videoediting
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Clinch for iOS can turn you into a pretty capable movie maker
Clinch is an free video editor that is mostly hands-off. Throw it some photos or video, and the app will edit, add music and assemble your raw material into an attractive video that you can share with friends and families. You get some degree of control and can add captions, a theme and a soundtrack for your creation. Clinch provides the transitions and filters. The final result is interesting. It's often something you would like to share, but you don't get the complete control you would with a dedicated editor. Clinch is also a social app, so you can view other videos, and search what is trending. Clinch also lets you look for videos shot near you. Your videos can be shared on Twitter, Facebook and through email. In the latest update, Clinch allows you to add related clips and photos from friends, Instagram or Twitter. I took Clinch for a spin and was impressed how it created a movie with almost no input. I let Clinch select the music, and the result was a minute-long film that had a high degree of production value. It does take a while to render your video, and it is uploaded and then re-downloaded to your phone from the cloud, so the type of connection you are on matters. The app can render in the background, and you can set it to send an email when your video is done. %Gallery-180904% One negative is that the finished video can't be saved to your camera roll, which seems odd. You can send it via Facebook or Twitter, and you can email it to yourself, but it seems like a roundabout way of saving your video. I think Clinch is aimed at younger users, but they are the ones most likely to be creating these videos. I could see using this on a vacation and letting it put together something I can share without taking a lot of time to produce a video. I'm impressed with what Clinch does with so little input and at no cost. An added theme, Autumn, is offered as a US$0.99 in-app purchase. You can catch some video demos at the Clinch website.
ProCutX for iPad links with Final Cut Pro X, lets you slice and dice footage from afar
Final Cut Pro X is already a pretty great piece of software all on its own, but there might be some video gurus who wouldn't mind adding a little touch-based action to their current workflow. Here's where ProCutX comes in: the iPad app's claiming to give Mac vid editors a canvas where they can easily have access to many of FCPX's editing tools, including color grading and auto-correct, quick keywording, compound clip editing and import / export / rendering shortcuts. In addition, ProCutX also allows users to do a little precision timeline scrubbing, while the ability to record voiceovers, have access to volume controls and the option to tweak more advanced audio settings are other tasks that can be done straight from the app. Now, ProCutX isn't your run-of-the-mill, less-than-a-buck app, so folks will have to shell out a $25 premium in order to download -- but, given how interested parties would be the ones who already spent the $299 on FCPX, something tells us they likely won't be opposed to investing a few more dollars. If that's you, then give that source link a click to get more acquainted with the handy app.
Magisto sharpens its AI video editing algorithm, adds themes, albums and group editing
Sure, Magisto's automatic video editing algorithms are great for social media mashup clips, but what if you want to use the service's robotic sense of cinema to tell a story? CEO Oren Boiman says it's just what social video is missing, and has tweaked the service to fill the gap. Users now have access to a collection of themes to change how their footage is handled. The idea is to tip the algorithm in on the emotion the user is trying to convey, selecting "so cute" or "street beat" to cue it to select appropriately adorable or aggressive song suggestions, special effects or title treatments. The service also added a new video album feature, making it easier to organize and share videos with friends and family, and hopes to implement a collaborative editing system soon -- complete with post-production tools to tweak the computer's direction. Of course, you could always do things the old fashioned way.
