Video Editing with Free Software (Accompanies "Free Software" video) - Computerphile
ComputerphileKey Moments
Making Computerphile videos with free software faces hurdles in reliability, ease of use, and export times.
Key Insights
The true definition of 'free software' emphasizes freedom of speech over just cost.
Video editing software, especially in the free and open-source realm, is still maturing.
Challenges include software installation failures, graphical driver issues, and lack of reliability.
Achieving desired video quality, particularly with dynamic range and audio, can be difficult.
Exporting finished videos is a significant bottleneck, often requiring workarounds and long processing times.
While powerful free software exists (like Kdenlive and Blender), user workflow and hardware compatibility are crucial factors for success.
UNDERSTANDING THE DEFINITION OF FREE SOFTWARE
The video begins by clarifying the meaning of 'free software' as championed by the Free Software Foundation, emphasizing freedom of speech and user control rather than the absence of monetary cost. This distinction is crucial for understanding the experiment's premise: to create a Computerphile video adhering to these principles. The presenter aims to showcase the process, not to endorse specific tools, acknowledging that many users possess greater expertise in these areas.
THE CHALLENGES OF FREE VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE
The core of the video explores the difficulties encountered when attempting to edit video using only free and open-source software. The presenter notes that while video editing software is relatively new in the free software landscape, many applications proved unreliable, difficult to install, or unable to meet specific functional needs like splitting stereo audio tracks or adjusting dynamic range effectively.
HARDWARE AND OPERATING SYSTEM INSTABILITY
A significant portion of the experimental process involved wrestling with hardware and operating system compatibility. The presenter details failed attempts to install various Linux distributions (OpenSUSE, Debian) on older hardware, encountering issues like installation failures and the 'black screen of death.' These early setbacks led to the decision to use a more powerful, albeit not strictly 'free' in all aspects of its ecosystem, admin machine.
EXPLORING POTENTIAL FREE EDITING APPLICATIONS
Several free software options were tested. Cinelerra showed initial promise but suffered from audio issues and problematic output quality, producing large and muted files. PURE showed potential but locked up when adding elements to the timeline. Blender, while powerful for 3D graphics, presented a steep learning curve for video editing. The presenter found Kdenlive to be the most viable option, offering a familiar interface and some effective tools, despite its own set of workflow challenges.
AUDIO AND VISUAL ADJUSTMENTS WITH FREE TOOLS
Key technical requirements for the video involved managing high dynamic range footage and ensuring clear audio. While Kdenlive offered tools for adjusting black and white levels, the arbitrary numerical values were less intuitive than the familiar RGB parade scopes used in industry-standard software like Avid. Splitting the stereo audio track into separate mono channels to isolate the primary microphone proved problematic in Kdenlive, leading to potential clicking sounds on one channel during export. This audio issue, though unintended, was left in the final video to reflect the reality of the process.
THE EXPORTING BOTTLENECK AND TIME INVESTMENT
The export process presented a major hurdle, with numerous failed attempts resulting in zero-byte files, incomplete renders, or poor quality. Eventually, a viable export setting was found, but it required rendering the 20-minute video in 30-second segments, each taking about 20 minutes to process. This lengthy segmentation and subsequent stitching process, along with the initial week spent troubleshooting software and hardware, highlights the significant time investment required when working with free software, a trade-off considered against the cost savings.
THE TRADE-OFF: TIME VERSUS PRICE AND FREEDOM
The presenter concludes by reflecting on the true 'trade-off' when using free software: the time and effort required to make it work versus the monetary cost. While acknowledging the philosophical importance of freedom of speech championed by free software advocates, the personal experience highlighted how the time spent on installation, configuration, and troubleshooting could outweigh the financial benefit. Despite the difficulties, the presenter encourages those with time and hardware to explore these powerful, evolving tools, but advises managing expectations regarding out-of-the-box functionality.
Mentioned in This Episode
●Software & Apps
●Companies
●Organizations
●People Referenced
Using Free Video Editing Software: Do's and Don'ts
Practical takeaways from this episode
Do This
Avoid This
Export Test Results
Data extracted from this episode
| File Size | Duration | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Zero Bytes | N/A | Failed or crashed |
| Few KB | N/A | Incomplete or hideously compressed |
| 15 MB | 30 Seconds | Decent size |
| ~2 GB | Less than 2 minutes | Problem with colors, mute output |
| ~40-60 Seconds | N/A | Crashed without rendering quality output |
| ~7-8 Minutes | Entire film | Exported from Avid (paid software) |
| ~20+ Minutes | 30 Seconds | Exported from Kdenlive (free software), per segment |
Common Questions
In this video, 'free software' refers to software that respects users' freedom of speech and choice, not just software that is free of charge. The speaker focuses on the practical challenges and time investment required to use such software effectively.
Topics
Mentioned in this video
Mentioned as someone who used to work for the Free Software Foundation and was interviewed for a related video.
A Linux distribution that failed to install twice on the old machine.
A Linux distribution recommended by the Free Software Foundation that ran well on the old machine.
An organization that defines free software based on freedom of speech, a concept contrasted with 'free as in money'.
Software that came with Diabolik, showing promise but having issues with audio and output quality.
A free video editor the speaker started using and found promising, but encountered issues with audio channels and exporting.
Software used to stitch together exported 30-second segments of the video without re-encoding.
Industry-standard, non-free video editing software used as a benchmark for recreating edits with free software.
A suggested video editor that looked promising and similar to Kdenlive but locked up when clips were added to the timeline.
A Linux distribution with a promising interface but issues running off the hard drive.
Software used for creating graphics for Computerphile videos, which the speaker recreated using free software.
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