THE VIDEO ZONE: Which editing software?

Following on from the previous article let’s take a peek at a small selection of software for a PC based edit suite. There are many edit programs available and we may as well start with the one that comes with your operating system - Windows Movie Maker

Windows Movie Maker is the software application that comes with all Microsoft operating systems (OS). The interface is very basic showing a viewing window where you view the clip and there below it is one timeline - this is where you put your chosen clip to include within your film. There is a facility to split the clip which can then be ‘trimmed’ on the timeline but that’s about it. It has the usual ability to add music and do cross fades, blind fades and a host of other wacky fades which are great for the kids making zany home movies but not so for an underwater film maker. If you have no other option and you are desperate to get something edited then yes Windows Movie Maker has a use and it is free but it is restrictive however it will allow you to change from 4:3 to 16:9 aspect ratio but it’s not going to provide you with a professional look and feel when trying to create a visual masterpiece.

Windows Movie Maker

Next up is the latest offerings from AVS4 You, a software company who specialise in audio and video development. This software is not free and does require a payment of typically about £43. The layout is clean and functional and supports all key formats and you can edit & save video files in AVI, VOB, MP4, DVD, WMV, 3GP, MOV,H.263/H.264 and a host of other codecs, etc. The software allows you to trim, cut, split, merge, rotate and mix videos as you would in professional suites and you can also manage AVI HD, WMV HD, TOD, AVCHD, MOD, MTS/M2TS, etc. due to the integrated video cache technology so that HD-video editing becomes faster and enables you to create Blue Ray DVDs if you have the required Blue Ray DVD burner. The layout is simple yet effective and allows the user to navigate easily around the timeline and viewing windows. This is a massive step up from the Movie Maker software and for the money is a pretty cool piece of kit.

AVS Video Editor 6.0

Still looking at PC based editing solutions we can now turn our attentions to Avid. It is without a shadow of doubt that Avid is the world leader when it comes to PC based editing solutions within the professional broadcast production industry and it is with this heritage that Avid has released a video edit solution for every day folk who want to make home movies. There are several applications within the Avid consumer range available so we will look at the Pinnacle Studio™ HD Ultimate Collection. This software will set you back around £99 depending where you purchase from. Pinnacle Studio™ HD Ultimate Collection has a simpler interface from previous versions allowing the user to concentrate on creating top-quality movies in high-definition video as well as both 16:9 native and 4:3 aspect ratios. The software includes some stunning effects, transitions, animation sequences as well as the fantastic and incredible Dolby Digital® 5.1 sound which is cool for creating all round sound of a diver breathing. All this is empowered by the software engines that drive Avid’s professional lines of film-editing products. With the Avid software you are able to share your productions in widescreen format on Blu-ray and AVCHD to YouTube, iPod, Nintendo Wii and a host of other formats all from within the software program. For a little bit of cash it’s a whole lot of power. In the next instalment of the Which Edit Software Trilogy we take a look at Apple Mac systems and their offerings to the recreational underwater filmmaker.

If there are those out there who read this article that have questions about the best software for their system I am happy to help out and give advice so just drop me an email at info@h20films.co.uk . For the latest on our course information visit our website www.h20films.co.uk and why not follow us on twitter @H20_Films and Facebook.

I will be at the Andark Diving and Watersports stand 1760 over the duration of the show on hand to assist budding filmmakers and experienced alike and I will be also giving a short seminar at the Birmingham DIVE Show 2011 on Saturday starting at 11:45 and Sunday starting at 12:30 in the PADI Village on Underwater Filming in the UK and the Health and Safety requirements needed so if your there do pop along and say hello.

Next month we have a very special announcement to make that could change the life of one lucky reader so keep your eyes peeled on the Sport Diver website and remember when diving ‘Take only images and leave only bubbles’... Happy Diving.

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