My Assessment of Video Editing Software

I am using a MacBook Pro laptop so for this assignment I used Google search and typed in “open source video editing software for Mac” and I received about 451,000 hits. Free video editing software list for all platforms http://tv.isg.si/site/?q=node/873 was a bit dated but offered an interesting list. The list included: iMovie, Blender, Avidemux, Joshaka, HyperEngine-Av, Atomic Learning’s FREE Video Storyboard Pro, and ZS$ Video Editor. iMovie came loaded on my Mac and I have a school subscription to Atomic Learning and I have FileMaker Pro so I wanted to check out Atomic Learnings’s Free Video Storyboard Pro.

First, I looked at Atomic Learning’s Video Storyboard and it is a digital storyboard creater as the title implies, not video editing software. The program allows you to import your media in the storyboard to help guide you later when you actually create the movie. Atomic learning offers great video tutorials that help the user with the software. This is not actually video editing software, but it will be very helpful when I create my next movie.

I downloaded and tried Blender...it sounded great, it offered the ability to create 3D video, I looked at the video tutorials online, and couldn't understand a single word the guy said, and the program itself was so complicated looking, I didn't think I could or even want to try to figure it out, so maybe if I had more time, it might be interesting, but not now, I need something way easier than Blender.

I like iMovie. I’m not what you would call an experienced user, but the drag and drop feature looked easy and the software has tutorials and help screens that allowed me to quickly create a short, interesting video. For Mac users it its free with the purchase of your Mac. iMovie integrates with iPhoto and other Mac programs included on your Mac, that’s a plus. It make selecting media for my project very easy. After creating my video, iMovie offered several ways to share my movie including exporting to YouTube and iTunes, also it can also be exported as a QuickTime Movie. Hands down, for me, a Mac user, iMovie is the way to go!