Just completed editing with iMovie. It’s ok but it’s not like it used to be. A bit limiting. So, using my google fu, davanci resolve comes up a few times. I don’t need pro level software but want beginner software either. Adobe seems seems to go toward prescription base monthly payments. Not for me. My mini did ok with 16 GB of ram but may move up to a studio if I start doing more videos. So any suggestions welcomed. Thanks.
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Video editing software
- Thread starter bearcatrp
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You're putting a governor on what type of video editing software. I'm more of a photographer, but I find Final Cut Pro to be relatively easy to use and is quite versatile when it comes to editing even though I am not a professional video editor. I do have to make a disclaimer I have college courses in video and it came easier to grasp FCPX. Though if you're a finding iMovie limiting I would imagine FCPX wouldn't be tough figure out. FCPX is a one time purchase so far (knocking on wood).
I used the legacy version of Final Cut Pro almost from the beginning, then upgraded to Final Cut Pro X around 2016. It is a completely different program from the legacy version and took a little while to get used to. But really happy with it now. Coming from iMovie, you might find it a little more familiar than I did (one of the complaints about early versions was that it was too much like iMovie).
I think it will even import your iMovie projects (it will *not* import legacy FCP files however). Anyway, there is a generous 90-day fully functional free trial, so why not give it a try?
I think it will even import your iMovie projects (it will *not* import legacy FCP files however). Anyway, there is a generous 90-day fully functional free trial, so why not give it a try?
Final Cut Pro for Mac - Free Trial
Final Cut Pro revolutionizes post-production with 360° video, HDR, and advanced tools for color correction. Try it now with a free 90-day trial.
www.apple.com
I went for Final Cut because although not cheap, it was at least a one-off payment and I didn't want to pay the monthly fee for Premiere. I found it fairly easy to learn and there are loads of third party plugins, transitions and effects available. Also seems to be well tuned for use on a Mac - my Air has handled 4K and even 360 degree video editing, though some transcoding and proxies have been needed for more complex stuff.
FCP does taging and indexing clips better than any of the others,. Thats useful when you have a large amount of clips to organize. And also searching a large home movie library for clips or segments of clips that contain both Grandma and Baby Susie on a Kauai beach in September..
I had a 2008 Mac Pro with iMovie back then. Allot of 3rd party stuff was available like transitions etc.. Todays iMovie wants to upload to web sites or save as a file. Seems its for podcasts and small videos. Did allot of weddings with the old iMovie. Then moved over to adobe premier when I built a dual processor pc computer With 96 gb of ram. Rendering on that was great. Got away from video editing a few years back and my nice dually finally died. Got talked into recording a wedding and edit the video. My new M1 mini I’ve had for a few months seemed like it could do the job so gave it a shot. Like I said, the new iMovie is not that bad. I just think it’s made more for small videos going to web sites or doing podcasts. Since I only done one video, maybe I should spend a little more time with it. But if I do get back into video editing, I’ll be upgrading to a studio with more ram. My mini was close to maxing out ram. Just thought I would research other options for the Mac. That’s for your replies.
Don't they shoot and publish near feature length movies on iPads and iPhones, using iMovie? So its doable on a Mac, but it is easier to manage a larger project with FCP.
Dunno what you mean by preferred publishing to web, as its just a video m4v or mov file. What format do you want your publish filed to look like?
I typically save iMovie to a file and then use handbrake to code the video for the desired audience. But FCP is so much easier, I only use iMovie on an iPad or iPhone.
The newer iMovie speaks in slightly different terms and uses a different language than early iMovie. Once you learn the new terminaligy and language it works very well. There is a decent tutorial around here somewhere. I don't have a link handy, however.
Dunno what you mean by preferred publishing to web, as its just a video m4v or mov file. What format do you want your publish filed to look like?
I typically save iMovie to a file and then use handbrake to code the video for the desired audience. But FCP is so much easier, I only use iMovie on an iPad or iPhone.
The newer iMovie speaks in slightly different terms and uses a different language than early iMovie. Once you learn the new terminaligy and language it works very well. There is a decent tutorial around here somewhere. I don't have a link handy, however.
Thanks coldcase. There is no render option from what I see in the menus. But, it could be rendering on the fly. I want to burn it to a blu ray. Actually, want to render it to a file, move it to my pc that has a blu ray burner. My current project is 6.4 gb. Already moved the file to my pc. Just have to get the software to write it to disc so it opens like a movie.
To be fair, after iMovie's controversial rewrite and re-design in 2007, with each new version some more features found in pre-2007 iMovie versions were added back in, along with some neat new features. This was especially noticeable with iMovie '11's release in fall 2010, when it brought back the detailed audio editing features (i.e. waveforms, "rubberband" volume level control, equalizer and audio effects). The current iMovie still has those features included, but it still has some limitations, like still being able to work with only two video tracks and at least ten audio tracks, no control over video effects, being able to only work in 16:9 (you can work with 4:3 video but it'll be pillarboxed if you choose to not crop it), no DVD chapter marks, and fewer export options. But I still tend to often use the current iMovie for my fursuit vlogs and for simpler videos, otherwise I'll use Cyberlink PowerDirector of Apple Final Cut Pro (the latter I exclusively use for my YTPs).
That brings up another point; when you're ready to go beyond iMovie but are not ready for Final Cut Pro or DaVinci Resolve or Adobe Premiere Pro, there are a few affordable consumer options available for the Mac, including Adobe Premiere Elements, Cyberlink PowerDirector, and NCH VideoPad Professional. You get excellent multitrack audio-video editing and a little more than half of the features available in Final Cut and Premiere Pro. It's kind of similar how with Windows, many start out with the (more limited than iMovie) Windows Movie Maker and then move up to PowerDirector or Premiere Elements, or other similar Windows-only options like Magix Movie Studio or Nero Video or Pinnacle Studio. For prosumer/professional use, DaVinci Resolve and Premiere Pro also work on Windows, but to take the place of the Mac-only FCP, you could use the Windows-only Magix Vegas Pro or something. (I've often referred to Final Cut Pro's recent versions as being like Apple's version of Vegas Pro.)
That brings up another point; when you're ready to go beyond iMovie but are not ready for Final Cut Pro or DaVinci Resolve or Adobe Premiere Pro, there are a few affordable consumer options available for the Mac, including Adobe Premiere Elements, Cyberlink PowerDirector, and NCH VideoPad Professional. You get excellent multitrack audio-video editing and a little more than half of the features available in Final Cut and Premiere Pro. It's kind of similar how with Windows, many start out with the (more limited than iMovie) Windows Movie Maker and then move up to PowerDirector or Premiere Elements, or other similar Windows-only options like Magix Movie Studio or Nero Video or Pinnacle Studio. For prosumer/professional use, DaVinci Resolve and Premiere Pro also work on Windows, but to take the place of the Mac-only FCP, you could use the Windows-only Magix Vegas Pro or something. (I've often referred to Final Cut Pro's recent versions as being like Apple's version of Vegas Pro.)
Used adobe premiere elements for allot of weddings after I left the older iMovie and built a dual processor pc. Had its glitches but overall a pretty good piece of software. Just looked at the mac version for 2022 and runs off of rosetta 2 for M1 macs. I will hold off until it becomes native.