We’re all recording videos more than ever on our smartphones and video cameras. However, editing them isn’t so simple. In the past, I searched the internet for a good video editing program that can be used by an amateur like me. The majority of tools I came across during my search were either paid or simply too difficult to use till I came across WeVideo.
WeVideo is a very handy online video editor that makes editing videos a very simple task. You can upload videos from your computer or import them from cloud storage services and select the editing mode depending on your experience. Once done, all you have to do is edit the video by adding titles, themes and other effects, and you are done. The service also has a dedicated Android app that can help you edit videos on the go.
Getting Started
To start editing your videos, you’ll need to visit the WeVideo home pageand sign up for an account. If you want, you can even use your Facebook, Google or Yahoo credentials to access the service. Then, you’ll be directed to the WeVideo dashboard from where you can upload, create and invite people to collaborate on videos.
You can upload videos from your desktop, import them from Facebook or other cloud services such as Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, Facebook, Picasa, Instagram and Flickr. Select any service where you have the video file on and authorize WeVideo to access that account. Once done, it will show you all the files that are saved on your cloud storage service. Just select the file you want to upload and it will appear under Media tab. The time it takes to upload the video depends on its size. Just make sure it’s not too large, as the service only gives you 5Gb storage in the free plan.
Working with WeVideo Editor
Click on Create Video button from your dashboard and you will be redirected to WeVideo editor. When you launch the application for the first time, you will be asked to select the editing mode which includes Storyboard, Timeline and Advanced Timeline. Storyboard mode is for absolute beginners who have no idea about video editing. On the other hand, Timeline is for users with a little experience and lastly, Advanced Timeline is for video editing professionals.
The uploaded videos will also appear in the editor under Video section. In the left side bar, it will show you all the effects and media files you can use in your videos such as audio files, images, transition effects, texts, etc. Note that you will not be able to see the transition effects and graphics in the Storyboard mode.
To get started, select the Timeline mode and click on the Video tab. It will show you the uploaded video files, simply drag and drop it anywhere in the first timeline. The reason we selected Timeline mode is to show you all the features it offers. You can split the videos using the scissor tool located under the preview window. Just move the red line, make your selection and click on the scissor icon.
Click on the Transitions tab to check the effects offered by the service. To use them, just select the effect you want to use and drag it in the second timeline.
Click on the Graphics tab and it will show you all the graphic effects you can use in your videos. Drag and drop the selected graphics on the timeline where you want it to appear and add the text.
You can even invite other people to collaborate on your projects from your dashboard, if you wish. After you are done with the editing, you can easily publish and save your videos online. If you want, you can easily upload the videos to cloud storage accounts as well as publish it to the video sharing websites including YouTube and Vimeo.
Pricing
WeVideo also offers users with paid plans starting from $4.99 per month. The paid plans offer users with more features and storage space as well as a higher resolution video. In the paid plans, there are no watermarks on the videos as well.
Wrapping it up
Overall, WeVideo is one of the most simple and easy-to-use video editor I have used. This is the second time in my life that I used a video editor and it was so simple even in the timeline view. The best thing about the service is that you can easily import/export videos to Dropbox and other cloud storage services. You can even use WeVideo to create professional presentations as well.
However, there is only one drawback, all the videos that you publish under the free account comes with a WeVideo watermark. To remove the watermarks, you can sign up for a paid plan which comes at a nominal rate of $4.99 per month especially if you use video editors on a regular basis.
Feel free to share your thoughts if you tried WeVideo.