It’s been just a few decades since video editing started to become mainstream. Now, with the help of powerful new tools, anyone can make production-quality films on their computer.
Interestingly, this development is that the changes brought about by new technology are usually subtle; a few people might notice them, but for most of us, they’re just part of the background experience. Sure, an important part, but not something we tend to focus on.
But not in this case. The shift to digital video—especially free and easy-to-use tools—has coincided with a dramatic change in the way we make films and feature films. Very few current blockbusters are videotaped or edited digitally. It’s just not the way we make movies, or it wasn’t until recently.
The old-fashioned way was pretty dramatic, too. But, on the other hand, cameras were bulky, expensive, and difficult to use—and there was a lot went into gathering and processing footage for later editing.
The dramatic ways that technology has changed video editing are given below:
1. It’s now possible to shoot and edit quality videos on your computer
You don’t even need a dedicated video camera, let alone a video studio. You can start editing your videos with just a laptop and a good video editor!
The popularity of YouTube has been instrumental in promoting this technology. Before this change occurred, desktop editing was only really acceptable for the most basic kind of home movie. Now, it’s possible to create cross-platform material that looks great—even if it isn’t Hollywood-quality action scenes or political attacks.
2. It’s now much easier to make feature films
No more nights spent in movie labs or days spent in front of editing monitors. And, thanks to digital cameras and editing tools, no more asking your friend with a video camera and basic knowledge of how the medium works to record the occasional second-unit footage. Of course, it’s true that some highly accurate shots still need a professional camera—but with a good computer, you can get great material at high resolution.
3. Home movies aren’t what they used to be anymore
When you spend all day on set, you don’t have much time for shooting videos at home. Now, it’s possible to shoot your material fairly easily. It won’t be Academy Award material, but the changes in video editing mean it doesn’t have to be. The footage you get will look nice enough for a home movie, and that’s about all most people need.
The result of this change is that anyone interested in movies—and enough funds to buy a computer—can take their filmmaking interest from the realm of hobbies to make movies. This is especially true if they find some friends interested in working with them on projects.
4. Flashy special effects are now just as easy to use as the old ones
It was all about having the budget for a good effects team in the old days. If you wanted your blockbuster to have explosions, you had to pay for it. If you wanted people to be abducted by aliens, you had to hope someone at your studio knew how to make a decent set look realistic.
The world of video editing has changed all that. With a computer and a video editor, you can create pretty much anything you want and still impress people enough so that they want to see your film or videos.
5. You can now make a film for just about any price
You don’t need millions of dollars to make that great shot—you can get the same footage if you have a decent camera and the right online video editing tool to edit video. And, with just a few people involved in doing things like filming, there’s no need for anyone to collect huge production fees. Of course, there will still be some costs involved with the film, but they won’t be nearly as high as they used to be.
This change is most dramatic when it comes to “no budget” filmmaking—the kind of thing that usually only happens when a group of friends decides to make their movie. It’s easier to create a short or medium-length film now than before because the skills you need to learn will take up less time and cost less money.
6. Technology has made it easier for everyone to make movies
The old processes were hard enough on movie professionals, let alone people who just wanted to make a home movie. But that’s all changed, thanks to the dramatic ways that technology has changed video editing. It used to be that only large companies and other organizations could afford the cameras and resources needed for high-quality footage. But now, anyone with a computer can do the same thing.
This helps explain why YouTube is so popular—the site has created a lot of video editing enthusiasts. People like to see the cool things others are doing and try to make something as impressive as they’ve seen. Many people get started because they can use their computer resources but start by making videos that look just good enough for today’s web. As they get better at the process, it won’t be long before they’re creating their film projects with their friends, and they’ll be able to do it while spending very little money.
7. Editing software has become more accessible
Because the business of video editing has gotten much easier, anyone with a computer and a digital video camera can also start making movies. This is another reason YouTube is so popular—it’s always been really easy to find examples of homemade videos. You can get a program like iMovie or Final Cut Pro on your computer, just about any Mac and PC these days, and then you can upload your finished work to show other people what you’ve done.
You can even use this software to make movies for others—creating home movies on your computer and then giving them away for free is a great way to promote yourself (and those videos are perfect for social networking sites like Facebook).
The days of spending a lot of money and time to learn how to edit videos are long gone. Now, anyone with a computer can improve their filmmaking skills. The programs are easy to use, and the footage you get can impress viewers, even if it’s just an audience on YouTube or social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. So, if you want to know how to make a movie, now you know—you need the right software, some practice, and some ideas, just like thousands of other people who have taken advantage of the changes in technology over the years!