Apple updates Final Cut Pro X
Though not announced during its big October event, Apple also included Final Cut Pro X in its list of apps that the company updated yesterday. The latest version (10.0.6) of the video editing software now supports native RAW editing of content from RED cameras, lets you expand multichannel audio files so you can edit each audio channel separately and adds a paste attributes window that lets you choose specific effects to copy between clips. These are only a few examples from a long list of new features that were added to the video editing package. The full change log includes: Expand multichannel audio files directly in the timeline for precise editing of individual audio channels Unified import window for transferring media from both file-based cameras and folders of files Redesigned Share interface for exporting projects and range selections to one or more destinations RED camera support with native REDCODE RAW editing and optional background transcode to Apple ProRes MXF plug-in support that allows you to work natively with MXF files from import through delivery using third-party plug-ins Dual viewers, each with a video scope display, let you compare shots to match action and color Option to add chapter markers in the timeline for export to video files, DVD and Blu-ray disc Range selection now preserves start and end points in the Event Browser and allows you to create multiple range selections on a single clip Paste attributes window lets you choose specific effects to copy between clips Flexible Clip Connections allow you to keep Connected Clips in place when slipping, sliding or moving clips in the Primary Storyline Add a freeze frame to your timeline with a single keystroke Drop shadow effect with intuitive onscreen controls to adjust position, edge falloff, angle and more New controls for combining audio from multiple angles within a Multicam Clip Compound Clip creation in the timeline now saves the clip in the Event Browser for re-use in other projects XML 1.2 featuring metadata import and export for richer integration with third-party apps Final Cut Pro X is available for US$299 in the Mac App Store. [Via Engadget]
Apple updates Final Cut Pro X with slew of new features, now available for download
Amidst all the announcements made at the California Theatre earlier today, Apple very quietly pushed out a fresh version of its famed (and at times controversial) video editing software, Final Cut Pro. Inside v10.0.6 users can find an array of new additions and improvements that will most certainly be welcomed with open arms by the FCPX crowd, making this the most notable update since bundling in those multicam and broadcast monitoring features. Among these new traits are RED camera support for native REDCODE RAW editing, the ability to add freeze frames to the timeline with a simple keystroke, novel audio controls for use while tinkering with multicam clips and a revamped "Share" interface for exporting projects. The Final Cut Pro update can be downloaded now from the usual spot, and, of course, it comes at no extra cost for those who've already shelled out the $300. The full and hefty changelog can be found right after the break.
Flip cam software reborn as iPhone app Givit
Ah, I remember the little Flip Mino, a pocket HD recorder that took the world by storm and then sank beneath the waves of competition from smartphones that could perform a similar task. The developers behind the Flip software now have a new social iPhone app to take on Viddy and SocialCam and make video editing and sharing easy. The app, called Givit, is free at the App Store. New users get 5 GB of free online storage for their creations. You begin shooting video(s), then edit by combining multiple clips, adding motion effects, music and transitions. What's cool is that you can highlight a scene as you shoot it and quickly get back to it with a tap. %Gallery-167306% When you are done, you can share via Facebook, YouTube or email. I like the email option the best, as it's less public and more personal. Advanced paid plans will let you increase your storage, but most users should be able to get by with what is offered for free. I created a few videos and the process was pleasantly straightforward. Built-in help pops up when you first try the app, and it can be easily recalled. I had a few crashes on my iPhone 4S when I first started using the app, but a reboot ended that. Givit wants to be Instagram for video, and it has a chance to succeed. The app is intuitive, easier to use than similar apps, and it has popular social functions built in. The app is not universal, but can run on the iPad and also the iPod touch. It requires iOS 5 and is iPhone 5-ready.
Adobe announces Photoshop and Premiere Elements 11 with new filters, more beginner-friendly UI
Earlier this year Adobe announced Photoshop CS6 with a new user interface, and now Elements, its line of beginner-level products, is getting a facelift too. The company just introduced Photoshop and Premiere Elements 11, and while the two apps include a handful of new photo- and video-editing features, the bigger story is that they're designed to be less intimidating to newbies. Both have a more readable UI, for instance, as opposed to the old theme with the dark background and low-contrast icons. Things like preview thumbnails have been brought to the forefront so that they're easier to find. Also, both pieces of software ship with a re-tooled image organizer that puts commonly used functions front and center, with lesser-used features like keyword tagging hidden in the menus. The organizer also now has Google Maps integration, so you can view your shots on a map. You can also for the first time view by event, or by the names of people tagged in photos. As for new features, Photoshop Elements is getting a series of new comic-inspired filters, including "Pen and Ink," "Graphic Novel" and, yes, "Comic." Photoshop Elements now allows European customers to upload photos to Cewe, while Premiere Elements supports Vimeo uploads. (Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, Shutterfly and SmugMug sharing were already built in.) Amateur videographers will also enjoy a series of new Hollywood-inspired filters, including Red Noir, a "Sin City"-esque effect with red accents, and "Pandora," which is meant to evoke "Avatar." Finally, you can use Time Remapping and Reverse Time to speed up footage or slow it down, respectively. Fans of the software will notice the pricing hasn't changed: the two apps cost $100 each, or $150 as a bundle. Folks who are upgrading will pay $80 a pop, or $120 for both. Look for both on Adobe's site today, with the old-fashioned boxed software hitting retailers soon.
Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 now fully supports Retina MacBook Pro: both HiDPI and GPU compute
Adobe's video editing application is already a lovely thing on the Retina MacBook Pro, but not visually -- only in terms of its raw performance on that Core i7 CPU. Until today's update -- 6.0.2 -- the software hasn't actually been able to make use of HiDPI itself, and neither has it been able to exploit the performance-boosting potential of GPU compute on the laptop's NVIDIA GTX 650M graphics card. If you're lucky enough to own this combo of hardware and software, Adobe's official blog suggests that you go ahead and check for the update or apply it manually following the instructions at the source link below (it's actually within Bridge that you should check for the update, with other Adobe titles closed). We're hopefully about to apply it ourselves and will report back on its impact. Update on the update: As expected, video thumbnails look sumptuous in the absence of pixelation, making this a worthy revision. That said, software encoding of a short timeline was still faster with the Mercury Engine set to software mode rather than GPU compute. A 2:30 clip took 2:02 to encode with OpenCL, 2:00 to encode with CUDA, but just 1:42 to encode in Software mode. No doubt people who do multi-cam editing or need to render complex effects in real-time may see a benefit -- please, let us know if you do! Update: Just had word from NVIDIA that may explain what's happening with our encoding times. We're told it's only if we enable "Maximum Render Quality" that GPU compute will shine through in terms of performance, because enabling max quality in software mode would slow it down. So far we've only tried with default settings, so clearly there's room here for more experimentation.
Avid Studio for iPad gets renamed, free on the App Store for a limited period of time
Avid Studio for iPad arrived back in February, priced to coax iPad filmmakers away from Apple's in-house iMovie. Since then, however, the company sold its consumer business arm to Corel, leading it to re-brand the package as Pinnacle Studio for iPad. The editing app has gained a bunch of features that users were clamoring for, including 1080p support, integrated uploads to Box and a raft of stability tweaks. As part of the change, it's being offered free for a limited time, so if you own an iPad (or plan on getting one in the future), we suggest you jump-cut to the App Store pretty quickly.
Avid Studio for iPad loses support, replaced with Pinnacle Studio
You might get a surprise when you open Avid Studio on the iPad today. A pop-up message advises users that the app won't get any more support. Users are urged to download Pinnacle Studio, a similar high-end editing app owned by Corel. The changes are a result of Corel buying the consumer line of Avid editing tools. Avid Studio was US$4.99, but Pinnacle Studio, at least for now, is free. The Avid app and new Pinnacle app are very powerful, with a great many features not contained in Apple's iMovie for iOS. The Pinnacle app allows the creation of projects containing video, audio and photos that can all be placed into the editing timeline. The app supports 16 transitions, title creation, and video compositing. Files can be shared via YouTube, Facebook, Box, Apple TV and more. Projects can be exported in 1080p to Pinnacle Studio which runs on a PC. Media can be imported using the iPad Camera Connection Kit. %Gallery-164072% I put together a quick movie using some media I already had on my iPad. The workflow is intuitive and the final output is of very high quality. With iMovie for iOS at US$4.99, Pinnacle Studio seems like a no brainer. So grab it while it's free and give it a try. The app is a 67 MB download and works on the iPad 2 and the latest iPad. It requires iOS 5.1 or greater.
