Windows Movie Maker might get you started — it has a reputation for being slow and crashy, but we’ve found it quite workable. Unfortunately, it’s getting quite old now, and only really supports miniDV cameras connected over Firewire (though you can often persuade it work with other types of camera). There don’t seem to be any plans to update it, and indeed the latest news is that Movie Maker might disappear altogether next year.

Other options include Ulead Video Studio (from around £45), Pinnacle Studio (from £35), Adobe Premiere Elements (around £70) and Sony Vegas Movie Studio (from £40).

Frankly, we hear mixed things about all of these. Some people swear by Pinnacle or Premiere Elements, others can’t get the same packages to run at all. For cameras recording AVCHD, the best bet as of December 2008 is reputed to be Vegas Movie Studio, but we can’t vouch for it directly.

For music, check to see what your editing software already includes — we’ve heard some very usable material from Pinnacle Studio in particular. For standalone packages, your options are the eJay series (cheap!), Sony’s Acid Music Studio (£35), and Steinberg’s Sequel (£75). The latter can produce truly excellent results, but it’s very taxing on your computer.

Linux users

Video on Linux isn’t as mature as on Macs or Windows, but your best bet is probably the Dynebolic distribution or Ubuntu Studio. Look for the Kino, Kdenlive, and Cinelerra editing packages, and let us know how you get on!

General advice

It’s easy to get carried away by all the twiddly features of your software. Don’t be. Remember:

  • Your film is telling a story. Does it make sense?
  • The only type of transition between shots that you need is a straightforward cut. All those fancy effects might be fun, but they’re usually ghastly when you look back at them a month later.
  • Out-takes can be funny, but they have to earn their place in your film by being more entertaining than anything else.