User_26183
Loving YTtalk
I am aware that there already is a sticky that lists editing software, however I would like to try and expand this to feature more than just editing. Editing a video is a small part of the film-making process; colour work, sound engineering and effects can be just as important.
Important Information
I am not here to tell you what you should buy. A lot of choosing software comes down to personal preference and your workflow. I am not going to say that there is one concrete "best" product, as there rarely is - my goal is just to inform you as to what stuff is available for you so that you can download the demos of products that appeal to you and try them out. As I mentioned it, demo versions of software are incredibly important - how can you pay hundreds of dollars (or your regional equivalent), without even trying the software. You wouldn't buy a chair to use every day without first sitting in it, knowing that you couldn't return it if you didn't like it!
I am going to break the software down into categories as I plan to cover a lot of different products.
Software
Editing (NLEs)
3D
Sound Engineering
Audio Production/Design – DAWs
Colour Correction/Grading
Image Editing
Effects/Graphics Plugins & Extras
Important Information
I am not here to tell you what you should buy. A lot of choosing software comes down to personal preference and your workflow. I am not going to say that there is one concrete "best" product, as there rarely is - my goal is just to inform you as to what stuff is available for you so that you can download the demos of products that appeal to you and try them out. As I mentioned it, demo versions of software are incredibly important - how can you pay hundreds of dollars (or your regional equivalent), without even trying the software. You wouldn't buy a chair to use every day without first sitting in it, knowing that you couldn't return it if you didn't like it!
I am going to break the software down into categories as I plan to cover a lot of different products.
Software
Editing (NLEs)
- Premiere Pro -
- My personal favourite editing package. It supports proxy files, can export XML files and has some good in built effects for stabilisation. Renders are fast and playback is smooth. This is a powerful tool for editing, but has a price to match its quality. This should not be confused with Adobe After Effects, which is designed for VFX and Motion Graphics.
- Premiere Elements -
- The little sibling of Premiere Pro. This is designed for beginner film-makers who want a taste of what can be done. It is substantially cheaper that Premiere Pro, but is obviously less well-featured to match. It doesn't feature a lot of the tools that a more adventurous or more technical editor might want or need, but it is a good starting point for a beginner.
- Avid Media Composer -
- The "pick of the pros". This piece of software is no doubt powerful. It was used by 4 out of 5 nominees in the 2014 Academy Awards for Best Editing, and all nominees used it in the previous year. This doesn't however make it perfect for the average Youtuber. While incredibly functional and efficient, Media Composer is not lauded as having the best learning curve on the planet. It is excellent for narrative work and contains every feature you could conceive of actually using in an editing project however I would not recommend it as a beginner’s tool, due to the difficulty of initial use and the price.
- Sony Vegas Pro -
- This piece of software likes to claim it sits with Media Composer and Premiere as one of the “top dogs” of the editing world. I am not going to necessarily refute this however it is by no means as popular among professional editors. If you want a cheaper and user-friendly solution for editing, this might be for you. It doesn’t contain a lot of the features that would be expected of a piece of high-end software, for example I believe it is limited to 4K video. While this is not a problem in its own right, it is an example of how the developers might have cut corners to cut the price of the product. This is a bit of a “jack of all trades; master of none”. It has functionality for basic audio work and basic effects as well as editing, however these are not necessarily powerful or even usable tools.
- Sony Vegas Movie Studio -
- Similar to Elements relationship with Premiere Pro, this is the baby brother of Vegas Pro. In terms of price to performance, this is a little gem. Obviously it doesn’t contain any of the high end features of any of the more pricey packages (and we shouldn’t expect it to), but it is a great way to start learning to edit on a budget. I would recommend trying to not get sucked into the Sony “route” however, as Vegas Pro may not be the best product for you when you get onto higher-end products.
- Da-Vinci Resolve 12 (Resolve was previously only for colour work) -
- This was originally only designed for colour work, and I have not personally tested the editing section of the program yet. I can say however that BlackMagicDesign are very good at creating powerful tools, both in terms of their broadcast equipment and in terms of their software. Resolve has been used as a high-end tool for grading for a long time and has really shown its colours (pun intended) in that field. While I have not used it, I can say that I have a reasonable amount of faith in the company’s ability to create something great.
- Final Cut Pro (FCPX) -
- Apple’s offering to the editing software market. This sits up there with Premiere Pro and Media Composer. It was used a lot by the Coen brothers and is still used frequently for documentary work and for smaller budget films. Again, Avid have really cornered the market for Oscar-winning software, but FCPX does follow very close on its heels. I am not a big fan of the software, but then I very much value function over form. Irrelevant of my personal opinion, there is no denying that this is a very powerful tool in the right hands.