YouTube video editing brings in real-time previews, trims UI down to the basics
YouTube's video editing suite is officially a toddler in human years, so it's about time that it grew a little more beyond learning how to walk and talk. By far the most conspicuous sign of maturity is a new real-time preview that shows edits and filter options as you play -- you'll now know if that effects filter at 1:37 is festive or just gaudy. The overall interface is also a little more buttoned-down with a simpler interface that cuts back on unnecessary clutter. YouTube has been rolling out the editor update in recent hours and may have wrapped up by the time you're reading this, which we'd take as a cue to start producing that streaming masterpiece.
Microsoft patent applications take Kinect into mobile cameras, movie-making
Microsoft has never been shy about its ambitions for Kinect's depth sensing abilities. A pair of patent applications, however, show that its hopes and dreams are taking a more Hollywood turn. One patent has the depth camera going portable: a "mobile environment sensor" determines its trajectory through a room and generates a depth map as it goes, whether it's using a Kinect-style infrared sensor or stereoscopic cameras. If the visual mapping isn't enough, the would-be camera relies on a motion sensor like an accelerometer to better judge its position as it's jostled around. Microsoft doesn't want to suggest what kind of device (if any) might use the patent for its camera, but it's not ruling out anything from smartphones through to traditional PCs. The second patent filing uses the Kinect already in the house for that directorial debut you've always been putting off. Hand gestures control the movie editing, but the depth camera both generates a model of the environment and creates 3D props out of real objects. Motion capture, naturally, lets the humans in the scene pursue their own short-lived acting careers. We haven't seen any immediate signs that Microsoft is planning to use this or the mobile sensor patent filing in the real world, although both are closer to reality than some of the flights of fancy that pass by the USPTO -- the movie editor has all the hallmarks of a potential Dashboard update or Kinect Fun Labs project.
YouTube wants more videos to have background music, adds audio editor
Need something to fill in the awkward silence between your vlog's unscripted stuttering? YouTube's got your back. In yet another attempt to make your crummy videos just a little better, the streaming outfit has revamped its audio editing suite, giving users access to over 150,000 tracks and a simple sound mixer, to boot. Sure, YouTube's tracks may not be as catchy as your favorite Flaming Lips single, but at least you won't have to worry about copyright infringement. Check out YouTube's quick demo of the feature after the break.
Adobe outs Premiere Pro CS6: a 'massive release' with better multicam and more
If you turned your back on FCP X even after the big update, then the latest version of Adobe Premiere Pro may be of particular interest. CS6 brings an enhanced 64-bit playback engine that can handle 5K resolutions and higher, new trimming options, compatibility with Mac touchpad gestures, a Warp Stabilizer that was previously confined to After Effects, expanded multicam editing for more than four cameras and other stuff too plentiful to list in one breath. Inhale. That's what the source links are for.
YouTube wants to make your crummy video slightly less crummy
Upload a lot of videos to YouTube, but still can't afford that tripod? No worries, the Google-owned video site today announced some welcome additions to its editor, which can detect problems with your video and offer up corrections, so you can brighten things up a bit or eliminate some of the shakiness. If you're the type who needs this information explained in animated form, check out the YouTube video after the break. The feature, meanwhile, will be rolling out to users over the next few days.
Vimeo outs new iOS app at MWC, now sporting iPad compatibility
Back at CES, we first got wind of Vimeo's impending plans to welcome the iPad to its iOS party. Today at MWC, the outfit has announced that the new version of its app for iDevices is now available -- and it'll play nice with your Apple slate. If you're in need of a refresher, the update features browse-while-watching, a watch later queue, access to the Vimeo Music Store and a built-in video editor for managing those clips while you're on the move. Looking to take the leap? The free app is just a few clicks away via the source link and a bit more info waits in the PR below.
