Up the mountain we go..

In my early 20’s my favorite car was the VW Beetle. I had rebuilt the engine in my ’63 model with larger cylinders and a throatier exhaust system. It had one red fender and was otherwise several patchy shades of blue, but I was devoted to her. I guess I felt invested.

But when it came time to move all the way across the US, I knew she’d have too many problems hauling all our stuff over the mountains, so, sadly, we had to let her go.

Something similar happens to those who’ve outgrown their editing programs. The trouble is, we tend to stay with them longer than is good for us, perhaps out of familiarity, perhaps the sunk cost, maybe because of the rest of the ecosystem, perhaps simply fear of change.

Whatever the reason, it keeps us from moving forward as content creators.

Hopefully, this will give you a calmer way to approach upgrading as you move up the food chain.

    18 replies to "My Favorite Video Editor. Should it be Yours?"

    • Michael Landau

      I use the Da Vinci Resolve free version on a PC. Why are you recommending it only for Mac?
      I use about 1% of its features, and it’s awesome. The free version is more than enough for my course creation and rather simple marketing.

      • Steven Washer

        I didn’t mean to say that. It should be considered for the PC, as you have discovered. But as I mentioned at the end, I’m not trying to rock anyone’s boat who enjoys the tool that enables them the most.

        • Michael Landau

          Ah OK
          As you say, it’s complex and requires a rather long learning curve. For me, it was worth it.

          • Steven Washer

            And there is such a dearth of real solutions for the Mac. Also, I just felt there were less complex solutions for the PC.

    • Chris H

      Can’t fault FCPX. Had it been available on the PC I would still be using it.
      I used FCPX for about a decade on MACs. We changed to PC’s as Apple (and Adobe) seem to have lost the plot)
      Now use Resove Studion on a PC. VERY powerfull. Also very steep learing curve and he community on the BlackMagic Resolve forum are a bunch of Hollywood dinasaurs who think Youtube is strictly for non-professional ametures and will tell you at every oppertunity. However if you can get past the steep learing curve Resove is worth it.
      Black MAgic are starting to listed to its, now vast number of, users who are not making HollyWood features or “old school” ad we are seeing features and renaming along the lines of FCPX. SO go for Resolve just ignore the 4,000 page manual (I kid you not!) and search on You Tube insead. ITs faster and gives better answers.

      • Steven Washer

        I formerly had an extensive section in this video about that awful period of time starting a few months after Steve Jobs died, where Apply did truly did blow the rollout of FCPX. Many of us screamed bloody murder at the time. In the subsequent year, Apple lost their Hollywood supporters and never got them back. At that time Adobe rushed in with Premiere Pro and took over the share of editing duties formerly held by Apple.

        It took Apple more than a year to correct course, but when they did I came back and it’s been smooth sailing since then. I cut that section out of the video because it would have contributed nothing to the topic. But it was truly a dark period in Apple’s history because they nearly lost all of us.

    • Greg Knollmeyer

      Steve, I agree 100% I actually used both FCPX and DaVinci Resolve. But then the color correction in Resolve got me addicted. Now I do almost all my projects there simply because there is no match for perfecting the look of an image and getting the best out of what you’ve shot and round-tripping is just another hurdle. But I wish the rest of Resolve were FCPX & Motion 😉

      • Steven Washer

        Yep. and actually, I have taken it as something of an article of faith that those who prefer to do this as an avocation would ultimately gain more success were they to err on the side of user-friendliness.

    • Wayne Hinrichsen

      I use Wondershare Fimora 11, find it wonderful and all I need ($40pa).
      Great video, thanks.

      • Steven Washer

        Thanks for the recommendation, Wayne!

    • Rashid Kotwal

      I used Premier for years – recently found it buggy. I’ve tried Da Vinci – found it too complex. Recently switched to Filmora – actually found it very useable – (one of my main criteria is Green Screen AND audio sync) – both of which it does surprisingly well. There are also hundreds of effects built in. There is a subscription model for more advanced stuff – but if you don’t really need it – don’t pay for it 🙂

      • Steven Washer

        Great story, Rashid. Thanks for sharing! I wasn’t as thrilled with Filmora because you needed too many extra subscriptions to get some of what they seem to see as advanced, but should really be included. I just didn’t like the feeling of being nickled and dimed by my editing program.

    • Chris G

      Why does nobody ever mention Corel Video Studio?
      I find it just as powerful for what I do as Resolve, and it is a LOT cheaper than Adobe.

      • Steven Washer

        Thank you for the update! I haven’t heard anything from Corel for years and years. Will have to check that out.

    • Janet lee Sellers

      I enjoy your emails and your teaching us your wisdom! And the main thing I love is that you have a gentle and kind way that is unique in the whole entertainment and visual industry. I’m thinking about getting an Apple iPhone 14 pro Max to do some videos and take pictures of my artwork. I’m not real huge on editing I usually do everything in one take cause I don’t know how to edit. But I’d love your feedback if you know anything about the Apple movie Thing. I make movies of things that I enjoy and I use them for my paintings already so use them for making small videos to share. Thanks.

      • Steven Washer

        You know, you can put iMovie on your phone then edit those videos a little before you send them out. Pretty painless way to get started I think!

    • J.L. Sellers

      Frankly I want the Brownie camera version or the point and shoot version of editing – maybe what comes with the phone or the camera. I don’t really want to edit much… Good to know the things you mentioned but I just don’t have the patience for the tedium. Thank you so much.

      • Steven Washer

        Some people enjoy learning this kind of thing and some don’t. Thank you for your feedback!

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