Recommendation Request: Video Editing Software

[miss_ingno]

So, I used to dabble with making (bad, gif-based) fanvids back when I was a teen with the pre-installed Windows Movie Maker. It was fun! And I want to get back into it. There are so many song bits I want to set to some of my favourite characters, sequences in my head that I want to share...

But I don't really know where to start.

Does anyone have recommendations for (ideally free, so I can dabble and see if this is still fun) a decent video editing software? I vaguely recall being recommended Lightworks back when I was part of a tiny youtube channel, does anyone have experience with that one? Is it still a good idea for fanvids editing?

Comments

[amedia]

I am always in favor of MOAR VIDS!!!

I can share what little I know about video editing software, although I don't know if it's what you're looking for. I've used two programs so far:

1. I began computer vidding a few years ago with a program called Wondershare Filmora. There's a free version, but when you try to export what you've made, it has a watermark with the name of the program all over it, so it really doesn't give you anything you could actually use. I was able to get an educational discount, however, so it wasn't too expensive. One odd thing is that I can only use it on one computer; I tried to set it up on my work computer, but I would've had to delete it from my home computer.

I'm still using Filmora and I find it relatively easy and intuitive. All of the computer vids I've posted have been made using it. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the more advanced programs, however.

2. The other program I've tried is called DaVinci Resolve. It has a very robust free version; you might never need to buy the paid version. It's much more complex than Filmora, and I find it difficult even for doing simple things. On the other hand, if I stick to it, I could learn to do all kinds of cool special effects that can't be done with Filmora.

******

Speaking of learning - there are vidders who are eager to spawn new vidders, and I participated (partway) in two free online educational classes designed to help fans learn to vid. One of them, run by Lola and another vidder, was called Vexercises (for "video exercises") and the other was Aaron's Vidding Bootcamp, run by Aaronantium from DC Slash. Both courses were very encouraging and I learned a lot from both, although I didn't manage to finish either one (Real Life kept interfering!).

******

Ooh! This is a couple years old but it should still be helpful. I ducked over to the Vexercises DW comm to see if they were doing it again this year (I couldn't tell), but I found this entry about video editing software recommendations:

https://vexercises.dreamwidth.org/24825.html

[miss_ingno]

Ohhhh DVR sounds good, I'm gonna give that one a try first I think!! Thanks for all the resources, I'll report back on my progress <3

[amedia]

Yay, glad to hear it! *shaking my pompons for you*