Avid Studio rolls onto iPad, treads on iMovie's toes (video)
There may be a number of options for budding iPad Scorseses, now you can add Avid's "Studio" to that list. Conveniently launching at the same price as iMovie, Avid's intention to woo Apple's users is clear. Those five bucks get you a tidy storyboard solution, "precision" editing, the usual array of transitions and effects, plus multi-channel audio support (including access to your iTunes library). Video can be shot from the device itself, of course, and camera kit owners can import footage from your archives. The final results can then be rendered in either 480p, 540p and 720p or shared via the usual social options. Most importantly, projects can also be finished off in the desktop version -- handy, if they start getting into Titanic territory. It's available today, just focus your iPad at the app store (or the source link below).
Avid Studio takes iPad video editing to the next level (Updated)
Updated to clarify that Avid Media Composer is cross-platform. Avid Studio on the desktop is a Windows-only product. Take that, Apple! Avid has just released an iPad iMovie competitor called Avid Studio. The US$4.99 app is a scaled-down version of Avid's pro video editing tools. Avid Studio features a timeline and storyboard, plus some iPad-friendly gestures so you can scale images and videos. You can arrange your edits on the timeline for special effects like picture-in-picture.The app also offers 3D animations and transitions, and video tracks can be composited. Avid Studio lets you export a project to the Avid Studio app for the PC via iCloud, and you can share your finished project via YouTube, Facebook or email. Videos not shot with the iPad camera can be imported with the iPad Camera Connection Kit. The app is supposedly compatible with the iPad 1 (unlike Apple's iMovie), but iTunes reviews suggest that it is not stable on the older hardware. While Avid's new iPad app is clearly a consumer tool and not a pro video editor, it does show some commitment from the company to Apple's platforms, and may serve as a 'gateway drug' for pros who are considering the Avid suite as an alternative to Final Cut Pro X. The initial poor reception for the release of Final Cut Pro X for the Mac last summer, which dropped many features and angered several professional customers, has provided an opening for alternative products. Avid (and also Adobe, with its Premiere Pro product) stepped into the FCPX breach and offered discounts to FCPX users who wanted to switch to the pro products on the desktop. Avid's most basic desktop suite runs only on a Windows PC and costs $169, but the company's pro app Media Composer is hundreds (or thousands) of dollars more, and does run on the Mac. Final Cut Pro X is $299 and requires an App Store-friendly version of Mac OS X. Apple updated FCPX this week to bring back some features that were lost in the FCP7 to FCPX transition, but I think some video professionals and serious hobbyists feel the momentum is swinging away from Apple. [Award-winning editor Walter Murch isn't among the naysayers, at least not anymore. –Ed.] Avid Studio for iPad will be $4.99 during a 30-day introductory period, and $8.00 after that. The app is a 30 MB download, and requires an iPad running iOS 5.0 or greater. Apple offers its own iOS version of iMovie for $4.99, which has been generally well reviewed. %Gallery-146266%
Apple releases updated Final Cut Pro X, brings multicam support, broadcast monitoring love
The X version of Final Cut Pro was supposed to be all things to all people -- easier and more power for the serious amateurs and yet refreshing and comprehensive for the pros. In reality it seemed that neither camp quite saw it that way, but Apple has at least been listening. Today the company has announced version 10.0.3, which finally adds the one feature everyone's been clamoring for: multicam support. But that's not all. Join us after the break for a deeper look.
Vimeo updates iOS app to include iPad, releases Android and Windows Phone apps too
Vimeo is unleashing a handful of mobile apps here at CES. First, the company has announced mobile software is now available for Android (Gingerbread) and Windows Phone (Mango) sporting upload functionality and 'watch later' queue management. Absent from the PR below is the upcoming iOS overhaul what will welcome iPads to the party -- due out later this month. Enabling Full HD streaming on the Apple slate, the updated app includes an editor with access to the Vimeo Music Store, browse-while-watching capabilities and functions of the regular ol' apps. For a smattering of screens shots from the aforementioned devices, hit the gallery below.
