Editing Software

Now that you’ve assembled your workstation, it’s time to choose the editing software that you’ll run on your new workstation.

A typical non-linear editing program is a very complicated piece of software. However, by identifying the features you need for your project, you can zero in on the package more easily that’s right for you.

In this chapter, we’ll cover all of the issues, concepts, and terminology you’ll need to understand when choosing an editing application. Your editing software will be the heart of your postproduction system, so choose carefully. The following are factors to consider when choosing an editing program.

The Interface

Most editing applications share a similar interface (see Figure 12.1). A project window contains bins or folders, which hold video clips and other media. Double-clicking on a clip will open it in the source viewer, a window on the left side of the screen. The source viewer lets you view the shot and select the part of it that you want to use in your edited sequence.

You assemble shots into a sequence using a timeline window that displays representations of your clips in their edited order. The timeline window is divided into tracks that contain video or audio. When editing, you can target particular tracks, letting you choose to add both the audio and video from a clip into your project, or just the audio or video. For example, by targeting the video track only, you can perform a cutaway from one piece of video to another, without altering the underlying audio. Most editing applications can support unlimited tracks of audio and video, but you may find it easier to work with just a few.

On the right side of the screen is the record viewer, a window that displays the video from the timeline—that is, your edited sequence, as shown in Figure 12.1. Some simpler editing programs like Apple iMovie use a less-complicated interface with only one viewer, but we don’t recommend them for larger scale projects like feature films.

For maximum flexibility, look for a package with robust editing controls (many of which are described next). For faster learning, look for a program with a more streamlined interface, but beware: with a simpler program, you might not get all the tools you need to create a highquality final product.