A Guide to Editing Your Own Videos
Today it is very easy to create videos and slideshows using software already provided by computer operating systems. With a little know-how, time and effort, you an create professional looking media projects that don’t require you to be a professional editor.
When you buy a computer, you will already have free software that comes with your operating system:
- On a Windows PC you will have Windows Live Movie Maker (ror the most up-to-date version of Windows Live Movie Maker (free download) http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows-live/movie-maker-get-started)
- On a Macintosh computer, you will have iMovie (run a software update to check you have the latest version).
AmbITion Scotland’s latest How To… Guide video tutorial will steer you through the basics of setting up a media project, importing media, editing, adding captions and titles, including music or narration, plus exporting your finished project to upload or stream online. Below the videos are a few tips on more advanced software, and on where to source rights free music.
Tutorial: editing using Windows Movie Maker
Tutorial: editing using iMovie
Software
As well as these free video editing programs, there are a number of other alternatives that might be more suitable if you have more advanced needs – most are slightly more complicated but can do more sophisticated editing.
- Pinnacle Studio for Windows PC (£50) is a relatively inexpensive editing program that is close to many of the high end professional editing packages http://www.pinnaclesys.com/PublicSite/uk/Products/Consumer+Products/Home+Video/Studio+Family/
- Lightworks is an extremely advanced, but easy to use, editing package for Windows and Linux; Mac version coming soon (free or upgrade to Pro version for £40) http://www.lwks.com/
- Final Cut Pro X is a more advanced version of iMovie for the Mac (£200) http://www.apple.com/finalcutpro/
Music
It is important to remember that music (just like any other media material that you use like photographs or other sourced video) is protected by copyright. When including music in your project, you must either secure permission from the music owner/publisher, or use royalty-free or copyright-free music. (You can find out more about clearing rights for digital content with AmbITion Scotland’s Copyright and Intellectual Property Guide).
There are some good sources online that provide libraries of music that you can use for free in your own projects:
http://creativecommons.org/legalmusicforvideos a good website for details about what you can and cannot do with music in a media project, plus has links to lots of music libraries
http://www.smartsound.com/royalty-free-music/ provides some of the best music in a huge variety of styles. It also has plug-in software to work with some of the more sophisticated editing programs including Pinnacle Studio.
http://www.musicmediatracks.com/ free music library
http://www.stockmusicstore.com:8080/storemusic/home.do free music library