Best Video Editing Software for Windows 8: From Charms Menus to Working like a Charm
Windows 8 users are patient. They waited for years to install their dream operating system.
But do they have the same patience when it comes to manipulating complicated video editing suites full of bells and whistles? Most native editing apps are severely restricted in terms of features and functionalities. The pricier options though not only call for an investment of money but also time and effort. The learning curve is steep.
So is there a middle ground solution in the market that marries the proficiency of the costly packages with the simplicity of the editors that come baked into your OS?
With Movavi – the answer is yes.
5 Steps to Stellar Home Movies with Movavi:
Maybe you want to immortalize your 10th wedding anniversary. Maybe you want to add something special to your college project for extra credits. Maybe you want your CEO to approve your marketing concept.
There is a video to celebrate and facilitate every occasion.
Start out by giving Movavi’s trial version a spin. It is 7 days, no restricted access to the software and we think by the end of the week, this tool will become a part of your Windows 8 charms menu.
1. Install the downloaded file from the Movavi website. It takes seconds for the Movavi icon to appear on the desktop. When it does, double click it to open the software modal.
2. The first pop-up is the one that let’s you start a new project. Now you can either “Create a Project in FULL FEATURE MODE” or you can “Create a Montage in EASY MODE”. For the sake of this tutorial, we will opt for the full-feature setting.
With this out of the way, you need to click the “YouTube play button” like icon to the left of the screen. Doing so pulls up a number of options. Choose “My Files” and then “Add Media Files” to import raw footage from the hard disk of your computer. You can also add “Sounds” and “Music” snippets to your project or grab stock video from Movavi’s database.
Both video and audio files show up on the Editing Timeline.
3. Next determine how your project will be structured. Will your final file be comprised of several video snippets stitched together? Or do you have a single large file but would like to add custom filters and titles to them for a unique video experience?
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- Use the “scissor” icon right above the Editing Timeline to segment a large video file.
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- Use the “crop” icon to keep certain portions of a scene and eliminate others. With crop – you can also give the impression of changing the camera angle.
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- With the “gear” icon you can adjust the speed of the reel and with the “microphone” you have the freedom to overlay video segments with voice over.
4. What’s a movie without some visual oomph? Movavi lets you spice up your raw footage with filters, transitions, text and stickers.
- The tab with the “Magic Wand” icon offers several filters for you to choose from. You can add a rain of roses to a scene or take viewers back in time with classic retro and vignette filters.
- The tab with the “Puzzle Piece” icon is dedicated to transitions. One clip can phase seamlessly into another when you have the power of effects like cube, circle in and pin-wheel.
- The tab with the “T” lets you insert text to preface a scene or to conclude a movie. The fonts and the subject matter can be easily customized. Just drag the legend you want to include and drop it on the timeline. It is generally positioned before or after a particular clip – that is the text can’t be overlaid.
- Finally use the “Hamburger” tab to access advanced features like call-out, animation and stabilization. Stabilization in particular gets rid of blurriness and wobbles and is an invaluable tool for amateur video creators.
5. That wasn’t too tedious right? In fact, you rather enjoyed the ability to present memories in a more enchanting light!
If you’re in love with your creation, it is time to export it either as a .mov, .avi, .mp4 or .mpeg file to your hard disk or to your YouTube channel. You can click the green “Export” button to download your video project.
You can click “Export” in the top navigation for the direct to YouTube option.
And that’s it! You have a professional quality video that is adjusted to your liking.
Don’t share the Movavi secret with your friends though. Let them wonder at your ability to spend hours perfecting your home creations.