- VideoPad -
- Compared to the other tools, these last three are somewhat of a joke. They are all either very cheap or free. While VideoPad has features such as multiple layers of audio and video it is in my opinion not worth the price. The “Home Edition” isn’t even worth your time. The “Master’s Edition” isn’t really designed for masters as it costs less than $100. The software is clunky and is sufficiently small as to not support any of the features that I would expect in a $100 product. For me, compared to the price this is a disappointment.
- iMovie -
- I could stand up and say that these last two are useless, and I would say they are, relative to the other offerings, however we must acknowledge that they are free. When it comes to software of this nature, being free is not really a good feature. It means that it is directly entirely at amateurs and will have little regard for any professional features. Neither offering features proper ability to work with multiple video or audio tracks and neither support any form of proper timeline to work with. Enough said. If you are above the age of 12 and are even remotely serious, you should discount these immediately. Even the Ugandans in Wakaliwood are using better software than this – if you can, please up your standards and do not stoop to this.
- Windows Movie Maker -
- After Effects -
- I would not necessarily describe this as the industry standard in Visual Effects. I will give it motion graphics, but its layer-based workflow is just not customisable or powerful enough for some shots. It is excellent for 2D compositing and has a good selection of inbuilt effects. It is very widely used for motion graphics and it features a good set of tools for achieving whatever typographic effects you can imagine. If you are not looking to spend $1000+ on a piece of effects software, I would say that this wins hands down. No real argument. I would just like to stress it is not designed for editing though.
- I would not necessarily describe this as the industry standard in Visual Effects. I will give it motion graphics, but its layer-based workflow is just not customisable or powerful enough for some shots. It is excellent for 2D compositing and has a good selection of inbuilt effects. It is very widely used for motion graphics and it features a good set of tools for achieving whatever typographic effects you can imagine. If you are not looking to spend $1000+ on a piece of effects software, I would say that this wins hands down. No real argument. I would just like to stress it is not designed for editing though.
- Sony Vegas Pro -
- This is to be honest mediocre at its best. As I said in the editing section, it is just not good enough at a lot of the stuff needed for compositing effects. There are few good and popular plugins written for it to expand its functionality and so I wouldn’t recommend it. Its chroma keying tools are average and it doesn’t really work well with high-resolution file playback with effects applied.
- This is to be honest mediocre at its best. As I said in the editing section, it is just not good enough at a lot of the stuff needed for compositing effects. There are few good and popular plugins written for it to expand its functionality and so I wouldn’t recommend it. Its chroma keying tools are average and it doesn’t really work well with high-resolution file playback with effects applied.
- Nuke & Fusion -
- These two are the two main node-based offerings. In terms of Hollywood effects, these are the peak of modern compositing software. Both do exactly what they display on the tin and they do it very well. They are however designed as specialist tools and without any prior knowledge or help you could spend hours staring at a blank screen or a complex network of boxes and lines without any clue as to what is going on. Node-based systems tend to be the most powerful due to the way that they can conserve power and allow many different processes to be combined in parallel.
- These two are the two main node-based offerings. In terms of Hollywood effects, these are the peak of modern compositing software. Both do exactly what they display on the tin and they do it very well. They are however designed as specialist tools and without any prior knowledge or help you could spend hours staring at a blank screen or a complex network of boxes and lines without any clue as to what is going on. Node-based systems tend to be the most powerful due to the way that they can conserve power and allow many different processes to be combined in parallel.
- HitFilm -
- This will do the job. It isn’t the best tool on the planet, but it has a lower price to match so it might be right for you. There aren’t as many tutorials on the internet to help you, but it has enough functionality to be able to achieve reasonable effects. Again, this can be a bit of an all-rounder at times but does a better job than Vegas Pro in my opinion. One thing I would warn against though is the 3D section. It is pretty useless in all honesty. The renderer takes a lot of coaxing and the modelling and UV tools are not great.
- This will do the job. It isn’t the best tool on the planet, but it has a lower price to match so it might be right for you. There aren’t as many tutorials on the internet to help you, but it has enough functionality to be able to achieve reasonable effects. Again, this can be a bit of an all-rounder at times but does a better job than Vegas Pro in my opinion. One thing I would warn against though is the 3D section. It is pretty useless in all honesty. The renderer takes a lot of coaxing and the modelling and UV tools are not great.
3D
- Maya -
- This is brilliant, powerful and full featured. The renderer that ships with it (MentalRay) is average and a bit outdated but you would expect at this price to pay for a 3rd party renderer anyway, such as VRay or if you are part of a larger studio, Arnold. Pixar’s RenderMan is a nice choice of renderer too.
