6 answers
Abigail
Student
Rexburg, Idaho
1
Question
Asked
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What are some of the best video editing programs to learn?
What are some of the best video editing programs to learn? Currently, I'm only familiar with Adobe Premiere. I know there's a lot of editing software out there, and I'm trying to narrow down the ones that video editors are most commonly required to know.
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6 answers
Jacob Steiner
Cinematographer
11
Answers
Hollywood, Florida
Updated
Jacob’s Answer
Hi Abigail,
The industry standard is Avid. This one is the hardest to learn, but it’s what the professionals use.
Premiere is great. Not much to say about it. It’s like a hybrid of Avid and Final Cut Pro X, and you have access to a bunch of other Adobe applications, if you purchase them, because it’s a large, integrated ecosystem.
My personal favorite is DaVinci Resolve. I use it for color grading mainly, but I also use it for editing when I have a project. I really like how simple it is to use and how it nicely incorporates picture, sound and vfx editing into a single package.
There are various other NLE (Non Linear Editing) programs, but those are the main ones I feel worth mentioning.
I hope this helps!
The industry standard is Avid. This one is the hardest to learn, but it’s what the professionals use.
Premiere is great. Not much to say about it. It’s like a hybrid of Avid and Final Cut Pro X, and you have access to a bunch of other Adobe applications, if you purchase them, because it’s a large, integrated ecosystem.
My personal favorite is DaVinci Resolve. I use it for color grading mainly, but I also use it for editing when I have a project. I really like how simple it is to use and how it nicely incorporates picture, sound and vfx editing into a single package.
There are various other NLE (Non Linear Editing) programs, but those are the main ones I feel worth mentioning.
I hope this helps!
This is really helpful! I'd heard of DaVinci, but not the other two.
Abigail
Matthew Sterling
Film & Video Editing
1
Answer
Nashville, Tennessee
Updated
Matthew’s Answer
Avid is industry standard, but it's important to note that the "industry" in this case = high-end Hollywood TV & Film (and a good chunk of the same in NYC), and that's a very small percentage of working video professionals. If you aren't making your career on either coast, Avid is something you won't encounter nearly as often. I've edited multiple feature films (all $5 million and under budgets outside of NYC / LA), and I didn't use Avid for any of them. I worked in TV promotions at a top cable network in NYC for several years, yet I managed to avoid dealing with Avid 90% of the time there as well. Pretty much everyone else has migrated to Premiere and/or Resolve.
Outside of NYC / LA, the only editors I know who still use Avid are 50+yo. The majority of aspiring editors I meet under 30yo use Resolve because of the price point. I'm much closer in age to the former category than the latter, but I ditched Avid 20 years ago and my guess is I'll be on Resolve everyday within the next five years. That seems to be how things are trending.
Just remember that editing platforms are merely tools. It's important to spend time learning how the tools work, sure, but it's far more important that you spend time actually editing material (anything and everything you can get your hands on) in order to develop and strengthen the storytelling skills that really matters. A good editor is hired for their creativity, not their hotkeys. Best wishes!
Outside of NYC / LA, the only editors I know who still use Avid are 50+yo. The majority of aspiring editors I meet under 30yo use Resolve because of the price point. I'm much closer in age to the former category than the latter, but I ditched Avid 20 years ago and my guess is I'll be on Resolve everyday within the next five years. That seems to be how things are trending.
Just remember that editing platforms are merely tools. It's important to spend time learning how the tools work, sure, but it's far more important that you spend time actually editing material (anything and everything you can get your hands on) in order to develop and strengthen the storytelling skills that really matters. A good editor is hired for their creativity, not their hotkeys. Best wishes!
Thank you! It's nice to know where things are trending.
Abigail
Patrick Phillips
screenwriter
19
Answers
San Francisco, California
Updated
Patrick’s Answer
Hi, Abigail! Great answers here already, some really simple but good points made. Speaking from my own experience, one of my jobs was building video archives for television. I had a front row seat to what all the editors were working with. It's all over the place!
Yes, in the 2000s it was Avid, but Mac FCP was equally there in independent productions. Then came Adobe and Adobe Premiere. Now you got everything and hybrids. Too many brands to mention. My last job I would start the rough-cut sports highlights using the edit tools in our MAM, a broadcast system called Dalet. That rough cut would then get imported by an editor who dragged it through a Mac-based workflow with Premiere, added post effects and graphics, etc.
A ton of editor work does involve graphics and post-effects. Add-ons and plug-ins. Lord knows what they all do. What I know is the editors use all of them. Your assignments or job will kind of dictate the workflow and editing software you're working with. All have similarities in function, in output. Those graphics and post-effects are not only visual art, but they are also very useful storytelling tools. Whole 'nother thing there.
I do like the previous advice about keeping it simple, using Capcut, your phone, etc. The phone thing is really excellent advice. You can capture, keep, edit, and deliver all from your phone. It really is about the craft of the simple cuts between one image and the next. Your assembly. Your speed and length of each shot. Your choices. Your guidance. Your artistic order from creative chaos. That's got less to do with post-effects, bells and whistles, and again more about the simple art of one moving image that is cut and placed next to another moving image. Then, after you can do that as easy as breathing, then you can get more specific about effects, graphics, and the software types you'll be using. And you'll know all the tools, and how to use them.
As they say...
1. There's the story they write.
2. Then there's the story they photograph.
3. Finally, there's the story they edit.
And all three stories end up different! As an editor, you get to have the final say! The final story! How fun is that?! Good luck, Abigail!
