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People like movies no question about it but not everyone likes to go through the painstaking task of filming and editing their own feature-length film. Its often a difficult process, one that can be filled with time-consuming chores and tedious work, not to mention a costly budget. However, simple editing can be done on the cheap if youre willing to ditchpowerful, high-end software such asFinal Cut Pro or Sony Vegas Pro in favor of a more modest program. Lets face it, youre probably not going to be taking home the Palme dOr with the film you cut on your laptop, but your home movies and YouTube uploads can take on a whole new shine with a few straightforward tools.

Below areour picks for the best free, video-editing software available for Windows and MacOS. Now you can channel your inner Michael Kahn, Thelma Schoonmaker, or Arthur Schmidt on a nonexistent budget. Ready, set, EDIT.

Apples iMovie has long been one of the most consumer-orientated video editors out there. Its bundled with all new Macs, and touts some serious practicability for the everyday user. The latest version of the software allows you to import and edit 4K video clips from a variety of external devices, such as smartphonesand GoPro cameras, and sports a clean interface that is attractive and easy to navigate. The ability tostart editing on iPhone or iPad and finish on a Mac just renders it even more convenient.

Aside from video, images and audio can also be incorporated into your project by simply dragging your desired multimedia into the project area and arranging them in timeline-like fashion. The resulting video can always be previewed in real time, as well as any effects themes, text, music, voice-overs, etc. before exporting the file directly to YouTube, Facebook, or a wealth of other platforms. Other recentfeatures include a basic audio editor, the option to make previews for apps youve developed, and the even ability to make your own movie trailers complete with transitions and end credits. Its not a tour de force in terms ofvideo editing, but its perfectly suitable for home videos and minor projects.

Although Movie Maker is not officially supported inWindows 10, you can still download and use it to create videos.Like iMovie, itsanother easy-to-use video editor capable of creating fresh videos without the bells and whistles associated with more robust programs such asFinal Cut Pro andAdobe Premiere Pro. The software letsusers combine video, images, and audio using a drag-and-drop method similar to iMovie, and it features all the essential functions we now come to expect from any basic editing software. Adding themes and effects is a breeze, as is trimming video and one-step uploading to various sites such asYouTube and Facebook.

Limited format support is a drawback, as is the jarringwhite background which makes its resemblance to Microsoft Word even more pronounced. A decent video converter or media player can typically solve the format issue within minutes, though. For the background color, youre on your own. Additionally, the full-screen preview and high-definition webcam capture are also a plus. Theaudio-editing capabilities are pretty limited, but for simple videos, the softwares fade in and fade out capabilities should suffice. Windows Movie Maker certainly wont floor you with its capabilities, but it does offer enough free incentives to keep the amateur video editor satisfied without the financial burden of the aforementioned, heavy-duty programs.

Most of the software programs in our roundup cant boast Hollywood credentials like Lightworks can. EditShares non-linear editing system has been used to help produce everything from LA Confidential andPulp Fiction toHugo and The Wolf of Wall Street, offering a solid set of both free and premium tools that we simply cant ignore. Notable features include professional-level color correction, GPU-accelerated real-time effects, video capture, and nearly all-encompassing format support. However, the free version is only capable of exporting MPEG-4 files with a resolution of up to720p. Thankfully, Lightworks also offerstraditional tools for importing, trimming, and seamlessly weaving audio and video together with a few effortless mouse clicks.

Other great inclusions are the programs instant auto-save functionality, which works flawlessly in the background, and the ability to select Avid and Final Cut Pro keyboard layouts if you refuse to adopt Lightworks default design. Despite its brawny capabilities, itsquick and on-point,and the full-screen interface is polished and well organized as well. Also, given the open-source nature of the software and steep learning curve associated with the freemium product, theprograms forumsare more bustling than most. Lightworks is by far the most fully featured video editor on our list, however, its also the one that requires the user to be the most tech-savvy to truly tap into its powerful framework and flagship feature set.

Avidemux is the Instagram of video editing software: quick, dirty, and impressively capable. The software is designed for quick trimming, filtering, encoding, and a slew of other basic features. The cross-platform software also remainsopen-source with a resourceful wiki page to boot and tasks can be automated using assorted projects, job queues, and custom scripting capabilities that push it beyond barebones functionality.

With light features also comes a light footprint, and Avidemux takes up little space compared to the other programs in our roundup. It also allows users to change extensions and select individual output formats when theyre finished editing a video, but the less-than-friendly interface makes it difficult to utilizethe more intricate features and worthwhile tools. It may remain a bit buggy and prone to crashing, but the programs defaults still work as intended, making Avidemux is a standout choice once youve learn your way around the software. Just remember to save your work.

The lesser-known VSDC Free Video Editor comes bundled with a hodgepodge of video-editing features not to mention an onslaught of adware most of which isdesignedfor quick editing and conversion. Also, while the software might be free, the technical support is not.

However, the editor stillboastsa good deal of capabilitieswhen it comes time toalter lighting, splicevideo, and applyfilters and transitions in post production. Moreover, once you get used to the clunky interface, you can make good use ofall of them. Thesoftwaresports a minimalist design and a simple navigation ribbon that isnt nearly as complex as it looks, and it handles many common formats, from AVI to MP4. It also combinesaudio and video effects with ease.

While the software does run slow when utilizing more power-intensive tools, the recent builds rarely crash and offer optimized save outputs for a variety of devices, including smartphones and gaming consoles. Like the aforementioned Lightworks, the non-linear editing system is able to produce stellar, professional-grade videos in the right hands, but users will have to get over the learning hurdle before they really start to see what VSDC Free Video Editor is capable of.

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Want Hollywood results on a budget? Here's the best free video-editing software - Digital Trends