- This is brilliant, powerful and full featured. The renderer that ships with it (MentalRay) is average and a bit outdated but you would expect at this price to pay for a 3rd party renderer anyway, such as VRay or if you are part of a larger studio, Arnold. Pixar’s RenderMan is a nice choice of renderer too.
- 3DS Max -
- The same as Maya but it works in a slightly different way by having a “modifier stack” rather than the system that Maya uses. Both are excellent programs however and you just need to pick your favourite. It is pretty much just what works best for you. Maya is used a bit more in film and animation, whereas Max is geared more towards games and interactive 3D. Again you will probably want a 3rd party renderer.
- The same as Maya but it works in a slightly different way by having a “modifier stack” rather than the system that Maya uses. Both are excellent programs however and you just need to pick your favourite. It is pretty much just what works best for you. Maya is used a bit more in film and animation, whereas Max is geared more towards games and interactive 3D. Again you will probably want a 3rd party renderer.
- SoftImage -
- This used to be a very powerful node-based tool, focussed on particle simulation and intelligent control of meshes and animations. It is however now being retired by Autodesk after a long run. I will be sad to see it go but there are other tools that will easily fill its boots and have essentially taken over in later years anyway.
- This used to be a very powerful node-based tool, focussed on particle simulation and intelligent control of meshes and animations. It is however now being retired by Autodesk after a long run. I will be sad to see it go but there are other tools that will easily fill its boots and have essentially taken over in later years anyway.
- Mudbox & ZBrush -
- These are 3D sculpting tools and are very good for creating smoother and more organic meshes. This system isn’t for everyone however so try before you buy!
- These are 3D sculpting tools and are very good for creating smoother and more organic meshes. This system isn’t for everyone however so try before you buy!
- Cinema 4D -
- Focussed more towards motion graphics, this package is okay but not the most full-featured in the world. It is however substantially cheaper!
- Focussed more towards motion graphics, this package is okay but not the most full-featured in the world. It is however substantially cheaper!
- Blender -
- This is very cheap (free in fact) and has a lot of good features. It is node based in terms of materials and shading but is layer based in terms of mesh modifiers. This is a good starting point for any aspiring 3D artist however it can teach some very bad habits and doesn’t encourage the same kind of workflow that most of the high-end paid-for packages use. The simulation tools are okay but are not really good enough for most proper work.
- This is very cheap (free in fact) and has a lot of good features. It is node based in terms of materials and shading but is layer based in terms of mesh modifiers. This is a good starting point for any aspiring 3D artist however it can teach some very bad habits and doesn’t encourage the same kind of workflow that most of the high-end paid-for packages use. The simulation tools are okay but are not really good enough for most proper work.
- Houdini -
- This is pretty much exclusively designed for effects and does a bloody good job of it. Explosions, water, slime, smoke, destruction – anything vaguely physics-based can be achieved by this if you know what you are doing.
- This is pretty much exclusively designed for effects and does a bloody good job of it. Explosions, water, slime, smoke, destruction – anything vaguely physics-based can be achieved by this if you know what you are doing.
Sound Engineering
- Audition -
- Adobe’s offering – simple to use and very functional and efficient. Most effects are non-destructive which is a good thing, as it allows you to alter earlier effects in the rack and see how they interact with the later ones.
- Adobe’s offering – simple to use and very functional and efficient. Most effects are non-destructive which is a good thing, as it allows you to alter earlier effects in the rack and see how they interact with the later ones.
- Audacity -
- A free, less well-featured version of Audition. It does that job. It isn’t necessarily the best in the world, but it does what it does well judging against the price-tag.
- A free, less well-featured version of Audition. It does that job. It isn’t necessarily the best in the world, but it does what it does well judging against the price-tag.
- Pro Tools -
- These last two can be more geared towards Audio Production however they still function well. Pro Tools likes to sit firmly in working with audio itself rather than MIDI data. The software is not visually pleasing but is very powerful.
- These last two can be more geared towards Audio Production however they still function well. Pro Tools likes to sit firmly in working with audio itself rather than MIDI data. The software is not visually pleasing but is very powerful.
- Logic Pro -
- This one has a pretty face but its brain can hold its own in a fight too. Again it is a more of a production tool but has a lot of features that can be used in sound design too.
- This one has a pretty face but its brain can hold its own in a fight too. Again it is a more of a production tool but has a lot of features that can be used in sound design too.
