How to Edit Videos for Free

Chris Pirillo — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 08:45:18 +0000

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If you hadn’t noticed, I do happen to record and upload a lot of videos. I don’t really like to do video editing. However, there are times it needs to be done. One of the programs I use to edit videos is called ZS4. This was recommended to me by Steve Johnson.

This is available for Mac, Windows and Linux! It’s also a free program, with a handful of very useful features. ZS4 Video Editor can be used like an object oriented photo-manipulation program with a timeline: things that can be manipulated in a photo (workshop) program can be manipulated in ZS4 using parameters which alter over time. ZS4 Video Editor is worth using when…

the final output is a combination of more than 2 media sources rendered simultaneously. (like nine talking heads separately filmed, but later arranged in a 3×3 video wall combination)
every aspect of the compositing process needs to be ‘tweened with an adjustable interpolation algorithm, from rotation angles to audio volume and chroma key sensitivity etc…
it becomes necessary to create custom effects and imaging processes by combining any number of effects using a highly flexible and infinitely variable toolbox of imaging “primitives”.
the user likes to be limited by their own imagination instead of the software-makers ideas of the “desirable”.

The program is free, yes. It works well, yes. It’s easy to use, yes. It’s just… ugly. I can’t help it! I didn’t design it. But if you’re looking for a free video editing tool that won’t require you to take a class to learn, ZS4 is for you!

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How to Edit Videos for Free

Chris Pirillo » ZS4

How to Edit Videos for Free