There are over 1 billion unique users on Youtube who collectively watch more than 6 billion hours of video each month! Moreover, 100 hours of footage is uploaded to the video-sharing website every minute. Smartphones and cheap video cameras have turned most Americans into amateur videographers. Whether you shoot footage for fun or for pay, these three tools can make any footage look professionally edited.
iDealShare VideoGo
There are several editing platforms to choose from, each having its own unique compatibility standards. Final Cut Pro, Apple’s capstone video editing software, is temperamental about allowing .mp4 and .mov files to be imported and added to timelines. This is because it only supports “unfinished” videos with H.264 codecs.
iDealShare allows you to convert .mp4 videos, such as those you shoot with an Android smartphone, to a Final Cut Pro-friendly format like Apple ProRes or DV. It also allows you to reap the benefits of adding visual interest with slow motion stock videos or things downloaded from Hulu because it also converts file types like .mov and .avi.
The free trial of IdealShare for Mac is somewhat useless, as it only allows you to convert a portion of any given video. It will, however, get you familiar enough with the software to determine whether the $30 per year or $50 lifetime license is worth it.
Youtube Video Editor
Sometimes your footage simply needs a minor trim here and small stabilization there to make it ready for publishing. There’s no reason to fire up your editing studio when Youtube has an editor built right in that many people have simply overlooked or ignored.
Keep in mind, you will not be adding special effects with this tool. But what you can do is add soundtracks and simple transitions. Anybody with a little video editing experience will quickly pick up on its functionality. Timelines are very similar to that of Windows Movie Maker and Apple iMovie, and the editor includes 15 different segue options. Remember, Youtube video editor will not help you create Oscar-worthy movies. But reporters and bloggers especially can use it to upload and edit quickly to beat out competition.
GoAnimate
Sometimes you simply cannot naturally capture specific human interactions necessary to convey your intended message. That is where animated characters can complete your project.
GoAnimate is the best option for people who lack drawing skills. It allows you to visualize a scene and the audience you envision watching it. You then utilize the program’s simple drag-and-drop features, along with pre-drawn templates, to turn just about anyone into the next Walt Disney.
There are hundreds of different fully customizable characters. Skin tone, hair styles, clothing and body types can all be manipulated to fit your project. GoAnimate also includes a vast array of settings, props and actions to work with. You can then record voices for the dialogue and the characters will automatically lip sync with what you’ve programmed them to say.
GoAnimate is a neat, useful program, but also a bit pricey. The premium plan, which allows you to remove the default watermarks and transfer commercial rights to your finished videos, starts at $600 per year. You can also do it monthly for $79.
