OpenShot Video Editor

Description

OpenShot Video Editor is a free, multi-platform and open-source video editing software. You can use it to create and edit videos using many popular multimedia formats.

The software will run on Linux, Mac® OS X® and Microsoft® Windows® OS.

Note: This software was primarily designed for Linux users and although a Microsoft® Windows® and Mac® OS X® version are available, they might contain bugs and it might take a while until a stable version will be released.

Trademark Note 1: Microsoft®, Windows® and other product names are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

Trademark Note 2: Mac and OS X are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

OpenShot Video Editor Review

the Everyman's Video Editor

I’ve used many low-cost and freeware video editors. None of them are perfect. Some are faster than others. Some have more features, and some have features that struggle to justify their existence. The worst are usually stuffed with frills you don’t need. If you’re working on a budget and don’t want to buy a separate computer devoted to artistic work, then OpenShot video editor is a very solid choice.

It’s a free, open-source editor that allows you to manipulate video, audio, and images in a non-linear fashion. It works just like the old Macintosh programs I learned on in the early 90s. Create and edit video using a wide range of popular formats.

The fact that you’re using Linux probably means mission-critical functions are more important to you than a very robust video editing and multimedia suite. Maybe you’re running a blog or video channel where you only need basic clip splicing to get your message across. If that’s the case, OpenShot will serve.

What It's Got

OpenShot has a broad range of necessary and easy to find features. The main tools you’ll want; splice, stretch, fuse, etc.- are all right over the area where your clips are displayed. More features appear when you right-click your clips. It’s easy to apply different fades and transitions to move between clips, and there is a range of decent- but not over the top- graphical transitions.

There is a very practical tool for creating titles. It’s limited in what it can to, but for basic presentations it is solid. There’s an effects menu next to the transitions tab which will give you more than enough graphical effects to satisfy the sort of video editor who should be using this program. They are stable and won’t usually give you too much trouble. They are especially good if your videos tend to be dry, and you want to throw in a little pizazz once in a while.

OpenShot Features Include:

- Multiple tracks (layers)

- Compositing: overlay images, and watermarks

- Supports image sequences (rotoscoping)

- Keyframe animation

- Audio/Video effects (chroma-key)

- Transitions (lumas and masks)

- 3D animation (titles and physics)

- Chroma key (green & blue screen)

- Transcode (convert video coding)

- Upload videos

What it’s Not

Unless you’ve got a system that’s robust enough to play the latest high-end video games, you’re going to notice some rather striking limitations with this software. It can be unstable when you’re editing multiple video tracks. It can crash suddenly, and will occasionally freeze your computer.

Note: Version 2.4.4 was a great, pleasant surprise as many bugs found in previous versions seems to be fixed. If you notice any issue, please help improve the software by reporting bugs here.

The resizing control to the right of the editing window is useful, but the scroll bar is unreliable when zoomed all the way out. This can make it difficult to create fine splices. For this reason, I can’t recommend it for music mixing. The best way to get accurate cuts is to go by the time and not by the preview window.

Why I Like it

While OpenShot is in a competition with other video editing software, it has a range of solid and practical features that meet the needs of anyone for whom the message of the videos being made is more important than the production value. If you’re stuck with a limited budget, and still have to use a single computer for work, OpenShot will fit nicely into your system without imposing a noticeable burden.

If you’re running a mobile video operation, editing on the road, and you only have room for a small notebook computer, then OpenShot is terrific. Using it will allow you to save money on otherwise overpriced hardware. While most photographers prefer Macintosh, high-quality cameras are VERY expensive! By using OpenShot, you can get by with using some affordable computer equipment, thereby saving money to spend on cameras or whatever other gear your videos are focused on. Finally, the fact that it’s a Linux supported application means that your video files will be especially safe from the threats of viruses and the many other vulnerabilities of Windows®.

OpenShot can be a great backup editor for experienced videographers, and will do everything the casual video uploader will ever need.

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