Using the Force: Editing Software Buyer's Guide

by James DeRuvo
November 2005

In the Star Wars saga, there is a little robot named R2D2 who helps save the Galaxy with his Swiss army knife design and feisty little attitude. But how did he get his name and what does this have to do with editing software? As the story goes, R2's name came from a conversation that George Lucas was having with an editor about a certain scene. Looking for a specific piece of dialogue, the editor remarked it was on R2D2 - or Reel #2, Dialogue #2. The sound had a nice ring to it, and a robotic star was born. Editing has come a long way since the use of film reels thanks to the computer and editing software. Together, they have rewritten the editing book and given producers, directors, and editors more tools to organize footage and make their video/film vision a reality. Editing software, however, can be expensive. How does one begin learning the skill, and art, of editing without investing a small fortune in an editing package? Thankfully, the marketplace has provided software with various levels of skill, and price, to allow even the greenest video producer to enter the video editing world.

Entry Level
If you're looking to cut together a few scenes for the family or a low-budget video project for school, Apple's iMovie HD not only allows one to cut a video, but also to export it directly to DVD burning software at the click of a button. And iMovie HD even offers, as the name implies, high definition editing! And the nice part is, that iMovie HD can be purchased separately as a part of the iLife suite for about $50, or may already be on your Mac if you recently purchased it. Microsoft has a free editor for Windows XP users called Movie Maker 2.1 which can be downloaded from its Web site.

Sony begins the next step up: Vegas Movie Studio + DVD ($100). Vegas offers wipes, fades, video effects, and titles and promises limited Hollywood style results. Vegas Movie Studio also has the ability to apply audio effects and envelopes at the track level and has more than 1,000 sound effects! Not bad for costing a "C" Note.

Adobe offers a stripped down "express" edition of its dominant Premiere editing line with Premiere Elements. Designed with the home video market in mind, Premiere Elements automatically transfers footage via FireWire at the touch of a button, edits in real time and burns directly to DVD. All this for about $100.

Along with the basic whistles and bells of transitions, titling and effects, Ulead's Video Studio has the ability to output directly to DVD, the Web or, in a very forward thinking option, mobile devices such as cellphones and hand held video devices. Video Studio can go from DV footage to DVD in two steps. The cool feature is its DV Quick Scan, which shows exactly what is on the source DV tape by automatically scanning it and providing a timecoded thumbnail list of all clips. It will also automatically identify poorly shot video clips. Then, use the wizard to choose the clips right from the tape and build a DVD with menus, titles, transitions and music. $99 is great price for such automation.

Mid Range
For mid-range editing software, Apple's Final Cut Express provides basic compositing, sound editing, titling and effects capabilities in a full-featured package that includes High Definition plug-ins for about $300. A nice setup. Too bad one can't use it on the PC.

As an editor's skills improve, so is the need for flexibility and a bigger wallet. Pinnacle Liquid Edition offers "native" HDV support and its SmartEdit feature promises the elimination of transcoding footage, which can take time and distorts image quality. It can also move between uncompressed footage, for effects laden shots, and then back to standard compression for other scenes, all within the same timeline. ($499)

Avid, the once reigning lord of post production, offers the dual platform Avid Xpress DV ($495) with automatic color correction and over one hundred customizable real-time effects.

Top of the Line
Both Adobe and Apple offer maxed-out high performance versions with Premiere Pro 1.5 ($700) and Final Cut Pro 5 for Mac ($999). Both allow for nearly unlimited video and audio tracks to create extremely complicated montage editing. All the usual prosumer whistles and bells, with HD plug-ins and DVD output. The price is hefty, but when you're paying this much for software, you're working in the big leagues, and as such, you need the power to keep pace.

Don't forget Sony's Vegas (6.0) + DVD Production Suite. It competes head to head with editing software in its price range with extras such as DVD Architect 3 and much more. That's a lot of value for its $900 MSRP.

Bigger than its Xpress DV, Avid also offers Xpress Pro HD ($1,695.) with Avid DNxHD (Digital Nonlinear Xtensible High Definition), Avid's HD encoding technology. This, along with many other features like four-camera editing that you'll find in the professional models that cost more than some houses.

The post production process requires tools that are designed for the need at hand. Depending on simple home videos or full blown feature films, editing software offers the ability to organize, cut, reuse, and even add special effects to footage shot by almost any level of camera. And unlike film, it doesn't need to clutter the cutting room floor. However, if it makes an editor feel better, go ahead -- name a file R2D2. Just don't be surprised if you hear the pesky chirp of a little droid over your shoulder!

James DeRuvo is a producer and editor for a broadcast production company.

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