HEY! student writer Bernadette Toh keeps it reel as she compares popular video-making apps to see how they stack up. Here’s her take
Videos are a big part of our lives now, and I’m not just talking about TikTok. Around us, everything is incorporating moving pictures in an effort to stay relevant. Scrolling through our social media feed, we find travel vlogs and fun compilations that add pizzazz
to our friends’ Instagram.
You have probably been asked at least once to create a video for a class assignment, and for some of you, filming and editing your own can seem like a formidable task.
The plus side to all this? With the rising demand for video-making by the average content creator, apps and platforms have come up with ways to make filming and editing user-friendly for all.
Having tried and tested some of them, here are my picks for the ones that you can use to spice up both your social media and your school work (for free, of course!).
A social media reel I put together on CapCut that uses transitions and a filter.
#1 TikTok
Many people love TikTok’s in-app editing function because it’s easy to use and
features many special effects that can quickly snazz up your video. With an enormous music and sound library, and endless filters (a top favourite is the green screen filter), TikTok as a video editing platform is to die for.
PROS: Easy to use, special effects, sound library, filters.
CONS: Time limit on videos, only vertical videos, app watermark present.
#2 CapCut
Just like TikTok’s editing feature, CapCut has all the good stuff like lots of free music and special effects. Unlike some video editing applications, CapCut makes it easy to achieve quality videos even without much video-making expertise. It’s no wonder it has become a go-to video editor app for many.
PROS: Easy to use, special effects and stickers, impressive sound library, trending filters.
CONS: Not suitable for large video footage.
#3 Premiere Rush
A personal favourite, Premiere Rush is the free mobile version of Adobe Premiere Pro. Packed with almost all the key features of an industry-grade video editor, Premiere Rush allows users to edit multiple audio tracks in a single video, add colour to clips, and edit in various video frame sizes. The app also exports in high-definition settings, so your final product stays high quality.
PROS: Free reign over editing, no app watermark.
CONS: Beginners might find the learning curve steep, limited sound library.
The editing interface of Premiere Rush as compared to…
… that of iMovie
#4 iMovie
Sorry, Android users, you’ll have to sit this one out. iMovie is a great video editor app for beginners with a simple interface that offers drag-and-drop ease. It offers lots of versatility when it comes to splicing a video and timing your clips to a sick beat.
PROS: Easy to use, no app watermark.
CONS: Only for Apple users, limited sound library, takes up phone space.
#5 Promeo
Promeo (right) is one of the few video editor apps that come with thousands of ready-to-use templates, featuring timeless styles that are perfect for videos that aren’t meant for social media. With an inbuilt library of stock media, you can easily access other free videos, photos and music to mix up for your final video.
PROS: Templates, stock media, no app watermark.
CONS: Limited video editing functions.
Here’s a video I made using Premiere Rush for a school assignment that incorporates multiple audio tracks.
Tips to edit your videos like a pro
– If you use TikTok to edit, there are dots on the audio track to help you sync your clips to the beat.
– Add colourful text and graphics to give your video a pop of colour.
– Add motion effects such as zoom-in and zoom-out for seamless transitions.
– Colour filters help give different quality clips a more consistent theme.
– Mix and match footage edited in multiple apps to achieve your objectives. For example, if you like the templates in Promeo but prefer the filters in CapCut, export your work from Promeo, then edit further in CapCut.
THE FINAL VERDICT
Everyone has their own preference when it comes to deciding which video editor app to opt for. Or perhaps you can work with a few faves. To jazz up your social, TikTok and CapCut may be preferred over others for their diversity in music library and special effects. For a cleaner and more professional aesthetic, Promeo and iMovie do the trick well. Regardless, video editing is a useful skill these days, and a handy video editing app is the secret to wowing both your followers and your professors.
HEY! STUDENT WRITER
Bernadette loves storytelling, from books to films to documentaries. She is currently on exchange in Austin, Texas.
This story was published in the Oct-Dec 2022 issue of HEY!. To read it and other stories from this issue in PDF format, click here.