Yes, in the 2000s it was Avid, but Mac FCP was equally there in independent productions. Then came Adobe and Adobe Premiere. Now you got everything and hybrids. Too many brands to mention. My last job I would start the rough-cut sports highlights using the edit tools in our MAM, a broadcast system called Dalet. That rough cut would then get imported by an editor who dragged it through a Mac-based workflow with Premiere, added post effects and graphics, etc.
A ton of editor work does involve graphics and post-effects. Add-ons and plug-ins. Lord knows what they all do. What I know is the editors use all of them. Your assignments or job will kind of dictate the workflow and editing software you're working with. All have similarities in function, in output. Those graphics and post-effects are not only visual art, but they are also very useful storytelling tools. Whole 'nother thing there.
I do like the previous advice about keeping it simple, using Capcut, your phone, etc. The phone thing is really excellent advice. You can capture, keep, edit, and deliver all from your phone. It really is about the craft of the simple cuts between one image and the next. Your assembly. Your speed and length of each shot. Your choices. Your guidance. Your artistic order from creative chaos. That's got less to do with post-effects, bells and whistles, and again more about the simple art of one moving image that is cut and placed next to another moving image. Then, after you can do that as easy as breathing, then you can get more specific about effects, graphics, and the software types you'll be using. And you'll know all the tools, and how to use them.
As they say...
1. There's the story they write.
2. Then there's the story they photograph.
3. Finally, there's the story they edit.
And all three stories end up different! As an editor, you get to have the final say! The final story! How fun is that?! Good luck, Abigail!
Thank you! I hadn't thought about the process affecting the tools.
Abigail
TIFFANY MALLOY
Film Director, AI Film Maker, Special effects Make up
1
Answer
Atlanta, Georgia
Updated
TIFFANY’s Answer
Hey Abigail! Jumping into video editing is an exciting adventure, whether it’s for film, YouTube, or just creating awesome content. There are fantastic tools for every skill level and goal. If you're just beginning, CapCut is super easy and works on your phone or computer—ideal for social media and quick edits. For Mac users, iMovie is a fantastic choice, and VN Video Editor offers simple yet flexible options to help you learn the basics. When you're ready to advance, Adobe Premiere Pro is a favorite in the professional world, used for everything from YouTube to Hollywood films. On a Mac and want something powerful and fast? Final Cut Pro is a great pick. And don’t miss out on DaVinci Resolve—it’s a hidden gem with a free version loaded with pro features, especially for color grading. For those into visual effects, Adobe After Effects is where the magic happens. HitFilm combines editing and special effects, and Blender is perfect if you want to explore 3D animation. If you're curious about AI tools, check out Runway ML for cool features like background removal, and Descript lets you edit videos by editing text. Dive in, experiment, and most importantly, have fun! That’s the best way to learn!
Thank you! I'll have to check some of those beginner programs out.
Abigail
roberto gonzales
PHOTOGRAPHER / VIDEOGRAPHER
1
Answer
Lima, Callao Region, Peru
Updated
roberto’s Answer
Hi, Abi!
You've got some great advice already, but here's another way to think about it: Your talent and imagination are more important than the software you use. You can make an awesome video with CapCut or a dull one with Premiere. So, here's my tip: film yourself, your friends, and your family. Create little stories and start editing those videos. Check out Instagram for inspiration on when to use certain effects and captions.
If you're just starting out, don't get overwhelmed by all the tools in Premiere. Begin with CapCut because it's simpler, and then try to replicate what you do there in Premiere. Learn how to use your phone well, and build from that.
You'll do amazing, Abi!
You've got some great advice already, but here's another way to think about it: Your talent and imagination are more important than the software you use. You can make an awesome video with CapCut or a dull one with Premiere. So, here's my tip: film yourself, your friends, and your family. Create little stories and start editing those videos. Check out Instagram for inspiration on when to use certain effects and captions.
If you're just starting out, don't get overwhelmed by all the tools in Premiere. Begin with CapCut because it's simpler, and then try to replicate what you do there in Premiere. Learn how to use your phone well, and build from that.
You'll do amazing, Abi!
This is super encouraging, thank you!
Abigail
Lucas Guardia
Filmmaker, Cinematographer, camera operator, video editor, DOP, director, image and sound designer, photographer
3
Answers
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Updated
Lucas’s Answer
Hi Abigail! As Jacob say, DaVinci Resolve it´s awesome, and AVID is more for industrial market, Adobe Premiere and Final Cut are the most popular, but let me tell you about my experience with Cup Cut, a new (at least for me) very easy and strong video edition tool and the app version for the cell phone working perfect. I think (but really i don´t know) it was develop mostly to edit videos for sertain plataforms like tik tok and Instagram. In addition to the basic tools, Cup Cut it´s full of templates, for transitions, typography, effects, sound effects and etc. I wan to tell just a little example that how blow my mind. I try the stabillitation video tool whit the app version on my cell phone for some old videos that i shoot a long time a go with my old digital photo still camera int the snow mountain snowboarding (i mean video very shaky and awful quality). the stabilitation tool it´s just incredible and magic, and make my videos look super smooth just in a few seconds, something that in my computer take half an hour. I try to say that Cup Cut its strong and useful tool to edit and enhance your videos. You can download the free version to try it and of course you can jump to a pay pro version in case you need it. I hope my experience help you!