I love it when technology truly makes life easier. When I started my editing career, hardware and software were prohibitively expensive. I got my first job because I could operate the Discreet Logic edit* computer. Since then, Final Cut Pro came and went and instead of editing on a desktop computer, I am now editing on a laptop. I had also purchased a handicam around the time my daughter was born, which recorded on SD card. I did a quick lighting test video for a friend the other day, and was pleased that I could convert the camera's .MOD movie files to .mp4 using Handbrake.

I put the lighting test video together in Adobe Premiere and uploaded it to YouTube. This morning I recorded the first video in a "how-to" video editing series using Loom. Because Loom utilises your laptop camera it obviates the need for a handicam. If you would like to learn more about video editing, you can watch this first tutorial here. In this video, I use footage that was kindly made available by Cinestudy (formerly Framelines) for free online. If you'd like to learn how to use editing software but don't have any video material to play around with, why not check out Cinestudy's offer?

I am encouraged by creative tools becoming cheaper. For instance, the move to subscription services for software makes it possible for me to rent the tools I need on a monthly basis. I am also amazed that Lightworks open-sourced the code for its video editor and having taken a quick first glance, I am impressed.

If you have memories waiting to be turned into home movies, there is no better time to learn than now.