Technology soft

You may also find that when you purchase a camcorder, the manufacturer supplies LITE versions of consumer editing software. For example, Canon sometimes supply a Lite version of Pinnacle Studio, Toshiba often provide a Lite version of Magix Movie Edit Pro and some Panasonic camcorders are bundled with Edius Neo. These programs can give you far more advanced options than say, Windows movie maker.

When purchasing an Apple/Mac, a software suite called “ILife” should be pre-installed, which includes IMovie and IDVD. IMovie is a comprehensive piece of software, packed full of advanced features, whilst remaining reasonably easy to use. Don’t be fooled though, when you turn on the advanced tools, this software performs as well as a lot of intermediate consumer editing software.

Consumer-hobbyist-enthusiast type software: Corel VideoStudio X2, Pinnacle Studio, Sony Vegas, Magix: Movie Edit Pro Plus, Roxio & Serif Movie Plus. All these software packages come with a host of great ADVANCED features and tools, such as colour correction, audio correction, mattes, special effects, 2D & 3D titles... and so on. All are useful tools and effects for the more advanced film making enthusiast. The most noticeable difference between these programs is, the way they approach the editing process, e.g. the interface. The best way to see what software suits your requirements is, to read as many reviews as you can and utilise free trials. Take advantage of these free trails and play with the software to see if you like the interface and the way the workflow operates. Simply put - Does it work for you!

Bridge software, often termed as “cut down” pro-apps: Adobe Premier Elements, Final Cut Express 4HD and Edius Neo. These editing packages all operate with many great advanced features and are also a great way of priming yourself for the future, getting used to the software workflow and interface, before upgrading to the professional suite.

When you trial or before purchasing a piece of editing software, make certain that it will handle your footage. For example, if you're shooting in High Definition, or your camcorder is AVCHD, or you want to output your finished film to a Blue Ray Disc, make sure the software has these capabilities. It’s really a case of finding which program, or programs, hold the functionality needed to work for you. If you find software that is quirky, you're unlikely to use it. Take your time and choose wisely, have fun and enjoy!

Finally, Pro-Apps: (e.g. Avid, Adobe Premiere, Studio Final Cut Pro and Edius). Each of these applications have their own army of followers and loathers but all require a considerable investment of time and money. The best advice here, is to trial in some depth before buying.

SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS: (what's out there):

So you're ready to start editing, but what do you use? Start simple. Some editing software will scare you silly when you open it up, so don’t try to be too complex too soon. Develop some basic skills, then explore and experiment with more advanced software, once you feel comfortable with the basics, such as cutting/trimming, adding transitions, titles and soundtracks. (e.g. Using software that came free with your PC or Mac.

On a Windows PC, you will get a version of Windows movie maker. This is a good starting piece of software. Easy to use and allows you to make cuts, enabling you to remove or trim down unwanted footage. It also has the ability to add music, soundtracks, commentaries, sound effects, transitions and titles, all of which positively enhancing your edit cabability.