With the vast selection of apps and services emphasiz– ing photo editing and the in- tegration of social media, the creation of video-editing apps seems like a not-so-distant dream.
Social media and blogging sites like Facebook, YouTube, and the recently popularized Vine have sparked an increase in the use and development of video-editing software for smartphones and tablets.
While the development of new software is always nice, the question that must be asked is: Is there a place and use for such software in the current market?
RaEsha Thompson, a se- nior mass communication major with a concentration in broadcasting, says there is.
“If it’s developed properly, I think it could eventually be- come something more convenient due to the fact that people constantly use their phones or tablets.”
Another thing to consider is how much the software will affect the classroom.
Universities like Immaculate in Philadelphia have begun to offer courses in cellphone photography. While Immaculate is new to the course, universities in New York have been offering the courses for a few years already.
Cellphone photography making its way into the classroom could mean that cell- phone videography also has its place. The director of the Grambling State University TV Center believes it does. Alan Blakeney also believes that the potential to create new interest in the video production and directing field exists as well.
“A lot of people will use the simpler versions,” Blakeney said, “but others will use the more advanced versions and spark an interest in a talent they didn’t know they had.”
Some of the most popular editors are native to the iOS. Splice, Magisto and SloPro all boast an apparently user- friendly interface with features like multi-audio track support, transitions, filters, and trimming. In a surprising twist, the
most powerful app actually is an Android native. VidTrim comes in two versions: free like its Apple counterparts and a paid version for $3.99 on the Google play store.
While all of the apps contain key features for any edi– tor and quick linking for up- loading to social media, only VidTrim Pro has the trans- code feature.
Using this feature, editors can convert the video files into high quality mp4 files, resize, and compress the videos. The app also features a “Frame Grabber” that allows users to select any frame of video and save it as a JPEG image.