Professional Video Editing in the Comfort of Your Own Home

During the last decade or so the possibilities for the home video enthusiast to produce really impressive end results have seen steady improvement. While it in the early 90s was impossible for an ordinary person to purchase a computer powerful enough to do video editing on, any relatively new PC of today can offer almost professional grade video editing capabilities right in your own home. Here we’ll have a quick look on the basics of modern video editing software.The Benefits of Non-Linear EditingThe contemporary video editing applications are all based on what is referred to as non-linear editing. This means that your are able to jump to any part of your material – end, beginning or somewhere in the middle – without having to sit there and do a tedious fast forward and rewinding process like you would have to endure with a tape based solution (linear editing).Besides being much more convenient and a lot quicker than the old tape based editing systems (think ordinary VCR), the non-linear software based editing system also preserves the quality of the original footage. In linear editing the material often needed to be transferred to another tape, prior to being copied to the master tape. In such a system the audio and picture quality gets worse with every copy, a process referred to as generation loss.A non-linear system maintains the original quality of the recording, as all the system basically does is create a list that dictates in what order the source material is to be played back.Computer RequirementsWhen it comes to editing video faster is definitely better, particularly if you have intentions of editing material shot in high definition. Still, if you have bought your computer during the last couple of years or so, and not skimped on processing power and mass memory, your computer can probably handle video editing just fine. Or at least you may upgrade your machine to the required horsepower by investing in more RAM and a bigger hard drive.Although there used to be a huge difference, today it really doesn’t matter that much if your PC is Windows based (XP, Vista) or running Mac OS – it is mostly a matter of personal preference, and good, stable video editing solutions are available on both platforms.Building Your Own VideostudioThe choice of hardware (camera, computer etc.) and software is largely determined by how much you are willing to spend and what your level of ambition is. If all you desire is to be able to display your finished movies to family and friends, you may very well be satisfied with less advanced solutions. On the other hand, a semi-professional approach requires that you are willing to spend a little bit more in order to get commercially viable quality in your work.Still, as small handheld cameras capable of recording in high definition are now available a consumer friendly prices, and affordable video editing software offers more and more capabilities, there is really no reason that even movies intended only for family use can look more professional than ever before.