If you’ve decided to create lawyer videos, then you’ll need video editing software and tools. There are a variety of solid software programs out there, ranging from complex to simple, and professional quality to decidedly amateur. How serious you plan to get about editing and what your budget is will determine what kind of program you should purchase. Many of these software programs provide free trial versions so that you can test drive them, and there are even a handful of decent free software options available. Here’s a run down of some of the more popular versions, their notable features, and their costs.

Low-Maintenance Editing

If all you need to do is splice digital film together, include a few basic transitions, and add an introduction to your video, then free lawyer editing software such as Picasa or Windows Live Movie Maker will do the trick. They’re simple to use, and make it easy for you to upload videos. However, they won’t include any sophisticated filters or overlays, and Picasa’s primary function is as a photo organizer. Apple iMovie is another free option; however, it can’t produce HD video output.

Moderate Editing

If you’re a lawyer who’s willing to invest some time and money into the process but don’t want to have to learn the ins and outs of professional video editing software, then there are a handful of products that fit the bill. Adobe Premiere Elements is a sophisticated program that includes features such as auto shake correction (for when the quality of video is diminished by unsteady hands), face recognition, and auto-following text bubbles. It currently retails for $99.
CyberLink PowerDirect (also $99) has similar capabilities and runs faster than Adobe Premier Elements; however, it’s a more challenging program to learn, with some less-than-intuitive controls. Other video editing tools in the same price range and with a comparable array of features are Pinnacle Studio Ultimate and Nero Vision Xtra.

Professional Editing

If you plan on putting together sophisticated lawyer videos, then you’ll need sophisticated—and expensive—video editing software. Adobe’s Premier Pro CS5 is high-end video editing software, including graphics hardware acceleration, which speeds up video processing times, and a number of refined features such as multiple project panels, multiple nestable timelines, and multicam editing. Premier Pro CS5 retails for $799. Apple’s Final Cut Studio costs $999, and is considered the industry standard, with professional quality audio editing capabilities, as well as animation.
Keep in mind that with professional editing software, you’ll need to have a highly advanced computer in order to even run it, much less run it efficiently. Be sure to check the hardware specifications before purchasing your lawyer editing software.

Chances are, the more you edit your lawyer videos, the more perfectionist you’ll get about the process. If during the course of learning how to edit videos, you find yourself frustrated by your software’s lack of features, then it’s time for you to upgrade. If, on the other hand, you find yourself frustrated by the complexity of the software’s instructions, then you might think about taking a course in video editing software—especially if you go from 0 to 100 by purchasing professional editing software right out of the gate.

Tags: Editing attorney videos, law firm video production, lawyer video edit