Audio Production/Design – DAWs
- Ableton Live -
- This is very track-based and clean in its approach. It was originally designed only for live audio work but works equally well for production in a studio. It is powerful and simple. It is designed and based around how a conventional mixing board works – you have channels and these can have effects applied to them. These can be grouped or routed to other tracks and can input or output audio at different stages. Synthesisers sit in MIDI tracks and audio sits in Audio tracks.
- This is very track-based and clean in its approach. It was originally designed only for live audio work but works equally well for production in a studio. It is powerful and simple. It is designed and based around how a conventional mixing board works – you have channels and these can have effects applied to them. These can be grouped or routed to other tracks and can input or output audio at different stages. Synthesisers sit in MIDI tracks and audio sits in Audio tracks.
- FL Studio -
- Image-line took a very open approach when designing this software. It is geared towards allowing you to produce in the way that you work best, and it tries not to force you into doing things on particular way. This is often used for electronic music.
- Image-line took a very open approach when designing this software. It is geared towards allowing you to produce in the way that you work best, and it tries not to force you into doing things on particular way. This is often used for electronic music.
- Logic Pro -
- This features a few built in effects and synths but could do with some VST plugins to help.
- This features a few built in effects and synths but could do with some VST plugins to help.
- Reason -
- This tool is a bit odd, but if you like the old-fashioned way of using modular synthesisers with lots of wires, then it might be for you!
- This tool is a bit odd, but if you like the old-fashioned way of using modular synthesisers with lots of wires, then it might be for you!
- Cubase -
- This is similar to Ableton and Pro Tools in its approach. It has MIDI and Audio tracks and these are used with effects to create music or sounds.
- This is similar to Ableton and Pro Tools in its approach. It has MIDI and Audio tracks and these are used with effects to create music or sounds.
- Pro Tools -
- This is quite heavily geared towards working with audio rather than working with MIDI however it does most things well. Designed by Avid, it has the same robustness and full features of Media Composer, but just created for audio rather than video.
- This is quite heavily geared towards working with audio rather than working with MIDI however it does most things well. Designed by Avid, it has the same robustness and full features of Media Composer, but just created for audio rather than video.
Colour Correction/Grading
- Da-Vinci Resolve -
- This is really powerful and it runs on a node-based system. You import a project using one or more XML files and then work on the original files rather than on transcoded ones. This is exceptionally useful as it means artifacting is reduced when grading. It works with full high-bit-depth RAW colour if you want it to in resolutions up to 8K currently. The free “Lite” version only supports up to HD but is still perfectly adequate for most amateur projects.
- SpeedGrade -
- Adobe has tried to join the colour grading scene a little late and has offered a layer-based system of grading in contrast to the more standard node-based system offered by Resolve.
- Adobe has tried to join the colour grading scene a little late and has offered a layer-based system of grading in contrast to the more standard node-based system offered by Resolve.
- SGO Mistika -
- No-one knows what this is, or how much it costs. We know it is for colour grading and we know it is really good. Only the really big guys ever get to touch this and they don’t like spilling their secret ways.
- No-one knows what this is, or how much it costs. We know it is for colour grading and we know it is really good. Only the really big guys ever get to touch this and they don’t like spilling their secret ways.
Image Editing
- Photoshop and Lightroom -
- These are used everywhere and are pretty much unquestionably the best tools in their field. Do not look at anything else. Ever. Just buy these. Now. Gimp and Paint.NET are also options but are pretty mediocre in comparison.
- These are used everywhere and are pretty much unquestionably the best tools in their field. Do not look at anything else. Ever. Just buy these. Now. Gimp and Paint.NET are also options but are pretty mediocre in comparison.
Effects/Graphics Plugins & Extras
- Trapcode Suite -
- Motion graphics effects primarily. Created by Red Giant.
- Motion graphics effects primarily. Created by Red Giant.
- Frischluft Plugins -
- Visual effects tools. Very powerful and all are based on light.
- Visual effects tools. Very powerful and all are based on light.
- 3D Equaliser -
- An industry standard for high-end motion tracking and match-moving. A bit complex to use for a first-timer.
- An industry standard for high-end motion tracking and match-moving. A bit complex to use for a first-timer.
- PFTrack -
- A lower-end but still very professional motion tracking and match-moving tool. Uses meshes to match the shapes of objects within the plate that is being tracked.
- A lower-end but still very professional motion tracking and match-moving tool. Uses meshes to match the shapes of objects within the plate that is being tracked.
- Boujou -
- This is expensive but powerful. This is often considered to be on a par with 3D Equaliser.
- This is expensive but powerful. This is often considered to be on a par with 3D Equaliser.
