Choosing The Best Software For Video Editing

T his is the era of visual documentation. From teenagers to adults, from professional videographers to seasonal vloggers, everyone is heavily interested in capturing videos. Naturally, then, the demand for video editing is also high. Thanks to the ease of access to the best software for video editing, now no one needs to be left behind in the pursuit of their desire for the preservation of memories.

Previously, it was mostly the people with ample resources and capital who pursued professional videography and would immerse themselves in the demanding process of video editing. However, with the prevalence of the internet, smartphones, and other similar gadgets, it has become common for people from all walks of life and all ages to record and edit videos that mirror the quality of professionally produced videos. 

Software for video editing has, thus, emerged for public use. While their variety is beneficial in that people have a lot of options to choose from (depending on the specificities of what they are looking for), it can also make the process of video editing more arduous if the user is someone like me who has trouble deciding what to pick in the face of a range of options.

In order to make it easier for you all, you can refer to the list of factors below before deciding on the software that will best suit your video editing needs.

1. Price

While free-of-cost video editing options are available in the market, their performance tends to be subpar. This is partly due to their limited file format support and the dearth of advanced editing features, among other reasons. Due to this, if you are looking for top-notch quality video production, it may be wise to invest in paid software. 

Usually, the higher you can pay, the better the features available to you will be. Nonetheless, this isn’t a luxury that every video editor can afford because high-end software for professional use can go up to as much as thousands of dollars. These will probably also contain features that you will never need to use anyway, so depending on your budget (and research), you can score a good software that isn’t too heavy on the pocket.

2. Ease Of Use

Contrary to what some professionals may believe, less complex software can be better to use –especially if you’re a novice who is just entering the endless world of video editing. You should aim to use software that is easy to use and master to prevent wasting substantial time learning how to use it. Therefore, software with templates for video editing and auto (express) modes can be a great step in getting you started on your journey to becoming a video editing maestro. 

The ease of importing media and selecting a video style of your choice that auto modes offer will also help you save time by automatically composing your video for you. Additionally, the inclusion of tutorials explaining the usability of each feature within the software can be an added plus, as they can also help you expand on your existing knowledge for the best results.

3. Smart Features

Smart features are automated tools that make otherwise tedious tasks simple for you to perform through the software’s built-in technology. They can also save a great load of time. The most common smart features, available across different software, include corrections, style, and effects. 

Correction caters to face detection, removing the shakiness of the footage, and face detection; style deals with things like color grading, camera filters, and mood lighting; and effects have to do with moving text, transitions, and visual elements. Thanks to these features, you can add professional touches to your videos.

Based on these primary factors, we have a tie for the software that tends to work best for any video editor. If you are a professional editor who is well acquainted with the basics, we would pick Premiere Pro, while for beginners, Adobe Premiere Elements is the magic tool. If you are unsure of which category you fall under (a ‘professional’ or a ‘beginner’), you can use the free trials that both the software offer to make your decision on where to invest your money. 

Perhaps, you can start out with the latter, build upon your skills, and then invest in Premiere Pro to match the ranks of the professionals whose work is featured in Hollywood movies, which is proof enough of it being the best software for video editing!