LibGuides: Video Creation Guide: 3. Choosing an Application

What should I use?

Like most things in life, there are benefits and drawbacks to every available video editing platform. While we've already narrowed down your possible choices to a manageable level, it can still be difficult to know which program you should be using.

Refer to the chart below to quickly identify the key strengths and weaknesses of each program covered here. You will be able to use this information to make an informed choice as to which program is the right one for you.

Application	Pros	Cons
iMovie (Desktop / OS X)	Full-fledged, feature rich video editor. Multiple templates to choose from to speed up your process. Includes a large variety of transitions and title cards. Supports high resolution videos up to 4k (3840 x 2160) at 60 frames per second.	The most complex application listed here. Only a single person can edit and you are generally stuck using the same computer for the duration of your project -- it isn't (easily) possible to move projects from one computer to another.
iMovie (Mobile / iOS)	Extremely handy to use if you've already recorded video using your iPhone. You can easily export your final video to Google Drive or YouTube directly from your phone.	Not as full featured as the desktop version and it can be more time consuming trying to do fine editing on your phone versus on a computer. Retains the same single user limitation as the desktop version.
WeVideo (Browser) www.wevideo.com	Being browser based, WeVideo can be accessed on practically any device and you can continue editing on a different one than you started on. Our school license includes group collaboration and increased online storage space (contact Stephanie Olson to upgrade your account). The storyboard interface mode makes it easy for newcomers to get started while the more advanced timeline mode offers most of the features you would expect from a dedicated video editing program.	Limited selection of captions / callouts. If being used by a group, only a single member can be editing at any given time. If you are limited in storage space and export time, connect your account to GBS for essentially unlimited storage.
YouTube (Browser) www.youtube.com	Great for very simple trimming of clips or adding music to your video. Uploading directly to YouTube removes the publishing step you would run into with any other application. Privacy controls allow you to manage who you want to be able to find and view your video. YouTube's editor runs in your web browser, so you can access it from any Internet connected device.	Very limited editing capabilities. If you need to do anything more than trim clips, you'll need to look at other options. Videos can only be edited by the owner of the channel they are uploaded to.