Free editing and compositing software

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col lamb
Posts: 680
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:51 pm
Location: Preston, Lancashire

Free editing and compositing software

Post by col lamb »

I have been subscribing and considering testing out Hitfilm editing and compositing software for a while now when all of a sudden an e-mail arrives from them.

https://hitfilm.com/express/free

Simply register for the free cut down editing and 2D compositing version.

I have been trying it for a few hours and I am impressed.
Col Lamb
Preston, Lancashire.
FCPX, Edius6.02, and Premiere CS 5.5 user.
Find me on Facebook, Colin Lamb
col lamb
Posts: 680
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:51 pm
Location: Preston, Lancashire

Re: Free editing and compositing software

Post by col lamb »

Well, I have been trying out the software over the weekend.

You cannot go wrong, it is superb as it is.

Handles AVCHD very well, no issues.

It even has a video clip stabilizer that is as good as AE'S warp stabilizer (AE's stabilizer is way better than Premiere) and that means it is far better than Mercali.

It is simple to use, if you have used any version of Premiere, etc then you can get started with Hitfilm very easily.

You will regret it if you do not bother, it is available for both PC and MAC
Col Lamb
Preston, Lancashire.
FCPX, Edius6.02, and Premiere CS 5.5 user.
Find me on Facebook, Colin Lamb
tom hardwick
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Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2007 9:59 am

Re: Free editing and compositing software

Post by tom hardwick »

Better than Mercalli? That's saying something. Is it a stand-alone stabiliser Col?
col lamb
Posts: 680
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:51 pm
Location: Preston, Lancashire

Re: Free editing and compositing software

Post by col lamb »

Tom
No, you place the clip on the timeline, then create a composition out of it, then apply either a single or two point reference, analyze, clip a couple of options, then in the original timeline all is rock stable.

So there are more processes to go through than Mercali but being able to select the points you want to be stable is the key.

You have the editing timeline and on a tab on the same window there is the compositing. So it's like After Effects without the dubious link.

Tutorials are available via the opening screen, see the one on stabilization for how it all works
Col Lamb
Preston, Lancashire.
FCPX, Edius6.02, and Premiere CS 5.5 user.
Find me on Facebook, Colin Lamb
granfer
Posts: 77
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 11:43 am

Re: Free editing and compositing software

Post by granfer »

Well, I've found it Col, but cannot find how you Download it! ,Media and project files download.... but where is the Program Download button?
col lamb
Posts: 680
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:51 pm
Location: Preston, Lancashire

Re: Free editing and compositing software

Post by col lamb »

From the link above, scroll down the page where a download window appears.

Click on it and then in another window you have to link to your Facebook or Twitter accounts then you get to the actual download page.

Convoluted and you have to have either a facebook or twitter accounts to get there but persevere and it works.

If you have neither FB or Twitter, create a dummy Google Gmail account and then use this to set up either a facebook or twitter account, then point Hitfilm to the one you set up. This is precisely what I did on my main PC to avoid being pestered with e-mails in my main account.
Col Lamb
Preston, Lancashire.
FCPX, Edius6.02, and Premiere CS 5.5 user.
Find me on Facebook, Colin Lamb
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Dave Watterson
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Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 11:11 pm
Location: Bath, England
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Re: Free editing and compositing software

Post by Dave Watterson »

Also take care to download the full version. They offer a demo version and other options. The demo version has the usual limitations on length of video it will handle and where it will export.

The business of linking to your Facebook, Twitter or Google+ account is what the company gets in return for the free download ... publicity.
chrisk

Re: Free editing and compositing software

Post by chrisk »

I have neither a Twitter nor Facebook account but have successfully downloaded the full Express version. If I remember correctly, I just skipped that stage then logged in.

I found the program disappointing in that it does not support any form of interlaced video. If interlaced video is imported it appears to de-interlace it by taking one field from each frame and line doubling, as checked by viewing the individual fields in After Effects. I much prefer the smooth operation of 50i video to the jerky motion seen so often now from 25p or de-interlaced 50i footage.

From reading the HitFilm specs, it would appear that even the Ultimate version does not support interlaced footage

Chris
granfer
Posts: 77
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 11:43 am

Re: Free editing and compositing software

Post by granfer »

Thank you Col. Like Chrisk, I pressed cancel when it went to Facebook.... and it gave me the Download button!
Thanks, all.
col lamb
Posts: 680
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:51 pm
Location: Preston, Lancashire

Re: Free editing and compositing software

Post by col lamb »

Chris

It edits my Panasonic 900 1080i video just fine, put a 1080i clip on the timeline and you get a message asking if you want to change the sequence setting to match the clip.

It does not like Dolby sound, you have to get the Ultimate version for that, I suppose to give something away and pay royalties to Dolby is asking a bit much.
Col Lamb
Preston, Lancashire.
FCPX, Edius6.02, and Premiere CS 5.5 user.
Find me on Facebook, Colin Lamb
chrisk

Re: Free editing and compositing software

Post by chrisk »

Hi Col,

This is what the HitFilm spec says, copied from the manual:-

• Field type - all HitFilm projects work in a non-interlaced (progressive) format. Interlaced video will be automatically deinterlaced when used in HitFilm.

When you go to export the project, there is no choice other than the default 'Non-interlaced (Progressive)

Check your output footage to see if it is properly interlaced.

Chris
col lamb
Posts: 680
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:51 pm
Location: Preston, Lancashire

Re: Free editing and compositing software

Post by col lamb »

I generally do not do interlaced outputs, as all my movies are kept as a MP4 file for solid state projection.

You can edit interlaced, and yes outputs are limited.

In any case its great free software and a useful addition to any ones programmes

Even at £225 for the Ultimate version that is great value compared to Premiere, Vegas and Edius.

Let us not expect to much from something that is free.
Col Lamb
Preston, Lancashire.
FCPX, Edius6.02, and Premiere CS 5.5 user.
Find me on Facebook, Colin Lamb
Mike Shaw

Re: Free editing and compositing software

Post by Mike Shaw »

Note that this offer of a free version is (they say) available ONLY until Feb 4th. It is great for compositing - I'll now use it - when needed - along with Media Composer (which in my opinion has the best image stabilizing options of all of them - even Mercalli), and with another freebie programme that anyone wanting to do pro colour grading would be mad to not get - DaVincii's Resolve Lite, now owned by BlackMagic. (Google 'Resolve' and you'll get it - for free). The 'lite' version handles everything up to HD - if you want to colour correct or grade Red and its like, you need to pay for the upgrade.

How do they do it - Resolve - (and why) for free - when it is as good an editor as many one has to pay for, and offers better colour grading/correction than all but the most expensive dedicated programmes? It's a marketing ploy. Apparently editing studios all round the world - particularly the Far East - see no point in paying for software that doesn't do as good a job as the free version of Resolve - and when they want 'other' software and equipment, they turn to BlackMagic first.

HitFilm seems to have taken on the same marketing principle - until February (at the moment) anyway. It has a very high reputation among studios already - this will extend its reputation further.

But be warned - neither HitFilm nor Resolve work in the 'conventional' way of Windows based programmes. Not difficult to learn, but different to the conventional PC software. And great fun to use - because they are so solid, feature rich and efficient.
Frank Maxwell
Posts: 110
Joined: Tue May 14, 2013 5:44 pm

Re: Free editing and compositing software

Post by Frank Maxwell »

This software has a few minor issues with FCP-X and FCP 10.1
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