The use of online video editing services is a trend that has been slowly gaining popularity as time goes by. While the premise of having all your editing processes off-loaded to a remote server may seem a bit impractical and daunting for the time being, some people have found that the use of such services has actually benefited their editing workflows.
Below, Justin Brown of Primal Video goes into great detail in regards to the pros and cons of using online video editors as he shares his experience with one of the most popular cloud-based video editing platforms currently available out there.
The most significant benefit of using an online video editor is that all the number crunching and processing is performed remotely. While you are responsible for uploading your footage and using the web interface to edit your clips, all of the actual rendering and computer work happens from the service’s own server.
This means that you’re not required to edit on a high-end machine, allowing you to work on most devices, even something as simple as a Chromebook. The remote processing helps you save money since you do not have to invest in a more expensive and editing-focused machine.
Another benefit to using an online video editor is the ability to efficiently collaborate with team members. Since your footage and edits are in the cloud, it’s easy for all your other editors to work on the same project at the same time. In addition, you can even have your team work on different projects while ensuring adaptive progress tracking thanks to the cloud-based editing system. Online video editors would be especially useful if your editing team resides in more than one location.
File management is another advantage to using an online video editor. Considering that all your files are already uploaded to the cloud server, your editors and clients don’t need to download the source media to their machine, making the files and edit easily accessible anytime, anywhere. In addition, you don’t have to constantly export/import every time you make an edit pass.
Even though online video editors have their advantages, there are several disadvantages associated with the service as well. For instance, the efficiency of your editing largely depends on your Internet connection speed. If you’re in an area with poor internet service, you will find it difficult to upload/download footage to and from the cloud, in addition to the latency and playback quality degradation.
Furthermore, online video editors only have basic editing functions. Besides essential editing processes like trimming, green screen effects, transitions, and titles, these solutions cannot compare to full-fledged NLEs like Final Cut Pro X or Adobe Premiere Pro.
Another drawback when using the online editors is that as you’re playing back your footage, the quality won’t be fully reflective of your final output. As you scrub through the timeline, you will notice that the editor will reduce playback quality to compensate for your Internet connection, meaning that if you want to see what your footage will actually look like, you’ll need to export the edit first.
Finally, when it comes to the actual online editors, the one that Brown recommends is WeVideo Cloud Editor. The platform has seamless integration with services such as Google Drive and Dropbox for easy file import. The clean and straightforward interface allows for easy navigation and efficient editing. In addition, it includes some built-in effects like chroma keying, which sometimes bests other offline editing programs.
While online video editors are still in their infancy and may not be ready to be considered as the go-to solution for high-end productions yet, the quickly evolving cloud-based technology puts them on the radar not only for those in need of simple edits but also for more advanced users who are looking for another viable alternative for their workflow on the go.
[source: Justin Brown – Primal Video]
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