My Favorite Video and Multimedia Software Tools

Choosing the best tool for your video editing workflow.

Every video professional has their own favorite toolset. Today I will discuss the tools I prefer. This is not to say it's an exclusive toolset - it's just the video tools I find most productive to my workflow. Depending upon the job and what the project needs, an editor must be able to work in any toolset. Just like a carpenter may have his or her favorite hammer, he or she will always use the tool that best fits the job.

Getting the Perfect Video Encode

The video encoding interface in Sorenson Squeeze.

Last September in a blog entitled "What Format is Your Video Sample Reel?', I wrote about uploading your videos in their native format to YouTube for the best quality presentation. But in some cases, that may not be an option and you have to encode the video on your own.

Stock Footage Websites

Finding and buying stock video footage is very easy.

In the past when you needed stock footage for a production, it meant requesting a preview reel from a stock footage house, reviewing the tape and then making notes of the time codes you needed. Today finding and acquiring stock footage is so much easier, faster and less expensive. Most all of the stock footage available can be searched, previewed and purchased online.

Motion Effects in the Avid Editing System

The Motion Effects Editor in Avid.

In my video editing wish list, I briefly touched on the Motion Effects Editor in the Avid Media Composer editing system. There are are a lot of things I like about motion effects in the Avid system, but it has a long way to go.  I love the standard Motion Effect dialog, the Fit to Fill Edit and some of the Time Warp effects including Trim to Fill. Beyond that, things get a little grayer.