How should you choose the best video editing platform as a creator/for your project?

By Anamaria Silic

In Brief: (1) When considering video editing tools, you first need to assess your budget and overall goals. (2) It also pays to identify the must-have features for your video editing project and take stock of what kind of video skills you may need to develop to get the job done. (3) You’ll also want to make sure you have the required hardware to support whichever video editing tools you ultimately decide to use.

Researching and selecting the best video editing software for your creative projects can be overwhelming. Here are some key strategies to guide your decision making process when comparing different video editing platforms.

Be mindful of your budget?

Before investing in a video editing platform, it’s a good idea to survey the market as a whole and determine a price point that suits your requirements. If you are simply looking to put together a few clips for fun, there’s no need to spend a lot of money on high-end software.

There are free video editing software options that come with enough advanced tools for the average amateur editor. But bear in mind, these offerings may only support a few file formats and may lack editing features, which could be a problem depending on your video ambitions.?

“If you don't have the budget for it and you want to start your portfolio right away, you need to be resourceful. There are some free resources out there or one-time purchase products like Nero that give you a suite of items for a lower cost (under $150)...I also recommend finding a reasonably priced online school just to refresh your skills. If you don't have the time, money or the team for your project, you can always outsource using Fiverr, Upwork.”

Christopher Migliozzi is a producer, content creator and the host of MigzTv. He has over 16 years of experience producing content for video and news platforms.

Assess the scope of your project

Finding the right video editing tools for your needs depends on your short-term and long-term goals, the size of your content team and your experience with video editing.?

• Identify the features you need: Spend some time thinking about the video editing features that are most important to you. If you’re planning to spend a lot of time fine-tuning every aspect of your video project, you might benefit from a program with the kind of advanced editing features you might find in higher end software. If you are looking to add CGI or superhero effects, a simple user-friendly app will not have what you need.
• Research: Once you’ve decided on your must-have features, impartial product reviews can help you identify the editing tools that have what you need. You can also turn to experienced content producers for advice, as they often have experience with multiple editing platforms and can offer informed recommendations.?
• Assess your skill set: Not all video platforms are easy to learn. Consider how much time you can commit to learning a new program and make the most out of online courses.

“Hobbyists/Beginners: I'd recommend iMovie. It's easy to navigate and exposes you to the terminology and tools of the industry.

Intermediate/Prosumer: Adobe Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro X. These tools are the most widely used. They give you the tools to do basically anything you'd need. They are relatively user-friendly and both have thousands of YouTube tutorials available.

Experts/Professional: Davinci Resolve and/or AVID. These are the two industry-standard programs by which most of the films you see and the silver screen were edited.”

Timothy Coles is a cinematographer, graphic designer and a digital strategist. He has over 10 years of multimedia experience.

Make sure you’re equipped

If you’re a rookie, it’s easy to overlook the sheer amount of computing power you will need to run high-end video editing software. You will need to pay careful attention to the hardware requirements of the different platforms you’re considering.?

However, you can find video editing tools with less demanding system requirements that should enable you to get the job done. Remember to check the amount of RAM and SSD storage on your computer, and whether it has been properly updated.?

“Make sure you've got enough horsepower in your computer to handle video while not bogging down the rest of your system. You need a GOOD graphics card with a decent amount of onboard RAM, or you'll get frustrated by compile times.”

Bob Britton, MBA is Director of Sales at Netsurion, a network security company. He has over 18 years of experience in sales and professional training.?

Explore more

• 5 things to consider when selecting your video editing software by Daniel Blechynden for ITProPortal
• The best free video editing software in 2022 for your PC and Mac by Daryl Baxter for TechRadar
• The best online video editing courses by Tom May for CreativeBloq
• How to start video editing for beginners by Adobe

Meet the experts

Christopher Migliozzi is a producer, content creator and the host of MigzTv. He has over 16 years of experience producing content for video and news platforms.

Timothy Coles is a cinematographer, graphic designer and a digital strategist. He has over 10 years of multimedia experience.

Bob Britton is a Director of Sales at Netsurion, a network security company. He has over 18 years of experience in sales and professional training.?