There are a number of free editing programs, not to mention packaged ones like Windows Movie Maker and Apple's iMovie, that are designed to do simple jobs for home digital video producers. These can usually be effective at putting together less ambitious home movies, but if you want something a little more versatile you need to jump into a professional editing suite. Here are some reasons to upgrade your home computer into a video editing laboratory.
Many of the more basic programs only offer one video track in their Timeline. There are a few of these simple programs that offer a few more, but that is still not enough. To do real film and video projects you sometimes have to lay scores of videos over each other. This can let you do effects, transparencies, complex B-roll coordination, and many other video techniques. The average professional, or “prosumer,” editing program will allow up to ninety-nine video tracks.
These professional editing programs are the only place that you are going to have in-depth, customizable video effects like Chroma Key. Using a green or blue screen to add images behind someone is an easy and great special effect, but it cannot be done on the lesser editing programs. Likewise most effects do not let you change their nature and characteristics, and you basically just have to deal with the exact effect that the home program is giving you. This is not the case with professional programs like Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere, which let you alter every last setting.
Color correction is one of the keys of effective editing, and most simple editing programs simply do not have what it takes. Large software packages like the Final Cut Suite and Sony Vegas has such in depth color correction that you can do things like make color themes and integrate them into your story. This make the video making process a much more creative affair.
Programs like iMovie and Windows Movie Maker basically let you stack in video clips and put basic alterations on them. They do not let you change the motion of the video, to either slow it down or speed it up. This is important when putting together a film project, and most will even let you play the clips backwards for effect.
The best reason to upgrade you video editing station is so you can work on multiple sequences at once. Larger and more complex video project require the ability to work on several sequences at once. Without this feature you are really limited on what you can do.
Most digital video producers could benefit greatly from the upgrade, and even a cheaper prosumer version like Final Cut Express is a great stride. Without these options your project will never be able to look as professional and personal as you may want it to.
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