There are a confusing number of video editing apps out there all promising to be the best, save you time, transform your workflow.
Most of you don’t have time to plough through what’s on offer. So I’ll make it easy for you with the best two apps to get you started.
Learning to edit on one of these apps will give you the skills and tools you need to create videos that tell a story and deliver a valuable message for your business.
Most phone editors work with only a single layer in the timeline. This means you are limited to simply stitching together a montage of clips, then adding music and titles. And sometimes this is all you need.
However, in iMovie and KineMaster you can add two or more layers of clips which run simultaneously (see image above). This lets you add clips of an interview or presenter to deliver the main message or story. Then you can add cutaway footage to the layer above. The audio from the interview continues to play while the viewer is kept engaged by constantly changing images that illustrate the story.
The video below is an example of what you can create in just a few hours in iMovie.
iMovie
For IOS users, iMovie is a great place to start your editing journey. You can build two layers of clips as well as adding titles and a music layer. The title templates are clean and simple and there is a decent royalty free music library included with the app.
After a while, you may find the music and title choices limiting. However, for beginners, these limitations are actually the great strength of the app. Its uncluttered interface makes it simple to learn. And that’s exactly what you need if video production is only a small part of your job.
You don’t want to waste your time grappling with complex features when you just need to turnaround a quick messaging video for your boss.
With iMovie on your phone you can learn quickly and be producing professional content before you know it.
Top feature for businesses: add a jpeg file of your logo in the top left or right of the video.
Limitations for businesses: You cannot customise the title templates making it difficult to stamp a strong brand identity on your videos.
Cost and Download: iMovie comes free and pre-installed on your iPhone.
KineMaster
For Android users, KineMaster is a fantastic place to start your editing journey. You can also download this for iOS, so if you’re frustrated by the lack of titling options in iMovie, KineMaster might be your next stop.
KineMaster lets you work with multiple layers of clips, titles or music on your timeline. You can customise your titles which makes it better for stamping your brand identity on videos than iMovie. There are also loads of transitions, effects, and graphic options you can work with if you want to be creative.
The big bonus of KineMaster over iMovie is that you can create your own subtitles using the customisable title layer.
Top feature for Businesses: You can create square or portrait videos on the app, letting you customise your content for different platforms.
Limitations for businesses: your IT department might block you from using this app as they can be distrustful of its security and stability.
Cost and Download: Download from the App Store or Google Play for free. Currently $4.99 per month or $39 for one year if you want to remove the watermark from your final video.
MORE ADVANCED EDITING APPS
If you can already edit proficiently on your phone or if you’re used to desktop editing, try out Adobe Rush or LumaFusion to up the ante on your video production.
Adobe Rush is a really simple editor but where it raises the bar is it’s connection to Adobe’s Creative Cloud suite of apps. You can start a simple edit on your phone before transferring the whole project to your desktop to edit on Adobe Premier Pro. This is a great option if you’re working as part of a big team.
LumaFusion is the Queen Bee of smartphone editing. There’s very little this editor can’t do and it’s as feature packed as your average desktop editor..
Keep an eye out on future blogs for videos and tips on Rush and Lumafusion. And subscribe to our Smartphone Video Newsletter for weekly updates and more in-depth video tutorials.
